# Drill Press or Router table?



## nightdeath4223 (Sep 23, 2014)

I have some birthday money left over, the problem with this is most of it is tied to home depot via a gift card. I need a router table top (Incra offset) to begin building my router table but the router I have requires me to drill a hole in the plate for the adjustment bar. I know a drill press is a great tool and it really is the only thing that I can get from home depot in regards to tools. So I am at a cross roads, should I buy the drill press first wait a month and then buy the table top or use some of the cash I have and buy the table top? If I do the latter then I really dont know what to do with the gift card from home depot.


----------



## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Micheal
You did not say how Much money you got, but HD sells hardware, lumber, alway need shop supplies.


----------



## jack3140 (Aug 24, 2012)

nightdeath4223 said:


> I have some birthday money left over, the problem with this is most of it is tied to home depot via a gift card. I need a router table top (Incra offset) to begin building my router table but the router I have requires me to drill a hole in the plate for the adjustment bar. I know a drill press is a great tool and it really is the only thing that I can get from home depot in regards to tools. So I am at a cross roads, should I buy the drill press first wait a month and then buy the table top or use some of the cash I have and buy the table top? If I do the latter then I really dont know what to do with the gift card from home depot.


get a drill press a good one the table top is not necessary you can use anything for a router table good luck jack


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

nightdeath4223 said:


> I have some birthday money left over, the problem with this is most of it is tied to home depot via a gift card. I need a router table top (Incra offset) to begin building my router table but the router I have requires me to drill a hole in the plate for the adjustment bar. I know a drill press is a great tool and it really is the only thing that I can get from home depot in regards to tools. So I am at a cross roads, should I buy the drill press first wait a month and then buy the table top or use some of the cash I have and buy the table top? If I do the latter then I really don't know what to do with the gift card from home depot.


go with a get by DP....

Versatile Drill Guide - Lee Valley Tools










now go for the router table ...

and send me the card....


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

A plunge router can drill holes as long as they aren't too deep and the size is common.


----------



## nightdeath4223 (Sep 23, 2014)

Stick486 said:


> go with a get by DP....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hahahahaha that is probably best way to get all of it.


----------



## nightdeath4223 (Sep 23, 2014)

Semipro said:


> Micheal
> You did not say how Much money you got, but HD sells hardware, lumber, alway need shop supplies.


I have about 300 dollars in b day money.


----------



## nightdeath4223 (Sep 23, 2014)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> A plunge router can drill holes as long as they aren't too deep and the size is common.


Well the first hole that I need to drill through is a metal plate.


----------



## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

A drill press is indispensable.
Drilling is an important part of woodworking. Fine woodworking requires jigs & fixtures. And, unlike the metal working industry, woodworking jigs & fixtures are rarely excavated (shouldered, morticed e.g.) to accommodate the location of their components. Consequently, they are screwed together. And if you can't drill, you can't make fixtures and your woodworking will be compromised. 

Typically, the well fixtured woodworker does most of his critical work, (at the expense of time) before assembly and stuff just snaps together. Disregard the fixturing stage of your project and you get to the assembly much quicker. But to get your stuff together, you have to tune your way through a cascade of crap whilst using a swear word from time to time. Parts jam in their sockets, have to be sanded, hammered to fit, holes have to be overdrilled etc; you know who you are.

Knowing how to drill and make your drill press work will get you started. Knowing how to select a drill, feed rate and drill speed will expedite the experience. Getting the work clamped & immobilized, understanding the press's signature, and fixturing the press will increase your chances as a quillman. Understanding what can go wrong and what you can do about it will put you in control.

Drilling is a big deal. Making fixtures is only a fraction of it. I'm sure you'd like to get 2 pieces of material to register, drill on consistent centers, or maybe tap a little.


----------



## nightdeath4223 (Sep 23, 2014)

Quillman said:


> A drill press is indispensable.
> Drilling is an important part of woodworking. Fine woodworking requires jigs & fixtures. And, unlike the metal working industry, woodworking jigs & fixtures are rarely excavated (shouldered, morticed e.g.) to accommodate the location of their components. Consequently, they are screwed together. And if you can't drill, you can't make fixtures and your woodworking will be compromised.
> 
> Typically, the well fixtured woodworker does most of his critical work, (at the expense of time) before assembly and stuff just snaps together. Disregard the fixturing stage of your project and you get to the assembly much quicker. But to get your stuff together, you have to tune your way through a cascade of crap whilst using a swear word from time to time. Parts jam in their sockets, have to be sanded, hammered to fit, holes have to be overdrilled etc; you know who you are.
> ...


The more that I read the more I believe you are absolutely correct, I guess my issue is from being excited to finally have one of the major tools (table saw) to do work. In that excitement I am leaning on getting the router table taking care of so I can then start doing things. But I agree, being over excited and moving quick, especially for a novice, is not a wise thing when I have a bookcase and ent center coming up.


