re: Add a Table Top Drill Press?

Thank you guys, I used to make a lot of pens. I did a lot of segmenting, mosiac pins, and other unqiue blanks. I used my DP a ton then. I got burned out on pens and haven’t made one for a year or so. I am just using my DP now for the run of the mill type WW.

My current DP is a 35 year craftsman, that does not have a crank to raise/lower the table. I hated it for a long time, and had planned to buy the Powermatic to replace it. Then I came up with a solution of putting a long stroke hydraulic cylinder under the table to raise/lower. I fitted it with an after market laser and a rockler drill table and now I really like it…with the cylinder it so easy to raise and lower, it’s awesome…..but I thought maybe I could get a middle of the road table top and have it there for fixing things (which I seem to be doing a lot of) or simple little projects…I am just not familiar with them and wanted to know peoples opinion. I would put it on my main bench so it was in a prominet postion. I really don’t want a little HF or Ryobi type DP, I want something that is good quality. I saw a nice General for 375.00 and a Jet for about the same.

KDC,
One of my friends got one of those Porter Cable and really loves it…it looks like you have a nice set up.

Mike40,
I agree that I really don’t know if I have ever used that length. With that cylinder I would have to dismount it to let it down anyway. I do have a roller cabinet tool box dedicated to “drill things”.

David, My shop is a 3 1/2 stall garage so while it is all aon wheels so we can park our vehicle in it, space is not really a consideration when it is set-up. When it is collasped/put up then my current DP is in the corner buried around saws and sander, I thought a table top on the bench might be easier to get to with out moving stuff.

Kepy, Having a little DP like you Delta is exactly what I was thinking!!!! Do you use your other DP much?
Thanks for your thoughts..
Mike