# Would you buy an old drill press. Jet 13R



## Quick Cal (Nov 30, 2015)

I can't seem to find anything descent at the moment. Of course I want something cheap. Which usually equals not too good,,,lol. I hope to get something for 100-150.

That being said, I found an old Jet 13R. Would it be wise to get something like that. Can you even get parts. I think this one is made in Japan. It is a table top model with a stand. He's asking $200. I can't pay that. Hopefully he will deal.

This is not it but one just like it I think. 

http://www.purplewave.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?090902/8280/5


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

A lot depends on condition. A person can buy a cheap model machine and use it their entire life where it might not last another person a week. I bought a cheap drill press in the mid 1980's and if the roof hadn't fell on it wouldn't have never needed a repair. Even having the base welded I think I could sell it for more than I paid for it, probably around $130.00.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

It appears that the auction has ended. It was worth $200. You can't be very picky with a budget like that. Craftsman and harbor freight are the caliber stuff you have to choose from.


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## RogerC (Oct 15, 2012)

hwebb99 said:


> It appears that the auction has ended. It was worth $200. You can't be very picky with a budget like that. Craftsman and harbor freight are the caliber stuff you have to choose from.


Not true at all. You just have to be willing to put in a little work. I was in the same position as the OP. I wanted good tools, but I had no budget for them. That meant I needed to find old stuff, so I diligently scoured CL until I found something I liked. I bought this 1959 14" Delta for $75 on CL.





























However, it looked like this when I brought it home.



















You'd be surprised how easy it was to get it back into proper shape. I don't have access to a big shop or metal-working equipment or anything. I did all the work in my 1-car garage using nothing but what I had and information found online.


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## Mort (Jan 4, 2014)

Drill presses are something, in my mind at least, where older is better. The design hasn't changed much in decades and the old ones are cheaper and look waaaayyyy cooler. 

The only new drill press I'd rather have then that Delta pictured is a Powermatic, but at $1400 that's a lot of coin. The Delta's holes will be just as round.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

hwebb99 said:


> It appears that the auction has ended. It was worth $200. You can't be very picky with a budget like that. Craftsman and harbor freight are the caliber stuff you have to choose from.


well, you get good quality material when you buy Craftsman.

In fact you can buy a very good table top model Craftsman drill press for less than $200. I would recommend.

George


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## NickB (Sep 24, 2013)

I bought a *brand new* 10" Skil DP with a laser and everything for about $150. It was a piece of crap, not suited for much more than drilling pilot holes or it would stall the motor.

Later, I purchased an old, ugly and abused Jet JDP17MF 16 1/2" model for the same $150. The handles are gone and replaced with threaded rod. The quill return spring was broken, but only cost $12 and some bloody fingers to replace. It's rusty and smells like a wet dog. *It is soooo much better of a machine.* It doesn't look pretty like RogerC's, but man does it drill.

You can't be picky for $150, but you can get yourself a good drill press. I shopped for about 6 months before I found that one on craigslist.


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