The Ellis Drill Press Lineup: Built for Metal, Not Wood

There is a category of tools that home-shop woodworkers keep bumping into online and misreading, and Ellis drill presses are a prime example. You see “American-made, variable speed, heavy cast iron” and think you have found a bargain premium woodworking press. You have not. Ellis Manufacturing builds industrial metalworking equipment, bandsaws and drill presses, for shops that cut and tap steel. The machines are genuinely excellent at that, and genuinely wrong for high-speed woodworking. Understanding the lineup and its intent saves you from an expensive mismatch. Here is the guide.

Ellis drill presses are American-made industrial metalworking machines from Ellis Manufacturing Co., built around variable-speed motors with electronic reversing for tapping, MT3 spindles, and heavy cast-iron construction, and designed for drilling and tapping metal rather than high-speed woodworking. The lineup is led by the 9400.

Short answer: buy an Ellis drill press if you drill and tap metal and want full-torque variable speed, electronic reversing, power downfeed, and industrial build quality with American-made support. Do not buy one for woodworking, because the low top speed that makes Ellis machines great for metal makes them poor for wood. The 9400 is the flagship. Here is how the lineup and its intent break down.

What defines an Ellis drill press

Across the lineup, Ellis machines share a metalworking DNA that sets them apart from shop and woodworking presses:

• Variable-speed motors with full low-speed torque. Ellis presses dial speed across a range and, crucially, hold torque at low RPM, exactly what large bits and taps in metal need.
• Electronic reversing for tapping. The motor reverses electronically so the spindle can back a tap out of a threaded hole, no separate tapping head required.
• Power down feed. Powered downfeed for consistent, low-fatigue repetitive drilling, a production feature.
• MT3 spindles. A heavier, more capable taper than the MT2 on most shop presses.
• Heavy cast-iron construction. Substantial columns and quills, coolant provisions, and weight measured in hundreds of pounds.
• American-made with industrial-dealer support. Sold and supported through metalworking and welding-supply channels.

This is a metalworking specification from top to bottom. Nothing about it targets the high spindle speeds woodworking wants.

The 9400: the flagship

The 9400 is the Ellis drill press most buyers encounter and the anchor of the lineup. It brings a 2-HP motor (110/220V, 6.8 amps, continuous S1 duty), an infinitely variable 0-to-1,200-RPM range set by dial, electronic reversing for tapping, an MT3 spindle, a 4-inch-diameter column, a 3-inch quill, 5-3/8 inches of spindle travel, a table with a coolant trough, and a weight around 675 pounds. It drills to the center of 18-1/8 inches, 1-1/16 inch in steel and 1-1/4 inch in cast iron, and taps to 3/4 inch. Note the chuck is typically sold separately. Our full Ellis 9400 review covers it in depth.

Why the low top speed matters (and who it excludes)

The single most important thing to understand about the Ellis lineup is the speed ceiling. Ellis machines top out around 1,200 RPM. For metal drilling and tapping, that is ideal: metal wants slow speeds and high torque, and the 9400 delivers both. For woodworking, it is the wrong tool. Small twist bits in wood want high speeds, often 3,000 RPM and well beyond, for clean, efficient holes. A 1,200-RPM ceiling means slow, less-clean woodworking. This is why an Ellis is superb for a metal shop and a poor choice for a wood shop, no matter how appealing the American-made variable-speed spec looks.

Matching an Ellis to your work

Metal drilling and production tapping: The 9400. Full-torque variable speed, reversing, and power feed make it a genuine production drill-and-tap machine.

Fabrication and welding shops: Ellis fits naturally alongside its bandsaws in a metal-fab environment, sold through the same industrial channels.

Woodworking: Not an Ellis. Choose a high-speed press instead, such as an 18-inch Nova Voyager, a Powermatic PM2800B, or a JET JDP-17MF.

The honest trade-offs

Low top speed. Great for metal, disqualifying for woodworking. Know your material before buying.

Chuck sold separately. Budget for a ball-bearing MT3 keyed chuck on top of the machine.

Weight and installation. Hundreds of pounds; a permanent installation, not a machine you move casually.

Industrial sales channel. Bought through metalworking dealers (Trick-Tools, Elite Metal Tools, Penn Tool, Acme Tools) and welding suppliers, not a typical consumer retail page. Warranty is 1 year.

The verdict

The Ellis drill press lineup is a focused, excellent range of industrial metalworking machines led by the 9400, defined by full-torque variable speed, electronic reversing for tapping, power downfeed, MT3 spindles, and heavy American-made cast iron. For a metal shop or fabrication business that drills and taps steel, an Ellis is a serious, long-lasting production tool well worth its industrial price. For woodworking, it is the wrong machine, its low top speed, the very trait that makes it great for metal, makes it poor for wood. Match the tool to your material: buy Ellis for metal, and buy a high-speed press for wood.

Frequently asked questions

What is an Ellis drill press? An American-made industrial metalworking drill press from Ellis Manufacturing, built around variable-speed motors with electronic reversing for tapping, MT3 spindles, and heavy cast-iron construction. The lineup is led by the 9400.

Is an Ellis drill press good for woodworking? No. Ellis machines top out around 1,200 RPM, which is ideal for metal and tapping but too slow for efficient, clean high-speed woodworking. Woodworkers should choose a high-speed press.

What is the flagship Ellis drill press? The 9400: a 2-HP machine with a dial-set 0-to-1,200-RPM range, electronic reversing for tapping, an MT3 spindle, and a weight around 675 pounds, built for drilling and tapping metal.

Can Ellis drill presses tap threads? Yes. Electronic reversing lets the spindle back a tap out of a threaded hole, so Ellis machines tap without a separate tapping head, aided by a standard power down feed.

Where can I buy an Ellis drill press? Through industrial and metalworking dealers such as Trick-Tools, Elite Metal Tools, Penn Tool, and Acme Tools, and welding-supply outlets, rather than typical consumer retail. It carries a 1-year warranty.

Do Ellis drill presses come with a chuck? Usually not. A ball-bearing MT3 keyed chuck is typically a separate purchase, so budget for it in addition to the machine.

Why are Ellis drill presses so heavy? They are industrial metalworking machines with heavy cast-iron columns, quills, and bases for the rigidity and stability that accurate metal drilling and tapping demand, with weights in the hundreds of pounds.

References

• Ellis Manufacturing Co., drill press product line: https://www.ellissaw.com
• Trick-Tools, Ellis drill press listings and specifications: https://www.trick-tools.com
• Penn Tool Co., Ellis industrial drill presses: https://www.penntoolco.com