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Recommended small drill press - Microlux or Proxxon?

Hobbyphile

Hobbyphile

Joined
Dec 7, 2022
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I have been using a recent Dremel motor tool ( I have three, the first one about 50 years old and still in good shape but largely unused) in the recent drill press stand that is made for it. It generally does what I need done but it is never at a real 90 degree perpendicular to the work table and there is a small amount of wobble too I believe. I was thinking of purchasing a Microlux or a Proxxon drill press to augment the Dremel but was wondering what experience people in the group have had with either of them. I have read that they may both be manufactured by the same company in Japan. My work space is limited (as has my eyesight has become with my 17th eyes operation over the years) but I’m still working as I can when we get to our country place near Kingston, NY, where I have space to work. I’m only on my second build, the African Queen, which I hope to finish by some time next year. Your collective advice will be much appreciated.
 
Rather than rehash this argument, I'd recommend you read through this thread which has a lot of good and useful information in your decision making. There are a lot of opinions on this and you should make your owned informed decision.
 
I have the dremel with the stand and I recognize the trouble. The Proxxon is much better and accurate. I seen one by a fellow modeler and that german quality is indeed better on the proxxon. The drill is also not so loud. My choice when my dremel dies.
 
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I looked the two up last night. I own neither. Comments:

Dimensions- The two limiting dimensions for a drill press are the horizontal distance from the column to the centerline of the drill mounted in the chuck and the vertical distance from the table to the bottom of the drill bit. These dimensions determine the size of the piece that you can drill. I was unable to compare these dimensions for the two drill presses.

Drill holding- The Proxxon unit is fitted with a collet chuck and six inserts that allow you to chuck six preselected sizes of inch sized drill bits. To me, this is a major disadvantage. The ad also implies that you can chuck equivalent metric sized drills using the provided inserts. Or is it vice versa? Collets are usually very fussy about the dimensions of what’s being chucked and the inch and metric diameters are not the same. The MicroMark unit is fitted with a conventional chuck.

The ad says that the spindle of the Proxxon unit is threaded to accept a conventional chuck with a 3/8” diameter thread, but of course you would have to find and pay for the chuck.

Before buying either of these I would look into the small store branded drill presses sold by major home improvement retailers like Lowe’s and Home Depot. This will allow you to “kick the tires” before buying. You find that one of these meets your needs.

Roger
 
Roger Pellett said:
Drill holding- The Proxxon unit is fitted with a collet chuck and six inserts that allow you to chuck six preselected sizes of inch sized drill bits. To me, this is a major disadvantage. The ad also implies that you can chuck equivalent metric sized drills using the provided inserts. Or is it vice versa? Collets are usually very fussy about the dimensions of what’s being chucked and the inch and metric diameters are not the same. The MicroMark unit is fitted with a conventional chuck.
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As an engineer and machinist, collets are an immediate advantage for me. They are more precise than key chucks and hold a ton better. I have found that the cheap PCB drills on Amazon which go from .1 - 3mm in .1mm increments fit the standard collet most drills come with and are enough to meet my ship modeling needs.
 
If in the USA, don't forget about Harbor Freight for cheap or occasionally good units for drill presses.

But its a buyer beware issue with them.

I have the Micro Mark drill press, and it has been OK for what I have needed it for so far, but no small drilling tried yet.
 
I prefer the Jacob’s type chuck as it will accept any diameter drill within its range. I realize that others like drills with a standard sized shank regardless of size, often 1/8”. I don’t use these. I have had “0” luck with the carbide drill bits. I buy HSS.

Roger
 
Please stay away from the Microlux. I don't enjoy panning products, but to save a friendly modeler money and time, I'll break the norm. I bought the Microlux drill press from MicroMark. I was disappointed in the build quality from the start, but decided to keep it as it was not that expensive at the time. It reinforced the saying, "You get what you pay for."

While I still use it for quick perpendicular drill jobs with no precision, it serves as a weight to hold down things in the corner of my shop. The elevation mechanism does not move smoothly, making it hard to move vertically in small increments. When I turn it on, it sounds like someone put my ratchet/socket set of tools in the dryer and turned it on. If you have pets, put them in another room so they are not scarred permanently from the noise. :oops::rolleyes:

Now that I've typed this friendly warning, I think it will prompt me to finally move mine from the shop to the dumpster. Seriously, stay away from this one. Now, to be fair, I do have other MicroMark tools that I like, but none of them are mechanical. My Microlux Disc Sander made its way to tool heaven about 6 months after I bought it.

As I said, I'm not writing this to disparage MicroMark, but to save a fellow modeler some frustration and money.

Best of luck!
 
Roger Pellett said:
I looked the two up last night. I own neither. Comments:

Dimensions- The two limiting dimensions for a drill press are the horizontal distance from the column to the centerline of the drill mounted in the chuck and the vertical distance from the table to the bottom of the drill bit. These dimensions determine the size of the piece that you can drill. I was unable to compare these dimensions for the two drill presses.

