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Used Radial & Pillar Drills for Sale in Ireland
Our Range of Used Drilling Machines
We stock a selection of quality used radial arm drills, floor-standing pillar drills, and bench drills at our Longford facility. Sourced from workshop clearances and trade-ins across Ireland, all machines are inspected before sale and available for immediate delivery nationwide.
Used drilling machines are among the best-value items on the secondhand machinery market: well-built radial drills from manufacturers like Kitchen & Wade, Meddings, and Richmond are known for exceptional longevity, and with basic maintenance can deliver accurate, reliable performance for many years after purchase.
Our range may include:
Used Radial Arm Drills
Compact machines ideal for:
Designed for:
Our stock changes regularly, so if you are looking for a particular make, model or drilling capacity, please contact our team here. We may be able to source suitable machinery through our network of suppliers.
Used drilling machines are among the best-value items on the secondhand machinery market: well-built radial drills from manufacturers like Kitchen & Wade, Meddings, and Richmond are known for exceptional longevity, and with basic maintenance can deliver accurate, reliable performance for many years after purchase.
Our range may include:
Used Radial Arm Drills
- Hydraulic Radial Drills
- Geared Head Radial Drills
- Heavy Duty Radial Drills
- Industrial Radial Arm Drills
- Geared Head Pillar Drills
- Belt Drive Pillar Drills
- Variable Speed Pillar Drills
- Heavy-Duty Pillar Drills
Compact machines ideal for:
- Small workshops
- Toolrooms
- Maintenance departments
- Educational facilities
Designed for:
- Larger workpieces
- Greater drilling capacities
- Continuous workshop use
Our stock changes regularly, so if you are looking for a particular make, model or drilling capacity, please contact our team here. We may be able to source suitable machinery through our network of suppliers.
Radial Drill or Pillar Drill?
Radial Arm Drills:
Floor-Standing Pillar Drills:
Bench-Mounted Drills:
- Feature a movable arm that swings over the workpiece and extends radially — allowing the drill head to be positioned precisely over any point on the table without moving the workpiece.
- Ideal for large, heavy, or awkward components that are difficult to reposition.
- Well-suited to engineering shops, structural fabrication, and mould and die work.
- Brands we regularly stock include: Kitchen & Wade, Richmond, Adcock & Shipley, Ibarmia, Swiftcut.
Floor-Standing Pillar Drills:
- Fixed-column drilling machines suited to general workshop drilling tasks
- Variable speed via geared headstock or belt change; adjustable table height.
- Brands we regularly stock include: Meddings, Arboga, Strands, Nider.
Bench-Mounted Drills:
- Compact, bench-top units for smaller workshops or secondary drilling operations.
- Occasional stock — contact us for current availability.
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Radial Arm Drill |
Pillar Drill |
Best For |
Large, heavy, or awkward workspieces |
Smaller, regularly repositioned workpieces |
Positioning |
Head moves to the hole location |
Workpiece moves under the spindle |
Floor Space |
Larger footprint with arm swing |
More compact |
Typical use |
Heavy engineering, structural work |
General workshop, maintenance, light fabrication |
Capacity |
Typically higher [larger drill diameters] |
Light to medium duty |
Choosing the Right Drill
Before purchasing a drilling machine, consider the following:
Look out for these on the drill itself
- Drilling Capacity: Ensure the machine is capable of drilling the largest hole diameter required for your work.
- Spindle Travel: Greater spindle travel allows deeper drilling without repositioning the workpiece.
- Throat Depth: This determines how far from the column holes can be drilled.
- Morse Taper: Select a spindle taper compatible with your existing tooling.
- Table Size: Choose a machine with sufficient support for your largest components.
- Speed Range: Different materials require different spindle speeds.
- Workshop Space: Ensure there is sufficient floor space for safe operation and maintenance.
Look out for these on the drill itself
- Spindle runout — check with a test bar and dial indicator; excessive runout causes oversized holes and rapid drill wear.
- Quill feed mechanism — fine feed and depth stop should engage smoothly and hold position accurately.
