Drill press

[prkaye]

How important is it to have a drill press for building an RV?

[alpinelakespilot2000]

It's definitely worthy buying at least a basic one for Lowes or Home Depot. You can get by without it, but drilling holes through thicker stock is so much easier (straighter and more accurate) with a drill press. So too is drilling a line of holes if you use a fence on the drill press table. You'll use it so much for other non-airplane stuff as well that you can rationalize it as something other than an airplane tool expense! Necessary? No. Will you build more accurately and easy with one? Absolutely. Good luck.

[RV7ator]

Required, unless you accept wobbled holes and misalignment in many operations best done under a drill press. It also subs as a poor man's lathe, and helps keep all digits attached when using a flycutter or hole saw.

John Siebold

[Jekyll]

How important are thumbs? You can live without them but it's much better to have them.

Jekyll

[jsherblon]

Also really great for deburring ribs using a small (1" X 1" X 3/16) Scotch-Brite wheel.

[prkaye]

Thumbs are free (but you can't buy replacements).
Anyway, if the usefullness of a drill press for RV construction approaches that of thumbs, it sounds like I should definately get one.
I think I'll wait until I get to the point in the construction where I'm wishing for one, rather than go buy it now (won't be starting my empannage for a couple of months... just preparing the shop right now).

[Jekyll]

There was a good thread several months ago about tools. Look it up and you'll see recommendations for drill presses, band saws, dremel sets, extra microstop countersinks etc. I highly recommend you outfit your shop before starting the project, if at all possible. You end up wasting money (and time) replacing parts if you goober them up with the wrong tool. "Goober" is a highly technical term.

Check flee markets, Nickel Traders and such and you may find some inexpensive but serviceable general-use tools.

I wouldn't consider building without a good drill press, dremel set and band saw. Accuracy, speed and confidence go way up.

Join a local EAA chapter and you will find a ready source of most specialty tools such as tube benders and cable swages but you might not be able to borrow something such as a drill press.

Jekyll

[szicree]

Can you build without one? Yes. Should you? Heck no!!! It would be a joke trying to get by without one. I built my whole plane with a benchtop model and it was fine.

[jferraro17]

Fly cutter for the Emp. lightening holes and tank access covers alone make this a must. I've found a lot of use for it non-airplane stuff too. I will say, before I cut the holes in my inboard tank ribs later this week, I'm chucking my $39 special from Harbor Junk into the trash and buying the 12" table top Ryobi at Aircraft Depot. Slower speeds, more room beneath the chuck, a key that actually fits/works...

Say what you want about Ryobi, but it won't be near as bad as I can say about Harbor Freight!!!

Good luck, you'll be gald you spent the money.

Joe

Home Depot has a floorstanding drill press made by RIGED... When I was shopping for it, I thought it had the best options and feel for the $...


I would not drill anything (almost) without one.

my 2 cents.


T