Sealey Pillar Drill Recommendation

tomhawkins

New Member
Location
USA
I am looking for a pillar drill. I do general woodworking and woodturning so would use the pillar drill mainly for drilling in wood (drill bits and Forstner bits)and only occasionally in metal.

There are "hobby" pillar drills normally 350w and up to 5 speed that would appear to be underpowered if being used with either bigger drill bits or thick wood. The next step up seems to be 370w or 550w with 12 or 16 speeds but of course, these come with a bigger price tag.

I have looked at the Record Power DP58B (around £280), Draper 550w 16 speed (around £184) and Sealey GDM92B (around £172). Does anyone have any experience of these pillar drills and particularly their capabilities for woodwork or perhaps you have experience of another make which you have found highly satisfactory?

It's here my interested: Sealey Pillar Drill

I also should be interested in any advice you can give.
 

Bobthebuilder

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
northumberland
Even just for hobby work get the most powerful 1 you can if going for the cheaper branded drills, we have a sealy not sure which model but it’s the 5 speed 1, you can grab hold of the chuck in all 5 settings and stop it turning, and it slips far too easy drilling metal, (might be ok for wood work) if we get another it will be a 2nd hand ex factory machine or thinking or going down the mag drill route and making a stand to use it on like a pillar drill
 

bravheart

Member
Location
scottish borders
Do you need the speed?

Maybe in wood, don't know but just had a look at ours, no names or power ratings and never moved the belts. It appears to be running in the 180rpm pulleys which is plenty fast enough especially when drilling thicker steels.
 

clbarclay

Member
Location
Worcestershire
In theory one speed as slow as you will ever drill will do everything, but blowed if I'm going to use a 3mm jobber bit on wood at the same speed as I use for a 50mm hole saw on steel.

As already mentioned a tidy second hand industrial pillar drill is a good option to get capability and value.
 
Last edited:
I am looking for a pillar drill. I do general woodworking and woodturning so would use the pillar drill mainly for drilling in wood (drill bits and Forstner bits)and only occasionally in metal.

There are "hobby" pillar drills normally 350w and up to 5 speed that would appear to be underpowered if being used with either bigger drill bits or thick wood. The next step up seems to be 370w or 550w with 12 or 16 speeds but of course, these come with a bigger price tag.

I have looked at the Record Power DP58B (around £280), Draper 550w 16 speed (around £184) and Sealey GDM92B (around £172). Does anyone have any experience of these pillar drills and particularly their capabilities for woodwork or perhaps you have experience of another make which you have found highly satisfactory?

It's here my interested: Sealey Pillar Drill

I also should be interested in any advice you can give.
about 20 years ago I bought Draper pillar drill , it will take up to1/2 inch drill in chuck , anything bigger I remove tapered chuck and fit morse taper drill, from memory I think it will drill up to one inch but I have drilled bigger holes very carefully.... it is 10 speed
 

Pan mixer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Near Colchester
I think that mine is a 12 speed Sealey, now I come to think of it I bought it in 1986 which now appears to be a while ago.

It has done loads - sometimes someone standing there all day using it, we don't use it so much now as we have a magdrill but it drilled a 7/8 hole fairly quickly.
 

joe soapy

Member
Location
devon
I am looking for a pillar drill. I do general woodworking and woodturning so would use the pillar drill mainly for drilling in wood (drill bits and Forstner bits)and only occasionally in metal.

There are "hobby" pillar drills normally 350w and up to 5 speed that would appear to be underpowered if being used with either bigger drill bits or thick wood. The next step up seems to be 370w or 550w with 12 or 16 speeds but of course, these come with a bigger price tag.

I have looked at the Record Power DP58B (around £280), Draper 550w 16 speed (around £184) and Sealey GDM92B (around £172). Does anyone have any experience of these pillar drills and particularly their capabilities for woodwork or perhaps you have experience of another make which you have found highly satisfactory?

It's here my interested: Sealey Pillar Drill

I also should be interested in any advice you can give.
you will not be pleased, my advice is Axminster, the only one with gauranteed max run out
 

tomlad

Member
Location
nr. preston
I nearly bought the new style machine...
Bought a mag drill instead as advised on here and moded a pillar for that style .
I like my mag but may end up with the pillar also , i was worried that the new Chinizium would be shite.
 

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