I just find out this new feature;

Power Spindle Hold (for keyless chucks)
A new feature which has been introduced is the “Powered Spindle Hold” function which powers and holds
the spindle for 30 seconds, freeing up one hand to hold the drill bit and tighten the chuck.
NOTE: This function applies 11% of the maximum motor power to the spindle when tightening
To access the Powered Spindle Hold function, go to Menu > Advance Modes and select the Pwrd Spindle
Hold function. To activate the hold, press the button while the following screen is displayed.

I have one.  Purchased around the first of the year.  I like it a lot.  The 50 RPM to 5000 RPM infinitely variable speed is great with the turn of the dial.  Digital depth readout in digital or fractions.  I use the hole depth auto stop, the speed control, the various drilling modes for speed based on bit size (forstner, metal, etc).  I have not tried the auto tapping mode but will. 

There have been two software updates since I purchased.  You plug a Windows machine into the unit and download their update utility.  It will also update the SW with a Mac IF you are running a windows emulator on it, which is what I do.

The standard chuck doesn't quite go down small enough for a 1/16" bit, so I changed out the chuck with one from Amazon.  But I've found runout to be minimal and the tool to be great to use.  It is keyless and I replaced it with a Chinese import keyless that is accurate.

Yes the keyless auto hold is a cool feature too.  For larger bits I use it but have found sizes below 3/8 in wood work with a hand tightening of the chuck.

Fit and finish are great.  It does take two people to assemble and get the motor on the column.  I upgraded from a 20 year old Delta and the difference is night and day in performance, torque, accuracy, etc.  I made a custom top for it using Woodpecker's components for a fence, T-tracks, etc.

neil

It is possible for one person to assemble but get help if you can.

Bought mine early 2017. The features I needed were only available via the first sw update. Had a deadline and wasn’t familiar with sw emulation on Mac so I just bought a cheap PC. Have not done the second update.

I upgraded from a 20 year old Delta and the difference is night and day in performance, torque, accuracy, etc. 

Just curious Neil what model Delta you owned?

Quote from: neilc on August 21, 2018, 10:34 AM

I upgraded from a 20 year old Delta and the difference is night and day in performance, torque, accuracy, etc. 

Just curious Neil what model Delta you owned?

I no longer have it.  Think it was a 10 or 12" benchtop model.  Don't know the number. 

Mario,

I just found this

What a drill press!

Did you get yours from King Canada?

The connection of the pole to the base is robust on the Voyager. The weak point is the way the head attaches to the pole.

The pole is a cast iron pipe that has been ground round on the outside. The remaining wall thickness is much less than I’d like. What’s worse, instead of a clamp connection the head has an oversized hole that slides over the pole and is “secured” by a single set screw. Really wanky in my opinion but it seems to work okay.

@ChuckM  I bought it from a local store called Ottawa Fastener Supply. The Nova Voyager drill press and lathe are distributed by King Canada Industrial. The drill press was 1999 + our famous taxes that bring it to 2250... Some times I wish I live in Alberta 

That's one sweet drill press with a ton of features. I am now looking at drill press jigs so if you have any suggestions let me know.

Still have to set the head. It's ~100lbs and I really don't want to drop it. Will do it tomorrow with some help 

Assemble it horizontally on the floor and than lift the hole thing upright. Attach the table last.

Quote from: Mario Turcot on August 22, 2018, 12:50 AM

Still have to set the head. It's ~100lbs and I really don't want to drop it. Will do it tomorrow with some help 

Assemble it horizontally on the floor and than lift the hole thing upright. Attach the table last.

From the last picture you can tell it was late last night, around midnight when I closed the shop. I will try that today if I cannot get my son's help. He is in weight lifting so i thought it would be an easy and safe task for him. Thinking about it, that's how I assemble the band saw and it was darn easy and pretty much the same weight ~300lbs

@Mario Turcot I'm definitely interested in this drill press and may pull the trigger in the next few weeks. Curious to know - what do you think the weight of the head of the drill press is. My son is 9 so I don't think he'll be much help lifting it..... Thanks in advance!

Mario you’re going to love this drill press...I really like it! I have plywood bolted to both table and bottom-helps me attach jigs,fence, etc. It’s smooth, quiet and powerful....I do hope nothing burns out as I forget and leave the power switch ON (on the side) more than I’d like to admit

I know exactly what you mean... thanks for the reminder. i may setup a strobe  to prevent memory leak 

I will definitively build a cabinet to fit under the table for accessories. Would like to see picture of your jigs 

Also if any one know of a quality keyless chuck. From what I read it's a jacob type II but I know next to nothing about chucks 

You should have seen the look on his face when I opened up the CXS - "Daddy, is this for me??" Well....it's for both of us, son lol. Appreciate the feedback.

