Nova Viking Drill Press

[Bernmc]

Have I been napping? Anyone else heard of Nova’s new machine: NOVA VIKING DVR 16" BENCHTOP DRILL PRESS | Drill Presses - Carbatec (https://www.carbatec.com.au/nova-viking-dvr-16-benchtop-drill-press)

Looks pretty good, and a lot more affordable than the voyager...

[elanjacobs]

I saw a few months ago that it was coming, didn't know it had been released. Maybe I can convince the boss to replace our ancient Waldowns... :rolleyes:

[Chris Parks]

And it has a TFT screen instead of an ancient dot matrix screen.

[elanjacobs]

And it has a TFT screen instead of an ancient dot matrix screen.
You sure about that? It looks like a normal multi-segment LCD to me
https://www.carbatec.com.au/Images/ProductImages/Large/TK-VIKING_3.jpg

[Chris Parks]

The old one had a dot matrix screen so anything beyond 1960's technology is ok with me.

[elanjacobs]

You do realise that that the dot matrix can display more information, because it's not limited to the icons chosen by the manufacturer, right?

This is the same technology, just with less capability. Objectively, it's a downgrade.

[Tonyz]

I feel the only way to do this machine real justice, is that you all donate $5 each thats all $5 to me. I can then buy and test it and then give a totally unbiased review. :) :2tsup:

[Chris Parks]

You do realise that that the dot matrix can display more information, because it's not limited to the icons chosen by the manufacturer, right?

This is the same technology, just with less capability. Objectively, it's a downgrade.

Readability is what it is all about for me, having used the Voyager the older screen lacks contrast and the large dots were terrible. This screen is larger as well so I guess they had a reason to change.

[elanjacobs]

Fair enough. I would have thought you could adjust the contrast, but I do get where you're coming from with that; some of them can look a bit washed-out

[derekcohen]

Yes, I have looked over the specs. Compared them with the Voyager.

Black Friday at Carbatec came along, and the Voyager was up for a large discount. Still a lot of money, and the Viking would work out $1000 cheaper. Not to be sneezed at!!

The question is/was, "is the Voyager worth $1000 more than the Viking?". Dominant differences: Voyager has 2 hp motor (vs 1 hp of Viking), the bigger table (and also designed for a fence), deeper drilling, and can fit wider boards, is built like a bigger dunny, and (in my opinion) a much nicer looking machine. The Viking comes with a laser (but $61 gets you an aftermarket one from Wixey).

In the end I plumped for the Voyager (an early birthday present). Carbatec threw in the fence for free. Put it together this past weekend ...


https://i.postimg.cc/Xq1ptBRy/1.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/3J6kBpjs/5.jpg

I have yet to plug it in.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[barri]

This has been out a while now and and yet there is little information, no reviews or YouTube videos other than from the manufacturer. I've been after a variable speed benchtop model and this seems perfect but I want to hear from actual owners. I have seen it in action at Carbatec, Springvale and it does seem good but I like to do some research first before I take the leap. I know it is a watered down version of the Voyager but its specs., size and features are exactly what I'm after. So if anyone out there has one could they do a review and/or make a video

[derekcohen]

This has been out a while now and and yet there is little information, no reviews or YouTube videos other than from the manufacturer. I've been after a variable speed benchtop model and this seems perfect but I want to hear from actual owners. I have seen it in action at Carbatec, Springvale and it does seem good but I like to do some research first before I take the leap. I know it is a watered down version of the Voyager but its specs., size and features are exactly what I'm after. So if anyone out there has one could they do a review and/or make a video

I gather that the Viking is not simply a cut-down Voyager.

There was discussion about the Viking on the festoolownersgroup forum. This is a quote:

"Besides the difference in motor power, stroke and table size, the Viking doesn’t have the (4) speed presets and it also doesn’t have the menu system to select bit type and material type to get the recommended speed. You need to figure out the speed and turn the dial manually.

The manual depth gage is different between the 2 as well, but the electronic depth gage is so easy to use and so precise, I would imagine that would be the method used to set depth.

It does have the electronic depth control, reverse functionality, self start and it has a crosshair laser built in."

Regards from Perth

Derek

[barri]

Thanks for that Derek. The missing 4 presets on the Voyager as well as the menus to select bit types and speed don't bother me at all. There are plenty of charts to help with that, in fact I keep one of those behind my current crappy DP, but once again this information is based on reading specs. from the distributor rather than from an actual owner, although I did read that Festool Forum thread which did have some owners but they talked mainly about chucks and surge protectors and comparisons with the Voyager without mentioning things like quality, run out and reliability. I'll guess I'll have to wait for the reviews to come in or take the leap, then I could be the reviewer. Given the glowing endorsements of the Voyager I'm confident the Viking is a quality unit but I would sure like some comforting reviews and videos

[Chris Parks]

There are a heaps of videos on YT.

[barri]

There are a heaps of videos on YT.


