Choosing the best drill press for metal can be quite tiresome when you have no previous experience with quality drill presses. Know what you truly need below.
A professional quality drill press possesses some unique features that ensure high stability and maximum performance. Beginners and newbies might feel the need to search the best drill press for metal, as it is the most essential tool in any workshop. Reading this article can fully alert you before you buy a home or an industrial drill press and ensure total efficiency.
Not all drill press reviews provide satisfactory information to viewers on what to look for in a drill press. There are various types of drill presses out there that are intended for drilling metal, wood, and also plastic. When you are looking for a metal drilling machine then you would need to see its efficiency, power, and durability. Factors like speed range, weight, and motor quality also play a huge role in choosing a heavy-duty drill press.
In this article, we will review the 5 best drill press for metal along with buying guide to finding the right drill for you, while we have also answered some of your most asked questions. We have tried to remove the hassle of buying drill press for metal. Then get an idea on the types of drill presses at an affordable price. And finally checkout affordable and best drill press for your certain needs.
The 4 Best Drill Press Mate in 2022 (Sanders Solutions)
- WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press
- JET 354170/JDP-20MF 20-Inch Floor Drill Press
- Shop Fox W1668 ¾-HP 13-Inch Drill Press
- WEN 4208 8 in. 5-Speed Drill Press
In a rush .. Then save your last minute to see the chart to take instant decision
Different drill presses are suited for specific jobs and applications depending on the quality and purpose. Here is a product list on drill presses that will perfectly suit your need in any home or industrial-based workshop.
Quick Comparison: The 4 Best Drill Press Mate
| IMAGE | NAME & Details | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
  | WEN 4214 12-Inch Variable Speed Drill Press |
| Check Price |
  | JET 354170/JDP-20MF 20-Inch Floor Drill Press |
| Check Price |
  | Shop Fox W1668 ¾-HP 13-Inch Drill Press |
| Check Price |
  | WEN 4208 8 in. 5-Speed Drill Press |
| Check Price |
The 4 Best Drill Press Mate Review | Benchtop & Floor | For Metal
1. WEN 4214 (Highly efficient 12-Inch bench drill press)
WEN tools have been a popular name for nearly 70 years in providing all professional-grade equipment for general customers. In the year 2014, the company released a new heavy-duty drill press that is recommended especially by professional people.
The WEN 4214 is also considered an efficient digital variable speed drill press because it changes its drilling speed adapting to the material provided. Other than this, the drill press has a gorgeous design, strong integrated motor, etc. Some professionals even consider it to be the best drill press for metal and other solid materials.
Why choose the WEN4214 (best floor standing drill press for woodworking)
When you choose to have a drill press, first you need to see if it can handle heavy loads or not. Durability should be the first thing in mind, cause no one wants to have a machine that needs frequent repairs. The reasons to choose WEN 4214 refurbished or new version as your personal drilling tool are
- The WEN 4214 is powerful, durable, and can even drill holes in even high-density metal sheets.
- There is also a variable speed adjustment feature that lets you determine the speed of the tool for different materials.
- The WEN 4214 is stacked with important and cool features if woodworking or metalworking is what you do.
- Your work is sure to have a promotion if you choose the WEN 4214 for your workspace.
- You don’t have to repair it often as all parts are of industrial-grade quality.
- WEN tools coupons can be used for buying the WEN 4214 at a cheap price.
Features of WEN 4214 drill press for metal
As I said, the WEN 4214 is highly beneficial for metal workers, woodworkers, or DIY projects at home. The features of include
Power: The WEN 4214 features a ⅔ HP inductive motor that can drill decent holes on almost anything. Its decent motor was designed to perform efficiently and give your work a finishing touch in every round.
Speed of Drilling: Speed of drilling is a crucial factor when you want descent drills on your workpiece. There is a speed of drill adaptation feature that makes it a choice of the professionals. The WEN drill press speed adjustment starts from 580 to 3200 RPM depending on what material you are working on.
Size and stability: The size of your tool may be the reason for the increase or decrease of stability in your work. If it features a small size then you can’t work with larger materials thus decreasing efficiency. An integrated cast-iron has been used for the wen drill press table of 9-½ x 9-½; that will let you drill in any thick materials.
Body Design and Construction: The body design of the WEN 4214 is fairly simple and almost similar to others at the same price tag. But the construction of it will not match any other drill press at all. It mostly features a metallic construction that has an increased lifespan and durability.
Table Tilt: The WEN 4214 has a tilt feature of 45-degrees that lets it go either the left or right position. The best part is that you can also lock it in place depending on the position.