Got me chuckle on that one 

Also if any one know of a quality keyless chuck. From what I read it's a jacob type II but I know next to nothing about chucks 

I like Albrecht keyless chucks. They really, really work well, a bit more expensive but worth the extra money...German.
I use them on both my metal drill press and metal lathe. You can find them used on eBay for 1/2 to 1/3 their new purchase price.

http://www.albrecht-germany.com/en/products/1stdrill-chuck/morse-taper/
 

Wow  that's exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing.

I was just looking at that

and didn't like the idea of having a plain cabinet under the table. But yours as a mobile cabinet that fit nicely on the column is fantastic. Great work 

Thanks again!

@ChuckM  I bought it from a local store called Ottawa Fastener Supply. The Nova Voyager drill press and lathe are distributed by King Canada Industrial. The drill press was 1999 + our famous taxes that bring it to 2250... Some times I wish I live in Alberta 

That's one sweet drill press with a ton of features. I am now looking at drill press jigs so if you have any suggestions let me know.

Yes, the drill press can be had a little cheaper here because of tax difference (https://www.kmstools.com/king-industrial-nova-voyager-dvr-drill-press-144804).

A drill press in my opinion is more a machinist machine by itself, and the first thing I would add to any drill press for woodworking is a drill press table with fence. I got mine from Lee Valley: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=63315&cat=1,240,41060

I like the replacement inserts, dirt cheap, but you can make your own if so desired. The clamp is functional, but I am planning to see if I can replace it with one of these: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=70864&cat=1,43838,70865

Your new drill press is no doubt a Rolls Royce class of drilling machine. I am not doing a lot of boring jobs in my type of woodworking; otherwise it would be on the top of my shopping/wish list.

Regarding help for lifting heavy items, how come no one mentioned about neighbours?! When I needed help with my SawStop installation (the manual recommends three persons), I grabbed my next door neighbour (he brought along his visiting dad who was helping him with some deck work). In under two minutes (including my verbal explanation of what to do), the saw was mounted on its mobile base.

Mario

Phenolic Ply...  Amazon carries it. I bought mine from Woodcraft locally.

I googled Phenolic Ply Canada and there are several sources listed as well

Neil

Mario

Phenolic Ply...  Amazon carries it. I bought mine from Woodcraft locally.

I googled Phenolic Ply Canada and there are several sources listed as well

Neil

I searched several times to find a local source. Some local kitchen cabinet distributors can get you the phenolic ply but you have to order a minimum, they do not stock any. The closest Woodcraft is at 190 miles 
All I can find on amazon is similar result for a 12" x 15" at a ridiculous price. The most frustrating is that there is factory between Ottawa, Toronto and Montréal that make phenolic ply but again you have to order a minimum to be part of the party 

@rvieceli

@Mario Turcot I’ll second the Albrecht chuck. Makes a world of difference. I’ve got the 1/16 to 1/2 inch one. That can usually be had on eBay for around 125 to 150 used.

Look for a listing that gives you a good photo of the working end so you can see if the jaws are in good shape. You can get kits to replace the guys completely but need to factor that into the price you’ll pay.

Used chuck is a good option since I found new ones at over 600$. Do you have a Albrecht reference # I can use that will fit on the Nova voyager? Since most used items have a no return policy, I don't want to buy the wrong chuck.

Mario you just need a chuck with a #2 Morse Taper attached or a bare chuck and an MT2

Thanks!

Putting the head on horizontally was easy enough.

The head is more like 130-140lbs 

First spin test, Brad point HSS 3/8

Quote from: Mario Turcot on August 22, 2018, 10:41 PM

First spin test, Brad point HSS 3/8

So what do you think Mario...thumbs up or thumbs down?

 

A dream machine

Mario,

I was hoping your response would be the opposite ... and then I would PM you that since we are both in Canada, I could buy your Nova second hand!

Doesn't always proceed as planned 

One of these days I'll upgrade from my benchtop drill press to a floor standing, but I have one issue - everything in my shop is on mobile bases because I don't have enough space for things to stay put.  I know drill presses are pretty top heavy, but are there any mobile bases for them that can manage this?  I was looking at the Nova Voyager, but then the Nova Vulcan came out...

On the Nova Voyager instructions it's stated to NOT use a mobile base. I would guess that the Vulcan is even heavier and that a mobile base is not recommended. I have a 20'x20' shop and the drill press is the first true stationary machine.

Quote from: sprior on August 23, 2018, 12:56 AM

One of these days I'll upgrade from my benchtop drill press to a floor standing, but I have one issue - everything in my shop is on mobile bases because I don't have enough space for things to stay put.  I know drill presses are pretty top heavy, but are there any mobile bases for them that can manage this?  I was looking at the Nova Voyager, but then the Nova Vulcan came out...

