The WEN 4208 is a drill that has gone through many variants to be perfect as it is. The drill press is nice and compact, and most of all, it has the features that all premium drill presses have, but at an affordable price. If you are familiar with drill presses, then you know that WEN is well-known to make drill presses that are of excellent quality and are affordable. The 4208 is the perfect example of what WEN can offer best to the market.
Now, let’s find out why the 4208 is the number one drill press currently on the market.
- Includes a 1/2-inch keyed chuck and onboard key storage
- Operates at 5 different speeds: 740, 1100, 1530, 2100, 3140 RPM
- Spindle travels up to 2 inches with easy to read, locking linear depth stops for accurate and repeatable...
Power
Even though the 4208 has an excellent value for its price, you would be hard-pressed to get a drill press that offers you the most powerful motor at such a price range. However, the 1/3 HP inductive motor is more than capable of dealing with both wood and soft metals like aluminum comfortably; the drill press is rated at 2.3 amp.
Although this drill will let you work with soft metals, you will, however, not be able to work with metals that are thicker than ½ inches; and you certainly will not be able to work with hardened steel.
That said, you cannot write this off as a weak drill press since you can use this product for heavy-duty projects as long as you work with wood or soft materials; materials like plastic, aluminum, and other low-density metals are good to work with.
At the end of the day, you have to remember that this is one of the more affordable drill presses in the market, and if you are a woodworker looking for a cheap yet reliable drill press, then you will not find a product as powerful and as affordable as the 4208.
Speed
The 4208’s versatility when it comes to speed is what makes it the top contender for the best drill presses. This particular press has five different speed options, and they are 740, 1100, 1530, 2100, 3140 RPM. Each of these options was particularly thought of and put in the drill press to allow you to work with varieties of materials from soft metals to hard metals to wood.
You can easily switch to a low RPM if you are working with a high-density material, or if you are looking to have a smooth and polished finish of your project. If you choose 740 RPM, you can work with wood with no difficulty at all.
Size
When you look at affordable drill presses, there are a few things in common all of the drill presses have, and the most common amongst them is power and size. Both these features take a significant hit when looking at budget drill presses. However, the small size of the 4208 might just not be a bad thing if you carefully think about how you want your drill press to be.
The table size of the 4208 measures at 6.5x6.5 inches, which is not big if you consider premium drill presses, however, it is good enough to work with small objects. The chuck size of the press is ½ inch; this is another point for the drill press since you would expect a ¼ inch chuck size at this price range; the ½ inch size allows you to work with a wide range of applications.
Angle
The 6.5x6.5 inch table is very easy to adjust both in angle and height. The maximum angle you can tilt the table is 45 degrees to both left and right side with relative ease. The tilting angle can be fixed in place so that you can perform tasks that require specific angles with ease.
What We Like
- The worktable has multiple slots that you can use to mount different clamps or other accessories to make your work easy.
- This is a basic drill press, and it probably is the most affordable, yet most competitively priced press in the market. WEN really outdid themselves with this one.
- The five variable speed makes this drill press one of the most affordable, yet versatile devices on the market.
- The build quality of the drill press is excellent; the product has great stability and durability.
- It has a tilting table that can turn 45 degrees to both the left and right side.
- It has an easy to use depth adjustment knob.
What We Don’t Like
Like all affordable drill presses, the 4208 has an average motor that operates at 1/3 HP. This makes the press incompatible to work with high-density materials, or with metals that are more than ½ inch in depth. The drill press is certainly not something you use to work with hardened steel.
How to Change the Speed of your Drill Press
Conclusion
The WEN 4208 is one of the most user-friendly drill press you will find on the market, and you will absolutely need no guides and manuals to work with this thing, it is easy to set up and is usable in the tightest of places. The superior build, affordable price, and versatility make the drill press on of the most competitive and frequently purchased drill press in the market.
The drill press well deserves its spot at the top of this list because of what it can offer at such an affordable price; it is true that there are better and more powerful drill presses in the market; however, none can provide you with the value for money this drill press can, not even the ever-famous Craftsman 8” drill press.
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