I purchased a Nova Voyager drill press at the end of last year, as it looked like the perfect woodworking and metalworking tool for my needs. It seemed like it would be the last drill press I would ever need. It has a large table, great for working on wood, but also low speeds, great for working on metal.
A big issue with one of the parts (I’m frustrated but they said they’d handle it) had me on the Nova website today, where I learned that there’s a new model heading down the pipeline.
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Nova is coming out with the Vulcan, a new metalworking-focused drill press that they say offers hybrid milling machine features.
At first glance, the Nova Vulcan is very similar to the Voyager. There are some obvious differences, such as the design of the table, with X-shaped T-slot configuration and a coolant tray.
The Nova Vulcan features a combination 3MT spindle and ER32 collet system, allowing you to use a conventional drill chuck or collets for holding end mills.
Yes, you are meant to use this drill press with end mills.
Nova says this about the Vulcan:
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The NOVA Vulcan is designed to handle all of the normal metal working and multi material drilling tasks but can also mill parts as needed.
*Additional accessory compound table is required.
The Nova Vulcan drill press is said to be able to handle the sideways forces that are created from milling operations. Traditional drill presses cannot handle these forces very well, which is why conventional and collective wisdom says that you cannot do any milling on a drill.
Nova says that the Vulcan drill press combines the best of both worlds.
Its coolant tray comes with a drainage tube. From the looks of it, you might also be able to rotate the table to an angle.
Features and Specifications
- 50-5500 RPM (Default range is 50-3000)
- No belts
- 3MT and ER32 combination spindle
- 5/8″ drill chuck
- Tapping assist function
- Electronic brake
- Load readout
- Power spindle hold
- Dill breakthrough control
- Speed dial
- Forward/reverse
- 6″ of quill travel
- Adjustable mechanical stop with digital readout
- 1.75HP motor (115V), 2HP if wired for 220V
Price: $1850 + $200 freight
ETA: 2018
Early adopters can get a 20% “engineering sample” discount, while supplies last.
More Info(via Nova)
First Thoughts
Part of me is thinking: But I just bought my Voyager, and haven’t even used it much due to defective rack issue! If I waited a little longer…
But the other part of me thinks that I’d be better off spending the price difference on a good benchtop mill.
Nova hasn’t shown off photos of the full machine yet, but I would guess it has the same drill press base as the Voyager. Will the machine be steady enough for milling operations?
You have to add a cross-slide vise for milling operations. What about a good cross-slide table for adding your own vise and accessories?
The digital readouts in vertical direction are going to be helpful. But what about fine control? Can the quill allow for very small steps?
If you’re looking for a metalworking machine, it’ll be better to have the milling capability than not. But I’m a little skeptical about how practical or useful the milling functionality will really be.
I have a very small mill (Taig), and in addition to itching for a CNC router, I have been researching benchtop mills for quite some time.
I do think that this will be very competitive with combination tools sold as mill-drills. But compared to real milling machines, I think that customers are going to have to be even more diligent than usual, in evaluating how well the tool will fit their needs.
This is a major step up from conventional drill presses that have heavy drilling capabilities but can’t mill. It also has a considerable advantage on a milling machine or mill drill that can handle milling but doesn’t have the flexibility or ease of use for everyday drilling projects. The Vulcan combines the best of both worlds in a cost effective, hybrid, one-machine solution.
I am very optimistic that this will be a solid metalworking-focused drill press. A one-machine solution? I’m not sold on this.
It remains unclear as to whether the software will offer the same settings and guidance as the Voyager, should users want to use the Vulcan on wood or plastic materials. They do say it can handle wood, metal, plastic, and glass, but there aren’t many details about how the software differs from that of the Voyager. There’s a photo of the control panel, showing “advance modes” that include pilot hole, tapping mode, and power spindle hold settings.
David
While it’s an entire different world, used Bridgeports in decent condition run around this price in my area pretty consistently, and some even have DROs. I’d be hard pressed as a hobbyist to go with the Nova in comparison if I really wanted milling functionality. As “free” features on a nice metal-centric drill press, it may be a different story for a pro?
fred
Lots of folks are afraid of buying used machinery. My professional experience has been mixed – but the Walker Turner radial arm drill press that has been in my home shop for 41 years (come this summer) and was 30 years old when I bought it – is a testament to how well American machine tools were once built. Having 7 inches of quill travel doesn’t hurt either. But it too is not up to milling tasks.
