looking for feedback on Grizzly drill presses

[johnny means]

specifically the G7948 20" and the G9969 radial models.

[Scott T Smith]

I have a G9969, and while it is an acceptable drill press I would not recommend it for woodworking. It is extremely heavy (over 500 lbs), so it must sit on a very stout bench. Also, the head will not adjust so that the drill will touch the base - in essence you need to manufacture some type of table to sit on top of the base in order to use it for woodworking.

It's great for drilling tall metal I-beam though... It's really more of a metal working drill press than a woodworking one.

[Clisby Clark]

I don't know about the particular model #, but I remember a PWW endurance review a few years back raved about a bare bones Griz DP that was about $279 at the time.

[Ken Deckelman]

I have the G7947 and am very happy with everything except for the quill stop-I have since modified it to make it much stronger.

You can see some pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/kdeckster/DrillPress#

Here is some older threads that I posted some info also:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?104792-Grizzly-drill-press-depth-stop-adjustment-nut&highlight=g7947

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?108227-G7947-12-Speed-17-quot-Floor-Drill-Press-Question&highlight=g7947

[Ed Labadie]

I have the 7948.

As has been said, the quill stop needs to be beefed up, it flexes badly.

Mounting anything to the table is a pain. The "T" slots aren't machined, just rough cast. They aren't a standard size either, be prepared to do some grinding or machining on the "T" nuts to make them slide easily in the slot.

If you plan on drilling large holes in steel, this isn't a machine for you. On mine, the tapered fit of the drive pully to the spindle isn't right. Its suppoesd to be a self-locking taper, it's not. Top it off with a plastic retaining nut (yes, PLASTIC), that you can't tighten without stripping and it's impossible to keep the pulley from spinning in the shaft under heavy load.

Lastly, the 2nd thing I had to do after purchase (1st being repair shipping damage) was to completely disassemble the entire spindle/quill assy., and clean it, followed by washing out and regreasing the quill thrust bearing. The factory never did a wash-down after machining. Everything in the spindle was full of cast iron chips.

Ed

[Gerald Senburn]

I've owned a couple of Grizzly drill presses, although both were sub-$500 models. Really not very impressive, although adequate for the price I suppose. Just picked up a Delta 18-900L, seems pretty nice so far. On sale at Woodcraft starting tomorrow for only $700.

[Bernhard Lampert]

I have a Grizzly gear head drill press. Unlike other Grizzly equipment I had one time or another (table saw, 2 planers) , this drill press left a lot to be desired. Column to table is not perpendicular and cannot be adjusted, the feed doesn't work when the drill is in high gear and it is out of round.

So my next drill press will be a Rong Fu or similar.

Cheers,
Bernhard

[Carroll Courtney]

Thanks for the link Ken and the ideal.I also have that model and will now make an improvement---Carroll

[Nick Christensen]

I have had the 7943 for about 2 years. It is passable at best, I have replaced the idler pully 3 or 4 times. It also came with a load of shipping damage. The quill return spring also broke and it has quite a bit of runout. Also as others have stated the depth stop is crappy. I would save the extra $$ and go with a Jet or General Int. They are by far better machines. I am going to upgrade in the next year to an older Powermatic or Delta variable speed. I can't wait.

[Carroll Courtney]

Ken,I just notice that your small vise fits in the hole of the table.Where did you purchase that vise,I like it?And how do you like the lazer cross hairs?---Carroll My Inbox is now empty

[Ken Deckelman]

Ken,I just notice that your small vise fits in the hole of the table.Where did you purchase that vise,I like it?And how do you like the lazer cross hairs?---Carroll My Inbox is now empty

I got the cross slide vise from Grizzly, it's like the G1064 (http://www.grizzly.com/products/Cross-Sliding-Vise/G1064). I then bought a "vise adapter" like seen on that page, but I had to remake the cylinder on my metal lathe to fit the hole in the drill press because they don't sell one that's the correct diameter. It's works OK, very handy for drilling metal especially. I don't really use it anymore since I bought my small metal mill though.

[Don Dorn]

I have had the G7946 for several years and like many of the other posts - not that impressed. It does the basic job, but of all my Grizzly equipment, I'd replace it first. Flex in the handle/quill - preset stop setting doesn't work because you simply don't get the consistency from hole to hole depending on the density of the wood and flex in the quill. If I could get rid of it, I'd replace with another brand.

[Andrew Joiner]

Same story here I got a new G7946 radial 9 years ago. After using drill presses for years I thought a quill lock and threaded rod depth stop was standard on any model. The G7946 came with a dial depth stop that was unreliable so I made one like Ken's.

My G7946 came with lot's of quill slop and no quill lock. That irritates me often enough to look for another drill press.