Any mobile base should work.  Just adjust the base so the wheels have a 30-36” span from L to R to give you extra stability.  Bolt the plywood base to the mobile base and the drill press base to the plywood.  Watch where you roll it so the wheels don’t get hung up on cords or other debris. 

You could also build your own, again making sure the outriggers allow the wheels to span 30-36”.

This is what I was planning to do before reading the instructions  .

Here my personal observation about the Nova Voyager Drill Press after an hour playing with the machine and features;

BODY
Major Parts and guess weight:
Base: 70lbs
Column: 70lbs
Table: 45lbs
Head: 125lbs
Total of: 310lbs (this is more or less what the drill specs says)

This make the drill press a little unbalance when it comes to tilt possibility. To prevent tilting you have a few possibilities, anchors or adding weight to the base. I went for flush floor anchors to secure the drill press.

ASSEMBLY
Cannot be easier intellectually and physically  . There is really few parts to put together. Everything was included (allen keys) beside a 17mm wrench and four floor anchors (optional). I used 5/8" x 2" anchors.
Tip: Make a wood insert to fit under the base and seal the base with clear silicone caulk to prevent dust to stack under.

USE
Plug n play they says... sheesh I had to put a drill bit to get any results  . I did a first test (previous post) and the hole was absolutely perfect.
Non scientific wobble test: I removed the bit and push it manually through the hole and it was a very tight fit. Zero tear out on top and of course some at the bottom but really minimal. I used a brad point HSS 3/8 from Lee Valley for that test.

CONCLUSION
I own a Skill drill press bench top for a few years. I haven't use it since I'm in the new shop, because it was not stable enough for my taste. When you have no confidence in a tool it become a waist of space  Now I am very happy with the press drill and no @ChuckM you cannot have it  .

CONS SO FAR
No where to store the chuck key or is it hidden 

Snip.
 Now I am very happy with the press drill and no @ChuckM you cannot have it  .

Darn i just found out that there is keyless chucks that comes with a KEY  The key goes on the upper part to prevent the quill from turning when you apply pressure.


Hopefully the Nova Voyager come with a feature that apply force/hold the quill for 30 seconds.

@Michael Kellough wondering if that 30 seconds can be reduced?

A less expensive alternative is Rohm (German made) or Shars (Chinese made, but I've heard the quality is pretty good).  The Rohm you might find around $100 on ebay, the Shars is probably around $40?  I don't know much about excell, but I've seen it repeatedly on amazon while searching for various bits and bobbles.

Same here Rohm Keyless chuck

I will give a try to the chuck coming and if accuracy do not meet my expectation will look at Rohm chucks

Thanks for confirming 

By the way, where do you get that wedge to detach the arbor from the quill?

@Mario Turcot that's called a drift key. they are sized for the various size taper. Here's one for a MT2

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Forged-Drift-Key-2/G9375?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzeCBgcyD3QIVQrXACh0WkQcyEAQYASABEgIVyfD_BwE

Ron

The Voyager does come with a drift key.

The Voyager does come with a drift key.

  about time you answer that question  I was wondering what that key was for lol. It have a magnet and both ends are shaped differently. see image on page #1

@RKA, @Michael Kellough, @neilc, @Vondawg Any of you guys convert it to 220v yet?

@RKA, @Michael Kellough, @neilc, @Vondawg Any of you guys convert it to 220v yet?

Why bother?

I left it at the factory set 120 volts.

Forgot about this issue I had with the Voyager. The table was concave. They sent another but in the meantime I put a large cross slide table on the existing table and shimmed it square. Haven’t even opened the replacement table to check its condition.

Mario,

Can you claim this rebate for your Nova purchase?

https://www.teknatool.com/rebate/

@Mario Turcot you might also want to pick up a 4 or 5 inch machined 1/2 inch dowel like this.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#98381a727/=1ea7u86

It’s useful for a lot of operations. Chuck it up and pair it with a mag base dial indicator and you test run out. The solid nature makes it easier to see on a square if the table is perpendicular to the quill.

With it chucked you always know the exact center of the bit is 1/4 inch from the outside edge of the rod. Need to put a hole 1 inch from the edge? Put a 3/4 inch spacer between the rod and the fence.

If you’re one of those metric folks then opt for a 12mm dowel

https://www.mcmaster.com/#91595a773/=1ea80p8

Ron

@rvieceli, thanks for the tip and the links. I will order both in case my dark side made me switch to imperial again  .

I never order from McMaster before and just discovered all the goodies they have... 

I too have stayed with 120 volts( only have 3 220 curcuits) and it was where I have the drill press ...never checked my table for flat just added table/fence  now I'll have to check it. Look forward to knowing how keyless Chuck works...

Mario DO NOT try to remove the existing chuck and taper without a drift key. The taper and the mating surfaces in the quill are some of the most critically machined area on the press. Don’t risk screwing them up. Order a drift key and wait for it to come.

