The Bottom Line
The Delta 18-900L Drill Press with Lasers is a well-designed workhorse of a drill press that doesn't skimp on the features. The unit has both a bright LED work light and a pair of cross lasers for pinpoint accuracy. The quick-adjusting belt tensioning mechanism allows for easy changing to any of the unit's 16 speeds, ranging from 170-3000 RPM. Additional features such as a 6-inch drilling stroke, tilting table, T-slots in the table and a replaceable MDF insert to prevent wear and tear on bits when drilling through the workpiece, the Delta 18-900L is a pleasure to use in the woodshop.
Pros
- 3/4 HP, 120-volt induction motor with 5/8" capacity chuck
- Cast iron table with two T-slots and a removeable MDF insert
- One of the easiest belt changes for modifying speeds I've ever encountered on a drill press
- Table locking wrench storage under table and chuck key storage on the side of the head
Cons
- Price: The 18-900L might be outside of some woodworkers' price ranges
- At almost 250 pounds, you'll need help in assemblng and moving the unit
Description
- Very smooth height adjustment crank mechanism for altering the height of the cast iron table.
- Combination tilting table tilts 0-45 degrees front to back and 0-90 degrees either left or right.
- Well-written manual makes the one-hour installation quite easy, although you will want help lifting the head unit into place.
- TwinLaser unit needed minor adjustments out of the box, but instructions for adjustment are clearly explained in manual.
- Equipped with a pair of easily-adjustable quill locking nuts for setup for drilling repeatable hole depths.
Guide Review - Delta 18-900L Drill Press with Lasers
Having used a variety of drill presses over the years, I've come to think of drill presses as being one of those tools where extra features are a nice touch, but not really necessary. In other words, as long as the drilling gets done quickly and accurately, are any extra features really going to make a difference?
Well, after spending some time with the Delta 18-900L, my thoughts may have changed a bit. Delta spent some time really thinking about what would make a really great drill press, and I think they've succeeded. For instance, they've put a replaceable MDF insert in the center of the table to protect your bits if you drill too far. They've made the table able to tilt in two different directions, for compound angles, plus they've added a pair of T-slots in the table for holding the work when drilling (particularly useful when drilling a piece at a compound angle).
As I mentioned above, the belt tensioning mechanism is one of the easiest I've ever used. Simply push the lever forward to lock it in place, adjust the two belts on the pulleys to achieve the desired speed (according to the diagram underneath the head cover), then release the lever and you're back in business.
All of the controls for the drill press, including the switch paddle and push-button switches for the very bright gooseneck LED light and the TwinLaser crosshair lasers are right on the front of the head unit, and the drilling depth adjustment quills are just to the left. Triple pinion-shaft handles as well as a spring-loaded spindle return that automatically, but gently returns the spindle to the top position (based on the positions of the quill adjustments) is a very nice touch, eliminating the need to lift the bit out of the wood after completing the hole.
A couple of things to keep in mind, if you're considering this drill press. First of all, do not attempt to assemble the unit by yourself. I'm a pretty big guy, but I didn't even think about lifting the very heavy head unit on top of the column without assistance. (Well, to be perfectly honest, I did try it, but quickly realized that it wasn't a good idea to try and muscle it up there all by myself.)
Also, I had to make some minor adjustments to the laser crosshairs to get them into place after shipping, but I think that's to be expected. They were about 3/16" off straight out of the box, but by following the instructions in the manual, they adjusted quite nicely.
Well, after spending some time with the Delta 18-900L, my thoughts may have changed a bit. Delta spent some time really thinking about what would make a really great drill press, and I think they've succeeded. For instance, they've put a replaceable MDF insert in the center of the table to protect your bits if you drill too far. They've made the table able to tilt in two different directions, for compound angles, plus they've added a pair of T-slots in the table for holding the work when drilling (particularly useful when drilling a piece at a compound angle).
As I mentioned above, the belt tensioning mechanism is one of the easiest I've ever used. Simply push the lever forward to lock it in place, adjust the two belts on the pulleys to achieve the desired speed (according to the diagram underneath the head cover), then release the lever and you're back in business.
All of the controls for the drill press, including the switch paddle and push-button switches for the very bright gooseneck LED light and the TwinLaser crosshair lasers are right on the front of the head unit, and the drilling depth adjustment quills are just to the left. Triple pinion-shaft handles as well as a spring-loaded spindle return that automatically, but gently returns the spindle to the top position (based on the positions of the quill adjustments) is a very nice touch, eliminating the need to lift the bit out of the wood after completing the hole.
A couple of things to keep in mind, if you're considering this drill press. First of all, do not attempt to assemble the unit by yourself. I'm a pretty big guy, but I didn't even think about lifting the very heavy head unit on top of the column without assistance. (Well, to be perfectly honest, I did try it, but quickly realized that it wasn't a good idea to try and muscle it up there all by myself.)
Also, I had to make some minor adjustments to the laser crosshairs to get them into place after shipping, but I think that's to be expected. They were about 3/16" off straight out of the box, but by following the instructions in the manual, they adjusted quite nicely.
