Does anyone have any words on the Hammer DS 120 drill press?

[Mauri Motti]

I am looking for an affordable but quality drill press. Haven't used one since high school but often when I'min  my basement shop I come across a situation from which I think... a drill press would have been a better option. I looked at Jet's JDR-34F but am more leaning towards the Hammer DS 120 for no particular reason other then that it's practically a Felder product. I can hardly, or rather not at all, find any user information on Hammer drill presses on the internet whatsoever. Does anyone have any experience with this machine? It doesn't have an automatic speed adjuster or laser but I'm not too worried about that. As a hobbyist I have time to adjust the speed by changing the belt manually. The only thing Id like to add as an additional option would be a quick lock chuck.

Specs from the Hammer DS 120;

Motor power 2,0 HP/1500 W
- Jib length 255 mm
- chuck 5-20 mm
- Collet M K 3 (MK 4)
- Mortising depth 120 mm
- 12 (cutting) speed
- Speeds 120–3480 U/min
- Height 1710 mm
- Table size 425 x 475 mm
- Weight 150 kg

My hopes on anyone replying on one of the three made Hammer drill presses are so desperate that although I guess I'll be the guinea pig on this one, it never hurts bringing out my question to the forum from which I've learned so much before, never hurts... Does it?

Kind regards,
Mauri

 

[Mac]

Hi Mauri,

Like you, I looked at the Hammer when I was buying a drill press but at the time they'd just appeared on the Hammer/Felder website here in the UK and there was no other information to be found about them. I worried that they looked a bit lightweight and in the end went with the Jet:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/jet-jet-jdp-15-pillar-drill-prod362509/

which I've been really happy with...heavy and solid and does everything I've asked of it and more.

Not much help I suppose, but just wanted to give my  [2cents]

Regards,
Rick

 

[Mauri Motti]

I wonder what you mean by lightweight? Not the actual weight of the 150 kg Hammer I suppose? I like the Jet you mentioned by looking at it's specs. What I don't really like about it is that it's a bench top model though easier getting it in the shop.

Thanks for your 2 cents!

 

[Mac]

I didn't get as far as finding the weight of the Hammer, that sounds pretty substantial compared to the 83kg of the Jet floor standing version!  By flimsy I meant just that something about it didn't look quite solid enough for my liking, I don't even know what it was about it that made me think that...just one of those touchy feely gut feel things.  I seem to remember thinking the table looked much more useful than the Jet though.

I'd be really interested in your feedback if you go for the Hammer, or even get to have a play with one as over here at least Hammer has an excellent reputation.

Cheers
Rick

 

[andvari]

Well I think the Jet is great if you are looking for a bench top model or want to keep the cost to a hobbyist level. But once you take off those restrictions I'm sure you can find nicer, and Hammer would be one of the places I'd go looking for that.

 

[Mauri Motti]

Out of the three Hammer models the top model Hammer, the DS 120, costs here in Europe just under 600€ That's about a hundred and fifty euros more than the Jet Rick recommended and therefore worth considering in my opinion. There are though Jets out there for over a thousand euros.. Those are most definitely out of my price range.

 

[sgryd]

I've had the smaller Hammer DS80 for a couple of weeks. Don't like it at all. It's not very costly, and it shows in the quality. My dealer agreed to take it back for a DS120 which he says is mych more "quality". But I really wonder if that is the case, since the machines are probably built at the same place.

I'm leaning towards getting the dealer to take it back completely and order the big JET instead: JET JDP 2800VS. Quite another price range, but I realize that I have to leave the lower price end anyway..

 

[sgryd]

Mauri, I found your new thread showing off your new Jet =) Congrats!

We think alike about this. There is no reviews or other information on the Hammer. This fact combined with my DS80 experience and the JET's variable speed makes me lean towards the JET. I also saw the JET (or Powermatics version) in the background in one of Paul-Marcel's videos. What Paul-Marcel uses must be good =)

 

[HowardH]

Here it is. On the german site.

DS 120