As for the new taper, the fit is designed to be a tight friction fit. That’s the only thing that holding the two pieces together. There should be some YouTube videos on installing the taper in  the chuck.

Ron

It's a press fit.  Place the arbor in a hole on your MFT or loosely in a vise with padding and use a punch and hammer to lightly tap inside the chuck to drive it out.

Should come out easily.  Just make sure you catch the arbor so it's not damaged.

It's a press fit.  Place the arbor in a hole on your MFT or loosely in a vise with padding and use a punch and hammer to lightly tap inside the chuck to drive it out.

Should come out easily.  Just make sure you catch the arbor so it's not damaged.

Thanks Neil, that's the confirmation I was looking for. I watched a video where the guy said exactly that and when he was about to do it, he said do not attempt to push from inside the chuck. I was a bit confused 

Both chucks and arbors, you can tell that the new arbor is longer. Hard to tell it is bigger but my bet is that it is a J33 instead of a B16.

Old arbor fit in the new chuck, so the new chuck is B16.

And now on the drill press 


Going to bore some on the weekend.

Nice. Looks like the DP cabinet that Woodsmith published plans to a couple years ago.

-- UPDATE --

After setting the dril press zero "ground" I made a 1 1/2" hole. Notice where the drill stops, barely hit the table insert 


And now on some advertising: I like how crispy came the hole using a Lee Valley Forstner bit. The drill press set the quill speed to 500 rpm.

I'm sorry (in a Canadian way) but can't help myself. The drill is just so awesome, I'm going to drill holes every where  I can

I have lusted after the Voyager drill press since it was introduced. The current rebate has made it much more enticing. Put up my old Delta floor standing drill press for sale with the plan to apply that as well to the purchase price.

Got a taker on my drill press, so the Nova just got ordered today. I’ve been using a Nova DVR lathe for many years so am excited to get a drill press with the same power source.

Now I get to start the waiting game.

BTW, is anybody using the Nova fence that they offer?  Looks like it might be worth the cost, but nice to know how useful it is from someone who has one.

Wow, ordered and Friday and was delivered today. Assembled it and am very happy with me decision to upgrade.

Expected the larger table but was surprised how much larger the base was over my previous Delta.

Played with it a bit and now am ready to find me a replacement chuck to put some icing on the cake.

Quote from: thudchkr on September 05, 2018, 10:32 PM

Wow, ordered and Friday and was delivered today. Assembled it and am very happy with me decision to upgrade.

Expected the larger table but was surprised how much larger the base was over my previous Delta.

Played with it a bit and now am ready to find me a replacement chuck to put some icing on the cake.

 

By larger table, you mean you were expecting a bigger one?

IMO the table is perfect for metal boring, a sub table like Neil have is desired for wood boring. Currently I am using a table I bought a few years ago that was not fitting on my previous drill press so I give table some live experience

I am at the design phase of mine. It will look pretty much like Neil's one. i am not sure yet about how the tracks will go.

I expected the table to be larger than that of my previous Delta drill press and there was a considerable differential. I didn’t, however, realize how much larger the base was over the one in the Delta.

I will probably build a table, geared to woodworking, to install on the Nova. I have a piece of phenolic faced Baltic birch plywood that will be ideal for that application. I had a woodpeckers version on the Delta, but it went with the press, so I’ll probable build something along the same lines as the Woodpeckers, as familiar as I am with it.

Darn you all!!! Just ordered my Voyager from Tool Nut this morning! You're all too influential lol!

Looks great!  The control panel has FUN built right in!

@PeterJJames13  you won't regret it, the drill press is amizing. You will want to make projects just to use it 

Darn you all!!! Just ordered my Voyager from Tool Nut this morning! You're all too influential lol!

Plus I'm having hernia surgery next month so let me get the heavy lifting out of the way so I can enjoy the darn thing lol!!

Darn man, I wish I could go and help. Hopefully the surgery will go well and you can again.

The way I did it;

1) Lay down the base and column on a box letting enough space to the end to accept the head.
2) Put the head on a flat rolling cart, mine was 4" high that I use to move things.
3) Push in the head, easy peazy

The head slides in like a glove, make sure you push the head at the bottom of the column. Measuring before and after do not hurt 

@Mario Turcot Thanks! I've been following how everyone here has got that head on! I'll be making room tomorrow (finally a day off for me!!) so when it gets delivered (hopefully by next weekend) I can get it in place (with help from a friend who I owe some beers to). That way if I do any more damage to myself, the surgery will fix it anyway lol. I figured get whatever heavy lifting out of the way now lol.

Hi Cheese. Not meaning to hijack Mario's thread, just wanted to offer a cheaper alternative to those who already had a good drill press especially an older one of good quality that you just can't seem to buy anymore.

In addition to the VFD, you need to replace the motor on your press with a 3 phase motor so the VFD can drive it...Seems to be good practice to go up a size. ( in my case I went from 3/4 to 1 HP.)

I didn't know anything about VFD's either, but lots of resources on the net Youtube ect., and these small ones are fairly plug and play. Lots of reading on the manual before beginning.

The VFD I bought converts 110volt to 220 volts which you'll need to run the 3 phase motor. The VFD basically send pulses to the motor allowing you to change the speed.

You can put your belts on highest speed, but you will loose low end torque by doing so. I picked a happy medium which gives me the slow low end torque to use large bits at slow speeds, but can also adjust VFD so it can run the motor at double the rated speed.

Have a look at youtube and you'll get some great ideas. I'm sure there are lots of folks on this forum who are more informed than I am about these little drives. If you have more questions perhaps it would be better to PM me, or start another thread so we don't steal Mario's well deserved thunder while his drill press still has that new car smell....lol
Greg

Hi Mario. Yes lathes, pumps all sorts of things.
By the way, the company that makes your drill press also makes lathes with the same abilities as your press...they adapted that technology to make the drill press...as I'm sure you already know.

Yes, in my research found may folks that take an older lathe and adapt a vfd to it allowing more control. I don't  have a lathe, but thinking of one when I retire and have more time...I have looked at the nova lathes and they seem very nice...not that I know much about lathes...lol

I started the adventure when I read a post about a fellow than adapted the vfd to his drill press He was very knowledgeable and gave a very good explanation of how it worked. I tried to purchase the same vfd as he had, but as with all electronics that version was done and ended up with basically the same thing only a newer version. If you are interested, download a manual for a vfd and give it a read....much like a new computer user, it takes a bit to understand how it works. I have a pretty good understanding of electricity, and I find most woodworkers are pretty handy wiring motors by simply following the diagram on the motor.If you have any concerns you just post a picture and someone here will steer you in the right way....the folks here are pretty darn nice.

My VFD project was well over a year ago, and while I remember some things, I would have to go back to my notes and manual to give out accurate info. If you decide to go this route, you could PM me and I'll do what I can to help you...but like I said before I'm sure there are experts on this forum that could answer questions better than I......

The one thing I do remember struggling with was the motor...many people said you needed a motor with a fan that ran all the time to keep them motor cool...I believe these were call "inverter duty" motors...I bought my motor from the vendor that supplies my workplace with all of our motors. When I explained what I was doing he told me I didn't need to spend the extra money for an "inveter" motor as the drill press will not run long enough for the motor to get hot....not sure about a lathe.It might be worth some investigation to make sure you get the correct type of motor for the application....it's the torque that the VFD applies that will heat the motor up when going slow....my motor stays nice and cool even though at low rpm's the fan on the motor runs slowly, but not for very long period of time....it's never even gotten warm using large bits or hole saws...

I tested the vfd and motor on my bench (make sure you clamp the motor down...don't ask my why....lol) first and get it working before installing it..easier if you need to rewire ect....

I really had a lot of fun tricking out the drill press..I eliminated the middle pully , and got rid of some vibration I had before. I also now have the other parts to run the VFD in a remote fashion. The VFD has low voltage and smart outputs that allow you to connect speed controls..(volume pot basically) forward reverse switches, on off controls ect....this allows you to not have the vfd mounted to your machine (like I do now), and saves you moving thru menu's to change things by using hard controls....this once again requires picking some options in menus on VFD, but nothing anyone couldn't figure out by reading the manual....afterall I figured it out..lol
Maybe this winter I'll get to wiring the hard controls the the drill press and then I can mount the vfd on the wall in a box to protect it a bit from the dust and vibration....hopefully...lol
The other really cool thing about it is I have it set up to stop with my large paddle on my press..its stops in a heartbeat in case you have an emergency where something gets away on you....safety first!!
Also, while the vfd will display your rpm's, it requires some special gear and measuring....I took the easy way out and bought a digital rpm gauge(the display in the decora switch cover in my pictures under the VFD) from amazon for around 20 bucks...you simply epoxy a magnet to your front pully, mount the pickup for the magnet close to it, and it pulses a signal to the display giving you your rpm's...brilliant!!

Hope this helps...if you have any more questions, fire away, and thanks for letting my crash your post....haha

Greg
 

Hi Cheese. Not meaning to hijack Mario's thread, just wanted to offer a cheaper alternative to those who already had a good drill press especially an older one of good quality that you just can't seem to buy anymore.

Thanks for the info Greg. 

I have an older Delta that I like a lot. I purchased it because its slow speed is 150 rpm for metal work however it also has ZERO speeds from 550 - 1000 rpm. That's a big hole in the middle.   Just looking at alternatives...

