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The JPD-15M is a great bench-top Jet drill press with the performance of a free-standing press.
This 15” table top press is rugged and can handle large work, but it’s also rigid for more precise smaller work as well. The ¾ horse power provides plenty of power – enough for drilling 3/4” steel! So it’s great for metal working as well as woodworking. This is one of the Jet drills where extra power pays off. If you’re stepping up from a smaller drill this is a great choice.
Note: Although shown in the picture above, the JPD-15M does not inculde the stand. Check out the video at the end of this post.
This model fully lives up to Jet’s reputation. Put simply, it’s reliable and durable, and should outlast most power tools in your shop. The JPD-15M is well-machined for ruggedness and precision work. And it’s really heavy. It’s 163 pounds shipping weight is a good indication of its ruggedness. That also means that shipping can be a big part of your final cost. Another minor drawback; the weight also means you’ll need someone to help with the lifting when you go to set it up.
It’s size can be a plus or minus depending on the size of your shop. It’s “table top,” but not as small or easy to move as most. But it’s a bit smaller and certainly easier to move than a free-standing drill.
The JDP-15MF
The JDP-12
The Jet JPD-17MF drill is a free-standing press with exactly the same head as the 15M. The JPD-15M is a quality press for a smaller shop, but you may need to go for something even smaller, like the JPD-12. But at 1/3 HP, the 12′s reduced power is a significant trade-off.
Jet 15M Features
This 15” press provides a large work surface (10 x 13”), with up to 45 deg. tilt. Unfortunately, the tilt adjustment is hard to reach. You’ll need a ratchet; a wrench just can’t fit. So if you expect to do a lot of angled work, treat your self to a drill-press vice which is more precise and flexible than tilting the table. Anyway, the table provides sturdy support and the larger size makes layout and clamping easier. You can even add a fence for easier setup and repetitive drilling.
This Jet model also has excellent positive and negative stops. The positive stop is locking, so your repetetive drills won’t drift in depth. You can just set and forget, and still get multiple holes of exactly the same depth. And of course you can set it so that your other work can’t drill through to the table. Plus there’s a limit spring so that the upswing will go faster.
Best of all, there’s negligible wobble (run-out) on the spindle and 5/8” chuck as another indicator of quality. You get accurate hole sizes and precision drilling, great for furniture making. Although this machine is tall enough that you’ll probably need a stool to change the belts, speed adjustment is otherwise very easy. You can get 200 to 36030 RPM in 16 steps to handle just about any material. Though some might prefer a variable-speed drive.
In Brief
The JPD-15M is a smooth running workhorse that should last a lifetime. It’s quiet and smooth running for precision metal work and rugged and durable for heavy woodworking. No wonder Fine Woodworking Magazine calls this Jet drill press the best in 2008.
Note: A small number of buyers have reported significant run-out. In nearly all cases this is a problem with the chuck. Jet or the merchant should send you a new chuck as long as the machine is in warranty.
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