There are many "Craftsman fanatics" out there and they love the quality of their tools and the drill press is another one of "those" tools...
Am I right?
I decided to take a look at some of the different Craftsman drill presses out there to see what I could find as far as differences and which model would work best for "what application".
It was really tough to put together the list (very few resources available) but I finally did it and made a comparison table too which always makes it a little easier to compare specs. I hope you enjoy the article, I had fun throwing it together and Craftsman was always a part of my childhood (uncles garage) so I have a special interest in their tools myself! Enjoy!
* Pricing legend located at bottom of table
IMAGE | MODEL | FEATURES | PRICE | USER FEEDBACK (ONLINE RATINGS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ZJ4113Z | * 3.2 amps * 1/2 HP * 1/2" chuck * spindle travel: 2.5" * 10" swing * table size: 7-3/8" x 7-1/2" * table bevels 45° (2 directions) * 680 - 3,150 RPM * 5 speed model * 60.6 lbs. * benchtop model * laser light (x-pattern) * depth stop * 1 yr. warranty | $ | (160+ Ratings)   4.3/5 |
 | ZJQ4116D | * 3.5 amps * 1/2 HP * 5/8" chuck * spindle travel: 2.44" * 12" swing * table size: 10-1/8" (diameter) * table bevels 45° (2 directions) * 355 - 3,065 RPM * 12 speed model * 80.5 lbs. * benchtop model * laser light (x-pattern) * LED worklight * Digital readout * 360° swivel head * depth stop * 1 yr. warranty | $$ | (90+ Ratings)  4.0/5 |
 | ZJ5116B | * 6.5 amps * 3/4 HP * 5/8" chuck * spindle travel: 3.23" * 15" swing * table size: 11-3/8" (diameter) * table bevels 45° (2 directions) * 240 - 3,470 RPM * 16 speed model * 130 lbs. * stationary/floor model * laser light (x-pattern) * LED worklight * 360° swivel head * depth stop * 1 yr. warranty | $$$ | (35+ Ratings) 4.0/5 |
 | 2J5125 | * 13 amps * 1.5 HP * 5/8" chuck * spindle travel: 4.72" * 17" swing * table size: 13-3/4" x 13-3/4" * table bevels 45° (2 directions) * 240 - 3,020 RPM * 12 speed model * 216 lbs. * stationary/floor model * laser light (x-pattern) * LED worklight * 360° swivel head * depth stop * 1 yr. warranty | $$$$ | (10+ Ratings) 3.5/5 |
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$100 - $124
$125 - $210
$211 - $349
$350 - $450
$451 and up
1. The Craftsman ZJ4113Z - Craftsman's 10" Drill Press...
The Craftsman ZJ4113Z (Craftsmans' 10" drill press) is their smallest and most affordable drill press with adequate amounts of power for most woods and some metal materials. It is around $200 (at the time) but was a little difficult to find and it used to retail for around $120 but demnd is high and supply is low.
Amazon did sell the ZJ4113Z (but only through 3rd party sellers) and Sears did not have the ZJ4113Z available when I looked, so not sure if they are making them anymore or if they are just out of stock. I will update the info (as it comes in) as needed.
The ZJ4113Z is better for smaller projects and really is a better overall choice for DIYers and homeowners that want a drill press in their shop but won't use it all the time so they won't need the demand for one of Craftsman's larger drill presses (15" or 17" model).
PROS
CONS
160+ Total Reviews:
45+ Reviews:
123+ Reviews:
2. The Craftsman ZJQ4116D - A 12" Model You Might Like:
The 12" drill press by Craftsman (ZJQ4116D) was anupgraded model of the 10" model (ZJ4113Z) I looked at and had a little stronger motor that produced the same amount of HP but used sligthly more amperage than the 10" drill press.
The ZJQ4116D had a few more features than the 10" Craftsman drill press which was an integrated worklight, a 360° swiveling head, 5/8" chuck, (instead of a 1/2") a larger swing capacity and 12 different speeds (compared to 5).
All in all the Craftsman ZJQ4116D is an upgrade to the 10" model but finding one is very hard and out of all of the different places I looked online (Amazon, Ebay, Sears, Kmart, etc.) I could not find ONE SINGLE place that sold one of these.
PROS
CONS
90+ Total Reviews:
5+ Reviews:
88+ Reviews:
3. The Craftsman ZJ5116B - A 15" Drill Press From Craftsman
As we move up the line to Craftsman's 15" drill press, (the ZJ5116B) we are getting away from the benchtop models and moving into a stationary (floor) drill press which is much heavier but has much more functionality and power as well.
The ZJ5116B comes with a 3/4 HP motor and is a huge upgrade to the 1/2 HP motor that comes with the 10" and 12" Craftsman drill presses. The ZJ5116B also has a longer spindle travel length (nearly 3-1/4") compared to the two other models.
I was able to find one of these (ZJ5116B) drill presses on Amazon but other than that, nothing! This is a huge problem with Craftsman drill presses (in general) and I would assume that they are no longer being made so you will have to either buy a used one or keep searching and maybe find one, eventually!
PROS
CONS
35+ Total Reviews:
36+ Reviews:
4. The Craftsman ZJ5125- A Large (17") Drill Press...
The last model I wanted to look at was Craftsman's largest drill press, the 17" (ZJ5125) and it was available a couple of different places online, which makes it much more appealing over the other models!
This was the most expensive model and came in at around $450 (at the time). Kmart and Sears were the two main places that were selling the ZJ5125, which makes sense, since Craftsman is a Sears brand and Kmart owns Sears.
The ZJ5125 is the most powerful and most feature-rich drill press that Craftsman makes and has the greatest spindle travel, the largest swing and the most powerful motor. This thing is a monster too (weighing more than 200 lbs.) so move it once and call it good!
PROS
CONS
10+ Total Reviews:
11+ Reviews:
