cutting holes

[Christopher List]

As someone who's built a bunch of funiture, many electronics doodads, and a car 
(back in college when I had lots of time). I consider tools to be the best way 
a mechanically inclined fellow can spend his money. They last a very long time, 
make a "job" much less painful, and never go out of style. With that in mind I 
went down to Home Depot when I started my modular project and dropped $175 on a 
16" table-top drill press. I was a little nervous about the fact that it was 
"Made in China", it also takes up quite a bit of space (that's the only reason 
I didn't get the fullsized model :), but the thing KICKS ASS. I do all my stuff 
with 1/8" aluminum and I've tried drilling holes with a nice hand-held power 
drill and there is no comparison. It goes through it with any size drill bit 
like butter. I LOOK FORWARD to using it, it's fun! I can be very delicate and 
get the center in just the right spot. 

I don't have any non-round holes so that's not an issue. 

If you like tools, and know you'll use them in the future for stuff other than 
just modular building, I think this is the best way to spend your money. Of 
course I have a space to use it "out in the country", if all I had was my 
apartment in the city I'd be in trouble!

- Chris