A staple in the professional woodshop, a drill press should be able to perform grunt work, yet quickly adjust for precision applications. Jet's 16-1/2-inch model does just that. Made of cast-iron and heavy-gauge steel components, this press spins bits up to 5/8 of an inch with 16 speeds from 200 to 3,630 rpm. A 3/4-horsepower induction motor drives the belts, and, for your convenience, it can run off either 115-volt outlets (for which it comes prewired) or 230-volt sources. The large 13-3/4-inch worktable glides easily with rack-and-pinion adjustment and tilts 45 degrees right or left to accommodate your needs. Two features we like are the positive depth stop on the left side, which quickly adjusts and locks in place via three nuts, and the built-in lamp, a nice touch some competitors don't offer. Changing belt position is a snap after flipping open the hinged metal cover, and, to personalize the press for your comfort and peace of mind, you can adjust the tension on the spindle return spring, as well as lock out the start button to protect others in your absence. This industrial-style drill press is a tool any professional or serious home woodworker can depend on. --Justin Paul
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Jet JDP-17MF 354169 Drill Press:
As long as you are not in a huge hurry to get this, you can't beat this deal! Free shipping! Sears wanted $146 to ship the same unit! It took about 10 days to receive this press from time of order. It will be shipped via truck and weighs 234 lbs! They will call you before they attempt delivery to ensure you are there. It arrived undamaged, and with all parts. Set up was super easy, and only took about 30 minutes. Though I was able to do this myself, I highly recommend a second person to help lift the... more info
great drill press for the money:
i assembled this unit by myself and can attest to the fact that you need a second person to help you lift the work head. when i initially turned it on i had all the noise and vibration that every body else is complaining about after looking at the belt and pulley setup i determined they were incorrectly aligned and tensioned improperly. readjusted it all and turned it on. no more vibration or noise. i gave this a 4 stars because the belt shroud is very flimsy and you have to wiggle it sometimes to open the... more info
WELL DESIGNED DRILL PRESS:
The JET JDP-17MF that I received form Amazon/JET was well packaged and protected from shipping damaged. The design and mechanics of this drill press is well thought out. Not Components thrown together to complete a product like alot of competitive drill presses. The 3/4 hp motor is more than enough and the ease of speed changes is well received. Overall, Jet has done a great job on this drillpress.
NOT VERY GOOD IF ACCURACY IS IMPORTANT:
The machine was very well packed and easy to assemble right out of the box. It lacks a spindle lock. The chuck was a little out of round. When you chuck a bit and turn it on, the bit runs fairly true with the quill fully retracted, but when extended about half way or more it begins to wobble. When fully extended I measured a full 1/16" of wobble in all directions. You can turn it off and extend the quill and move it that same amount by hand. The spindle and quill must have some pretty sloppy tolerances. I... more info
