Shopping for an affordable drill press can leave you feeling as though you keep beating your head against the wall. You can choose a drill press loaded with features for a high price or go with a budget tool and lose some of the features that you want. Thanks to WEN and the 4208 Drill Press, you now get solid features at a low price.
This drill press has onboard storage for keys, a 120V motor and an eight-inch swing. You can choose from five speeds and use the locking stop when drilling. Check out all the other features of the 4208 drill press in our review.
In a Rush?
WEN 4208
Contents
Best Features of WEN 4208
Beveling table
The top feature of the WEN 4208 Drill Press is the beveling table, which lets you make precise holes when drilling through wood. This worktable adjusts to the right and left at a 45-degree angle.
Five-speed operation
With the five-speed operations, you can pick from five speeds based on how quickly you want to cut. It has an rpm range of 740 to 3,140 and has designated stops in between those measurements. Once you set the speed, the drill press will maintain it until you turn it off.
Iron base
Another nice feature is the cast iron base that gives the drill press some stability. While a few customers had problems with this base, most found that it worked well. It sits on any surface and absorbs the vibrations from the motor.
Ease of Use and Reliability
One thing we wanted to note about the WEN 4208 is that it doesn't include the extensions that the tables on other WEN drill presses do. It comes with a 6.5-inch by 6.5-inch table that might be too small for your needs. Some found that it developed rust after a few months or that the base was crooked, which made it hard to use.
This isn't quite as easy to use as other top WEN models because it lacks a digital readout or display. You need to manually adjust the speed and other settings via the markings, knobs and levers on the sides of the tool. Those markings make it easy to use the depth adjustment feature though.
Cost
Drill presses do not always cost as much as you might think. While we found some priced at $300, $500 and even higher, WEN sells the 4208 model for less than $100. You won't find any other drill presses with as many features in the same price range as most cost $100 or more.
Who is This For?
The WEN 4208 Drill Press is best for those who do simple woodworking projects at home and don't want to spend hundreds of dollars. If you need one that can make circular cuts and punches with a diameter of up to 10 inches or more, it won't work for you because it has an eight-inch diameter. As it features a 1/2-horsepower motor, it may lack some of the power that you need, especially if your projects use hardwood.
We highly recommend this drill press for those who never used one before because it introduces you to all the things that you can do with a drill press. You can see how it functions and learn what features are the most important to you. This can help you decide whether to stick with a cheaper drill press or go with one that costs more.
Is it Worth your Money?
With a two-inch stroke and eight-inch swing, the WEN 4208 Drill Press can make a circular cut with a diameter of up to eight inches through a two-inch-thick board in seconds. You do not need to adjust the press or make any changes to the drill to reach that depth and diameter. It easily adjusts to work with boards of different sizes or at a different diameter.
Thanks to the beveling worktable, you can adjust the angle up to 45 degrees in either direction. It also features a cast iron table that makes this drill press worth the money as it reduces the vibrations of the drill.
Specifications
- Eight-inch swing
- Two-inch spindle travel
- RPM range of 740 to 3,140
- 2.3-amps
- 23-1/8-inch tall
- 6.5-inch by 6.5-inch table
- Onboard key storage
- 120V, 1/3-horsepower motor
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Compatible with 1/2-inch drill bits to extend its use
- Adjusts to run at five different speeds
- Onboard storage keeps you from losing the key
- Low price tag makes it affordable for all shoppers
- Works on all boards of up to two-inches thick
Cons
- Some drill presses come with a crooked base that won't sit smoothly
- It works better on wood than metal
- You might notice that some parts rust when exposed to moisture
- No extensions to the worktable
Final Verdict
We review hundreds of woodworking and power tools every year and know exactly what our readers need from those tools. When creating this WEN 4208 review, we looked closely at the product and how it works to make sure that we could create a valid review that included all the pros and cons. You should find that information helpful as you look for a new drill press.
Some of the top features of the WEN 4208 include the induction motor and cast iron base. It also features onboard storage and a depth adjustment gauge. The WEN 4208 Drill Press is a good option for DIY enthusiasts on a budget.
