Thread: Geared drill press vs belt driven press

Ring Teknatool in NZ and ask them if this is available in 240V yet

NOVA Voyager Drill Press

I would be very interested in their response as would a lot of other people here.

The only thing I'd be concerned about is the cost of repairs down the track; gears are a lot more expensive to replace than belts (which have a life span on the order of decades anyway)

I could not imagine the gears on mine being damaged doing woodwork, large drills in steel might do it but they would have to be very large as I have broken a 19mm bit drilling steel and trying short cuts. Gear head drills tend to be noisy in operation, far noisier than belt drive and most probably don't have the speed range that belt drives do. My drill is very old and only four speed but I will suffer that as a speed change only takes a second of moving a lever or a switch. That to me is the biggest advantage, the ease of speed changes.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I could not imagine the gears on mine being damaged doing woodwork, large drills in steel might do it but they would have to be very large as I have broken a 19mm bit drilling steel and trying short cuts. Gear head drills tend to be noisy in operation, far noisier than belt drive and most probably don't have the speed range that belt drives do. My drill is very old and only four speed but I will suffer that as a speed change only takes a second of moving a lever or a switch. That to me is the biggest advantage, the ease of speed changes.

This is why I like the gear head, to change the speed on the belt drive is really annoying. I often just let it be, which endup with a lot of rework.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

Ring Teknatool in NZ and ask them if this is available in 240V yet

NOVA Voyager Drill Press

I would be very interested in their response as would a lot of other people here.

it seems the NZ sales of Teknatool is Carbatec NZ, That is about 3km from where I am. I will have a lookie tomorrow.

looks cool but touch screen on a drill??

how much is this anyway? looks expensive. if within $2000 NZD then ok might consider.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

The only thing I'd be concerned about is the cost of repairs down the track; gears are a lot more expensive to replace than belts (which have a life span on the order of decades anyway)

true, but that would require some abuse..

Originally Posted by Albert

it seems the NZ sales of Teknatool is Carbatec NZ, That is about 3km from where I am. I will have a lookie tomorrow.

looks cool but touch screen on a drill??

how much is this anyway? looks expensive. if within $2000 NZD then ok might consider.

Have CT got one in stock Albert?

I'm not a fan of geared head drills for woodwork. Others may like them, but if you haven't used one you need to try it first with a range of bits and see if you like the feel of it. If you're used to the change in vibration in a belt drive before a bit grabs and breaks and know when to back off, you may find the gear head lacking in feel. The high torque they give is both a blessing and a curse at times.

There are other options. Carbatec sell the variable speed Jet 2800VS here, maybe in NZ? 110mm quill travel, electronic variable speed (no pulley changes) and a table designed for woodworkers not machinists.

Up the price scale (more scald than scale!) is the variable speed Parken B8. Still belt drive, but fully variable DC motor, 140mm+ quill travel rpm from 10 to 10,000. Somewhere over 5k from memory. There was a post on the forums from someone who bought one, but I can't find it now. The day I can figure out how to charge ten dollars per hole, I'll buy one.

Originally Posted by Albert

looks cool but touch screen on a drill??

Of course. It's a Drill Press. Get it?

Unless the DP has a clutch or torque limiter of some kind, the ability to be able to set a belt drive to slip in preference to large bits grabbing and breaking themselves or the work is quite useful. Less likely to occur in wood but if a large Forster in a geared head was to grab a piece of wood I could even imagine it tearing some pieces of wood apart.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

Ring Teknatool in NZ and ask them if this is available in 240V yet

NOVA Voyager Drill Press

I would be very interested in their response as would a lot of other people here.

From the drill's specs
Power supply range: 115 V – 240 V, 50 Hz – 60 Hz
This is the same info as on the supply plate of the Teknatool lathe that appears to have a similar (if not the same) motor

If Albert wants one, he may need to import it from the US.
From Nova woodworking's facebook page
NOVA Woodworking Aaaaargh, Stuart, in that case you have to bear with us just a little bit longer. The release for Australia is envisioned for early 2017.

Very droll, have you been sniffing creosote???

Originally Posted by ian

From the drill's specs
Power supply range: 115 V – 240 V, 50 Hz – 60 Hz
This is the same info as on the supply plate of the Teknatool lathe that appears to have a similar (if not the same) motor

If Albert wants one, he may need to import it from the US.
From Nova woodworking's facebook page
NOVA Woodworking Aaaaargh, Stuart, in that case you have to bear with us just a little bit longer. The release for Australia is envisioned for early 2017.

I went to Carbatec today, They will have a Teknatool DVR drill press next January. dont know the price yet. but I watched the Teknatool lath Carbatec has in store, which has similar motor as the DVR Drill. it operation is just what I desired. quiet, smooth, and instantaneous change of speed.

Price should be about $3000 NZD including GST.

I have put my name down so when it arrives if price is too much out of expectation then I will have one.

Carbatec AKL has a 20 foot container fillled with DVR lath and drill press arriving in January - but I am guessing this maybe delayed. it has already been delayed, so, yeah.

Originally Posted by richmond68

I'm not a fan of geared head drills for woodwork. Others may like them, but if you haven't used one you need to try it first with a range of bits and see if you like the feel of it. If you're used to the change in vibration in a belt drive before a bit grabs and breaks and know when to back off, you may find the gear head lacking in feel. The high torque they give is both a blessing and a curse at times.

There are other options. Carbatec sell the variable speed Jet 2800VS here, maybe in NZ? 110mm quill travel, electronic variable speed (no pulley changes) and a table designed for woodworkers not machinists.

Up the price scale (more scald than scale!) is the variable speed Parken B8. Still belt drive, but fully variable DC motor, 140mm+ quill travel rpm from 10 to 10,000. Somewhere over 5k from memory. There was a post on the forums from someone who bought one, but I can't find it now. The day I can figure out how to charge ten dollars per hole, I'll buy one.

I have set my eyes on the DVR Drill press. its too good to be true.

I am a bit sceptical about its motor, its only been on the market for 12-13 years? still to be proven.