Drill holding- The Proxxon unit is fitted with a collet chuck and six inserts that allow you to chuck six preselected sizes of inch sized drill bits. To me, this is a major disadvantage. The ad also implies that you can chuck equivalent metric sized drills using the provided inserts. Or is it vice versa? Collets are usually very fussy about the dimensions of what’s being chucked and the inch and metric diameters are not the same. The MicroMark unit is fitted with a conventional chuck.

The ad says that the spindle of the Proxxon unit is threaded to accept a conventional chuck with a 3/8” diameter thread, but of course you would have to find and pay for the chuck.

Before buying either of these I would look into the small store branded drill presses sold by major home improvement retailers like Lowe’s and Home Depot. This will allow you to “kick the tires” before buying. You find that one of these meets your needs.

Roger
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With the Proxxon the motor/head assembly can be moved up & down the pillar to accommodate various thicknesses, A keyed chuck is a common item, readily available on ebay etc.,Proxxon sell a keyless one, which I found to be a bit bulky, so the keyed one is my choice. It takes 0.5 - 6.5 mm bits & is threaded 3/8 UNF. It's not too loud, I use mine in my living room, it doesn't disturb Mabel, the 'ship's cat' come first mate, who usually carries on sleeping!
 
In my experience the question is how much will you use the press and what degree of precision you need. I have used the Dremel in the Dremel drill press stand for years now and have gotten the results I needed. Others may decide that they need more precise drilling precision for drilling holes in a dozen scratch made deadeyes. Microlux can be adequate, Proxxon better.
 
I have used a Dremel tool fitted with a Jacobs chuck in a Dremel drill stand for many years and have been satisfied with its capacity and accuracy. When I run into trouble drilling with the smaller numbered bits, say 68-76, it is because the bit flexes as it moves through the material and the hole comes out at an angle. If anyone has a cure for this problem I would appreciate knowing it.
 
I really appreciate the comments here. I will now definitely stay away from the Microlux based on Ken’s advice. Curiously, my fifty year old Drexel drill stand is more precise in giving a 90 degree angle for drilling but it requires offering the work piece up to the drill, which is problematic. In addition, one of the collets for the old motor tool that fits the stand has permanently disappeared and no replacement has been found. Drexel hasn’t made them for years. The recent Dremel stand I have been using has multiple adjustments available, which is a useful feature, but achieving a true perpendicular to the table is hit and miss. The reviews of the less expensive (under $250) shop table drills all note problems of one sort or another and they are typically much larger than the Dremel system. I’ll likely give the Proxxon a try unless something at Harbor Freight or Tractor Supply has something else worth trying. Again, thank you to all who have taken the trouble to reply and make suggestions.
 
Hoss6262 said:
When I turn it on, it sounds like someone put my ratchet/socket set of tools in the dryer and turned it on. If you have pets, put them in another room so they are not scarred permanently from the noise. :oops::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

A friend recently gave me a virtually new mid-range Ryobi drill press that he said he had no use for and wanted out of his garage. He added that he'd tried to use it once and it didn't come with a chuck key and sounded like a garbage disposal when he tried to run it. I was happy to take it off his hands, since a chuck key was easily purchased if one of the many I own already didn't fit and if I couldn't get it running, I could simply dump it without being out any money. When I got it home, I plugged it in and hit the switch. A god-awful noise came out of the belt compartment on the top and I quickly turned it off. When I opened the lid of the belt compartment expecting to find a belt had jumped the sheave, I found the belt, the chuck key, and the manufacturer's instruction booklet in an 8.5" x 11" ziplock plastic bag stuffed loose in the belt compartment! ROTFROTFROTF
 
I have a Proxxon and only break it out when I have a LOT holes to drill. The last time I really used it was to enlarge 285 holes in some kind of surplus lab equipment bubbler to turn it into a storage rack for Dremel bits. It's a sturdy, solid and compact tool that can be put away on a shelf when not in use. I did spring for the chuck, and runout has not been a problem for me. Otherwise, I usually just use a pin vise with a set of decent quality number drill bits- with the number drills I can work up to just about any size hole I need to make.
littlemachineshop.com

Number Drill Sizes

This chart shows the diameters of number gauge drills size 80 (the smallest) to size 1 (the largest).
littlemachineshop.com littlemachineshop.com
 
I have the Proxxon and the XY table. It really allows repeatable accuracy, and it is VERY quiet.
I also have a Dremel in its press-stand - it is not precise and it is LOUD.
Go the Proxxon. I also bought their Table Saw and small lathe. I'm building the Caldercraft Victory 1:72
 
Pompey said:
I have the Proxxon and the XY table. It really allows repeatable accuracy, and it is VERY quiet.
I also have a Dremel in its press-stand - it is not precise and it is LOUD.
Go the Proxxon. I also bought their Table Saw and small lathe. I'm building the Caldercraft Victory 1:72
Click to expand...
the Dremel is indeed loud.
 
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