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JET JDP-17DX 17” Floor Drill Press
The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press was designed
specifically with the wood worker in mind. It provides
the high-end features and durability you need in the
shop at a budget-saving price. JET’s legendary
innovation and durability mean the JET JDP-17DX
Drill Press will serve your needs with precision for
many years to come.
Construction
The JET JDP-17DX Drill
The JET JDP-17DX was designed with
the wood worker in mind.
Press powerhead is built
around a tough iron casting
that has been precision
machined and fitted with quality components. Even the 12-1/2”
by 19-5/8” base is made from heavy-duty cast iron for stability
Even the base is heavy cast
iron for stability. It has pre-
formed holes and bosses for
securing it to the floor.
and durability. The base is machined flat and features standard
slots for attaching clamps, vises and tools. Holes surrounded by
bosses are cast into the base for securing it to a suitable floor.
The 3-1/8” column is made from high quality steel for maximum strength and precisely
ground to insure concentricity. That allows the worktable to move smoothly throughout
its range of motion.
Power and Drive
The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press comes with a powerful
3/4HP, 115V (only) TEFC (totally enclosed fan cooled)
motor. It is important to note that all JET motors are
rated using a continuous duty cycle rather than the
“peak” or “max developed” figures so many others still
use. A continuous duty cycle accurately depicts the
amount of power available during use, not just in spikes
or short bursts.
The motor is mounted at the rear of the powerhead and
incorporates an easy to use, tool free belt tensioning
The powerful 3/4HP motor is mounted
on an easy to use belt tensioning
system. The locks and tensioning
handle are easily accessible.
system. This system makes changing spindle speeds fast
and easy. An industrial style push button switch set is mounted on the front of the head
where it is within easy reach.
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Power from the motor is delivered through a Poly-V belt running on high-precision
multi-groove pulleys. The Poly-V belt is known for smooth, slip-free operation as well as
very low heat generation. We also use a Poly-V belt to transfer power between the
spindle and idler pulleys.
Spindle Speeds
The JET JDP-17DX
Drill Press has 16
spindle speeds from 230
RPM to 3,630 RPM!
This extensive range of
spindle speeds is more
The multi-=step pulleys (left) generate the wide speed range. Note the chart on the
cover that clearly shows the configurations and speeds. Power is transmitted
through a Poly-V belt (right) and precision pulleys for smooth, slip-free operation.
often found on high
priced machines but
gives the JET JDP17DX Drill Press
maximum compatibility with drill bits and materials.
This large range of speeds is generated by a set of three stepped pulleys, each with four
positions. Moving the Poly-V belt among the positions in various combinations produces
the various speeds. A flip-open top provides complete access to the pulleys. A large label
within the cover has graphics showing all 16 spindle speeds and the belt positions that
generate each of them.
Powerhead Features
At the heart of any drill press is the spindle. The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press is equipped
with a massive, 2”-diameter spindle that offers exceptional stability. The spindle has a
full 4 3/8” of travel to handle deep
drilling operations with ease.
Swing capacity at the spindle is 161/2”! A tool free depth stop
functions anywhere in the spindle
travel to make repetitive drilling
jobs easy and very accurate. This
system allows stopping the spindle
at any height or holding it at any
depth. The spindle runs in highquality, permanently lubricated ball
bearings to insure smooth running
and a long life.
The large diameter downfeed handle (left) make operating easy.
The handles can be mounted in a second hub on the left side of the
powerhead (right) just behind the easy-to-use depth stop system
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The spindle is operated with a
large diameter, three spoke
downfeed hub. Each downfeed
handle has a comfortable, sliplimiting rubber grip. To
accommodate left-handed users or
to ease operation with odd-shaped
jobs, the downfeed handles can be
The high-quality, 5/8” capacity chuck (left) is standard equipment!
The recessed work light (right) illuminates the table without getting
in the way of large work pieces.
quickly installed in identical hubs
on the left or right of the
powerhead!
The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press
spindle has a #2 Morse taper that
accepts the included arbor and 5/8”-capacity chuck and chuck key. This is a very
common taper size that will accept many drill press accessories. A release key (drift key)
for removing tooling from the Morse taper is included.
A recessed socket under the powerhead accepts a standard (60W max) light bulb. The
bulb is recessed within the lower portion of the powerhead so can illuminate the work
area yet not get in the way of large work pieces. The work light has its own switch on the
front of the powerhead so it can be turned on or off when needed.
Laser Crosshair
The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press features a laser
crosshair system that makes hitting ultra-precise
drilling locations simple. This laser system is
AC powered through the on-board 115V wiring
and has its own switch so it can be turned on
only when needed.
The individual laser emitters are positioned so
that they are easy to reach should alignment be
required. The instruction manual describes the
simple to follow alignment procedure fully.
The laser crosshair has its own On/Off switch, is
fully adjustable and makes hitting precise layout
points very easy.
This highly visible laser crosshair makes setting
up to drill one or a hundred holes fast and very accurate. For repetitive jobs you can turn
the lasers on to set up a fixture and then turn them off to drill the pieces.
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Innovative Table
The JET JDP-17DX
Drill Press has an
oversized 18-1/2”-wide
by 14-1/2”-deep cast
iron table. The table has
a special flat contour
along the edges that
The generous cast iron table (left) has a replaceable center and X-shaped grooves
that make securing work pieces easy. The flat edges of the table (right) make
using common clamps to secure work pieces fast and secure.
makes clamping work
pieces to it easy and
safe. The table surface
has X-shaped slots that
make clamping oddshaped work pieces securely safe and easy. The center of the table has a replaceable 211/16”-square (3/16”-thick) insert. This sacrificial insert makes drilling splinter-free
through holes much easier. The insert can be removed entirely for using through-the-table
devices like small-diameter sanding sleeves.
The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press table also has a pair of slots (front to back) that are
shaped to accept common T-bolts. These slots make it easy for you to build and secure
specialty jigs or fixtures to expand your capabilities.
The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press table tilts to 45-degrees left or right and can be locked at
any angle. A special locking pin insures that the table has
been returned to flat, or 90-degrees to the spindle. The table
can also be swung around the support column for offset
drilling or to clear the way for long pieces that are clamped
at the base.
The table moves up and down with a rugged rack and
pinion gear system, operated by a large handle at the
column. An effective locking handle secures the table at any
height an easy one-handed job. The movement range of the
The dual grooves in the table
accept common T-bolts for
securing your jigs and fixtures.
table gives the JET JDP-17DX Drill Press a maximum spindle-to-table range of 0” to 291/8”. Move the table out of the way and the spindle to base capacity is 49”!
The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press is loaded with user-friendly features, shop-friendly
capacities and long-term durability. The JET JDP-17DX Drill Press also represents the
budget-friendly value you expect from JET.
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