Stuart
Speaking personally, it wasn’t easy for me to justify the space for a floor-standing drill press. But once the kinks are worked out, it’s something I plan to use at least weekly, even daily for some projects.
While I’ve been considering a 2’x2′ CNC router, you can disassemble and move such a machine. A Bridgeport becomes a permanent fixture.
Charles
Bridgeport knee mills disassemble to be moved and set up by 2 men or 1 man with tools (think hand truck/ cherry picker). Another feature of Bridgeport is parts are widely available which sounds like a problem with the still in production Nova.
Nathan
for the hobbyist I see the appeal. I barely have the space for a drill press but a drill press that can mill albeit lightly moves up a notch in capabilities.
I’d have to see it in operation though.
Bolt
I don’t know how well it’ll work but I bet they’ll sell a ton. It’s seems like just enough added features and not a huge jump in price to lure in some people on the fence about getting the regular nova drill press.
Bolt
Or not. I’m way to partial to combination machines to really access this stuff like a normal person. My dream shop is a Felder 5 in 1 and as many ShopSmiths as I can possibly have.
Tool Of The Trade
All full size drill presses have the capability to mill as long as you have a good chuck(Jacob’s ball bearing superchuck 16N), rpm adjustability, a decent x y axis vise, and an adjustable table. Bolt the press to the floor. Bench mount press is probably too weak to do it. I’ve got an old cast iron duracraft that was made before I was and I mill with it all the time. Make sure you knock your chuck in real good though. I’ve used my drill press to machine my rotors when they needed it with my custom made brake rotor drill press adapter. It’s all about the chuck.
Brian K
I don’t know how close they match up, but you can buy a mill/drill from grizzly which includes a dro and has the cross slide tables as part of it’s design for 2100 including freight. That also seems to be on the nicer end of what they offer. This thing for 2050 still doesn’t have a cross slide table, nor the dro.
I’m not seeing the appeal here.
Jim Felt
I love the concept of the continuously variable speed motor and the digital readout but…
The company has no track record of warranty service repair stations that I could find and just how long will it take for all the other drill press manufacturers (aka importers) to convert to the same motor tech?
Soon I’ll bet.
So I’m going to wait. Though I hate changing speeds “manually”…
Joe Smith
A good chunk of change for a drill press. I think I would start looking into actual mills for that kind of money.
tim Rowledge
A round column means you will lose alignment any time you need to raise or lower the table. This will drive you mad very quickly. DAMHIKT.
Donny
I would call this a drill press with collet system rather than one with milling features. This is no mill. If you need a mill get a mill, imo.
kent
That’s going to be a hard sell. Over $2,000 (plus possible sales tax), plus a good XY table.
Also, I’m really not sold on a MT with side loads. I’d have to see it to believe it.
John
I don’t think it’s really honest to call this a mill. Better bearings is good and all but there is zero rigidity to the table and column. Compare the amount of steel to a small knee mill (which is the absolute minimum to be able to maintain any kind of tolerance).
John
Ticks most of my boxes but the price is way to much for me!
John Blair
You can always combines the two desires. Mill and CNC.
http://www.kronosrobotics.com/krmc01
The mill is $900.
The CNC conversion kit is $655.
You then need steppers and controller: $549 (assuming you don’t have any laying around).
Then you can actually not only Mill metal, but use the CNC to control it all.
Since I already have a desktop CNC machine with the 4 axis kit from CNC routerparts, I have thought long and hard about just buying the mill and conversion kit. $1555 doesn’t sound so bad.
Steve Johnson
Over my nearly 40 years programming/running CNC’s, I’ve had few experiences milling with morse tapered tools and have failed nearly 100% of the time. In each case, I had problems with tools falling out. The failure rate was so high, I chose not to try it anymore. Unless they have a different spindle nose for collets, I would hesitate to use this machine for milling.