Other Features: The ⅝ chuck feature of the WEN 4214 can easily standard the drill bits. You can now effortlessly place a sanding pad and clean unreached places.
Specifications
The specs of Shop Fox W1668 is truly unmatched.
| Swing: | 13-1⁄4″ |
| Power | ¾ Horsepower |
| Speed Range: 250-3050 | 250-3050 |
| Table Size: 12-3⁄8″ Diameter | 12-3⁄8″ Diameter |
| Weight: | 130 lbs or 58.967 kg. |
| Chuck | 5/8 |
| Spindle Travel: 3-1⁄4″; | 3-1⁄4″ |
Key Features
- 12 number of speeds.
- 90-degree table tilt
- Available Sanding drums
- Small and can provide maximum efficiency in any workspace.
Pros:
- The powerful ¾ HP motor is suitable for all types of drilling projects.
- The Shop Fox W1668 is highly versatile and can bore fine holes easily and quickly.
- The 12 speeds feature lets you save drill precise holes in any thin or thick materials.
Cons:
- Price of the machine is a little too high if compared to other materials.
2. JET 354170/JDP-20MF 20-Inch Floor Drill Press
The JET 354170 is considered to be an industrial drill press due to its size and efficiency. It is best for DIY projects, household drilling works, and specially industrial work .
You can also utilize JET 354170 to increase the production of your workplace. You can stack multiple JET 354170 in your decent workplace and complete large tasks with ease. Drill fine holes in any piece of metal, wood, plastic, or whatever can be done easily with just the click of a button.
Why choose JET 354170 of your Projects?
The JET 354170 works flawlessly in a confined space as its dimension is just 58 x 27 x 13 inches. It can give you faster performance and guarantee you high-quality work every time. The reasons to choose JET 354170 are,
- It will give you maximum performance if used correctly.
- You can install and use it both at home or at your workplace.
- The JET 354170 has a solid built quality and unique combination of features.
- You are allowed to use it in any direction and lock it in place anytime.
- JET 354170 has multiple safety features that help prevent accidents.
- JET 354170 is easy to use, efficient, and long-lasting.
Features of JET 354170 (Steel drill press for home and workshop)
The JET 354170 truly comes with top-class features and accurate drilling results. Its stability and performance mesmerized even the professionals of metal workshops. Though the JET 354170 is not the best drill press for metal, the features that make it most exciting are,
Design quality: The JET 354170 looks fantastic and it is designed to be highly well balanced. Fine material selection and efficient power output made this drill press the choice of the pros. Every piece of equipment is well placed for user comfort.
Dimension: The dimension of the professional drill press is 58 x 27 x 13 inches. It also comes with a table that is roughly 17 inches and consumes the minimum space possible. This wonderful feature of JET 354170 made it possible to work even in places where space is an issue.
Accuracy: The Jet has a compact and solid build that can reliably enhance your accuracy every time you use it. The chuck of the JET 354170 also features the ability to hold bits of various sizes. You can also adjust the machine in multi directions without decreasing the resulting quality in any way.
Efficiency in Confined space: The multi-functional drill press is fairly small compared to other drill presses of similar specifications. This small size of theJET 354170 gave it the advantage of utilization in areas where there is less space to keep it.
Production booster: As the JET 354170 is small in size, you can place multiple machines in a row and submit your production though it. This will result in the saving of money as you don’t need to rent a huge area for production work.
Sound Reduction: JET 354170 has a large table compared to its whole body structure. Such a design will decrease some noise production by holding the pieces and clamps firmly together.
Unique features
- 45-degree table tilt
- Affordable and multifunctional
- Efficient and highly durable
- Great build quality and can handle the massive workload.
- It is always accurate in drilling perfect holes on the material surfaces.
Pros:
- The JET J-2530 features a powerful motor that is always stable and produces highly precise results.
- Finish your projects in due time and also save time for your family.
- Use the drill press in any location you want with the table tilts feature.
- Easy to use if the right training is given to the user.
Cons:
- Possibility of lead poisoning if not used or opened according to guidelines.
3. Shop Fox W1668 ¾-HP 13-Inch Bench-Top Drill Press
The Shop Fox W1668 is an amazing drilling tool that is sure to give you complete efficiency and performance. It is highly capable of heavy-duty drilling due to the high-performance ¾ HP motor and heat dissipators inside. If you want to build up a professional career then the Shop Fox W1668 is just for you. This drilling machine is considered to be the best drill press for metal in various researches done on it.
Why prefer Shop Fox W1668
The Shop Fox W1668 is a powerful tool for drilling fast and accurate holes in any workspace. It can easily handle any sort of soft or hard material ranging from wood, plastic, metal, and others. The reasons for buying the Shop W1668 are
- The Shop Fox W1668 consumes less space, thus enabling you to place it even in any confined space.
- The Digital drill press has an adjustable height feature that gives you your desired drilling or sanding angles every time.
- There is a powerful ¾ HP motor inside it for any drilling operations.
- The Shop Fox W1668 manual lets it be used in 12 different speed settings that range from 250 to 3050 RPM.
- After you buy it, you can use it as an oscillating sander and sand those complex contours.
- Shop Fox W1668 parts are easily changeable and can be found ordering online.
Features of Shop Fox W1668:
The Shop Fox W1668 is a product developed and marketed by the Woodstock International Company. The Shop Fox W1668 drill press is immensely popular due to its high performance, reliability, and durability.
The features of Shop Fox W1668 are
Body design: Frankly speaking, the Shop Fox W1668 has one of the best drill designs out there. The quality and the design of the structure combined to maximize user efficiency of the Shop Fox W1668. All components and especially the metal drill press table are neatly checked to give maximum efficiency to the user.
Power: The Shop Fox W1668 is equipped with a powerful ¾ HP and can fully handle heavy-duty drilling projects. There is also an integrated metal heat dissipator on the motor that helps in motor loose heat during workload.
Speed: The variable speed of the 3/4 hp drill press starts from 250 RPM to 3050 RPM. Shop Fox W1668 is a programmable drill press that can perform 12 predefined speeds. You can easily drill holes through hard and resistant materials and get smooth splinterless drills every time.
Size: The Shop Fox W1668 has a decent size of just 23 x 114 x 38 inches. For this reason, you can easily fit this amazing tool in a confined workspace and still maximum production.
Construction: Shop Fox has been designing quality materials for quite some time now. It is reliable even if the prices are a little high. You can rest assured that Shop Fox W1668 is professionally built by utilizing top-grade materials.
Angles: The table of Shop Fox W1668 is easily tiltable up to a 90-degree angle enabling users to use it in any position they like. The machine can effortlessly be tilled leaving way for the base.
4. Drill Press Oscillating Spindle Sander
Are you a DIY person and want to use a drill press as an oscillating sander as well? Now you can do just that and sand all complex contours simply by fitting a sanding pad to its mandrel.
The drill press is also an excellent hole cleaner and has dust collecting ports. The drill machine can easily be transformed into an oscillating tool by the flick of a button.
Spindle Travel: The spindle travel of Shop Fox W1668 works best on very thick lumber. You can also have the capability of stacking materials together or bore quick holes using the 3-¼ spindle travel.
Key Features
- Fantastic material quality
- Easy to use and efficient for completing projects.
- It can be used for sanding parts that are uncomfortable to reach.
- X-Pattern Laser for available.
- Choice of a large table.
- The WEN drill press safety key surpasses most other drill presses in the market.
Specification:
- Swing: 13-1⁄4″
- Power: ¾ Horsepower
- Speed Range: 250-3050
- Table Size: 12-3⁄8″ Diameter
- Weight: 130 lbs or 58.967 kg.
- Chuck: 5/8
- Spindle Travel: 3-1⁄4″
Pros:
- It can be used to drill holes in any material surfaces.
- It has a changeable speed of 580 to 3200RPMS that offer the best versatile feature.
- Durable and has fine built quality.
- A stable and large table is included to let you work with large metal sheets.
- X- Pattern feature is available to increase accuracy.
Cons:
- Sometimes thick metallic surfaces are hard to be drilled.
5. WEN 4208 (Best drill press for thin metal sheets / soft materials)
The WEN 4208 8-inch 5-speed drill press is the last drill press that is getting a review on this list. The WEN 4208 is sure to bring good quality results within an affordable price.
If you are a newbie and want to work on wood or soft metal, then the WEN 4208 is sure to help. Though the WEN 4208 is the best drill press for metal, you can definitely use it on plastic, wood, and other soft materials.
Why choose WEN 4208 of your Projects?
Frankly speaking, the WEN doesn’t have a motor that is powerful enough for thick metal sheets or any strong material. But in fact, the WEN is considered the best floor standing drill press for woodworking. It is best suited for woodworkers who need a cheap alternative to premium drill presses.
You can also drill fine holes on thin metal sheets as long as you want. Heavy-duty projects related to wood, plastic, and other soft materials can be easily achieved with the WEN 4208. The WEN floor drill press is small in size and can fit in any workshop where space is a major concern.
