A drill press may not be used as frequently as table saws or other woodworking tools but it is still an essential tool for all woodworkers. Whenever you come across a project that needs a drill press or drilling machine then it is important to have a high quality tool that will provide you with clean and accurate drilling. After going through a few different drill press machines I decided to write up a complete Harbor Freight Drill Press Review to help my readers find the best drill press for woodworking.
First Impressions Of The Harbor Freight Drill Press
In the past I have written multiple articles about Harbor Freight Products such as the Harbor Freight Folding Trailer Review, Harbor Freight Dust Collector Review, Harbor Freight Table Saw Review as well as other Harbor Freight product reviews. This has given me the chance to work with a wide variety of different Harbor Freight products and they seem to always provide me with a positive experience. So when I was recommended the drill press from Harbor Freight from a colleague I was excited to give it a spin.
I was working on a project that needed incredibly accurate drilling or else the project would have to be reworked. This created added pressure for the Harbor Freight drill press to perform at a high level. And because this is a budget friendly drill press I was a little concerned that it wouldn’t be able to get the job done. But I should have never doubted Harbor Freight!
Using The Harbor Freight Drill Press
In order to provide an accurate review of the Harbor Freight Drill Press it is important to use the drill press on multiple different projects to understand its best uses. I first used the drill press on a simple drilling project that didn’t need very accurate drilling but needed enough power to drill through the materials and the Harbor Freight drill press did a great job! It was smooth and worked exactly how you would expect a drill press to work.
Once I was finished using the drill press for the first project I used it for a more complex project that required more precise drilling as well as drilling through a variety of different materials. This was the true test of the drilling machines capabilities and I was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out. This drill press is on the cheaper end and it was still able to provide me with everything I needed for these projects.
Pros Of The Harbor Freight Drill Press
The Harbor Freight Drill Press is a great overall drilling machine for anyone who is looking for their first drill press or is looking for a great budget drill press.
- Great drill press for the price. There are other drill presses on the market that are close to twice the price of this one.
- A reliable drill press. I have talked to colleagues who have used the same tool for multiple years without any issues.
Cons Of The Harbor Freight Drill Press
I have enjoyed my experience using the Harbor Freight Drill Press but this is definitely a tool suited for beginner woodworkers or people looking for the best budget drill press.
- Lacks precise accuracy. If you need 100% accuracy over and over again through a variety of different materials then you might be better off finding a more heavy duty drill press.
Final Thoughts On The Harbor Freight Drill Press
I was pleasantly surprised with how great this drill press worked for such an affordable price. But obviously this might not be the best drill press for industry grade materials. If you would like to read about our other Harbor Freight reviews or recent woodworking articles then you can read those on our Home Page.
