Drill press?

andrewsrea · Fri Jul 17, 2020 5:51 pm

Requesting a little help needed from our AGF guitar builders out there, like [mention]rrobbone[/mention] bone.

What size drill press do you use for the bridge and tail piece bushing holes on your solid body guitars?

In PA, I used to use my brother-in-law's which was >20 inches so I never thought about it. A person I know wants me to finish a kit he was building for his son. Obviously the kit did not have the holes pre-drilled and now I am shopping for a drill press.

Milkman · Fri Jul 17, 2020 6:04 pm

I advise the biggest you can afford. I managed to grab a 17” from a machine shop liquidation.... and it’s great.

I don’t know what the smallest you could get away with would be.

Fri Jul 17, 2020 6:15 pm

Rob,
Go to one of the Harbor Freight stores in St. Louis and get whatever you like.

Cheaper there than anywhere else. I think I got mine around 1980.

honyock · Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:29 pm

not sure throw on mine, but I think it is at least 16.

got mine off Ebay, but local pickup. just bug enough to do tailpiece and bridge on LP styles.

mikesr1963 · Fri Jul 17, 2020 8:42 pm

I've got one similar to this industrial model. It was one of my dads and I used it working in his machine shop when I was in high school I'm 57 now. When he shut the shop down it was one of the tools he gave me. Tray will drop to the floor. I have jig I made for the vice on it for guitar bodies so I can position pieces exactly where I want and hold them there.

BrianSkeezer · Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:01 pm

I have a 10" and it's not enough throat. I'd say at least a 15" is needed, but I'm not sure.

TheIrritableLuthier · Sat Jul 18, 2020 3:43 pm

I'd recommend the biggest you can afford as well. I only have a small bench top press. It does the job, but some extra throat space would sure come in handy for certain tasks. After a better band saw, it's the next big tool on my wish list.

Brendan · Sat Jul 18, 2020 7:28 pm

I've watched Craigslist regularly and have found stupid deals. I have a big ShopFox drill press that I got for $40 nearby. A guy bought it new to tackle some cabinet work, then sold it when he was done. The drum sander attachments he included were worth more than that. There's also PLENTY of good old US iron from the 50's -70's that can be had cheap after grandpa dies.

rrobbone · Sat Jul 18, 2020 9:41 pm

I'd say buy the biggest one from a trusted brand that you can afford. The extra room can come in quite handy.

That said, I use a 13" drill press. Unless you're designing really weird guitar bodies, the typical distance to the middle of an electric guitar's bridge is under 6". I've designed a few original shapes, but have never run out of room on my press.

andrewsrea · Wed Aug 05, 2020 11:29 am

Thanks for everyone's responses.

I really lucked out and found a 22" bench top, with more 'drop' and throw than I can imagine ever needing. It is a 1950's Rockewell Delta, with a 1/4 HP motor. four belt speeds (I can hook it to a Variac for slower speeds, if required), variable throw and drop, and most importantly: a very true 5/8" chuck! Bought it local for $200 from a guy who inherited it from his grandfather, who took exceptional care of this machine. Rock solid, lubed up & ready to rock!

rrobbone · Wed Aug 05, 2020 12:38 pm

andrewsrea wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2020 11:29 am Thanks for everyone's responses.

I really lucked out and found a 22" bench top, with more 'drop' and throw than I can imagine ever needing. It is a 1950's Rockewell Delta, with a 1/4 HP motor. four belt speeds (I can hook it to a Variac for slower speeds, if required), variable throw and drop, and most importantly: a very true 5/8" chuck! Bought it local for $200 from a guy who inherited it from his grandfather, who took exceptional care of this machine. Rock solid, lubed up & ready to rock!

Whoa! Lookit that ol' beauty!

You're right, it's definitely more than you'll need for guitar work - but you never know what projects you'll take on later. Just never use it to sand or plane anything and it'll last you another 40 years.

stacks · Wed Aug 05, 2020 2:51 pm

Nice score!
That is a radial drill press. Super handy.

honyock · Wed Aug 05, 2020 3:18 pm

nice score. can't beat old tools from when they were expected to last a lifetime.

andrewsrea · Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:42 am

stacks wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2020 2:51 pm Nice score!
That is a radial drill press. Super handy.

"Radial drill press". You taught me something new today. I did not know these could do angular drilling, until I looked up this term - thanks!

stacks · Thu Aug 06, 2020 1:01 pm

andrewsrea wrote: ↑Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:42 am
stacks wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2020 2:51 pm Nice score!
That is a radial drill press. Super handy.
"Radial drill press". You taught me something new today. I did not know these could do angular drilling, until I looked up this term - thanks!

Yup, the upper pipe with the head and motor slides in and out like a radial arm saw. That is a huge feature to have adjustable throat depth. Excellent for string thru bridge holes. Congrats on that find.

andrewsrea · Thu Aug 06, 2020 5:21 pm

stacks wrote: ↑Thu Aug 06, 2020 1:01 pm
andrewsrea wrote: ↑Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:42 am
stacks wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2020 2:51 pm Nice score!
That is a radial drill press. Super handy.
"Radial drill press". You taught me something new today. I did not know these could do angular drilling, until I looked up this term - thanks!
Yup, the upper pipe with the head and motor slides in and out like a radial arm saw. That is a huge feature to have adjustable throat depth. Excellent for string thru bridge holes. Congrats on that find.

I guess I have to use a square to ensure a 90 degree angle (where i want one, that is)?