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A drill press is a Drill machine suitable for quick and easy drilling of straight holes, Countersink or Counterbore that are perpendicular to both directions of a table surface. In comparison, it is more difficult and less repeatable to drill perpendicularly with a hand-held drill.
Two common variants are the benchtop drill press for mounting to a workbench and the larger floor-standing drill press for mounting to the floor, and they should preferably be securely mounted to prevent them from tipping over. A special variant is the magnetic drilling machine, which is a mobile drilling machine intended to be magnetically clamped during use, and is used to some extent for field repairs and production in industry.
Drill presses can be divided into two main types depending on their construction:
Drill presses are available from small sizes for hobby workshops to heavy-duty versions for industrial use. They can be operated manually with a handle to raise or lower the drill, and/or can be computer numerically controlled (CNC).
Often they have an adjustable depth stop and the ability to lock the handle at a given height. Most have adjustable speeds, and different speeds should be used for different materials and drill types, for example from 100-3600 r/min. Small drill diameters require higher speeds, and soft materials require higher speeds.
They are also usually top-heavy machines, and should ideally be mounted securely to the floor or a table to prevent the machine from tipping over.
Workpieces should always be clamped securely (especially metal workpieces), otherwise they may get stuck in the drill bit and become Projectile that can injure people. For example, a clamp or vise can be used to hold the workpiece, and the clamp or vise itself can be attached to grooves in the drilling table.
Before use, the operator should check that they have the right personal protective equipment (safety glasses and hearing protection), test that the emergency stop and safety shield (a barrier that protects the operator from flying debris) work, verify secure clamping of the tool and workpiece, and adjust the speed according to the bit and material being drilled into.
Still, it is not uncommon for hobbyists to convert drill presses into makeshift milling machines for hobby use. This requires extensive modifications and gives a mediocre milling machine that may be suitable for hobby projects in soft materials such as aluminium, brass and wood, but will generally be ill-suited for work in steel.
For milling it is therefore preferable to use a suitable milling cutter, for example a router for woodworking or milling machine for metal. A milling machine, on the other hand, can be used for both drilling and milling, but is a much more expensive tool.
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