They're on the Voyager not the Viking

[RossM]

Here u go - looks like the first video review:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kck-Cq6wNLA

[barri]

Yes, I saw that video yesterday and it looks amazing. Hard to justify $1600 for something that just drills holes but I really want one. It's hard to find a variable speed, bench drill press in Australia. Most if not all are floor models. I wonder what the run out's like and the quality of the chuck?

[KahoyKutter]

..........It's hard to find a variable speed, bench drill press in Australia.


Have you checked out the Bosch PBD40? It's definitely not in the same class (hobby grade) but it's a lot cheaper (I paid $250, normal RRP = $405) and it has an accurate digital depth readout, laser sights, keyless chuck, LED light, built-in clamp, and electronically variable speed. It's certainly not perfect but a lot of its shortcomings (handwheel, flex in column under heavy load) can be overcome.

[RossM]

PBD40 should not be discounted. Andy at Manor Wood Design was using one for large scale commercial work until recently. (He has upgraded to the Nova Voyager!)


https://youtu.be/iYCYGI0aAWc

[KahoyKutter]

........Andy at Manor Wood Design was using one for large scale commercial work until recently.



Thanks for the link. It's good to know that this little drill is so capable. It's not even part of Bosch's "blue" range of tools !! I'm very happy with mine and I can't recommend it enough.

[barri]

I have seen the Bosch in action and it's not in the same league as the Nova's. I already have a Hare & Forbes drill press (Paul Jenkins described it as total crap) and it has many short comings, putting it kindly, and I'm not willing to compromise again.

[riverbuilder]

Can someone with modern geek speak knowledge please tell me what the DVR actually stands for.

[barri]

Digital Variable Reluctance

[KahoyKutter]

I have seen the Bosch in action and it's not in the same league as the Nova's. I already have a Hare & Forbes drill press (Paul Jenkins described it as total crap) and it has many short comings, putting it kindly, and I'm not willing to compromise again.


I saw the Nova at Carbatec yesterday and I agree 100%. It's in a completely different league. I reckon a Nova is in your future if you're not looking to compromise.

[barri]

I also saw it at Carbatec, Melbourne, and it was love at first sight. :U

[Xigma]

Bought one of these. Love the electronics-driven features and, in particular, the >100mm quill travel.

However, after nearly a year of use, here are a few observations:


Lasers not aligned and not adjustable in the Z-axis. Intersection wanders forward/backward with changes in table height.
Adjustment of lasers with fingers very difficult without blocking beams. Needs a tool to fit around knurling.
Table cannot be rotated by 90 degrees or more due to collision between "nodules" underneath table and the table support arm.
Column base support too high for pedestal drill. Reduced table-to-chuck/spindle distance. A hassle if using a cross-slide vice or even a thick work piece.
Display (or whole system) needs a timer to turn off after period of inactivity.
Safety shield design needs a rethink. Difficult to fit and coiled lead interferes with laser beam.
Not normally a problem but quite a lot of play in the quill when extended.

My lasers were indented/damaged during manufacture and could not be accurately adjusted. Bought a Wixey.

All the above points have been communicated to Teknatool.

[TTIT]

I got the first Viking that Carbatec got in stock and I was assembling mine while they were still putting the shop demo rig together. I was keen on it's big brother but only like using a bench drill so I was very keen when the Viking was released.
Is it any good? - love it to bits! My drill press has always been the most used machine in the shed, strategically positioned between my woodworking area and the metalwork bench as it gets so much use for both.
The only downside for me is the reduced range of table height from the overly tall column support, but I can learn to live with that - plenty of blocks around to support the no-mans land between the base and where the table bottoms out.
I don't use the lasers or the safety guard so they are not an issue for me.
What I do use a lot is the depth setting - so quick and easy and so accurate - magic!
And just last week I found something else this machine does brilliantly - It might not have the chip-breaker mode of its big brother, but if you've ever used those combination drill-taps, you'll know how difficult they can be due to the change in speed/control between drill and tapping. On the Viking I can just zero the bit on the work, set the depth stop to 12 or 13mm (for the M5 tap), and it drills the hole at normal speed, starts cutting the thread, then stops and reverses the bit out - way too easy - I found myself just tapping holes in 3mm plate for fun :2tsup:
Was it worth the money?? As with any of my machinery, I only remember the price when it fails on me, so as long as it does what I expect it to do, I'm as happy as a pig in mud. The drill has made life more pleasurable in the shed, improved the accuracy in my work, and reduced the noise levels . . . yes it was worth the money!:U

[markharrison]

I bought one a few months back. I strongly considered the Bosch but in the end I was just sick of compromising; and that's what I thought the Bosch would be, for me.

The Bosch has definite use-cases. The money in particular is a definite thing. I certainly would not criticise a decision that was made because that's what you could afford.

I do not regret buying this machine.

[Aussiephil]

Pending this years tax return this will be my next drill press, can't justify the price of the Voyager for my use.

Question for the people who own one, does it have a quill lock?