----------



## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Go as big as you can with the drill press, its cheaper in the long run than trading up!

Trust me on that!


----------



## cptjack (Aug 15, 2014)

it is easier to build a router table than a drill press


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I'm with the full sized drill press guys. I have a bench model but wish I had the larger one with a deeper plunge. There are lots of things that only a drill press can do. The top for the router table is pretty easy to make from a wide variety of materials, some of which you can buy at HD. You will need a router mounting plate, not that expensive. I have always been able to get the leftover cash back at HD, so you might check in with them to find out if you can do that.


----------



## nightdeath4223 (Sep 23, 2014)

DesertRatTom said:


> I'm with the full sized drill press guys. I have a bench model but wish I had the larger one with a deeper plunge. There are lots of things that only a drill press can do. The top for the router table is pretty easy to make from a wide variety of materials, some of which you can buy at HD. You will need a router mounting plate, not that expensive. I have always been able to get the leftover cash back at HD, so you might check in with them to find out if you can do that.


I was leaning more towards a benchtop but the more I read the more I realized it is not that much of a space saver and not all full sized ones take up that much room.


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Michael; exactly. Folks always forget to take into account that the space on the workbench required for the DP is lost space for any other operation...probably a major p.i.t.a. in a small shop.


----------



## RJM (Apr 11, 2010)

DP first. Full size is better. Handheld router will work for a while. Router tables relatively easy to make.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

+1 with everyone recommending the floor model. It takes up less valuable space and will have greater reach and power.


----------



## phillip.c (Aug 9, 2012)

I agree that a drill press is a necessary requisite tool. I have a small bench top model from Lowes. It's branded as a "Skil" but I think the same model is sold in Canada by Canadian Tire. If it's your permanent drill press, you might want to consider the >130$ range. 

In the mean time, you really can use most anything as a router table.


----------



## nightdeath4223 (Sep 23, 2014)

phillipdanbury said:


> I agree that a drill press is a necessary requisite tool. I have a small bench top model from Lowes. It's branded as a "Skil" but I think the same model is sold in Canada by Canadian Tire. If it's your permanent drill press, you might want to consider the >130$ range.
> 
> In the mean time, you really can use most anything as a router table.


After doing as much research as possible, I have come to the conclusion that a Jet JDP 15 will be the best DP for me. I have most of my money tied up with HD so I can not just go out and buy some super old Powermatic or anything similar. I guess I will just have to enjoy the Chinese made things just like the majority of us.


----------



## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Before you move on, check to see if you can get that cash out of HD. Can't hurt to ask.


----------



## Aurum (Aug 14, 2014)

There is no contest in the versatility of a drill press. I can make the same statement for a router. It really depend on your passion and what gives you the most pleasure. I make a list of what outcomes I want to achieve. Does it relate seriously to the income stream?
Can I afford it? etc etc. 
Both items come in various grades of quality and this of course reflects in the price. My choice would be to buy a drill press. A good one that has a cast iron base, a rack and pinion gear, movable cast iron table, and with the best drill chuck you can afford with a number 3 morse taper. Check out the belt drive transmission and the pulley diameters to cover the various speeds relative to the drill sizes. A drill press of good quality is an investment that will hold its value and because of its versatility easier to sell. A good router with table complete can be hired for very little expense when you really need it.
Regards
Aurum


----------



## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

nightdeath4223 said:


> After doing as much research as possible, I have come to the conclusion that a Jet JDP 15 will be the best DP for me. I have most of my money tied up with HD so I can not just go out and buy some super old Powermatic or anything similar. I guess I will just have to enjoy the Chinese made things just like the majority of us.


Before you pull the trigger, compare the JDP 15 to the JDP 17DX. The extra 2" of swing is bigger than it sounds, and the difference in the table is worth the price difference if you can afford it at all.

earl


----------



## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

At the time I bought mine, I required a small _portable_ sized DP. 

Portable? <-- Well, one that I could through in the back of my truck, so I could drill and tap horse shoes, for eventing cleats. I use it a lot for woodworking, but for woodworking, I keep regretting buying a bench model and wished I had something bigger! 

I keep monkeying with it trying to get more range. I figure eventually, I;ll either need to fab a longer post or buy a bigger DP.


----------



## nightdeath4223 (Sep 23, 2014)

greenacres2 said:


> Before you pull the trigger, compare the JDP 15 to the JDP 17DX. The extra 2" of swing is bigger than it sounds, and the difference in the table is worth the price difference if you can afford it at all.
> 
> earl


I will look into that. I know they are coming out with a newer version of the JDP 17 and it has most of the features of their JDP 12 bench model.


----------



## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

DP will be my first choice. I have a bench version but my bigger one will arrive very soon.


----------



## Brucevan (Nov 14, 2014)

*DP or RT*

Invest in the DP


----------



## cptjack (Aug 15, 2014)

you can build a router table


----------

