Okay! I realize I'm always asking for advice, but I'm getting pretty frustrated. I'm trying to buy a drill press. You would think it an easy task! But no, not for me!! :no:
I left the house this morning and told my wife, "I'm off to buy my drill press. I'll soon be able to drill my own pen blanks and will live happily ever after or at least until I need a new tool!" :icon_thum
First stop Harbor Freight. I found what I wanted. A floor drill press for less than $200.00 after coupon. (This is where it gets good.) I know I can't assemble the drill press because of my elbow. I have a strained (hurts) tendon and can place very minimal torque or stress on it. I ask whether HF offers an assembly service I might purchase to do the assembly for me. No they don't.
Next stop, Home Depot. Two Ryboi bench drill presses are available as is one Rigid floor drill press. The Rigid is $300.00 and much more drill press than I need. After waiting several minutes for some sales assistance and no HD employee in sight, I walk to the service counter and requested some help. The young lady at the counter assured me she would call someone to assist me.
I walk back to the power tool section and in a few minutes, someone arrives. I ask a simple question. What is the spindle travel for these two Ryobi bench drill presses? (I'm turning pen blanks and that's a neat thing to know.) Now understand, a month ago I would not know what "spindle travel" was from a travel voucher. But, I'm not selling drill presses either. "Spindle travel?" :dontknow: "Yeah, I said, That's how deep a hole will it drill. (I'm beginning to feel pretty smart!!) He looks on the tool tags and on the boxes, (I already did that..no info) and couldn't find the specs. He then turns the handle on each and says, "Looks like maybe two inches." :confused_
I thanked him for his time.
Next, Lowe's. Three bench drill presses here. :eusa_danc Things are looking good!! The Delta 12" model has a spindle travel of 2 3/8". Says so right on the box. You betcha! :icon_chee The Hitachi and (don't remember the other brand) models, show no indication of spindle travel anywhere. About this time a sales person shows up. Can I help you sir? Well, yeah. What is the spindle...Uh, how deep does this Hitachi drill press drill?
However, assigning a "newcomer" to the power tool department, may not be a well thought out idea. (I'm getting off topic here.) My new friend begins to read the boxes and labels and tags, and I don't know what all, and says I don't know. (I knew he would say that, because I already looked and, that's right, that un-necassary info is not included on the specs provided. I guess maybe the folks in China think we Americans are sooo wise!). Suddenly, my new friend says. That one is 12" (the Delta) this one is 10" (Hitachi) so it must be smaller! :elvis:
Ya seen the Aflack duck on TV???
Next stop, Sears.
Surely. I walk over to the two bench type drill presses and begin to check them out. A polite young man comes over and asks if he can help. "Why yes, thank you." ( It always pays to be polite.)
I ask how deep..(I wasn't gonna go there) do these drill presses drill? :tinysmile_tongue_t:
After looking at the drill presses, (I almost think he expected them to tell him) he said "Just a minute Sir. I'll check the specs." He leaves. Meanwhile, I notice a catalog at the end of the aisle and locate the two drill presses. One had a spindle travel of 2 3/8". The other model had a spindle travel of "NA". (I'm working on it.) The young man comes back and tells me he couldn't find the specs. Okay, I said. (It always pays to be polite) I then asked what I thought was a perfectly credible question. :tinysmile_cry_t: "How do you adjust the speeds on this particular model (12")? "That's a good question." he said. While he attempts to figure out how to adjust the speeds, it occurs to me. I must be on Candid Camera! Sure. That explains everything!! I look around, very "cool", like I don't know what's going on. I'm gonna be on TV I'm thinking. :wink_smil
My young man mumbles something about how it should be easy to do...
After several painful minutes, it was probably no more than one, but it seemed so long, I asked him if Sears had an assembly service, as I would not be able to it. He told me it really wasn't complicated and that no one else had ever requested help. :crossedlips:
As I drove home, I'm talking aloud to myself. "What just happened?" I said, well it seems you didn't buy your drill press. Sometimes I talk too much. I agreed.
So, I'm at home. I want a drill press. I NEED a drill press!! I know! I'll call Harbor Freight and speak to the manager. I'll tell him I want to buy a floor drill press from him. Could he recommend someone who could help with the assembly. I'LL PAY!!!! Why didn't I think of this before. :widea:
"Hello, may I speak to the manager please. Yes, I'll hold." This is gonna be so great. I'm buying me a drill press. My own drill press!! "Yes sir, I would like to purchase a floor drill press from your store. However, I'm not able to assemble it because of an injured elbow. Could you recommend someone who could assemble it for me? Yes, I realize you do not offer that service... Yes, please ask your employees if anyone would like to earn some extra money on their own time. That would be nice. (You should always be polite) :roll:
He comes back on the phone, "Sorry sir. I can't help you." "Well, thanks for asking." (You should always be polite):BangHead:
Don
I left the house this morning and told my wife, "I'm off to buy my drill press. I'll soon be able to drill my own pen blanks and will live happily ever after or at least until I need a new tool!" :icon_thum
First stop Harbor Freight. I found what I wanted. A floor drill press for less than $200.00 after coupon. (This is where it gets good.) I know I can't assemble the drill press because of my elbow. I have a strained (hurts) tendon and can place very minimal torque or stress on it. I ask whether HF offers an assembly service I might purchase to do the assembly for me. No they don't.