See I told you someone more experienced than I am would chime in...lol ( thanks Huxleywood )....I stand corrected, and should have mentioned the fixed fan speed on a non inverter motor..yes the fan only runs as fast at the motor turns...that is what can lead to motor failure...and it's the torque that the vfd is producing that make the vfd run harder/warmer...in my case anyway. I've also seen where folks have mounted external computer type fans that run when motor is turning on to aid in cooling as well. Bit of a junkyard fix, but if you already had a  non inverter motor, or found a used one this could be a good workaround...if buying new, I'd suggest you get the correct motor for the application.

Also, yes the direct drive system on the voyager is the best for minimising any torque loss. My drill press has ribbed belts, not V belts. They seem to grab quite well, and I have yet to spin them on the pulleys....although I had a harder time sourcing a ribbed belt, than a v belt..I eliminated the middle pulley on my press so I needed a longer belt. I didn't quite 1 to 1 on the pulleys so I could achieve more bottom end torque...you can increase the settings on the vfd to run the motor faster (don't set it too high) but I've never found a need for my drill press to go 3000 rpm yet...lol

Let's clarify a few things.  An inverter duty motor still has a fan that runs at the shaft speed of the motor, it simply has higher temperature winding insulation to handle the excess heat when running the motor at frequencies below the native AC frequency it is designed for, in the US that is 60hz.  Some inverter duty motors also have bearings specced to run at higher than the motors synchronous speed allowing you to run the motor at higher frequencies than native.  An average motor will have little issue running up to 70hz unless it is run constantly. 

The "torque boost" feature of VFDs is really a constant torque setting to combat the loss of torque at lower frequencies you get with more basic drives.  You don't get more torque just the same torque, this is why it is usually a good idea to use a higher HP motor (which will have more torque) for an application like a DP where you plan to give up the torque multiplication of the pulley system. 

The wider the RPM range you want to run the more time you have to send speccing the correct motor.  If you look at most modern variable speed lathes they use a 3ph motor and a VFD to control speed, you will also see they usually run 2 (or even 3) pulley based speed ranges to improve the torque at low speeds. 

I assume you mean cogged belt vs ribbed belt, a ribbed or multi-V belt would require a pulley change.  The cogged belts have the advantage of higher power transmission as well as they transmit less vibration which is important since the vibration will increase when you use a longer belt to exclude the intermediate pulley set.  If you find cogged belts don't provide enough vibration isolation then you can try link belts. 

@neilc Neil, I want to make a table like yours
image
and I noticed that your first ply layer is slightly larger then the iron cast table.

I'd like to know if you notice any bow on your table since? Would you do it the same today?

You guys are so lucky, on this side of the pond, the Nova Voyager's are as rare as rocking horse s**t
I have got one on order, which hopefully arrives in June, I really hope it does arrive otherwise I'll sulk like a baby!

I just received my Nova last week and it is awesome!  It runs so smooth.  I put a Shar keyless chuck on it and my woodpecker table and I just love this thing.  I love the ability to just turn the rpms up or down.  I did a "nickel" test on the drill with the nickel on my woodpecker table and it did not move even at 5000 rpm!  I have not checked the runout yet but so far I am very happy with it....

Thank you Neil, those are really useful pictures. You gave me some ideas on how to affix it securely and quick.

Hang on there Jiggy, you won't be disappointed the day you will put it together 

Thanks Mario, I can’t wait!

@Mario Turcot You were absolutely right Mario, mine arrived this morning, what a piece of kit!

I’ve used many pillar drills over the years but, nothing like this, it really is like nothing else. I am going to put a keyless chuck on it, probably a Rohm.
Very pleased with it though, it’s amazing! 

Congrats, now lets bore some holessssssss 

The only thing I wish the Nova Voyager have is a square pillar to stabilize the center point. I'm wondering why today's drill press are not offering that feature.

Wondering if I could ask some dimensional questions from Nova owners, as I'm trying to figure out whether I can swap one out for the Ridgid drill press I currently operate in my shop.  The specs on the machine for the base are 22 1/4” x 17 1/2″.  Is that the total footprint for the rest of the machine?  The pictures show that the motor doesn't project back past the column, unlike belt driven presses, so it seems like the base dimensions should define the outer limits for the body rest of the machine.  My only worry is the handle on the right to raise and lower the table, which seems to stick out from the machine rather more than on my current press, and would therefore potentially knock into the workbench next to which it would stand.  Anyone got measurements on how far past the base dimensions that handle swings out?

I replaced my crank handle with a wheel. It might save an inch to the rear. Since it stays under the table it does not waste any space to the right.

I’m going to make a table and fence for mine, I’m collecting some melamine ply tomorrow.
I picked up a hand wheel today too. I was thinking of leaving the stock crank handle on, and spacing the table higher instead.
As long as it’s firmly secured, I can’t see a problem. The hand wheel would look neater though.
How amazing are these machines? I have been getting used to mine yesterday and today, and really am fascinated by it.

