| Review by gizmodyne | posted 219 days ago | 1137 views | 0 times favorited | 27 comments | ![]() |
- Ridgid DP1550 Drill Press
- Brand: Ridgid | Category: Drill Presses

Why this press
1. Decent reviews.
2. Decent price
3. COUPON!
The day I bought it
11:30 a.m. In the tool section.
“Joe”: Can I help you?
Me: I am going to buy this drill press. Can you get it down?
“Joe: No problem. It will be waiting in aisle 6.
Me (impressed): Thanks
12:15 p.m. After shopping.
Me: Hi, where’s the drill press?
“Joe” : uh, I’m waiting for the lift
other worker: Let’s just use the stairs and carry it down.
“Joe” (shaking tool): Dude it weighs about 500 pounds (actual weight 140 or so).
12:45: After more waiting
“Joe”: you have to go pay and then I can order it down.
1:00 At register with receipt
“Joe” : They can’t get it for an hour
Me: (thinking wtf!)
“Joe” I’ll put it on hold and you come back.
Me: Do you give me a receipt?
Joe: No, I’ll remember you.
Me: I think I need a receipt. How will I prove I get to take the $300 tool.
“Joe”: It’s me. Joe. I’ll be here.
Me: I need it in writing.
Joe: We don’t do that.
Me: I need it. Can I talk to your manager?
Joe: (Disappears for a minute and then reappears with a scrap of yellow paper): Here you go.
Crumpled Yellow Scrap Paper:
John paid for his drill press.
Signed,
Joe # 25
Tool Dept.
I’m thinking, whatever. So I load my car with the other junk I bought and go back to Customer Service and show them the yellow scrap paper with “Joe’s” writing on it. He had lied about everything. I had to wait about another 20 minutes during which they apologized 20 times.
I’m pretty mellow but I was pissed.
1:40 Near the door
So finally here comes “Joe” rolling my drill press.
He and I walked in very uncomfortable silence to my car. Loaded the car in silence.
In the end all “Joe” could say was “Watch the curves.”
Grrrrrr.
Actual Review
Well…. it drills holes. I never had to test runout or anything. It just does what I want it to do.
I debated the speed changing thing. Some variable speed drill presses have a dial, this one requires you to change belts (see the picture above). When you lift the lid, there is a little chart that matches speed with bit size and material. It takes about 10 or 20 seconds since there is a quick release tension handle. It is not a big deal. The dial machines tend to be much more expensive.
Nice features:
Floor tool (doesn’t take up bench space)
Portable (I put casters on it and it rolls nicely)
Power is fine (1/2 hp has never bogged down in quartersawn oak)
7 1/2 inches to center for drilling 15” centers.
Light! <Love this.
Price $299 U.S. at Home Depot (ask for Joe)
Stars
3 . It does the job. It is adequate. Nothing special. Reliable so far.
-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne
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27 comments so far
RobS
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1073 posts in 749 days
posted 219 days ago
Grrrr Joe!! Grrrreat review!
-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX
Karson
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12617 posts in 843 days
posted 219 days ago
Which store is Joe at. So I can go to a different one and get a different Joe.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
gizmodyne
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1476 posts in 532 days
posted 219 days ago
Burbank, CA
-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne
GaryK
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8401 posts in 430 days
posted 219 days ago
Sounds like Joe had a little drain bamage.
-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.
gizmodyne
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1476 posts in 532 days
posted 219 days ago
Actually, Employee of the year.
-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne
dalec
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452 posts in 331 days
posted 219 days ago
It’s a wonder that they are able to sell anything, other than they have can offer tools at an attractive price and in some locations are the only game in town.
I suppose another way at looking at it, if you order a tool over the internet, you may end up waiting a week or more rather than an uncomfortable two hours it took Joe to get the drill press down for John.
Dalec
Dorje
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1736 posts in 439 days
posted 219 days ago
Fun review – can you turn this episode into a comic?
-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA
scottb
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2855 posts in 769 days
posted 219 days ago
was so much easier when we could just grab the ladder and help ourselves.
Our Big Boxes seem so overstaffed and it’s a hunt to find the people who can actually help you…. Which does happen once in a while. Usually I end up knowing more about what I’m looking for than whoever happens by.
There are 3 Big Orange Boxes nearby (and a couple others that are an hour round trip or less (Not counting time in the store!) and they all are so different inside. (Not to mention the Blue Box a mile away from the Orange one (just got a second one!), one can find certain items in electrical or plumbing, but never both. So frustrating to have to be a frequent patron of a store so we can keep tabs on their layout, which is faster than finding our Joe (who needs someone else to point us to the watchamacallit.)
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Vincent Van Gogh
EPJ
home | projects | blog
4 posts in 230 days
posted 219 days ago
My Home Depot has many too many Joe’s, I go elsewhere if at all possible….....
-- EPJ,Calif
rikkor
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7093 posts in 317 days
posted 219 days ago
The nearest HD to me is actually pretty good. I have suffered none of this type of horror story. I still don’t go there all that often, however.
-- Maplewood, MN
mrtrim
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1511 posts in 322 days
posted 219 days ago
typical corporate mentality, joe dosent care if h d likes him or not , he can go right across the street and get as good or maybe better job at macdonalds . you want fries with that ??
