# Drill Press



## Graybeard (Jun 19, 2018)

My old Delta 12 inch Model 11-990 drill press is giving me some troubles.



 

I admit I'm putting a lot of pressure on the arbor by drill out a large circle with a hole saw but I can't keep the chuck attached to the arbor. The arbor's definitely got a groove worn in it. To make matters worse Delta is pretty much a bottom feeder now with parts hard to get if not impossible. 

Thinking I could sand the arbor down, clean the chuck and clean everything with acetone, then reseat. Maybe it isn't big enough to cut a lot of circles this size? Appreciate your thoughts.


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## TimR (Jun 19, 2018)

With only 'normal' hand tools, can be hard to re-true up. I'd probably take a fine file, or even a medium diamond stone and carefully remove just the 'high spots' from the arbor, being careful not to disturb adjacent areas. You need as much of that arbor original surface that hasn't be distressed.
Likeswise, try to just remove high metal areas in the chuck without disturbing adjacent areas. If the fit is 'good', you should be able to gently put the chuck on and it stays. Then, you can use the arm to help press it into place.

If the chuck ID is really buggered up, it's not worth cost to get a tapered reamer, which is the best way to clean ID of tapered fit, its cheaper to just replace the whole chuck.


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## Nature Man (Jun 19, 2018)

I find it a crying shame that Delta is now a bottom feeder company. Used to be a solid name in woodworking equipment. I have a couple of pieces of Delta equipment and it is difficult to find parts -- had to go to E-Bay and Craigslist to solve a couple of issues I had. Best of luck in your endeavors! Chuck


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## Graybeard (Jun 19, 2018)

I'm with you Chuck. When I got it they were pretty good. It's back on and I guess I'll only use it for light drilling, no more hole saw cut outs. I'll have to make my pendant blanks on the band saw. I guess when I think of it the drill press doesn't own me anything, I've had it a good long while.


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## robert flynt (Jun 20, 2018)

If your handy you can take the shaft out have the arbor hot sprayed with metal and turned back down to proper size then reinstall.


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## Graybeard (Jun 29, 2018)

Ended up getting a 12 inch Jet drill press http://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/12-drill-press-with-dro/716000 from the local Woodcraft. Compared to the Delta it's a beast. Cuts the 2 inch hole like a breeze. My son in law is getting the old Delta for light drilling with jobber bits.

I went with Jet because of my experience with my dust collector. The remote didn't work all the time so I contacted Jet and they sent a new relay to install. Still didn't fix the problem so they sent a new control box and remote at no charge. Hope they don't change like Delta did.

The manager at Woodcraft told me Delta started to put their name on equipment sold in big box stores and that's when things went bad for them. Big boxes demanded lower priced products and Delta kept their name on the junk. Eventually they failed. Not sure if that's the case but that's what he said. Other manufactures make lower priced stuff but they don't use their brand name.


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## Pharmacyguy-Jim (Aug 25, 2018)

Graybeard said:


> Ended up getting a 12 inch Jet drill press http://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/12-drill-press-with-dro/716000 from the local Woodcraft. Compared to the Delta it's a beast. Cuts the 2 inch hole like a breeze. My son in law is getting the old Delta for light drilling with jobber bits.
> 
> I went with Jet because of my experience with my dust collector. The remote didn't work all the time so I contacted Jet and they sent a new relay to install. Still didn't fix the problem so they sent a new control box and remote at no charge. Hope they don't change like Delta did.
> 
> The manager at Woodcraft told me Delta started to put their name on equipment sold in big box stores and that's when things went bad for them. Big boxes demanded lower priced products and Delta kept their name on the junk. Eventually they failed. Not sure if that's the case but that's what he said. Other manufactures make lower priced stuff but they don't use their brand name.



Companies think they can take a lower margin and make it up on volume if they just get into a big box store but that really only works on consumables. The average joe is gonna buy way more cars than they are band saws or drill presses...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rocky1 (Aug 25, 2018)

https://www.fastcompany.com/54763/man-who-said-no-wal-mart

Reactions: Like 1


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