Main Features
Finding a good quality drill press that is both small and efficient can be an issue nowadays. But don’t worry. With the WEN 4208, you can have high-quality support that will truly worth your money. The features of WEN 4208 are-
- Motor quality: The WEN 4208 features a 1/3 HP induction motor that is very good with soft materials. Though you can’t use it for thick metallic surfaces, you still can drill fine holes on plastic, wood, and thin metal sheets.
2. Speed of Rotation: The drill press machine has a changeable speed adaptation feature. This feature will let you change the RPM depending on the density and thickness of the materials.
3. Overall size: The overall size of the WEN 4208 is not that big, rather you can easily fit it in any space you want. The table size of the WEN 4208 is just 6.5 x 6.5 in, the chuck size is ½, and the height is 23-1/8 inches. It will feature good performance even if you don’t have a big place to work on.
4. Construction: Though the WEN 4208 has a small built size, the materials used to construct it are of excellent quality. The well-placed construction surely gives it a professional and expensive look.
5. Slot Table feature: There is a slot table for you if you want to mount clamps or other things for more stability. The adjustable depth feature also improves the working quality of the machine.
Key features
- 5 variable speed feature.
- Affordable and efficient.
- Good quality construction.
- Easy to use.
Pros:
- It feels and looks premium.
- The table can be tilted in any direction up to a 45-degree mark.
- Bit depth adjustment is available.
- Efficient and reliable for all types of soft materials.
Cons:
The motor used to build it is not that good if you want to drill holes for thick pieces of metal.
Buying Guide for the best drill press for metal
Before buying a drill press for work a question arises, what is the best benchtop drill press for metal? Again why trust us in buying a drill press according to our rules, when there is tons of information online?
Well, let us answer the 2nd question first. We have researched almost every ranked website out there related to drilling presses just for you.
Now coming to the 1st question, what is the best drill press for you? Well, mainly it depends on 3 major factors.
- How often do you use it?
- What work are you using it for?
- The specifications of the drill press.
If you are using the drill press on a regular base, then you need to find a drill press that is durable and flexible. When you regularly use a drilling machine, the components start to degrade with time. Forcing you to change parts after a few years of usage. This can be avoided if you choose to buy everything with the best quality. But luckily most of the drill press makers need to use top-grade materials as the competition is high.
Now, what work you are using the drill press for also influences the longevity of the drill press. If you are using it on plastic, wood, or soft material then it’s better not to buy an expensive drill press. Again when you have projects where thick metal needs to be drilled, then you definitely need a high powered motor drill.
Let us go to the last part of the quarry. How can the specs of the machine help us in which drill press is best for us? Well, specs of the drill press help you to determine the efficiency, power, quality, etc of the machine. Thus, you can choose a drill press that is best suited for your specific work. Let us describe the specs a little bit.
Quill Stroke/Spindle Travel
The spindle travel refers to how far the spindle of the drill machine can move downwards. If you are a woodworker then, you will need maximum spindle travel of 4 inches. Any more will degrade the quality of your work for sure. Again if you are using the drill press for metal, then a longer quill stroke will help you drill deeper and better.
Table Tilt
Table tilt basically helps you to do your work on the left or right side depending on your work. It’s better to look for a table that has a simple bed that tiles at least 45-degrees. Want to bore angled mortises, then buy a drill press has a 45-90 degree tile feature.
Swing
The swing size helps you to get an idea of the material length that you are using the drill press on. For example, if you have a drill press with a swing of 15, then you can drill a hole of 7.5 maximum on the table. So, the swing is basically the distance from the center of the chuck to the bench column multiplied by 2.
Bench v/s floor
Frankly speaking, the bench and the floor version are typically the same things when it comes to mechanics. The height of the benchtop version is a little taller whereas the floor version is short. If you need a taller one, then please use the benchtop drill press version.
Accuracy
Accuracy is a key feature of every drill press as drilled holes need to be exact every time. The built quality helps a lot in giving you the best accuracy possible. In a matter of fact, the accuracy of a drill press depends mainly on the combination of the build quality, weight, material, and almost all the specs of the drill press.
LED work light
Primarily a drill press doesn’t need an LED light feature at all to work perfectly. But, it does increase the beauty of the drill machine. Having the LED work light for your machine also sometimes helps you to accurately drill in low lighting conditions.
Drilling capacity
Drill capacity just might be the most important feature after the quality of the drill press. So, to choose a drill press with more drilling capacity, you need to see the power of the motor first. A drill with a good drilling capacity is generally more accurate, safe, and efficient.
Chuck size
The chuck size is referred to as the slot where the drill bit needs to be inserted. The size of the bit you are using is shortened if the chuck size is less. If you are a DIY person or a hobbyist then a chuck size of ⅜ inch will work perfectly for you.
