Shop Talk

Dewalt DWE1622K Magnetic Drill Press Review

Posted by Mallory Kramer on February 5, 2015

The Dewalt DWE1622K – a Magnetic Drill Press to Impress

 

DWE1622K_1Much like a stationary drill press, a magnetic drill press is an indispensable industrial tool. Unlike a stationary drill press, though, a mag drill press is portable. Yep; it offers all the high-performance cutting capabilities of a stationary machine in a compact and portable package. Designed for use with metals, the base in a magnetic drill press is, well, magnetic. This means the tool will essentially suction itself to your working material (assuming its ferrous metal) allowing you to produce cuts that are super clean and super accurate.

Most metals are pretty hard and, as such, most metals require a heavy-duty machine to cut them. With a drill press, and especially with a magnetic drill press, you have improved control over the placement and feed-rate of each cut. And because you have the big power and pin-point accuracy of a machine, even your big bits won’t skate haphazardly across the material. The result will simply be fast, precise cuts into any variety of metals.

 

DWE1622K_A2The Dewalt DWE1622K magnetic drill press offers these benefits and then some delivering 10-amps of power and two speed settings (at 300-rpm for larger diameter cuts, and 450-rpm for smaller diameter cuts or for twist bits). The thing cruises through a variety of materials and applications delivering terrific accuracy throughout even the toughest cuts. The drill also offers 4-inches of drill travel – a huge cutting capacity equip to manage some of the most difficult applications. Because the DWE1662K boasts so much power and capacity, it also includes overload protection – an electronic feature that will shut-off the tool when the motor gets too hot. While this may sound like a drag,it’s kind-of a life-saver. An LED light will alert you when the tool is overloading. If you don’t adjust your usage of the drill, the tool will shut-off but, more than losing production time, you’re actually gaining longer tool-life and better overall performance from both the tool and your accessories. So, yes, the tool will shut-off when it’s being overworked, but, in the long run, this will protect the motor from permanent or premature damage.

When you need it, the drill’s coolant bottle (which will dispense cutting fluid with the depression of a pilot pin) is also magnetic allowing you to attach the bottle to the drill itself or to multiple work surfaces. This keeps the coolant where you need it, and gives you more control over the tool’s orientation. For an even greater range of tool placement or comfortable tool use, the feed handle can easily be used on and moved to either side of the drill press – just punch the quick release button in the center of the handle, and you can remove it lickety-split. Motor height adjustment provides a greater range of accessory compatibility, and with a quick-change chuck system, you can easy (and tool-less-ly) alternate between the 3/4-inch Wheldon Shank and the included 1/2-inch keyed chuck.

The DWE1622K has a 2-inch annular cutter capacity, a 13/16-inch twist bit capacity, quick access to brushes, and weighs just 35-pounds. It also includes a hard kit-box molded to securely hold the drill and your accessories. Altogether, the mag drill press offers versatility and power enough to ensure you can best just about any project you’ll face. Even thick, hard metals can’t beat this drill. Dewalt has also designed the tool to be quite user friendly, so you’ll be able to master and maneuver the tool confidently and comfortably. Simply flip a switch, and that magnetic base will clamp itself to your material and punch-out some super fast, super accurate drilling.

Comments