There is no way i will buy another drill press with belts and pulleys as I certainly don't adjust speeds for drilling as i should.

[Chris Parks]

Pending this years tax return this will be my next drill press, can't justify the price of the Voyager for my use.

Question for the people who own one, does it have a quill lock?

There is no way i will buy another drill press with belts and pulleys as I certainly don't adjust speeds for drilling as i should.

We don't do things if they are difficult or hard and if it was easy you most probably would change speeds. I used to own a DP with belts and pulleys for a very short time for that reason and gave it the flick when the opportunity to buy a gear head DP came along.

[TTIT]

Pending this years tax return this will be my next drill press, can't justify the price of the Voyager for my use.

Question for the people who own one, does it have a quill lock?

There is no way i will buy another drill press with belts and pulleys as I certainly don't adjust speeds for drilling as i should.
It doesn't have a quill-lock like a milling machine has but it still has a conventional mechanical height stop like you find on most drill presses that you could use in a pinch.:shrug:

[Aussiephil]

I can't think directly why i would need a quill lock on a bench drill but I was curious as it's two big brothers have the feature. Now just need to see if the tax return helps with funding :)

[aarggh]

I can't think directly why i would need a quill lock on a bench drill but I was curious as it's two big brothers have the feature. Now just need to see if the tax return helps with funding :)

You won't regret it, it's an absolutely awesome drill! Very powerful, absolutely no runout (on mine anyway), super quiet.

And the depth settings and auto reverse are brilliant, more useful than most would realise I reckon.

The only things that let it down IMHO, are the winding mechanism for the table is a bit crap, they definitely could have done that better, feels cheap in use.

The other thing that's a real shame in my book, is that the centre of the table plug is about 1/8" off (short) from drill centre. Having the hole in the table really lends itself to fitting a chuck, but you'd need to shimmy the table mount out first, it's a small thing I know, but something I'm really surprised didn't seem to occur to anyone in the design team.

Being able to use a chuck or a jig centred on the beautifully machined recess in the table would be extremely handy.

Apart from those niggles, it's extremely well worth it!

[derekcohen]

Nice buy!

I would not get fussed about the offset hole. You will cover it with a drill press table. I offset the plate, which is round for multiple turns and fresh surfaces ...

https://i.postimg.cc/BZk3R6PL/fence1.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/VNkbDqP3/Wixey3.jpg


Regards from Perth

Derek

[Albert]

Drill press is something I probably will upgrade last in my workshop... some machines I have upgraded a few times, say a mitre saw, I have maybe upgraded 4th-5th times. I now dont even own a mitre saw (actually I do, an older style Omga sitting under the panel saw covered in dust).


The drill press is to drill a hole, very basic, I am still using my $299 Ryobi floor standing model. it doesnt have all the bells and whistles but it get a hole drilled and that is all it mattered...

[derekcohen]

Drill press is something I probably will upgrade last in my workshop... some machines I have upgraded a few times, say a mitre saw, I have maybe upgraded 4th-5th times. I now dont even own a mitre saw (actually I do, an older style Omga sitting under the panel saw covered in dust).


The drill press is to drill a hole, very basic, I am still using my $299 Ryobi floor standing model. it doesnt have all the bells and whistles but it get a hole drilled and that is all it mattered...

"The drill press is to drill a hole, very basic ..."

Yeah, right! :U

Seriously, I use the drill press for so many tasks. It is one of the more important machines in my workshop. I have no regrets spending on it. You have no idea what this one can do! (actually, neither do I ... still to read the manual :C )

Regards from Perth

Derek

[aarggh]

I know it is a trivial thing Derek, but machine parts are made to spec, they could just as easily have made the drill centre the centre of the insert of the table instead of 1/8" short.

It just makes no sense to me to design such an outstanding machine, and then have the table design and sloppy handle mechanism they do.

I will probably end up making a fixture plate on the milling machine, as the use of jigs and a way of being able to hold something dead centre is more appropriate for what I want more so than a table with a fence.

Having the insert dead centre would have made my life so much easier, oh well, off to drill and tap a hundred holes! ;-)

cheers, Ian

[derekcohen]

Ian, actually I agree with you. Further, if I had designed the damn thing, the column would have been a square section and not round. That would enable it to retain the settings when the height is adjusted. The cross hairs are helpful here.

Better design does not cost more.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Aussiephil]

You won't regret it, it's an absolutely awesome drill! Very powerful, absolutely no runout (on mine anyway), super quiet.

And the depth settings and auto reverse are brilliant, more useful than most would realise I reckon.

The only things that let it down IMHO, are the winding mechanism for the table is a bit crap, they definitely could have done that better, feels cheap in use.

The other thing that's a real shame in my book, is that the centre of the table plug is about 1/8" off (short) from drill centre. Having the hole in the table really lends itself to fitting a chuck, but you'd need to shimmy the table mount out first, it's a small thing I know, but something I'm really surprised didn't seem to occur to anyone in the design team.

Being able to use a chuck or a jig centred on the beautifully machined recess in the table would be extremely handy.