Next stop, Home Depot. Two Ryboi bench drill presses are available as is one Rigid floor drill press. The Rigid is $300.00 and much more drill press than I need. After waiting several minutes for some sales assistance and no HD employee in sight, I walk to the service counter and requested some help. The young lady at the counter assured me she would call someone to assist me.
I walk back to the power tool section and in a few minutes, someone arrives. I ask a simple question. What is the spindle travel for these two Ryobi bench drill presses? (I'm turning pen blanks and that's a neat thing to know.) Now understand, a month ago I would not know what "spindle travel" was from a travel voucher. But, I'm not selling drill presses either. "Spindle travel?" :dontknow: "Yeah, I said, That's how deep a hole will it drill. (I'm beginning to feel pretty smart!!) He looks on the tool tags and on the boxes, (I already did that..no info) and couldn't find the specs. He then turns the handle on each and says, "Looks like maybe two inches." :confused_
I thanked him for his time.
Next, Lowe's. Three bench drill presses here. :eusa_danc Things are looking good!! The Delta 12" model has a spindle travel of 2 3/8". Says so right on the box. You betcha! :icon_chee The Hitachi and (don't remember the other brand) models, show no indication of spindle travel anywhere. About this time a sales person shows up. Can I help you sir? Well, yeah. What is the spindle...Uh, how deep does this Hitachi drill press drill?
However, assigning a "newcomer" to the power tool department, may not be a well thought out idea. (I'm getting off topic here.) My new friend begins to read the boxes and labels and tags, and I don't know what all, and says I don't know. (I knew he would say that, because I already looked and, that's right, that un-necassary info is not included on the specs provided. I guess maybe the folks in China think we Americans are sooo wise!). Suddenly, my new friend says. That one is 12" (the Delta) this one is 10" (Hitachi) so it must be smaller! :elvis:
Ya seen the Aflack duck on TV???
Next stop, Sears.
Surely. I walk over to the two bench type drill presses and begin to check them out. A polite young man comes over and asks if he can help. "Why yes, thank you." ( It always pays to be polite.)I ask how deep..(I wasn't gonna go there) do these drill presses drill? :tinysmile_tongue_t:
After looking at the drill presses, (I almost think he expected them to tell him) he said "Just a minute Sir. I'll check the specs." He leaves. Meanwhile, I notice a catalog at the end of the aisle and locate the two drill presses. One had a spindle travel of 2 3/8". The other model had a spindle travel of "NA". (I'm working on it.) The young man comes back and tells me he couldn't find the specs. Okay, I said. (It always pays to be polite) I then asked what I thought was a perfectly credible question. :tinysmile_cry_t: "How do you adjust the speeds on this particular model (12")? "That's a good question." he said. While he attempts to figure out how to adjust the speeds, it occurs to me. I must be on Candid Camera! Sure. That explains everything!! I look around, very "cool", like I don't know what's going on. I'm gonna be on TV I'm thinking. :wink_smil
My young man mumbles something about how it should be easy to do...
After several painful minutes, it was probably no more than one, but it seemed so long, I asked him if Sears had an assembly service, as I would not be able to it. He told me it really wasn't complicated and that no one else had ever requested help. :crossedlips:
As I drove home, I'm talking aloud to myself. "What just happened?" I said, well it seems you didn't buy your drill press. Sometimes I talk too much. I agreed.
So, I'm at home. I want a drill press. I NEED a drill press!! I know! I'll call Harbor Freight and speak to the manager. I'll tell him I want to buy a floor drill press from him. Could he recommend someone who could help with the assembly. I'LL PAY!!!! Why didn't I think of this before. :widea:
"Hello, may I speak to the manager please. Yes, I'll hold." This is gonna be so great. I'm buying me a drill press. My own drill press!! "Yes sir, I would like to purchase a floor drill press from your store. However, I'm not able to assemble it because of an injured elbow. Could you recommend someone who could assemble it for me? Yes, I realize you do not offer that service... Yes, please ask your employees if anyone would like to earn some extra money on their own time. That would be nice. (You should always be polite) :roll:
He comes back on the phone, "Sorry sir. I can't help you." "Well, thanks for asking." (You should always be polite):BangHead:
Don
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