Weight and dimensions
The weight and dimension of a drill press indicate what material the machine is composed of. If the drill press has a small dimension then the machine is good for small tasks and soft material drilling. Again if the weight is too less then, the accuracy of the drill press will decrease proportionally.
Price
The price also plays an effective role in choosing a drill press for your projects. If your desired drill press is pitched at a high price and the specs are not that good, then don’t buy it all. People generally want to buy the best thing for the best price possible. We have compared the best features, prices, and quality for your benefit in this convenience.
Shop Fox W1668 vs WEN 4214
Both the Shop Fox W1668 and the WEN 4214 are excellent in making quality drills every time you utilize them. They are considered to be the best in the market at present. When we compare the two drill press machines the Shop Fox W1668 is clearly the winner. The comparison is given below,
The Shop Fox W1668 is a ¾ HP drill press whereas the WEN 4214 has a motor of ⅔ HP.
- Shop Fox W1668 made their swing size 13-¼ and the WEN 4214 is of 12 inches.
- Both of them have a chuck size of ⅝.
- The speed range of the Shop Fox W1668 is e 250-3050 and the WEN 4214 is 580-3200.
- The Shop Fox W1668 is more flexible due to the table tilt of 90-degrees. And the table tile of WEN 4214 is 45-degrees max.
So, we have seen that, the Shop Fox W1668 is the best drill press for metal if compared to the WEN 4214.
Everything About Drill Press: Types of Drill Press and Function.
FAQ on Best Drill Press for Metal
How does a drill press work?
Drill presses work by neatly drilling holes onto hard surfaces like plastic, wood, metal, etc. There is a rotating spindle that helps in drilling those materials. Every drill machine works pretty much the same way.
How do you use a metal drill press?
Not all drill presses are built for the same purpose. Some are made to be small, light, and portable whereas others are not. Metal drill presses are strong, bulky, and have a powerful motor. People who work with thick metallic materials need to use a metal drill press for their projects.
What is the best drill press for the money?
Shop Fox, JET, WEN, Delta, etc are examples of some companies that make drill press. Though all the drill presses they make are not of top-grade quality. Shop Fox W1668, JET J-2530, WEN 4214, JET 716200, WEN 4208, etc are some examples of drill press machines that have the best features at the best price.
How do you drill with a metal drill press?
Depending on the build quality of the drill press, the Not all drill presses are built for the same purpose. Some are made to be small, light, and portable whereas others are not. Metal drill presses are strong, bulky, and have a powerful motor. People who work with thick metallic materials need to use a metal drill press for their projects.
Can you mill with a drill press?
Generally, a drill press is not designed to bear sideloads. A drill press is also not that rigid for mill experiments. We will most certainly break the machine or the parts inside if you do try such experiments.
How does a variable drill press work?
A variable drill press works by letting the user control its speed at will. There is a dial in front of the machine that gives full control of the drill press. Users are also allowed to change the speed settings according to the requirement during projects.
What are the two types of speed controls used in drill presses?
People may need any of the two drill presses according to their needs. Pulley drive system drill presses are the most common one. The other one is variable speed system drill presses.
What does a 10 inch drill press mean?
The 10 inch generally represents the distance to the edge of the column from the mid spindle. That is if the drill press is 10 inch then the measure of the diameter is 5 inches.
Should I buy a drill press?
Buying a drill press totally depends on the type of work you are doing. If you do frequent experiments related to drilling then you should definitely buy a drill press.
Who makes the best drill press?
Shop Fox, JET, WEN, Delta, etc are examples of some companies that make drill press. Though all the drill presses they make are not of top-grade quality. Shop Fox W1668, JET J-2530, WEN 4214, JET 716200, WEN 4208, etc are some examples of drill press machines that have the best features at the best price.
Ending note
In today’s market, there are tons of quality drill presses available. But if you are not careful then finding the best drill press for metal will become a hazard for you. That’s why we are always here to help you. If you want a powermatic drill press, digital drill press, programmable drill press, or whatever simply follow the buying guide and find the best drill for you. Again finding drill press parts can also be a tough job if you buy a refurbished drill press. It is better to use the shop fox W1668 when you are looking for the best metal drill press. As it surpasses all other drill presses in case of specifications and is a highly powerful industrial drill press.
Our product reviews on the drill press price and quality are always intended for the user’s benefit. I hope you have understood about the types of drill press and found the best drill press features that you want. If your budget is low then don’t worry, there are also inexpensive drill presses that will work perfectly. Just check out our article and know which drill press machine is best suited for your needs. Thanks for reading and have a good day.
