Aldi Bench Drill

[Projects14a]

Hi Folks,
Im slowly getting together a small workshop in my garage and have bought some tools to help get me started. Ive just noticed this bench drill at Aldi which although doesnt compare with brands such as Startrite, still looks ok for someone like myself carrying out occasional/small work. Ive been keeping my eye open for second hand Startrite's on ebay, but they rarely come up, so thought this may be a opportunety not to be missed?

Can anyone advise whether this is worth the money? Only thing similar i can find from the larger/well known outlets is in Screwfix here, specs all seem identical but its missing the drill press vice.

Thanks!

 

[simon718]

that doesn't actualy look too bad, however there could be a good bit of flex in the post (easily solved with a bag of postcrete )

 

[madkayaker]

looks ok for light work would get one if i hadn't got an industrial one from work.

 

[Projects14a]

This also leads me onto a second question, i would like to get a decent set of metal drill bits, can anyone recommend a good middle of the range set (i.e. not too expensive) will probably be getting them at MM as i need to get a hole saw set from there anyway.

Thanks

 

[JimM]

Have you seen this one

http://tinyurl.com/az7deq

Southampton's not too far from Llondon (especially if you're south of the river) and swapping the motor for a single phase unit is dead simple (believe me, if I can do it anyone can)

The drill is also has the high/low gearing which is very useful

You might want to question the VAT issue though as I thought ebay rules had changed so that all auctions had to include VAT (could be wrong though)

Cheers

Jim

 

[Projects14a]

Whats needed to convert it? Just the motor itself? Would the 2 speeds still work or is that just down to gearing? Also, would those speed still be accurate if the motor is different?
Sorry, i know i have alot of questions, please excuse the ignorance!

 

[bawjaws]

at that pricerange up to about 70 quid there all just about the same ones everywhere, ive got the titan screwfix one and its ok (a big step up from a hand drill in those crappy press attachment things) itd be good for a occasional user and for drill bits go for dormer jobbers, or heller are alright too

 

[Projects14a]

Have been looking into drill bit types and found out the following regarding strength:

HSS < Coated HSS < Cobalt < C1150 < D200 < Solid Carbide

So based on this, i was thinking of getting thisColbalt Drill Set. It was more than i was intending on spending, but then again if they last alot longer then its got to be worth it?

 

[bawjaws]

you only need these for hardened steel, cast and other hard materials, just get lots of hss ones and learn how to sharpen them when they eventually get blunt, oh forgot to ask what youll be drilling?

 

[Projects14a]

Well, ideally i'd like to be able to drill cast, whilst i wont be doing it very often, it would come in handy with some car part's.
How do you sharpen drill bits without having to buy some contraption to do it? Ive got a bench grinder, but the wheel is alittle past its best!

 

[JimM]

Whats needed to convert it? Just the motor itself? Would the 2 speeds still work or is that just down to gearing? Also, would those speed still be accurate if the motor is different?
Sorry, i know i have alot of questions, please excuse the ignorance!

Yep, just 4 bolts attach the motor and the 240v will bolt straight on in it's place. To make life easy try to get a 240v motor with the same shaft diamater as the old one so that the pulley will slide straight on

The high/low gearing is done by the drill itself. If the relacement motor has a different rpm to the original then obviosuly the speeds will be different - but new speeds are pretty easy to work out

motor rpm x motor pulley diameter / spindle pulley diamater

Guessing original motor will be 1425rpm and shouldn't be a problem to find one of these anyway

HTH

Jim

 

[scarecrow]

I bought this one for 80 euros it had the small motor on it which would stall with a 1/2'' bit so I put the 3/4hp motor on it and now it drives a 1 in. no problem


There is nothing as bad as spending money on a tool that wont do the job

 

[Projects14a]

That looks like a nice piece of kit I know what you mean, im the sort of person who like's to buy things once only, so prefer to get the best i can afford. If people think its not worth it, then perhaps i should just wait until i can afford abit more and get something better. Although, £41 does seem very very cheap

 

[Richiew]

That looks like a nice piece of kit I know what you mean, im the sort of person who like's to buy things once only, so prefer to get the best i can afford. If people think its not worth it, then perhaps i should just wait until i can afford abit more and get something better. Although, £41 does seem very very cheap

I think they were £30 last year. It just shows the effect the weak pound is having on the price of chinese imports.

Aldi are also selling an electric winch at £50 which I think they sold for about £39 previously. This demonstrates inflation is getting pretty bad.


I've bought one of those drills a couple of years ago and I think its quite good bearing in mind the price paid. It has a lower speed than any of the of other cheap drills i've seen so its suitable for metalwork. I put a scissor jack under the bed or whatever you call it at the front otherwise it flexes pretty badly.

 

[stormin]

If your going to buy one of those Aldi ones open the box of the one you intend to purchaser and check the fit of the quill once you've rotated the downfeed.

I've got a cheapy from B&Q feels alright when the spring return has the quill in the up position but feed it down and the casting is bored so poorly there's a huge amount of slop. Makes it difficult to drill round holes, oval ones not a problem.

I think the quality is likely to vary more from machine to machine not just by brand at this price range. You may be lucky and get a good'un!

I really should throw mine away but it was a christmas present from my dad a coulpe of years ago. I keep saying I'll make it good by boring out the casting and re-sleeving but never get round to it.

 

[Projects14a]

Are there any other recommended brands other than startrite? May stay away from the cheap stuff if they're not to be trusted.

 

[Paul.]

The draper range are not bad for light industrial or diy use, I have one of these, I did fill the column up with postcrete to add a bit of weight and to beef it up for light milling jobs, not as solid as my old startrite but for £150 no complaints,

 

[eddie49]

I have one of this model:

Single phase, Tonbridge, Kent:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fobco-Star-Be...me_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=item300288828961

3-phase, Chelmsford, Essex:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FobCo-Star-Be...me_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=item140295991300

 

[JimM]

Are there any other recommended brands other than startrite? May stay away from the cheap stuff if they're not to be trusted.

Others to look out for are Meddings or Fobco, you can't go far wrong with anything old and British

 

[eil]

I was after a fobco, but did get a kerry with back gears, the very handy feature of the fobco is the way you just undo the side clamps and the motor slides back and forth for quick belt change as opposed to mine have I to undo two nuts to slide the motor, but if you were to try the old types next to the new far eastern ones I definitely know which one you would have.