What is a Mini Drill Press Used for?

There are many uses for a mini drill press. It can be used to make very accurate and professional holes in jewelry, for example. It allows the user to deliver precise drilling to a small area, something that is very important when working with small and delicate work like jewelry. Additionally, due to its small and compact size, it will not take a lot of space and cause clutter on the work table.

Artists use the mini drill press to make small drills in materials. Many artisanal works made from wood, plastic or metal would not be possible without the accuracy of a mini drill press.

Hobbyists also use the mini drill press every day because of the accuracy this power tool can deliver when making arts and crafts or working on DIY projects. Basically, if you have to make precise drills in very small material, the mini drill press is the best power tool for the job - producing a superior result than a handheld mini rotary tool or drill machine in terms of accuracy and finish.

But perhaps the most glaring example you can find of a mini drill press is in circuit boards. Electronic manufacturers use the mini drill press because of its exceptional accuracy, professional finish and speed. Every time you use your electronic devices, you know a mini drill press contributed one way or another.

Mini Drill Press Requirements

Before purchasing a small drill press online, there are a few factors you need to take into consideration. Here are a few of the most important ones:

#1. Accuracy

Unlike the regular drill press, the mini drill press is used for its superior accuracy and professional finish. You can drill up to 1/64” accuracy with a mini drill press - which is incredible. A 1/4” chuck comes standard in most mini drill presses to accommodate smaller drill bits. They allow the user to make tiny and professional drills without damaging the material.

#2. Size

Mini drill presses are normally compact and small machines. You do not want them to be too big and take a lot of space on your workbench. This is especially true if you have a small working area.

#3. Mobility

Due to their small size and fairly simple design, they are also generally lightweight devices. Look for a model that does not weight too much, but has the ability to be clamped to your workbench for even more stability. A more mobile drill press means that you can easily carry this power tool everywhere you want. Being so small, they will also not consume a lot of space and will easily fit in a small carry bag.

#4. Stability

Stability is important when you want to make the most accurate drill possible out of your device. It must not be too tall so as to not easily trip and fall and should have a large and solid base. Additionally, bolt holes for bolting firmly to a workbench is a plus.

#5. Swing

The swing or distance between the table and the drill bit should be adequate for the material size you normally work with. As long as you work with small material, a mini drill press should suffice. You can always upgrade to a larger drill press if need be.

#1. TruePower 01-0822 Precision Mini Drill Press 

Editor's Rating:  (4.5 / 5)

This is a high-quality mini drill press that is built from quality materials that should last a while. The affordable price gives this unit a very good price to performance ratio. This means that it is great value for money.

Pros

• Decent motor power for drilling in almost any type of material.
• Standard 1/4” chuck to accommodate industry standard drill bits.
• Variable Speed Control: The 3-speed setting makes it very versatile and can easily adapt to your material.
• Base acts as table helping you save height.
• Large stable base that can be bolted to the workbench.

Cons

• Not found

If you are looking for an affordable and yet powerful miniature drill press for either jewelry, electronics or DIY projects, the TruePower 01-0822 is a good mini drill press. It is stable, performs well and has excellent accuracy. The price to performance ratio is so good that we elect this model as our Top Pick. We highly recommend it!

#2. Euro DRL-300.00 Small Benchtop Drill Press

Editor's Rating:  (4.3 / 5)

Pros

• Small and Compact at 10 x 12 x 8 inches
• Variable speed control with maximum speed of 8,500 RPM
• Stable base that can be bolted
• 1/4” chuck size

Cons

• Just like the TruePower above, it has difficulty drilling material at the lowest speed.
• Looks like a copycat of the TruePower 01-0822 but more expensive.

This model is technically the same as the TruePower 01-0822 but a little bit more expensive. We recommend it only if the TruePower is out of stock.

#3. Proxxon 38128 TBM Mini Bench Drill Press

Editor's Rating:  (4.4 / 5)

Proxxon makes provision for a mini vice in this model (28132 or 24260), which needs to be purchased separately. This will allow you to clamp your material for greater stability and accuracy. The 4/5” thick and 11” cast-iron base provides great stability and helps reduce vibrations at the same time.

This model allows micro-fine bit depth adjustments of 1/64”, which produces extremely accurate drilling. We feel that this is the most precise drill machine out of the lot - especially when retrofitted with the Proxxon vices. The generous throat depth of 5.5” provides enough space for working with relatively large materials.

Furthermore, The 3-speed variable speed control of 1,800, 4,700 and 8,500 RPM provides even more versatility when drilling different materials.

Pros

• High-quality build
• Accessories: Ability to add vices to it (Proxxon 28132 Machine Vise MS 4 or Proxxon 24260 Precision Machine Vise for MF 70).
• Speed: The 3-Speed variable speed control offers great versatility.
• Long and solid cast-iron base for stability and low vibration
• The chuck can be replaced with a more premium German-made one (Proxxon 28122 Chuck for Drill Bits)

Cons

• The Price
• The vice needs to be bought separately.

The Proxxon 38128 drill press is a precision mini drill press that has a smaller motor but performs on-par with other models with beefier specs. It just should how much more efficient this mini drill press really is. If you can afford the steep price, this model will serve you for years without issues.

#4. SE 97511MDP Mini Drill Press

Editor's Rating:  (4.2 / 5)

We also like the beefy 100 Watts motor in this unit, which is adequate for almost anything. The steel base of 6-5/8 x 6-5/8 inches is not the largest, but offers decent stability as well as little to no vibrations can be felt on even the highest speed setting.

Pros

• Powerful 100 Watts motor
• Lightweight at only 2.8 lbs
• Large work area of 6-9/16 x 6-9/16 inches
• 3 variable speed of 5,000, 6,500, 8,000 RPM

Cons

• Not found

This is an affordable drill press solution that makes it a great hobby drill press or even jewelry drill press. The small weight, power, and versatility of this model make it an excellent portable mini drill press. If you need to carry your power tool to the job, this is a great model to buy.

#5. Micro-Mark Drill Press MicroLux Variable Speed

Editor's Rating:  (4.6 / 5)

Sadly, it only has a 2-step variable speed of 3,600 RPM and 5,000 RPM which are not the most versatile. It also has a fairly tall height of 16” - the tallest model in this review. You must be careful not to hit this unit as it might fall over due to the tall height. We recommend bolting it to the workbench.

However, the large base of 6-1/2 x 10-13/16 inches provides a lot of stability in this unit and there are no vibrations even at the highest speed setting.

Overall, the construction quality of this unit is superb. It looks professional and is a professional mini drill press that can withstand heavy-duty drilling.

Pros

• Great build quality
• Heavy-duty drilling
• Powerful motor of 150 Watts
• 2-speed variable speed
• Large and stable base measuring 6-1/2 x 10-13/16 inches

Cons

• Expensive

If you are looking for a professional mini drill press that does more than miniature drilling in very small material then this is an excellent model. The 1/4” chuck can accommodate all industry-standard bits and the 3-jaw chuck will prevent drill bit wobbling - delivering a very accurate drill in the toughest of material.