Apart from those niggles, it's extremely well worth it!

Thanks for the summary.

I think i'm in Derek's camp on the centering of the plug as i plan to also cover it with a table/fence setup but i do get the point about attention to detail that would have meant better fit and finish impressions.

As for the winding mechanism i'm coming from a very very low base of a crappy Ozito bench unit.

I use it a lot and will really appreciate something better.

Cheers
Phil

[aarggh]

The drill press is to drill a hole, very basic, I am still using my $299 Ryobi floor standing model. it doesnt have all the bells and whistles but it get a hole drilled and that is all it mattered...

As with all things in life, there are tools and then there are TOOLS!

If the Ryobi suits all your needs and your happy with it that's great.

Until the Nova, the drill presses I had didn't suit my needs, and I hated the quality/performance, changing the belts, and the overall lack of accuracy. I also got a little tired of using my mill as a drill press, especially for more delicate work, somewhat akin to threading a needle with a crowbar.

Apart from the two issues I mentioned, the Nova is in a class of it's own, and I love using it. For anyone who spends more than a little time drilling, it more than justifies itself in time, performance and accuracy.

cheers, Ian

[Albert]

As with all things in life, there are tools and then there are TOOLS!

If the Ryobi suits all your needs and your happy with it that's great.

Until the Nova, the drill presses I had didn't suit my needs, and I hated the quality/performance, changing the belts, and the overall lack of accuracy. I also got a little tired of using my mill as a drill press, especially for more delicate work, somewhat akin to threading a needle with a crowbar.

Apart from the two issues I mentioned, the Nova is in a class of it's own, and I love using it. For anyone who spends more than a little time drilling, it more than justifies itself in time, performance and accuracy.

cheers, Ian

I know if you guys spend a lot of time drilling then yes, a Nova would be very helpful, I know how it feels, I am starting to do a lot of spindle moulding now a days and I got tired of my old spindle moulder and ordered a new spindle moulder, price? $50k.

for my line of work... I dont think I ever changed the belt on mine, it is always drilling 6-10mm hole in pine and that it.

[Aussiephil]

Just placed my order for a new Viking but the one dimension i can't seem to find is the total height from base bottom to the top of the motor.

Can someone who as one can they tell me what it is... this may affect which bench this ends up.

Thanks

[TTIT]

Just placed my order for a new Viking but the one dimension i can't seem to find is the total height from base bottom to the top of the motor.

Can someone who as one can they tell me what it is... this may affect which bench this ends up.

Thanks

1140mm to the highest point.:2tsup:

[Aussiephil]

1140mm to the highest point.:2tsup:

Much appreciated, look like it will be tight :)

[julie99]

I just received the viking benchtop last week - I've used a drill press in the past - but this is the first one I've owned. So my issue is when I raise or lower the table the table swings left and right - I contacted Teknatool via phone, email and filled out their form but no response. I then contacted my dealer. Still nothing. I contacted my dealer again and they contacted Teknatool on my behalf and finally someone from Teknatool got back to me - a week later. They told me to loosen the small allen nut on the back of the column and push the collar down to engage the track that the table runs up and down on. I tried this but the collar was as low as it could go. I then took a video and replied to the email I had received from Teknatool support - but crickets. I'm not sure if this is normal for this type of a tool. The head is brilliant but the machining of the drill table is very poor. I'm not sure if I'll ever need to use the tilt mechanism - hopefully not since this is also very poorly done; You loosen two bolts under the table (in my case I had to use a PB Blast solution to get this unfrozen) and then the whole thing moves, but without any sort of precision - so there is no way to just loosen and turn, the whole thing comes loose and away from the mechanism so when you try and tighten it it sort of has a mind of it's own. I wish the machining of the base/column/table were as good as the direct drive head.

I'm still waiting for an a solution to the table swinging left and right when you raise or lower the table - this can't be correct - ?!

j

[derekcohen]

Julie, all drill press table swing away from the centre. This is the reason I mentioned above that "my" design would have a square column, not a round one.

Is there a fix? I have been thinking about this for the past year. One of these days ... :rolleyes:

Regarding the cast and iron table, it is not machined underneath. This is of little importance if you add a table above it. This is what I did ...

https://i.postimg.cc/zvs1htYS/fence2.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Aussiephil]

I just received the viking benchtop last week - I've used a drill press in the past - but this is the first one I've owned. So my issue is when I raise or lower the table the table swings left and right - I contacted Teknatool via phone, email and filled out their form but no response. I then contacted my dealer. Still nothing. I contacted my dealer again and they contacted Teknatool on my behalf and finally someone from Teknatool got back to me - a week later. They told me to loosen the small allen nut on the back of the column and push the collar down to engage the track that the table runs up and down on. I tried this but the collar was as low as it could go. I then took a video and replied to the email I had received from Teknatool support - but crickets. I'm not sure if this is normal for this type of a tool. The head is brilliant but the machining of the drill table is very poor. I'm not sure if I'll ever need to use the tilt mechanism - hopefully not since this is also very poorly done; You loosen two bolts under the table (in my case I had to use a PB Blast solution to get this unfrozen) and then the whole thing moves, but without any sort of precision - so there is no way to just loosen and turn, the whole thing comes loose and away from the mechanism so when you try and tighten it it sort of has a mind of it's own. I wish the machining of the base/column/table were as good as the direct drive head.

