Let me preface my comments by stating that I own and love many pieces of grizzly machinery. That being said, this is not one of them. The design of this drill press intrigued me to the point that I decided to purchase it. It has occupied a place in my shop for over a year now. It is a great idea, 34" swing,drill at compound angles on a flat table, how can you beat features like that, right? They fall short of the theory in the application.
First and foremost the motor is way underpowered. It is not the 1/2 hp motor that they use on most of their heavier machines, it is a very poorly made import of about half the physical size you would expect. drilling holes with any sized forstner bit over about 1/2" will stop the motor, you must feed very slowly and back it off every 1/16" to let the motor regain momentum.
I should have replaced the motor immediately, but figured I would use it until it burned up, which happened last weekend at the most inopportune time. Thick clouds of black smoke, whining, hissing, the smell of burning plastic, of course it happened 13 months after I purchased it, 1 month after the 12 month warranty expired, not that i would want another of those motors anyway.
I replaced it with a 1/2 hp Dayton motor of corresponding specifications (would have used larger, but It was what I had immediately available). Talk about a night and day difference, it powered through drilling 2" holes with no problem whatsoever. I had used this underpowered drill press long enough that I forgot what a drill press was supposed to work like.
The other main problem is the amount of flex in the main column and in the shaft for the radial head, it is acceptable for most tasks but can cause a little more deflection than desired for precision work. I still like the radial head idea. I wish the larger radial head drill press grizzly offers was mounted on a conventional main column with a conventional table.
If you do buy this press, replace the motor immediately, it's not worth the aggravation or inefficiency to even bother with the original.
