Review of JET JDP-17 3/4 HP Drill Press
Posted by Tool Man on November 25th, 2015
I was initially interested in Delta 18-900L which is a couple of hundred dollars more but my shop circumstance is such that the roof tallness is entirely low that is just a couple inches taller than I am and I required something that weighed less and was shorter. That’s why I started looking for a great JET drill press or a Powermatic drill press when I found about JDP-17. I won’t lie; the lower price tag also swayed me in this direction.
Before this purchase, I have been privileged enough to own a drill press so keep in mind a great many first buyers would have likely gotten a bench drill press. However, this thing literally takes up the same floor space and features a 5 inch travel so to me it just bodes well. When I estimated the run out it turned out to be at 0.001, as I would like to think this appears to be fairly adequate for a drill press priced at 9. Furthermore, the carpentry discussions I’ve successively been a part of on the internet genuinely raised questions about the depth stock mechanism of this machine. Most presses utilize a bar with a lock nut or something while this has some sort of double turning framework on its right side and a screw down lock. I have checked it out a few times and like it fine and dandy, I tried it for slop and to check whether it would hold and it appeared to be incredible.
I am certain in the event that I was a metalworker with enormous need then I may stress that it could be 0.001 off on the depth stop or something however until I demand further flexibility from this drill press it appears to be more than satisfactory. I will likewise say that I have possessed a considerable measure of JET machines that were handed over to me by some other craftsmen and the fit and finish on this thing is a ton superior to anything I am accustomed to. I didn't discover any issues with it actually, the crate was beat severely yet no genuine sharp edges and I don't consider it to be an inexpensively made item by any means.
The chuck doesn’t seem ideal and looks like an afterthought, however you can noticeably see it yet it's not askew, so it's presumably simply corrective machining.
The only issue I take with this press is that when you expand the plume the distance down around two thirds the way you hear a slight contact maybe or vibration of where the plume may be drawing in something it shouldn't. The assembly of the press up top may have a slight out of round hold or something like that. This is more professed at the higher torques and I saw that the belts being somewhat off the notches exacerbate it. I will watch out for that yet for the cash of a fine smoothing plane this is a really pleasant machine. I am extremely satisfied with it and would recommend it to anyone who isn’t a metalworker and is in need of some affordable solution.
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