I'm still waiting for an a solution to the table swinging left and right when you raise or lower the table - this can't be correct - ?!

j

Hi Julie,

The photo's are sort of proof i own one :) I couldn't find one of the table before i added a top but the machining on the top surface is a good as any i have seen, there is no machining nor would i expect any on the underside.

With regards to the table moving side to side when lowering and raising this is normal for un-restrained rack and pinion setups as used on the Nova and for most drills using simple rack and pinion mechanisms. By un-restrained I mean the table doesn't move on a linear rail or keyed solution to stop rotational movement in xy.

With regards to the tilt adjustment, i've used this a few times and it's relatively easy but a pain with with the two bolts.... trick: only loosen both enough to allow you to move the table... not so far as to be able to jiggle it around.
The big bolt is an M16 so anything above 1/4 turn loose is probably too far... How i do it. 24mm socket and just break the M16 loose, Back the M6 locking screw out at least a turn (1mm) and see if the table will move, loosen the M16 till it does.. set the required angle, tighten the M16 back up and honestly I don't recall tightening the lock screw till i revert back to flat.

496217 496218

Long story short, there is no solution (well no simply easy one) to the table moving in xy as you raise and lower is it is completely normal and expected it would do so based on the rack and pinion setup used.
Probably not what you wanted to hear but this still remains a stupidly awesome drill press.

Cheers
Phil

[aarggh]

The Viking is an absolutely sensational drill press, and the auto start and depth limit settings are invaluable, but I also felt the table mechanism could have been a little more finessed, although it's workable and the top itself is nicely machined. The thing I really didn't understand though was that considering the table and parts are all machined to tolerances to fit, why wasn't the drill centred on the table hole.

It would have been extremely trivial to build this into the design and wouldn't have added any extra machining time as the offset just needed to be moved a few mm, which would then allow to fit chucks, jigs, etc dead centre.

[Aussiephil]

The Viking is an absolutely sensational drill press, and the auto start and depth limit settings are invaluable, but I also felt the table mechanism could have been a little more finessed, although it's workable and the top itself is nicely machined. The thing I really didn't understand though was that considering the table and parts are all machined to tolerances to fit, why wasn't the drill centred on the table hole.

It would have been extremely trivial to build this into the design and wouldn't have added any extra machining time as the offset just needed to be moved a few mm, which would then allow to fit chucks, jigs, etc dead centre.

Well either they fixed it in later builds or you got a bad example as the Nova Viking I got last Nov seems to be centered, I can spin the table around 360 degrees with a pointer/pencil in the drill chuck and the point stays centered on a dot rather than if it was offset it would make a circle... all the measurements i took when i first got it said mine was centered.

Cheers
Phil

[aarggh]

Well either they fixed it in later builds or you got a bad example as the Nova Viking I got last Nov seems to be centered, I can spin the table around 360 degrees with a pointer/pencil in the drill chuck and the point stays centered on a dot rather than if it was offset it would make a circle... all the measurements i took when i first got it said mine was centered.

Cheers
Phil

Hmmm, I might have to look at the warranty then to see if this would be covered. It is annoying.

[Aussiephil]

Hmmm, I might have to look at the warranty then to see if this would be covered. It is annoying.

I'll pull my wooden table top off over the weekend, i want to make a bigger one as well anyway and put a dial indicator on both the top insert hole and the table through hole to the mount arm ... both could still be off as the test i did above only checks the hole in the mount arm is centered under the chuck.

The hole can only ever be machined centered in the Y axis anyway.... if its centered in Y then you need to rotate the table around the column to center in X.

[aarggh]

I'll pull my wooden table top off over the weekend, i want to make a bigger one as well anyway and put a dial indicator on both the top insert hole and the table through hole to the mount arm ... both could still be off as the test i did above only checks the hole in the mount arm is centered under the chuck.

The hole can only ever be machined centered in the Y axis anyway.... if its centered in Y then you need to rotate the table around the column to center in X.

Mines not centered in the Y, it's shy about 3mm. I did think of shimming or machining a plate to make it up, but what a PITA.

[Chris Parks]

Is it perpendicular to the chuck? This can be checked roughly but not precisely by putting a large drill in the chuck and placing a square on the table and up against the drill bit. A ground rod instead of a drill bit is the ultimate test but a drill bit gets it close.