-- if you aint the lead dog the scenery never changes
MsDebbieP
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11553 posts in 603 days
posted 219 days ago
at our Rona store (Canadian Big Box store) we’ve been very fortunate to have received help (quickly) and with good advice! Wow.. they actual hire people who know what they are talking about. I’ll keep my eyes open for “Joe” though.
Overall.. a good review.. it does what it is supposed to do. Do we really need more than that????
And it’s a Ridgid, so the warranty is good!
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
gizmodyne
home | projects | blog
1476 posts in 532 days
posted 218 days ago
Home Depot is really hit and miss with customer service. I try to go to the local hardware store as much as possible.
-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne
SPalm
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702 posts in 324 days
posted 218 days ago
Good story, good purchase, good for you. (Good my name isn’t Joe)
-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon
Douglas Bordner
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2446 posts in 506 days
posted 218 days ago
Dude, I’m surprised you can roll it on casters. I mean it weighs, like 500 pounds!
I second the comix idea… “Gizmodyne is assimilated by the BORG (resistance is futile).
-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.
ffhair
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4 posts in 216 days
posted 216 days ago
I’ve been to that store…
-- Oops
grovemadman
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541 posts in 214 days
posted 195 days ago
Most workers at home depot are worthless! Know what you want when you go there and be prepared to serve yourself! It wasn’t always that way, but they don’t want to pay the good help a decent wage to stay on board. I have a friend who worked for Hoe Depot. I have another friend who works for Lowes, he told me that Lowes hires all the good guys from Home Depot.
-- --Chuck
TroutGuy
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65 posts in 154 days
posted 147 days ago
I have this drill press too. No complaints so far…
I avoid HD like the plague. Within a year of HD’s arrival nearby, the local (very good) hardware store went out of business. :(
-- There is nothing in the world more dangerous, than a woodworker who knows how to read a micrometer...
gizmodyne
home | projects | blog
1476 posts in 532 days
posted 112 days ago
Yeah. HD . grrrrr.
I finally got to watch something fall off of the top shelf when they were working the lifter. Three large metal gun safes came crashing down. None of the employees looked too alarmed. Guess it happens often.
-- -John "Do I have to keep typing a smiley? Just assume it's a joke." www.flickr.com/photos/gizmodyne
WayneC
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5689 posts in 539 days
posted 65 days ago
I’ve had a number of similar experiences over the years. Last time I went in all registers were closed, the self-service line was open but two of the scanning stations were down and there was a line of about 15 people. Standing within 30 feet were 3 cashiers having a nice conversation. Almsot left my items and walked out.
On the other side of the coin. I also have this drill press and it has worked well for me. It gets a lot of use and performs quite well.
-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov
Bob #2
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1799 posts in 464 days
posted 65 days ago
Joe’s brother works at one of our Home Depots.
His name iis Bruce.
If you have to ask Bruce a question he usually answers the phone in front of you and waves you away witih his free hand.
Now I just go to the store and phone him.
Bob
-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner
Tim_456
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7 posts in 38 days
posted 37 days ago
Unfortunatly people want things cheap which means unskilled labor and commodity sized orders. If you want an expert in every department that can actually give you good advice you’d be paying much more for each item. The local hardware store with the expert that sells one high priced tool a week or month cannot compete.
TedM
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1148 posts in 175 days
posted 37 days ago
You have the patience of a saint! I would have been long gone!
-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com
PurpLev
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262 posts in 91 days
posted 37 days ago
All HD are the same – their Aisles are organized the same, and they all have a dedicated “Joe” ... makes you feel “at home” everytime you go there – no matter which HD..
I did have some good experiences at some HD though… not too many, and not too many times.
and I agree- a Floor standing Drill press is much nicer than a benchtop one, both for work-space savings, and for mobility purposes (if you have casters)
-- My Drinking Club has a Woodworking Problem...
Quixote
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77 posts in 80 days
posted 37 days ago
Before Star Trek introduced us to the Borg…
Star Wars had Clone Wars.
This is where Home Despot, Loads, and Wally World started their box mentality.
Beware, Joe is a clone…
Q
-- I don't make sawdust...I produce vast quantities of "Micro Mulch."
gusthehonky
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57 posts in 184 days
posted 37 days ago
Very frustrating indeed. Even worse when these incidents cause delays, push deadlines, delay other work crews, or exceed daylight or curfew regulations. Sadly I see no alternatives, small independent tool and repair shops now only seem to offer or stock high end or specialty tools which exceed budgets for those who pursue woodworking for personal enjoyment or a hobby and are not intended or designed for the needs of the average GC. Industrial, specialty, or top of the line is now their role, to compete with a big box is an extremely risky game that most small owners even consider. Lumberyards and independent supply shops face similar situations, either high end or designer brands for suppliers, specialty, trim and exotic rather than construction grade is now the role of many lumberyards. Granted there are still a shrinking number of small, family or independent suppliers who continue to prosper and excel against the giants of industrial supply and a the big boxes. These owners and their employees cater to and value the core group of regular and loyal customers who will gladly pay an extra couple of price points to support the independent shops and value the personal service provided by them. Maybe things are different in other regions, but this seems to be the trend in my corner of Southern New England, based on my experiences and observations(I could be totally wrong and misinformed, no survey or science involved, only opinion). Bottom line pricing and excessive abuse of return policies will only promote the growth of these BORGS. Just my $0.02.
-- Ciao, gth.
CoolDavion
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94 posts in 267 days
posted 37 days ago
Personaly I would not have waited that long. I would have found a manager alot sooner.