Which drill stand to choose

Advantages and disadvantages of the rack:

Of the essential remarks, I can note the following:

Budget drill stand Caliber 96203

I greet everyone who looked at the light. Speech in the review will go, as you probably already guessed, about a budget stand for a drill Caliber 96203. Of the interesting features of the model, we can note a more reinforced structure compared to similar stands from this price range and the presence of a vice for fixing workpieces. Who is interested in how the rack showed itself in work, you are welcome under the cut.

Appearance:

The assembled drill stand Caliber 96203 looks like this:

which, drill, stand, choose

It is a good help for the home craftsman, who needs a small “drilling machine” from time to time, but due to circumstances it is not possible to purchase one. I agree that this stand will not replace a full-fledged drilling machine, but for undemanding operations this option has a right to exist. If it is necessary to carry out small drilling work, it is quite possible to install either an engraver (dremel) or a simple electric motor. In addition, the main advantage of the rack is mobility, so if necessary, you can take it with you to the dacha or to the workshop (garage).

For those who do not quite understand what such racks are for, I explain:

In total, if you are not engaged in amateur design, assembling any homemade products and you only need a drill to quickly drill a hole in a piece of wood or a block. most likely, you simply do not need a stand. If you occasionally drill some parts or just want to make the job easier, but accuracy is not important, a cheap stand is enough. If you are engaged in modeling or various homemade products, choose a high-quality stand or bench drill. over, in addition to the rack, you will need a high-quality hammerless drill.

Watch This Before Buying A Drill Press!

I plan to use the counter at my country cottage. For precise operations, I have a Lerom BG-5158B benchtop drilling machine, a review of which I published earlier. The “old man” RITM MES-600ERU, which has been working for 15 years, if not more, will act as a drill. Thanks to the standard 43mm bore, the drill fits like a glove:

The main condition is the presence of a lock (blocking) of the start button on the drill, otherwise it will be inconvenient to use the stand:

Drill stand Caliber 96203 is a modular design. All elements are already initially assembled at the factory, the user only needs to connect the modules together.

Let’s start with the sole. It is an aluminum base with mounting holes, on which, if necessary, you can install any vice:

I would like to note that this model is initially supplied with a vice. There is a similar model (96202), but without a vice. It is a little cheaper, but in my opinion, this saving makes no sense. Vices, although not perfect, are a good addition to the work:

On the underside, the aluminum base is simply strewn with numerous stiffeners, which significantly increase the rigidity of the structure:

The sole is made by injection molding. The wall thickness is 3.5mm, which at first glance may seem insufficient, but it is not. Compared to similar Chinese stands, whose thickness barely reaches 2mm, everything is much better here. But still I would like to see a steel or cast iron base. The dimensions of the platform are about 150mm150mm, here is a small comparison with a box of matches:

The upper surface is milled, there are no distortions, the surface is rough to the touch. In completely “Chinese” racks, the upper surface is not processed and is simply painted, which is why it often has distortions. Without a vice, the part slides on them. The distance from the center of the base to the tube is 8.5 cm. The smaller this distance, the less all kinds of deviations from the perpendicular, especially in the variants of racks with hollow guide tubes and their frail attachment to the base of the sole. Those. the smaller this distance, the smaller the lever is obtained, therefore, it acts with less force on the “frail” parts of the structure. On the other hand, the greater this distance, the more dimensional detail we can install on the sole and drill a hole at the required distance. Here you have to choose a compromise.

At the base of the sole there are special cutouts for attaching various vices, as well as a central hole required for complete drilling of the workpiece, or protection from accidental base drilling. As mentioned earlier, this rack model is equipped with a simple vice. They are also made of aluminum alloy, have a sufficiently long stroke and the function of “accelerated” clamping:

The vice is not monolithic, which is why it is reinforced with several stiffeners:

Clamping jaws, as such, do not have a vice, therefore, thin parts are not pressed very confidently:

When pressed firmly on the part, the latter slides over the smooth painted surface and slips out. I recommend peeling off the paint layer with coarse sandpaper, the clamp should become more secure. Volumetric parts are compressed quite well, especially wood or plastic. You should not abuse the strong tightening. nevertheless, the thread is cut in the aluminum base and may not withstand high loads.

Pleases the presence of a special orange button (“fast” clamp), which releases the thread. It is very useful when there is no desire to manually turn the vise handle and allows you to quickly move the clamping jaw to the desired distance.

For attaching the guide tube, there is a special hole in the base, equipped with two screws:

The screws have a hex head, but there is no special socket wrench included. I hope the manufacturer will correct this annoying misunderstanding.