[TTIT]

This thread might be a bit old but something came up on it that has been bugging the carp out of me for weeks! I've been using drill presses since I was a little tacker and cannot ever remember needing the table centred precisely under the quill. :shrug: In my experience, all that matters is that the work piece is centred under the quill/bit - so at risk of sounding like a moron, what possible circumstances would require the table to be dead centre :think: :shrug:

[Aussiephil]

This thread might be a bit old but something came up on it that has been bugging the carp out of me for weeks! I've been using drill presses since I was a little tacker and cannot ever remember needing the table centred precisely under the quill. :shrug: In my experience, all that matters is that the work piece is centred under the quill/bit - so at risk of sounding like a moron, what possible circumstances would require the table to be dead centre :think: :shrug:

Oh that's an easy answer... sort of... if you use the center hole in the table as an easy mount point for a live center type device especially for any action that imposes sideways force, ie sanding drums then it's far easier if that hole is centered.....

However in real life it may be easier to use an XY stage to hold that device anyway and no longer an issue.

Cheers
Phil

[derekcohen]

This thread might be a bit old but something came up on it that has been bugging the carp out of me for weeks! I've been using drill presses since I was a little tacker and cannot ever remember needing the table centred precisely under the quill. :shrug: In my experience, all that matters is that the work piece is centred under the quill/bit - so at risk of sounding like a moron, what possible circumstances would require the table to be dead centre :think: :shrug:

There is no need for dead centre (I deliberately made my replaceable waste section off-centre and round). There IS a need for the quill to return to the same spot when a bit is changed.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Lappa]

In most units I’ve used, there is a hole in the centre of the table. One purpose is to prevent damage to the table in case one accidently drills too deep.

[aarggh]

For me apart from the fact that it's just as easy to design it accurately as it is to design it out of spec, I want to be able to mount a lathe chuck in the recess, as I often have to drill items in the chuck accurately.

And if it ain't dead centre, apart from looking pretty bad, it then means I need to make up some sort of alignment jig to use the chuck, and while not a massive inconvenience, I have to make the effort each time it's used to ensure it's aligned properly!

Just an unnecessary waste of time really due to some thoughtless designing, but this is my only complaint about the Viking, apart from that it is absolutely sensational.

cheers, Ian



This thread might be a bit old but something came up on it that has been bugging the carp out of me for weeks! I've been using drill presses since I was a little tacker and cannot ever remember needing the table centred precisely under the quill. :shrug: In my experience, all that matters is that the work piece is centred under the quill/bit - so at risk of sounding like a moron, what possible circumstances would require the table to be dead centre :think: :shrug:

[skypig]

What size is the table attachment?
47mm?
I bought one of these - great GP table, esp for metal work. It’s 47mm, and needs “shimming” to fit the 48mm hole in my Trade Tools Pedestal Drill (Who’d have thought some were 47mm, and some are 48!?!

[TTIT]

What size is the table attachment?
47mm?
I bought one of these - great GP table, esp for metal work. It’s 47mm, and needs “shimming” to fit the 48mm hole in my Trade Tools Pedestal Drill (Who’d have thought some were 47mm, and some are 48!?!
You didn't link to anything but I'm guessing you are talking about this table . . .
497583
I have one and also had to shim it up to fit my old Tradetools bench press but then had to turn a fraction off it to fit the Nova - wish these mobs would settle on a standard diameter!!!. They are a great item, very easy to clamp things down on them unlike the Tradetools standard table, and I keep it handy to the Nova but don't use it nearly as much as I did on the old drill press as the Nova table is also pretty easy to clamp things to.

[skypig]

My friend is keen on a Nova drill press. He wants the fully featured one, the Voyager.
Nova Voyager DVR Drill Press | Carbatec (https://www.carbatec.com.au/nova-dvr-drill-press?SearchID=10862908&SearchPos=1&SearchID=10862908&SearchPos=1)

He is unable to see one in person before buying and is worried, that like many drill presses there might be free play in the rack/pinion mechanism.
The free play he is worried about is vertical, and not always obvious. I didn’t notice it on my Trade tools drill until I was drilling aluminium with a step drill, and as it would cut through one size, the whole thing (chuck/drill/spindle) would “flop” downwards so the next step would start cutting (without moving the lever). My friend is frustrated countersinking wood.

If anyone owns one, could you wind down the spindle about 50mm, and see if you can lift it (the chuck) up at all?
Mine lifts at least 5mm - free play.

[pippin88]

Apologies, misread your post as being about rack and pinion on the column / table.

Ignore me

[aarggh]

My viking has zero play, solid as a rock.

Absolutely sensational drill.

[skypig]

My viking has zero play, solid as a rock.

Absolutely sensational drill.

They look sensational.
A whole next level compared to what we have had before.


I almost couldn’t resist - but being more metalwork orientated, I bought a Milling machine…. For now.

[Komposite]

Hello!

For those who've used the Nova Voyager to tap metal, what is the maximum tap size & depth it can do in mild steel? Stainless?

[Chris Parks]

That will depend on the size of the tap and the material being tapped, there is no hard answer.

[jack620]

That will depend on the size of the tap and the material being tapped, there is no hard answer.

