Having decided to search for lower-priced, full-height drill presses that might be a good choice for a home shop, I came up with nine 15-in. to 17-in. models to review.
To evaluate and compare them, I noted the condition of each after shipping and the ease of assembly. I looked at chuck-to-post distance, table size, overall height, motor rating, speeds, length of quill stroke, finish, and stability. I tested the accuracy of each machine out of the box: runout on the chuck and spindle-to-table perpendicularity. Finally, I looked at noise level, vibration, table-height adjustment, speed changes, depth adjustment, quill-return tension, and the presence or absence of a quill lock.
The General is the only machine tested to have a 1/2-in. chuck (the others have a 5/8-in. chuck), but the chuck was one of the easiest to use. The belts on the General, however, were tight and difficult to change, and it’s the only one that did not have a setscrew that allows the user to adjust the table for perpendicularity.
Regardless of the board’s grain, this jointer produced excellent results. Its fence was totally flat, worked smoothly, and locked well, staying in place even after jointing multiple edges. Getting the fence to 90° was very easy, but the 90° stop was a little tricky to set and the fence did not go back to square when using it. For those who would use it, there is also a digital depth-of-cut scale.
This is the saw I want in my shop. For one, it’s easy to use. All of the controls are easy to reach and manipulate, and the glide mechanism is both robust and smooth. The handle works well for righties and lefties. Then there are added bonuses that no other saw has. For instance, its hold-down is superb, as it can move to different locations, hinges for a greater range of coverage, and actually holds down the work. In addition, the saw has two points of dust collection, letting it firmly beat the rest of the field. The one downside was the saw’s laser, which was so faint we had to turn off the shop lights to see it. Still, all these pluses in a package that fits tight to the wall? That’s a winner for me.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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