Howard Ferstler

I own a Ridgid 15-inch drill press that is terrific for larger-scale projects. (I will quickly review that Ridgid unit right after I write this review.) However, the Ridgid is overkill for some smaller operations, and so I also have the illustrated 10-inch Ryobi mounted on a bench for lightweight stuff. When I purchased it several years back it cost $99 bucks, which is a credit to Chinese production economies. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued, but may be available used. A later version is now available from Home Depot, as is a somewhat larger 12 incher.

This Ryobi press works fine. It has a 1/4 HP, 3-amp induction motor, five spindle speeds (570 to 3050 rpm), a 2.5-inch spindle travel, and a weight of 64 pounds. Put it on a sturdy bench. Like many of my stationary tools, including the soon to also be reviewed Ridgid unit), I installed a wooden table over the cast-iron original to prevent hard metal from dinging or scuffing my assorted workpieces.

While this device is discontinued, I still feel safe in recommending it in used form or recommending its replacement (or any number of other brands in this size category) for light-duty work. I would never give up my big floor-standing Ridgid press, but I find this smaller item very useful, too.

Howard Ferstler

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