Drill press - table grinder - belt sander

[Makgecko2017]

Did you use these often and what kind is best model for this application?

Thanks mike

[GoDadGo]

Yes, Yes & Yes!

None of my stuff is high end since it all came from Home Depot, but it works.

Also, my tabletop belt sander has a disk too which is especially nice for final clean up.

[Makgecko2017]

Did you buy the Ryobi at home depot?

[boat737]

A drill press is pretty much mandatory. Bought mine 35 years ago, is a crappy piece from China, but has a gazillion miles on it, and is still going. Pretty worn out at this stage, but I love that thing. I'll keep using it till one of us drops. If I could only have one bench tool, that would be it.

A band saw is second on my must have list. Again, mine is a cheap import, but has been well used.

I have a belt/disc sander, and it does a great job too. Pretty messy though. I take it out to the driveway and close the garage door when I use it.

Oh, I have a bench grinder too, another very useful tool.

[edwardb]

Craftsman drill press, Craftsman band saw, and Delta disk/belt sander are the sole stationery power tools in my shop. None very new or very large models. But they get the job done. I use them all extensively, and wouldn't want to do a build without them. Lots of handheld stuff too, but that's a different question.

[GoDadGo]

Yes, all of three are Ryobi.
I would have liked to buy a better grade or higher end tool brand, but I wasn't sure if I would even use them.
I also bought a nice double swivel style vise that has a pipe clamp too, but don't remember where I get that.
All work just fine and I use them all of the time.
Also, get a good set of Clecos & Rivet Nut Tool and you'll be set to play with all that aluminum.

[Makgecko2017]

What size drill press 12 ,13 ?

[Straversi]

I have the Ryobi 10" drill press and it has been fine. Similar small dual sanding station. I have them both on a table outside with a vice and a shop vac. it is a messy work station. Add a sawzall and a jigsaw and you are good to go.


IMG_1951_zpsgwy1j1ri.jpg

[boat737]

I have the Ryobi 10" drill press and it has been fine. Similar small dual sanding station. I have them both on a table outside with a vice and a shop vac. it is a messy work station. Add a sawzall and a jigsaw and you are good to go.


IMG_1951_zpsgwy1j1ri.jpg

Uhhhh..... Is the Foosball a "must have", or just nice to have?

[2FAST4U]

Yes
Yes
No (wish I had a belt sander)

17" Craftsman drill press
Harbor Freight grinder and buffer
14" mini lathe

[Bob Cowan]

A drill press is pretty nice to have. But unless you're doing a lot of fabrication, you won't use it very often and then it just gets in the way.

I bought a stand that accepts my 3/8" drill and works like a small drill press. It does most everything I want it to, but clearly not as good as a full drill press. But it's easy to hang on the wall when I'm not using it. Life is full if trade offs.

https://www.amazon.com/Electric-Work...for+hand+drill

[Gumball]

During the course of my build, I acquired a band saw, drill press, bench grinder, arbor press, hydraulic press, belt sander, a lathe, and a mill. As you may expect, I quickly outgrew my garage!!!

Oh yeah, and recent additions include a 36" foot shear for cutting sheet metal and a 42" finger brake for bending said metal.

All but the mill were useful tools when building my FFR, but not necessarily required. Also, all of my stuff is very old - "vintage," actually - machinery that is American made and was sized either for small commercial use or for vocational training... mostly from the '50 & '60s.

[Straversi]

During the course of my build, I acquired a band saw, drill press, bench grinder, arbor press, hydraulic press, belt sander, a lathe, and a mill. As you may expect, I quickly outgrew my garage!!!

Oh yeah, and recent additions include a 36" foot shear for cutting sheet metal and a 42" finger brake for bending said metal.

All but the mill were useful tools when building my FFR, but not necessarily required. Also, all of my stuff is very old - "vintage," actually - machinery that is American made and was sized either for small commercial use or for vocational training... mostly from the '50 & '60s.

I love the build threads that start out with "I'm on a strict budget" but end up with "just bought a 5-axis CNC mill" of just installed the "4-Post lift"

Tools are obviously accounted for on a different set of books. And yes, Boat737, the Foosball table is a must have. Its taller than most work benches, you can store all of your tape and hang your painted parts on the handles, and my wife wouldn't let me get rid of it.

[boat737]

.....Tools are obviously accounted for on a different set of books. And yes, Boat737, the Foosball table is a must have. Its taller than most work benches, you can store all of your tape and hang your painted parts on the handles, and my wife wouldn't let me get rid of it.

Awesome. Since we're neighbors, I'll have to see if what I could do back in my college dorm days (hmmm... 45 years ago) is still in me.