The guide tube itself is steel, about 1.9mm thick, 24.9mm diameter:

The clamping of the tube at the base is very good, there are no backlashes at all:

Here I would like to make an important note. you do not need to try to tighten the screws with great effort. Since the base is made of aluminum alloy, the threads can turn over when tightened tightly and you will have to look for a screw with a larger diameter and / or cut a new thread. The rigidity of this assembly is good, but when drilling large holes with decent effort, perpendicularity disturbances are possible. Increasing the thickness of this node or adding stiffeners completely solved this problem. When drilling small holes, everything is fine.

Now the turn has come to the head part, into which the electric drill or electric motor is directly installed:

It is also made of aluminum alloy and covered with green paint. For the convenience of drilling, there is a depth gauge:

As you can see from the photo, the maximum travel is only 6cm. I would like to note that most of the racks just have a working stroke of only 5-8 cm, no more. This is sufficient for most jobs. For attaching a drill or a motor, a special clamp with a landing diameter of 43 mm is designed, clamped with a special screw:

In case the drill has a smaller diameter or it is necessary to install, for example, an electric motor, a plastic spacer ring is included in the kit. Unfortunately, this post does not have a restraining ring on the tube, which is why, when the stopper is unscrewed, the entire head of the post still strives to “slide” down. It would not be at all superfluous to have some kind of notches on the inner surface of the clamp, in order to completely exclude the slightest turns of the head part around its axis.

The principle of operation is quite simple. The head of the rack with the installed drill is fixed to the steel tube with a screw. By pressing the feed handle, we make the entire head module move relative to this attachment point. A special black steel guide bar helps in this:

Thanks to the presence of a stiff spring, the entire head module returns to its original position without additional effort. There are only two points of contact between the head module and the pipe; there are no inserts:

Roughly speaking, the aluminum head crawls up / down the steel tube. There is a slight backlash due to the loose fit. This is a distinctive feature of all drill stands. both expensive and cheap, just at first the backlashes are minimal and there is a possibility of their adjustment (adjustment).

Inside the head module there is a special pin designed to limit the drilling depth. a very useful feature, especially when drilling blind holes:

That’s all by design. There are some remarks, but as a whole the rack works and deserves attention. This is not the “plasticine slag” that can be found on sites for inexpensive.

Tool requirements:

The accuracy and quality of the holes obtained, regardless of the type of rack used, directly depend on the following factors: tool feed (if roughly, this is the ratio of the pressing force to the rotational speed of the cutting element), the state of the bearing assembly of the drill (dremel / motor), the straightness and sharpness of the cutting element (drill). Getting perfect holes with a hammer drill is nearly impossible. Due to the peculiarity of the design, there is always play in the spindle of the chuck, therefore, with such a drill, only roughing operations are required. For more precise operations, you need hammerless drills, snares or simple electric motors. It is desirable that the bearing assembly is not broken (there is no backlash), and the gearbox housing itself is metal.

Equipment:

Drill stand Caliber 96203 is supplied in a blue cardboard box:

There is no additional protection during transportation, although on the other hand, all parts are metal and should not break.

The box contains the model name and brief specifications:

Assembly instructions are presented on one A4 sheet:

In principle, there is nothing difficult to assemble and everyone can assemble the rack.

Brief conclusions on the stand Caliber 96203:

When drilling relatively soft parts (wood, plastic, nonferrous metal), as well as when drilling small holes in steel, there are practically no downsides. With this option, both percussion and hammerless drills are quite suitable. A slight backlash of the guide head does not seriously affect the quality of the holes obtained. When drilling hard metals, especially with a large diameter drill with good feed, deviations are possible. With a small feed. the result is satisfactory.

Frankly speaking, it is not particularly suitable for precise work, since there is a slight backlash in the head part and it cannot be corrected in any way without assault. Racks for precision work are 3-4 times more expensive, and they also have their “sores”, albeit not so serious. These are Sparky, Proxxon, Wabeko, Lux-Tools, Enkor. With a price slightly lower than the cost of a desktop machine, their purchase is very doubtful, although in some situations they are irreplaceable, for example, drilling at an angle.

Drill stand: what it is, types and choices

Answering the question of what is a stand for a drill, hammer drill or electric screwdriver, it should be noted that we are talking about a stationary device to which these tools are attached. There are various types of such devices that greatly simplify drilling. Due to the fairly wide range of devices on the market, the choice of specific models should be approached taking into account a number of criteria.