He asked for the maximum tap sizes in mild steel and stainless. There has to be a ballpark figure.

[KahoyKutter]

I thought I'd share my setup......


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Cheers,
Mike

[KahoyKutter]

More pics....


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The base is a repurposed steel filing cabinet. It was too flimsy as it was so I encased it in a frame I made out of some scrap ironbark and spotted gum. The top was leftover from my first bench and is a couple layers of acacia hardwood panels from Bunnings. I replaced the drawer fronts with some scrap marine ply and also upgraded the castors.


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The top drawer of the filing cabinet was originally for odd bits of stationery and is perfect for the my loose drill bits.


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The drill table is made up of 18mm ply with 12mm MDF on top and the "edgebanding" is an inch thick SG & ironbark.


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The cross slide vise is offset to clear the drill table at its lowest position and is bolted to the cast iron base and the wooden top via a spacer block. My plan is to use it for mortising when I get around to buying a mortising attachment.....or I may end up buying a dedicated mortiser if I can find some floor space for it in my tiny 'shop. The only thing I bought for this project was the cross slide vise and an aerosol can of black paint.

[jack620]

Nice. I like that double CBN wheel grinder you have there. Is that commercially available, or DIY?

[KahoyKutter]

Nice. I like that double CBN wheel grinder you have there. Is that commercially available, or DIY?


Thanks mate.

The grinder is commercially available and is made by Vicmarc (https://vicmarc.com/product-page/sanding-and-grinding/vicmarc-cbn-lathe-sharpening-system-181-detail). I looked at DIY solutions and by the time I totalled up the grinder, the Vicmarc CBN wheels, and the jigs......it was approaching the cost of the Vicmarc grinding station. I should point out that by this point I had narrowed my choice of CBN wheels to the Vicmarc wheels because they had 40mm CBN sides which allows for flat grinds. A DIY setup using other CBN wheels would no doubt be a lot cheaper. Please take this into consideration. Cheers.

[jack620]

A DIY setup using other CBN wheels would no doubt be a lot cheaper. Please take this into consideration. Cheers.

Thanks. I have one of those wheels on my pedestal grinder. I love it.

[Safedadnc]

Does anyone know the column specs for the Viking. I am asking because I would like to put a longer column on it. 12 more inches versus the floor model would allow me to end drill some of my toys.
Not sure how to add/paste a picture

[stevenjd]

To me one of the important issues for wood is max speed. And for metal work it is the run out at the tip (chuck). Some seem to quote numbers around .015 which is very small. However when you actually see the machine and run a few checks the run out is far greater than .015.
I recently bought a flat belt drive unit which has top stepped of 4000 rpm and it weighs 180kg.
A nice feature but not the be all to end all has reverse. And really up to 12mm i would use a battery drill for threading anyway,
The drill runs flat belt drive and stands roughly 1900mm tall and Col diameter is 90mm but the wall thickness of the col is never stated.
For woodwork the stiffness and deflection i doubt would ever be a concern. However for serious metalwork I would look very hard at gearhead machines.
I think personally, drill presses are terrible quality for the money and like Albert, I persevered for ages with a very cheap drill press.
It seemed to any decent machine it cost a bomb. But i did relent and very recently bought a new drill press.
This all happened a month or so ago and for those who purchased the Nova machines at Carbatec i have heard nothing but good stories by everyone.

[harmo]

Hi all,

A former college friend of mine in Canada (named Carol) bought the Viking, after hearing about the Voyager from me. She loves it for her smaller wood working projects, but she's almost exclusively working with wood.... maybe some soft materials like plastic or acrylic on the odd occasion. I have only seen the Viking once in store, for all of maybe 5 minutes. I did like the screen. It's undeniable that there's a lot of similar tech to the Voyager in the Viking.. but I didn't see it in action. So take my humble opinion for the limited guidance that it is. However, as a Voyager owner... I have some thoughts and experiences I'd like to share.

Yes, the Viking is cheaper, smaller, and the display is absolutely better than the Voyager. I vaguely recall that Carol mentioned that she liked the included light and laser too. So if you have space limits, poor vision, and think the readability/illumination/laser is important, then as a "stock" item, the Viking is clearly the better choice.

That said...

Ok, I don't just work in wood, so that extra 1HP makes a ton of difference to me for efficient work flows. I've drilled various steels, (mild, hardened, stainless (314 and 316) and even some specific "tool" steels with sometimes interesting effects). I've also drilled aluminium, brass, acrylic, polycarb, as well as the full gamut of wood. Some days, I can switch materials from one minute to the next. Just last week, I was drilling a 12mm wide hole down the centre of a round stainless steel rod, then mild steel 50x50x3mm SHS/RHS, and then plywood. Ok, sure, I can do that with a cordless 18V drill and a jig... but it's very slow to drill larger holes in harder materials. I'd imagine the Viking would still do better than many alternatives. Just not as fast as the Voyager, and perhaps a slightly gentler approach it with care/smaller jumps to successively larger bits.

