General

General International’s 14" benchtop was a tall, smooth operator in testing. It showed excellent fit and finish in its castings and milling and has a silky feed action. The round table was slightly cupped in the center but locked solidly; so did the support arm to the machine’s rack-and-pinion column. It's quite quiet, considering the size of the motor.

General 75-030 Drill Press Technical Specs

  • HP/Amps: 1/2; 8
  • Speed Range (RPM): 280-3000
  • Table Size: 11-3⁄8" Dia.
  • Spindle Travel: 3-1⁄8"; Chuck: 5/8"
  • Weight: 105 lbs.
general tools 75-030 drill Press chuck key clip

One feature of the General International 75-030 is an onboard clip for storing the chuck key, a feature the author thinks more tools should have. General provides plentiful features: a 40-watt task light socket in the head, a clip to stow the chuck key (every press should have this!), 5/8" chuck and twin lasers to help zero in on centerpoints.

Due to Canadian safety regulations, there’s a plastic guard around the chuck that flips up for bit changes. You also need to lift a hinged kill button to turn on the power. The spring-loaded chuck guard on the 75-030, provides added safety for users and is not difficult to work around.

general tools 75-030 drill Press spring loaded chuck guard

While I like the pair of tool-free collars that set drilling depth, they allowed the press to creep about 1/16" deeper over 100 holes during testing. The 75-030 drill press is a sturdy and apt performer overall.