Jiggy, you played with the auto start yet? it's seriously 

I had my sister to make me a blanket to cover it when not in use. I was even thinking of building a little bird house roof on top lol.

Yeah, I don't have the Voyager press, I'm thinking about doing this for my Delta benchtop press.  The thing that's holding me back from buying the Voyager is the idea of the Vulcan - the concept of having some metal milling capability is REALLY compelling, but there are NO review videos showing that in actual use and the availability of the Vulcan is VERY limited so I'm also concerned that it's not a fully real product and could disappear without warning.  I do have a Nova DVR XP wood lathe and I'm quite happy with it.

I'd be tempted to fabricate an adapter that mated to the spot where the hand crank attaches and had a hex head bolt on the other end. Then just use an impact wrench or something to turn it.

I replaced the crank on mine first with a wheel, and then with a socket - extension - long handle flex head ratchet. The wheel was OK until I added a heavy table.  The ratchet set up works well ..... plenty of leverage and no interference with wall or table.

Seth

I'm thinking or a power drive, with a switch to raise/lower the table.

A reversible motor and the proper gearing is all it needs.


McMaster-Carr would be a good place to search for beveled gears,
bushings, bearings, and such. There are others, but McMaster comes
to mind right off.

https://www.mcmaster.com/bevel-gears

https://www.mcmaster.com/hand-wheels

https://www.mcmaster.com/rotary-electrical-actuators


A good source for linear actuators to use for projects is replacement recliner chair actuators. They come in various lengths and power requirements. Most are reversing which fits a lot of applications. And they are inexpensive, about $60 or less, you'll need to add a power supply for most but those can be had for $15 to $25.

This thread is taking a dangerous direction.  We'll start off just having a motor with an up or down button, then someone will get a bright idea to have a digital position readout (in mm of course), then how about programmable positions, then all the money gets sucked out of the room.  Oh I forgot, this a the Festool forum, no money left anyway 

Next stop, elimination of the need to turn the quill crank.

Thanks @Mario Turcot

@ear3

All dimensions are aprox

Handle side view: The back of the base from the center 5", from the exterior pillar to the edge 2".  Swivel protrude from the back 6" 3/4
(Attachment Link)

Handle front view: The handle protrude from the center of the pillar 14".
(Attachment Link)

Table side view: Base 23" x 18", table 16" 13 x 16" 12. The table protrude in front about 2"
(Attachment Link)

Hope I answer all your questions, if not do not hesitate to ask specifics.

Not the best angle to judge space requirements or savings but it looks like it does not project to the rear any farther than the clamp arm that fixes table height and it obviously does not come close to the right side of the table.

The drill is in another shop across the Hudson so it’s not convenient at this time to get a better picture. I’m able to raise the table via the wheel even with the heavy cross slide table onboard, but not easily.

The laser is a Wixey device. It has to be adjusted to the height of the work surface (the top of the workpiece) but if you have a lot of work at that height it’s helpful.

I’m able to raise the table via the wheel even with the heavy cross slide table onboard, but not easily.

Michael, I have an older Delta drill press with a "production coolant table", add on a Woodpeckers top and a 40# Heinrich vise and even with the stock crank set-up it can be very difficult to raise. I find that by lifting up on the front edge of the table, even slightly, with one hand while then cranking with the other hand the process becomes much, much easier. 

I think the wheel is easier to turn than the long crank, no extraneous lateral motion. But you do have to get farther around the side of the table to get to the wheel.

My Rohm Spiro chuck arrived today, the arbor is to follow.
I’ve owned a few Rohm chuck before, (Supra) and always been very happy with them. This time I dropped a bit more money on the Spiro, it’s built to a better tolerance. Feels very nice in the hand, just hope it’s as nice on the Voyager.

Will start making my table on Sunday hopefully, and possibly a mobile base, and an anchoring bracket for the column.
Really love this machine.

Hi Mario, yeah it’s a real nice chuck, I’m considering a mobile base, only because the area where the press will probably live, is used mainly for stock storage, and it might mean the drill press would sometimes have to moved out of the way, and then replaced again. Just like being pulled out a few feet, then pushed back.
If I went with this, it would also have an anchor point on the column to hold it firmly in place.
Still undecided though, and may locate it elsewhere.

I think for the table, I’ll use 18mm melamine faced ply, bonded to standard 18mm ply. Then four T channels going front to rear, and one full width channel at the front.
And a fence with a flip stop, maybe two.

I’ll keep the measurements and post it up when done 

I think you will really like it. 

I just used mine for precisely drilling cup hinge holes for 8 cabinet doors.  With an added table made from Woodpecker parts, the drill press makes it really easy.  Love the automatic depth stop and the variable speed as I've never been that confident with turning a large Forstner bit too fast.

Check with your local Rockler as I got a mailer on floor models of various fixed base tools on sale including the Nova drill press here in Chicago.  You might find one locally.