Now here's where the Viking falls down a bit.... relative to the Voyager.

The stroke on the Voyager is 150mm, and only 114mm (or so) on the Viking. I work with a surprising amount of wood depths in the 125mm range (the limit of my thicknesser with my extended in/out feed table). If I need to trim it down into smaller thicknesses, I'll do that on my table saw/band saw. So considering your workflow with capacities of your other tools is helpful.

If you're like me, and have hate/detest relationship with keyed chucks because the key is frequently "misplaced" by a helper, relative, or someone in the neighbourhood who is "borrowing" your workshop. Tying it to a string isn't ideal either it just gets in the way. So, one of the first things I added to the Voyager was an after-market keyless chuck. For wood working, the supplied keyed chuck is fine. For metal work, the run out was a red flag for me. While I'm painfully aware that the the Voyager is not the same as the Vulcan/Mill Drill setup. But the Vulcan/Mill is larger, more expensive, and more complex/cumbersome to use if you just drill holes most of the time.

Interestingly, the keyless chuck I have is actually quite hard to grip on the top bit.... So to combat this, I have my preset number 4 set to powered spindle lock (so I can tighten and loosen the chuck one handed) and this saves me so much time, I can't even begin to describe it. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it took me months to find this helpful feature, but a flat minute to configure with a preset. In short, if you want to use a keyless chuck, and use the spindle lock, then the Voyager's presets will be a major convenience/comfort boon.

Now obviously, the Viking is a bench top model, and the Voyager is a floor standing one. Those building cabinets/tables, drilling into the ends of metre-ish lengths of wood... then the Voyager is clearly the most-suited choice. I have a removable chest of drawers under my drill press table for storing odds and ends... I can operate on smaller projects with the drawers in place, but I will occasionally "go big" by moving the chest of drawers out and lowering/swinging the table out of the way. If you don't need that, then the Viking is amazing.

So what of the fancy lasers/lights?

I of course, have done what others suggested in the preceding replies and added the Wixey laser and magnetically-attached additional lighting to the Voyager. Naturally, this adds expense to a drill that's already noticeably more expensive. I guess it comes down to your priorities, needs, and of course, budget.

The most disheartening thing I found about my Voyager, was that it tripped the circuit breaker the first time I powered up. When it happened a few times, I contacted the folks at Teknatool, and their advice was not as helpful as it could have been. Oddly it was only occasionally, and even then, only during initial power up, (drilling was fine) so I boot it up when I enter the workshop, and shut it down at the end of the day. I think it was a bit of a touchy 10A breaker. I think the Voyager spikes somewhere close to 10A initially. Now I have a 15A circuit in the shop, and that issue has stopped. However, from what I've heard/read from other users and reviewers, it should work fine on most 10A circuits.

I generally Facetime Carol when she wants IT help, but from what she says, I can only conclude that she is in a fierce state of love with her Viking, and her husband complained to me about it. (It happened before a few years back when she got her lathe). Clearly, the Viking suits her needs, so I think it's a great choice for her and anyone who has similar requirements. If I could have the shiny new Viking screen added to my Voyager, it's really the only thing I feel is lacking. The rest, I've attended to in one way or another.

Anyway, I hope this sheds light on "which Nova should I get" for someone out there!

Good luck with the drill search!
Hamish.

P.S. Here's a pic of my Voyager, and cabinet, just so you know I'm not leading you down/up the garden path. Please ignore the clutter. Just remember that the only milling capable Nova is the Vulcan, and I've never seen it in person. (Carbatec is a wood working supplier, afterall). Neither the Viking nor the Voyager can be used for milling. The bearings cannot handle the lateral forces.
:-)
519968

[aarggh]

I also have the Viking and love it. I didn't have room for the Voyager, and couldn't justify the cost as I already have a large knee mill for grunt work. But I find the Voyager suits all my needs for timber, and smaller metal work with plenty of power. The smoothness and lack of noise in operation is a joy. Couldn't recommend it highly enough. The reversing and auto start features are incredibly useful as well.

[delbs]

I also have the Viking and love it. I didn't have room for the Voyager, and couldn't justify the cost as I already have a large knee mill for grunt work. But I find the Voyager suits all my needs for timber, and smaller metal work with plenty of power. The smoothness and lack of noise in operation is a joy. Couldn't recommend it highly enough. The reversing and auto start features are incredibly useful as well.

Ive owned the viking for a little bit but it wasnt used much as im settling into a new workshop. Recently ive been making chisel holder racks for my lathe with forstner bits and im loving the depth stop, auto start and reverse once the depth is met not to mention the noise reduction. its completely different experience to my last drill press ive owned.

Does anyone use mortise chisel bits with it at all and recommend a setup with clamps or just a decent set of chisel bits? I'm wondering if its something that has to be setup for the one off batch job or can the mortise attachments remain for your typical drilling tasks? Wondering if its more of a pain than just getting a smaller benchtop chisel mortise machine

Cheers,
Nathan