The beautifully-made Cataract "Sensitive Drill Press" was, in effect, a vertically-mounted watchmakers' lathe with a hardened and ground spindle running in a hardened and ground upper bearing and a cast-iron taper bearing beneath; the spindle end thrust was taken against a ball-bearings race. The spindle accepted Cataract No. 1 Draw-back collets which was able to hold drills down to a No. 80, and reamers, "dead true". As an alternative Cataract offered a "Beach Drill" 1/8" capacity chuck mounted on a solid draw-in collet.
The main column could be ordered in lengths of 14, 16 and 18 inches - the longest allowing a clearance of 10.5 inches between the table and spindle nose. The rise and fall of the table was operated by a rack-and-pinion arrangement activated by the knurled-edge wheel below and to the right of the table. On the inside of the knurled wheel was a drum, wrapped around by a cord which passed downwards through the base of the drill. The cord was connected either to a weight or foot pedal, the duty of which was to balance the table and increase the sensitivity of its action.
Cataract also offered these drills, to special order, with columns of any length and mounted in gangs on bases to the customer's individual specification.

A modification of the drill above was the "Drill Press with Chucking Drill Press".
This machine did not have a table but a second collet head - to take No. 1 collets - and so allow the holding of either very small round components, or, with a step or wheel chuck, pieces up to 1" in diameter.

Cataract No. 1 Chuck (collet)