[phileas_fogg]

I agree with Bob about the drill press; I've only been over to use my neighbor's press a couple of times. I'll be back a couple of more for the dash.

I've done almost all of my sanding with a ROS, a corner detail sander, or a rotary fitment for the cordless drill.

I've found the bench grinder to be invaluable; when you need it nothing else will get the job done.


John

[Gumball]

Honestly, my favorite tool for the build was a Dremel. I went through a couple of them, I used it so much. Particularly useful if you use their right-angle drill attachment for 1/8" bits.

[rich grsc]

Three cars, no, no and no

[Jeff Kleiner]

Three cars, no, no and no

More than that and still no, no, no.

Jeff

[boat737]

More than that and still no, no, no.

Jeff

You guys are tougher than me.

I want tools.

[Jeff Kleiner]

You guys are CHEAPER than me.

Fixed it for ya'

Jeff

[boat737]

Fixed it for ya'

Jeff

...and I need a lot of fixin'...

So I'll have the body man fix it.

[MPTech]

I've had a Ryobie Drill Press for about 15 years and REALLY like it. Comes in handy for all kinds of stuff. Yes you can live without them, but I'd prefer not to (and they are inexpensive enough).
I would recommend picking up a drill-press vice (I guess that's what they call them). I bought it from Harbor Freight a long time ago.
And be careful! That thing can really bind and sling a piece of metal! I've been lucky a couple times!

I'd also like to get a belt sander, but I've made due with a bench grinder and a palm sander, for most of my needs.

[Al_C]

irrespective of the naysayers, get the drill press. it's a no-brainer. the others are nice to have- get the drill press.

[boat737]

irrespective of the naysayers, get the drill press. it's a no-brainer. the others are nice to have- get the drill press.

The one that I've been looking at, is the WEN 4214. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00HQONF...I3DE0WXHAYPNRO Seems like the most bang for the buck. But since my crappy China one is still turning, I can't quite seem to replace it. But yes, drill press is a must have. I can't believe that you could build a car without it. Who knew.

[boBQuincy]

My drill press gets more use than any of my other power tools. Equipping it with an X-Y table makes it easy to drill holes a precise distance from each other, very handy for making mounting brackets.

[cgundermann]

This small and maneuverable hand held adjustable belt sander from Harbor Freight has been priceless and works like a champ:

image.jpeg

[FFRSpec72]

The one that I've been looking at, is the WEN 4214. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00HQONF...I3DE0WXHAYPNRO Seems like the most bang for the buck. But since my crappy China one is still turning, I can't quite seem to replace it. But yes, drill press is a must have. I can't believe that you could build a car without it. Who knew.

Will you regret not having a full standing drill press ?

[boat737]

Will you regret not having a full standing drill press ?

No. I have a small, lower bench at the end of my main work bench. It's perfect height and I keep the shop vac under it for the mess the drill press and bench grinder make. The size of the 36" unit is plenty big, or at least it has been for 3 and a half decades. You wouldn't believe what I've made with that thing. I can't believe what I've made with that thing.

[myjones]

I changed all the suspension on my 33 chassis and put a modern Hemi and a roll cage in mine so I have done more fabrication than a lot of kit builders have for a 1 time build.

I have and use the following items often. Drill press with XY vise, horiz/vertical band saw from Harbor Freight, 9" disc/6X48 belt sander, media blast cabinet, die grinder, 4.5 angle grinder, right angle drill. The angle grinder uses a flap wheel type disc that is much better at removal and shaping than a bench grinder because the flap disc cools the work constantly. The blast cabinet really helps prep parts for paint. I do have a wire feed welder but I have access to a good weld shop that is cheap and better at it than I am so they do the welding on anything critical like A-arms, roll cage etc.
HTH
Dale
7L Hemi33

[Papa]

The two most prized tools in my shop:





The drill press has a lifetime parts warranty, as do a lot of the Rigid high-end tools. They require a separate registration process, but worth the time.

[cnutting]

This small and maneuverable hand held adjustable belt sander from Harbor Freight has been priceless and works like a champ:

image.jpeg

I second that. I didn't trim quite enough off the bottom of my TKO before I installed it. Was able to use this little guy to get the job done without having to pull the motor back out.

[CraigS]

I have a 30 yr old Craftsman standing drill press but I think that Wen would be fine. I mean, once you have 8 inches or so between the chuck and the table, what more are you going to do? We don't drill anything more than 3 inches thick do we? A couple of years ago I got a combi belt disk sander and I really like it. Need it? No, but it sure is nice. But the FFR is not the only thing I do. There has been a ton of wood sanded on it too.