- Table clamping — table locking mechanisms on pillar drills should clamp rigidly with no tilt.
- Arm clamping (radial drills) — the arm should lock firmly at any height; slippage under cutting load is a safety and accuracy issue.
- Three-phase vs. single-phase — confirm the machine's power requirement matches your workshop supply before purchase.
Typical Applications
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Our drilling machines are widely used for:
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Suitable materials include:
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Industries We Supply
Kenequip supplies drilling machines to customers throughout Ireland, including:
- Precision engineering companies
- Toolrooms
- Manufacturing businesses
- Agricultural engineers
- Fabrication workshops
- Maintenance departments
- Technical colleges
- Apprenticeship training centres
- Mechanical contractors
- Food processing equipment manufacturers
Why Buy Your Used Drill from Kenequip?
For more than four decades, Kenequip Machine Tools has supplied dependable engineering machinery to workshops across Ireland.
When you purchase from Kenequip, you benefit from:
Our objective is to help customers purchase machinery that delivers reliable performance, precision and long-term value.
When you purchase from Kenequip, you benefit from:
- Established Irish machine tool supplier since 1978
- Carefully selected used machinery
- Machines inspected before sale
- Honest technical advice
- Nationwide delivery throughout Ireland
- Installation and commissioning available
- Spare parts assistance where available
- Long-term servicing and maintenance support → Book a service here
- Trade-ins considered → Send details of your surplus machines here
- Friendly after-sales support
Our objective is to help customers purchase machinery that delivers reliable performance, precision and long-term value.
Frequently Asked Questions - Radial & Pillar Drills [FAQS]
Q: What arm length do I need on a radial drill? A: Arm length determines how far the drill head can reach from the column centre. Measure your largest workpiece diameter and choose an arm that extends at least to its centre from the column. Common lengths run from 1000mm to 2000mm — call us with your largest component size for a recommendation.
Q: What spindle taper do used radial drills use? A: Most used industrial radial drills use Morse Taper (MT4 or MT5) in the spindle. Confirm the taper of any machine you're considering if you have existing tooling to carry over.
Q: What's the difference between a radial arm drill and a pillar drill? A: A radial arm drill allows the drilling head to move across large workpieces, making it ideal for heavy engineering. A pillar drill is better suited to general workshop drilling where the workpiece can be positioned directly beneath the spindle.
Q: Are your used drilling machines inspected? A: Yes. Used drilling machines are inspected before being offered for sale, and selected machines can be viewed under power by appointment.
Q: Can I view the machine before purchasing? A: Yes. Customers are welcome to arrange an appointment to inspect selected machines at our Longford showroom.
Q: Do you deliver throughout Ireland? A: Yes. We deliver throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with installation and commissioning available for many machines.
Q: Can you source specific drilling machines? A: Yes. If we do not currently have the drill you require, we may be able to source it through our supplier network.
Q: Can I trade in my old drill? A: Yes — use the WANTED page → or call Billy directly to discuss trade-in value.
Q: What spindle taper do used radial drills use? A: Most used industrial radial drills use Morse Taper (MT4 or MT5) in the spindle. Confirm the taper of any machine you're considering if you have existing tooling to carry over.
Q: What's the difference between a radial arm drill and a pillar drill? A: A radial arm drill allows the drilling head to move across large workpieces, making it ideal for heavy engineering. A pillar drill is better suited to general workshop drilling where the workpiece can be positioned directly beneath the spindle.
Q: Are your used drilling machines inspected? A: Yes. Used drilling machines are inspected before being offered for sale, and selected machines can be viewed under power by appointment.
Q: Can I view the machine before purchasing? A: Yes. Customers are welcome to arrange an appointment to inspect selected machines at our Longford showroom.
Q: Do you deliver throughout Ireland? A: Yes. We deliver throughout the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with installation and commissioning available for many machines.
Q: Can you source specific drilling machines? A: Yes. If we do not currently have the drill you require, we may be able to source it through our supplier network.
Q: Can I trade in my old drill? A: Yes — use the WANTED page → or call Billy directly to discuss trade-in value.