Required details

Any stand for a drill, regardless of its size and taking into account the purpose of such devices, has basic structural elements, each of which performs its own functions and must meet certain requirements.

  • The bed is one of the main components of the described equipment, which is its base (stand) and ensures the stability of the entire structure. In addition, a vice is located on the bed for fixing the workpieces to be processed. The weight and dimensions of this element depend on the power of the tool used and the list of tasks to be performed.
  • Guide post, which is located strictly vertical to the base. Even a slight deviation can damage the workpiece and break the drill or cutter. Depending on the design features of a particular model, this part can be made of different materials.
  • Travel mechanism. There are no strict requirements for the device of this node, no templates are applied. Its main task is to provide smooth movement, secured by brackets or clamps of the drilling tool along the tripod. There are many variations of such mechanisms.
  • Holder for equipment (drill, hammer drill, electric screwdriver). Clamps, pads and other mounting elements are used as an effective fastening.

In addition to the listed components, which are mandatory, the drilling device for stationary work can be equipped with a number of secondary (auxiliary) devices. They allow you to expand the functionality of the equipment and simplify operations. We are talking, in particular, about additional stops, various attachments and lighting fixtures.

Brands

The described equipment is a comfortable and useful addition that provides quick and reliable fixation of drilling tools for performing stationary work with high precision. Taking into account the demand, many manufacturing companies have launched the production of such devices. All models presented in this market segment differ from each other in design, functions, equipment and cost.

One of the popular brands is Enkor. The company offers the consumer high-quality devices for working with tools with various characteristics (power, weight and diameter of the body neck).

Also, today in the popularity rating there are other models of racks.

  • Caliber is a reliable and versatile design that transforms handheld drilling tools into a compact, stationary machine.
  • The Dremel is a device characterized by functionality, durability and affordable value. These models allow vertical drilling, angle drilling, polishing and grinding materials in the horizontal plane.
  • Sparta. stands that turn both drills and screwdrivers into stationary devices. The main advantages include the presence of a high-quality mechanism responsible for the smoothness and uniformity of the feeding of the fixed tool.
  • Skrab is a rotary modification that has become a rational option for use in small workshops, garages and home conditions. The design combines strength, durability, affordable cost.

In addition to all of the above, users highlight the Diolod and Artu models. The former are used with equal efficiency in domestic and industrial conditions. Depending on the modification, the diameter of the neck of the tool body varies, which can be fixed in the holder.

In the second case, we are talking about rotary devices made of aluminum. The presence of a clamp allows you to quickly install the structure on any tabletop.

How to do it yourself?

Taking into account the design features that allow an ordinary drill to be turned into a drilling machine, they can even be made from a photographic enlarger, the device of which initially includes some of the necessary key elements. There are several options for making a homemade rack. The list of required materials, equipment and tools will depend on the choice in favor of a wooden or metal fixture.

The bed can be made from a plate (metal or wood), the dimensions of which are determined by the capacity of the equipment and the dimensions of the workpieces. Another determining factor is the functionality of the future design. If for a drilling machine it will be enough to make a bed with dimensions in the range of 600×600 mm, then in the case of a multifunctional unit, these indicators should be increased.

Directly the stand itself and the supports can be made from metal pipes, including profile ones, and from wooden bars. It should be remembered that the rack, which acts as a guide, should be as flat as possible. Don’t forget about durability.

The next important component is the mechanism for moving the drill and other equipment along the guide. The basis of this unit will be a handle and springs, and the mechanism itself can be made in several variations.

  • Retractable and mounted directly next to the handle, which is then placed between two plates mounted on the rack. When the handle moves down, the spring and the carriage itself return to their original position.
  • In the form of two springs installed in special grooves of the carriage at an angle of 90 degrees, to which the pin and side plates are fixed. When the lever is pressed, the springs are compressed and the drill moves downward. As soon as the impact on the handle stops, the entire assembly will return to its original position.

It is necessary to list the clear advantages of homemade gadgets:

  • making such structures with your own hands is cheaper than purchasing ready-made ones;
  • the absence of any restrictions allows you to use almost any materials and spare parts from outdated or outdated equipment;
  • drawings of fixtures and detailed instructions, including related videos, are freely available in large numbers;
  • everyone with the necessary knowledge and skills can create a rack according to their drawings and taking into account all needs.

Speaking about the most significant disadvantages of making structures for drilling with your own hands, you should pay attention to the fact that:

  • at certain stages, access to a lathe, welding machine and other professional equipment may be required;
  • due to errors, even minor ones, backlash appears, which negatively affects the quality of drilling and other work;
  • most often, handicraft models have limited functionality.

