Recommendation for a variable speed drill press/converting floor to bench model

Eventually I got rid of this big useless paper holder, this Chinese piece of junk called also Delta DP350 variable speed bench and I am looking to replace it.
I do everything that has to do with maintenance in my house. One day I drill in steel and the other in soft wood, so I need to change speeds often.
Although I don’t use it everyday I am looking for a good reliable tool that will work when and as long as I need it to.
Don’t mind paying if it’s a good value for the money.
Was considering the Jet JDP-12, 12” with digital read out but after reading the reviews I prefer to look for something else.
After reading a lot in the Internet I got the impression that there is not much to offer out there.
I am thinking of the Northern Industrial Variable-Speed Floor Drill Press with Digital Display - 1 1/2 HP for $600, cut its post and turn it into a bench model.
The problem is that is has only 8 reviews (all good).
If there is anyone here who is using this model, I would appreciate any insights.
Also if you had experience in converting a floor model drill press into a bench one, I would appreciate hearing about it.
Thanks in advance.
A.

Why would you not just by a table top model and save all that work of cutting the post?
Check out Grizzly.com and Powermatic.com

Why a digital readout? One more thing to break. For everyday handyman use it would not be needed.

"Why would you not just by a table top model and save all that work of cutting the post?"
The floor one comes with better features than the bench one (quill travel, distance from the post to the bit and more), I am not sure yet about cutting the post, I need still to consider.

"Check out Grizzly.com and Powermatic.com"
Checked a while ago: didn't find at G. a floor variable speed (VS) and P. the one has tons of BAD reviews.

"Why a digital readout?"
It's just a feature that comes with the Northern.

Hello all.
Just wanted to post an update. Today I ordered the Northern Industrial variable speed one.
I wanted to express my gratitude and thank you all for being such a big help! I am sorry that I couldn't answer each and one of you personally, it would have taken YEARS to do that!
I don't think I could ever get to order the drill if it wasn't for all you sharing your experiences, good and bad.
I KNEW I COULD RELY ON THE PEOPLE IN THIS FORUM!!!
So, again guys, thanks and know that from now on if I EVER have another question, there's nowhere else I will go, but, here!
Thank you from the bottom of my warm heart (or should I say thankS from the heart of my warm bottom?).... :trophy: :banana::banana:
A

BTW, joecaption thanks for answering my post (a REAL thanks this time)...

Hello.
I came back to update this post, since that IS what I said I would do.
Didn't come back earlier because there was not much to report, almost a year has passed since I bought this wonderful tool and I wish I had much to update.

What I do have: I thought that I will come back and post how easy was to put this machine together. Well, easy it was not.
The whole process is not intuitive, neither are the instructions easy to follow and understand.
I succeeded to put it together eventually and everything worked fine, but not thanks to the company's help, but to the fact that I was intelligent enough to figure out things by myself.
There was a lot that could have been improved. Maybe in the future it will be easier.

The good news were that EVERYTHING worked perfectly! (And AFTER putting it together, I think that's what we want).
No wobble, not in the low, neither in the high speeds.
The electronic digital display does a great job, showing accurately the different speeds.
Very easy to change speeds while working.
Everything is HEAVY and that's great. The feeling is good, that you have a good tool in your hands and everything works properly: the height adjust, the chuck.

My apology for that's all I have to say about this-so-far great tool, but during the past year I didn't get to use it enough, with different materials and so, that I can tell more than that (I also never find enough free time to test it more thoroughly). Was busy working on a lot of other projects working with other tools.
If in the future, I will work long/intensively/in a variable range of settings/materials/etc' enough and I will have a substantial update, for the better or the worse, I will be happy to come back here and update this post.

For now, so far, I AM very happy I purchased this tool. If you have any specific question you'd like to ask, plz feel free to shoot, I'll be happy to answer if I can.
Best.
A.

Glad it worked out well for you, we will all sleep better tonite, thats for sure.:

Hey oldog.
Sorry. Had I known THATS what keeps you from getting a good sleep; would have done it months ago...

Abba_ said:

Hey oldog.
Sorry. Had I known THATS what keeps you from getting a good sleep; would have done it months ago...

Click to expand...

That would have greatly been appreciated.