Also, check when you get it as there have been two software updates since I owned mine.  You need a windows-based computer with USB to update the software, but the new features are nice!

I have now put mine on a mobile base, if I have too move it, I lower the table to help with it being top heavy, and it is very easy to move around. I have small heavy duty castors that take 120kg each, swivel lockable. I made some wall clamps for safety too. When it’s locked down and clamped it’s solid as a rock.

Hopefully start making my table in the next few days too.
Had a surprising issue with the new Rohm chuck. I checked my machine’s spindle without chuck and arbor, and it was .005 half of a 1 thousandth of an inch. Then the Chinese arbor, .002, the Rohm arbor was around the same. Then mounted the Chinese stock chuck .005, then put the Rohm chuck on, tried with both arbors, and a disappointing .009
I have had Rohm chucks before always good, mainly Supra’s, this one is the better tolerance, more expensive Spiro.
I sent the supplier videos of the runout tests, and the chuck is on it’s way back to Rohm.
They can refund or replace, I want the chuck but one that doesn’t wobble 

If not I guess I’ll shell out a little more for an Albrecht.
Amazing machine though, been using the depth stop a lot recently. I half expect the machine to talk to me when I switch on!

@ear3 Another tip, my Voyager came with a chuck guard, apparently the European version has to have one (EU regs). So the software update is different, and some have installed it by mistake, which means the machine will not start, as it thinks the guard is open. So just double check you have the right firmware.

I have actually removed my guard as it was annoying me, and I just leave the micro switch in the closed position.

You’re welcome, and I hope you enjoy the machine, I’m sure you will.

Just pulled the trigger on the Drill Press.  Ordered direct from Acme tools, which does free delivery.  I'll see if I can convince driver with a generous tip to help roll the unit down my 70 foot (fortunately flat) driveway to the front of my garage/shop, as opposed to just dropping it curbside.

I have my neighbor, who works UPS freight, on assist with muscle on the assembly.

Yes as Mario says, easy assembly, the head unit is an awkward and quite heavy part. So just be aware, if you have help though, it’s very manageable.

I’ve nearly finished my table now, just got to make the fence. I went with a hand wheel for the rise and fall, works fine but the table needs to be lifted with one hand, whilst winding with the other, all ok though.

The mobile base arrangement works well, just need my replacement Rohm chuck now.

I bought a used Albrecht on eBay - there are usually quite a few listed.  I paid $95 for a 1/2" and just moved the tapered MT2 arbor over. 

I've been very impressed with the difference in that and a china keyless knockoff I had purchased from Amazon.  I didn't have a  dial indicator but see no runout visually with a bit or rod in the chuck.

I ordered model C130-J33, for 1/32” to 1/2” bit shank size, McMaster Carr # 2823A19. I’d researched which I wanted, so only needed to find the correct part number when I came here.  I also ordered a MT2 to J33 arbor as well, McMaster Carr #2811A31 to match up with the Nova drill press.

 

Which part number did you order? There are 3 different 1/2" on their site and they don't really describe the differences.

Quote from: thudchkr on July 24, 2019, 10:42 PM

Just received my replacement chuck for my Voyager. After months of deliberation, I finally broke down and ordered an Albrecht chuck from McMaster Carr. I also purchased a MT2 to J33 arbor so I can use the other chuck on my wood lathes, or if I need the extra capacity, (the stock chuck will accept bits to 16mm), be able to pop it back into the Nova.

Swap out is seamless seeings how they provide the drift to remove the chuck.
The
I went ahead and chucked up a centering bit so I could put a dial indicator on it to check runout. I expected to see at least a little, but to my surprise, I measured none whatsoever with my instruments. The only way to show any movement on the dial indicator, was to push on the side of the chuck.

Runout wise, I got a winner.  I’m looking forward toward the elimination of that chuck key, and with Albrecht’s reputation, don’t expect to see any drill bit slippage either.

Jiggly, if that replacement don’t work out for you, pony on up to the Albrecht. Definitely impressive.

I’m having a bit of a saga at the moment with the chuck, the company where I bought it asked for it to be returned to Rohm. It’s been back there since the 18th, and the supplier keep apologising saying he’s waiting for a report, and that Rohm are slow to respond?

I’ve now asked for either a replacement or refund. The Spiro that I bought, which I think was £175 is supposed to be on par with a similar model Albrecht, obviously mine was not.
I’ve had the cheaper Rohm Supra’s in the past, and still have a couple but, they won’t fit the Voyager. They have been faultless, so I though the more expensive and better tolerance Spiro would be a good bet.

If it goes down the refund route, I will source an Albrecht.
The chucks seem to be the downfall of most non engineering drill presses, some of the machines are superb for woodworking but, let down with awful chucks.

I would of happily paid more for the Voyager with a decent chuck.