What is the difference between a pillar drill and a radial drill?

On a pillar drill the spindle is at a fixed distance from the column, so the part is moved under the spindle. On a radial arm drill the head slides along the arm and swivels, and the part stays put. Wide, heavy parts call for the radial type.

Can a drill press tap threads?

Tapping models do, through the foot pedal. Standard pillar drills tap with an optional auto-reversing tapping head fitted to the spindle taper.

Yes. A Morse arbor and a keyed or keyless chuck are standard; the product page says which. Other chucks and drill press vices are optional.

Is there a difference between 400 V and 230 V models?

Three phase (400 V) models run forward and reverse, which matters for tapping. Single phase models are the choice where there is no three phase supply.

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Drill Presses

A drill press takes drilling out of the hand and onto a column: the spindle comes down square to the table every time, depth locks, and the same hole repeats down a batch. This shelf carries three types: pillar drills, radial arm drill presses whose head slides along an arm, and tapping drill presses that also tap through a foot pedal.

Drilling capacity and spindle taper

Drilling capacity is the largest hole the machine drills in one pass. Spindle taper (MK2, MK3, MK4) grows with capacity and decides which chucks and taper shank drills fit directly.

The number of speeds is the combination of belt pulleys. Small drills need high speed, large drills and taps low speed; more steps make the right speed for each size easier to find.

Spindle to column: how big a part

Spindle-to-column distance sets how far in from the edge a hole can be; twice the distance is the largest part that can be drilled at its centre. On radial arm models the head slides along the arm, so the distance is a range and a wide part is drilled at many points without re-clamping.

Spindle-to-table and spindle-to-base distances limit the part's height. Bench models sit on a workbench; on floor models the table swings down the column so a tall part can be clamped to the base.

Tapping drill presses

On a tapping drill press the hole is drilled and then tapped in the same setup: the foot pedal reverses the spindle and the tap backs out. The misalignment of drilling and tapping on two machines disappears. Pillar drills can also take an optional auto-reversing tapping head.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a pillar drill and a radial drill?
On a pillar drill the spindle is at a fixed distance from the column, so the part is moved under the spindle. On a radial arm drill the head slides along the arm and swivels, and the part stays put. Wide, heavy parts call for the radial type.
Can a drill press tap threads?
Tapping models do, through the foot pedal. Standard pillar drills tap with an optional auto-reversing tapping head fitted to the spindle taper.
Is a chuck included?
Yes. A Morse arbor and a keyed or keyless chuck are standard; the product page says which. Other chucks and drill press vices are optional.
Is there a difference between 400 V and 230 V models?
Three phase (400 V) models run forward and reverse, which matters for tapping. Single phase models are the choice where there is no three phase supply.