However, with a competent approach and high-quality manufacturing of all elements, you can even assemble a rotary model yourself. Often, homemade products are not inferior (and in some respects superior) to factory models. It all depends on the correct choice of materials and build quality.

Choosing Your Drill Press

What it is?

Making a straight hole in hard and thick material is not easy. Drilling at an angle is just as difficult as the drill or cutter can slide off, increasing the hole diameter. In such situations, the most rational solution would be to use a quality drill stand. This device, in combination with the drilling tool itself, turns into a small machine.

Now the market offers products from many manufacturers (for every taste and wallet). However, the choice of stands, holders and rails must be approached with utmost care. Do not exclude the possibility of making devices with your own hands.

Stands for drilling equipment can significantly expand its functionality. At the same time, one of the main advantages of the equipment is its compactness and versatility. Purchased models may have different configurations (depending on the brand and the cost of the product). In particular, the kit sometimes includes a vice for rigid fastening of the workpiece to be processed and other additional elements.

The vast majority of holders are compact. Based on this, they can be successfully operated in small workshops, garages and even apartments. The average dimensions of the bed are 15×20 cm, and the height of the rack is 50 cm.The mass of the devices varies in the range of 2-6 kg.

Advantages and disadvantages

Regardless of brand and price category, all racks are designed to simplify the drilling process, so some specific characteristics are among their main advantages.

  • Significant expansion of the range of capabilities of the operated tool. High-quality stand, for example, enables surface milling.
  • Improving the accuracy of operations performed by positioning the drill and cutter strictly perpendicular or at a fixed angle with respect to the material being processed.
  • Ability to work with hard materials, in which one of the important points is to prevent the drill from sliding on the surface to be treated at the initial stage.
  • The ability to drill holes not only perpendicularly, but also at different angles. Modern models allow drilling at an angle of up to 70 degrees.

Considering all of the above, we can say that a high-quality stand is not only an effective addition to the tool, but also allows you to turn it into a full-fledged machine of compact dimensions. Unfortunately, it does not do without obvious drawbacks. Most of the disadvantages are due to specific manufacturers’ flaws.

All drilling devices on the market differ from each other, first of all, in design features and functionality. In addition, they can be completed with various equipment, the list of which includes, for example, vices and dust collectors. Additional elements simplify the operation of the tools as much as possible.

By the principle of use, two categories of devices can be distinguished.

  • Stationary stands that turn an ordinary drill, hammer drill or electric screwdriver into a compact analogue of the machine. These products, due to their weight and rigid structure, ensure high precision in all operations. The main disadvantages include lack of mobility and high cost.
  • Mobile drill attachments or guides, which are devices that provide acceptable drilling accuracy in a minimum size.

Another important criterion is the functionality of the devices in question.

  • Vertical drilling stands with universal holders and maximum stability. They often become an indispensable element of mini-workshops and assistants to home craftsmen.
  • Rotary devices, which are more complex and functional equipment. In addition to moving the bracket with the fixed drilling tool in a vertical plane to set the required distance from the material being processed to the drill’s working stroke, such stands allow you to set the drilling angle. As a result, the equipment can also be used as a milling or polishing.

Another method of fastening is vacuum. It has also proven its reliability in practice. Comparing such racks with magnetic ones, experts focus on the higher cost of the latter.

How to choose?

Given the wide range of models offered by various manufacturing companies, the selection of the most suitable model should be approached with appropriate care and responsibility. First of all, it is required to carefully examine the drill itself for the presence of a landing collar, since some equipment may not have it. This element is a cylinder several centimeters long. Most drills and screwdrivers have necks of a standard diameter. 4.3 cm.In addition to the design features of the drilling tool itself, you need to pay attention to some other points.

  • Parameters, material of manufacture and quality of the base plate. As practice shows, cast iron products are more practical and effective. Another important detail will be the availability of mounting devices and holes for fixing the structure on the table and installing the vice.
  • The distance between the stand itself and the axis of the drill, which determines the maximum size of the processed parts.
  • Features of the holder, which determine the list of tool models suitable for mounting on a stand.
  • Drilling depth adjustable. This option is relevant in situations where you need to make a large number of identical holes.
  • The principle of the movement mechanism.

The last point deserves special attention. Some models of holders are equipped with special springs, due to which it is possible to achieve a smooth movement of the drill. Another advantage of such designs is the automatic return of the holder to its original position when the pressure on the lever is reduced.