Grizzly Industrial Drill Press Lineup: Capacity, Models, and Parts Support

A shop foreman I know keeps a broken plastic gear in a drawer as a reminder. It came out of a no-name drill press that died mid-job, from a brand that had no parts to sell him. He replaced it with a Grizzly, and the reason wasn’t the brand name or the paint. It was that he could pull up an exploded diagram, find the exact part number, and have it shipped. That’s the quiet case for a Grizzly industrial drill press: the machine is only half the value, and the parts support is the other half.

Grizzly builds drill presses in three shapes: benchtop, floor-standing, and radial. A benchtop sits on a bench for small and mid work. A floor model stands on its own column for taller stock and stronger motors. A radial press has a head that slides out along an arm, so you can reach the center of wide work without moving the piece. Capacity across all of them is measured two ways, swing (workpiece width you can center) and drilling capacity in mild steel (the biggest hole the motor and spindle can push through steel).

If you want the fast recommendation: the Grizzly G0925 8-inch is the compact bench pick for small work, a mid-size 12 to 16 speed bench or floor model covers most metal and wood shops, and the G9969 45-inch radial is the specialist for bulky, wide pieces. Match the drilling capacity to the thickest steel you’ll actually drill, then confirm parts are stocked before you buy, because a few of Grizzly’s older models are now discontinued.

The benchtop models

The G0925 is Grizzly’s smallest, nicknamed the “baby” press. It runs a 1/3-HP motor, 8-inch swing, JT33 spindle taper, 2-inch spindle travel, and five speeds from 740 to 3140 RPM, with a 1/16-inch to 1/2-inch keyed chuck. Its rated drilling capacity is 1/2 inch in mild steel. At about 36 pounds with a cast iron table and base, it’s stable for its size and easy to move.

Its honest flaw is the same as any 8-inch press: 2 inches of travel and a 740-RPM floor mean it’s built for small holes and light stock, not thick plate. It’s a companion to a bigger press, not a replacement for one.

Step up to the 14-inch benchtop, the G7943, and the character changes. It carries a 3/4-HP motor, twelve speeds from 140 to 3050 RPM, a 5/8-inch chuck, and a 3-1/4-inch spindle travel, on a heavy cast iron body around 142 pounds. That low 140-RPM setting is what the little G0925 lacks, and it’s exactly what steel and large bits want. One caution: Grizzly lists the G7943 as discontinued, so treat it as a used-market buy and check the parts store first.

The floor and radial models

For heavier work, the 20-inch floor model G7948 is the reference point. It steps up to a 1-1/2-HP motor, twelve speeds from 180 to 3240 RPM, an MT (Morse taper) spindle with a JT3 keyed chuck sized 3/64 to 5/8 inch, and a full 4-3/4-inch spindle travel. That combination of a stronger motor, an MT spindle, and deep travel is the real reason to move from bench to floor. Like the G7943, the G7948 shows as discontinued, and honest advice is to confirm part availability before committing.

The G0485 is Grizzly’s 13-inch bench press in the 16-speed family, giving you finer speed steps across the range for dialing in different bit and material combinations. Grizzly keeps its parts diagrams posted, which matters more on a multi-speed machine with more moving pieces.

The G9969 radial is the outlier and the problem-solver. It has a 45-inch swing, a head that swivels and slides along the arm, a 1-HP motor wired for 110V or 220V, twelve speeds from 140 to 3050 RPM, an MT #3 spindle taper, a 3-1/4-inch travel, and a 1-1/4-inch mild steel drilling capacity. It weighs around 525 pounds. You buy it when the work is too wide to reposition under a fixed spindle.

Capacity and taper, in plain terms

Two specs decide whether a Grizzly will handle your job.

Drilling capacity in mild steel tells you the largest twist bit the machine can drive through steel with a normal feed. The G0925 handles 1/2 inch. The G7943 handles 3/4 inch. The G7948 and G9969 are rated to 1-1/4 inch. Push past the rating and you stall the motor or strain the spindle.

Spindle taper decides your tooling. The small benchtop presses use a JT33 taper made for keyed chucks. The bigger machines use a Morse taper (MT), which holds the chuck arbor and also lets you mount MT tooling directly. An MT spindle is more flexible and better suited to heavier drilling.

Parts and support: the real Grizzly advantage

Here’s where Grizzly separates itself from no-name presses. Every current model has parts diagrams and a parts store online, and technical support is reachable by phone. Even discontinued machines like the G7943 and G7948 have support pages that list specs and point you to the parts store, though availability on older units is not guaranteed.

Compared against a generic import press, the machine specs may look similar on paper. The difference shows up two years later, when a quill spring or a pulley wears out. With Grizzly you look up the diagram, order the part, and keep working. That’s the practical reason shops keep buying the brand.

How the models stack up against each other

Put them side by side and the choice gets simple. The G0925 wins on size and portability but is capped at small holes. The G7943 adds real metal capability with its slow 140-RPM setting and 3/4-HP motor, at triple the weight. The G7948 goes further with a 1-1/2-HP motor, an MT spindle, and deep travel, but it’s a floor machine that needs floor space. The G9969 radial trades some rigidity for reach you can’t get any other way.

If your work is small and occasional, the G0925 is enough. If you drill metal regularly, a mid-size bench or floor model with a sub-200-RPM setting earns its keep. If your parts are wide and awkward, the radial is the only one of the group that solves that.

The verdict

A Grizzly industrial drill press is worth choosing for the same reason that broken gear stayed in the drawer: you’re buying a machine you can keep running. Pick by drilling capacity and taper first, then match the format to your space and your parts.

Concrete takeaways:

• Match the mild-steel drilling capacity to your thickest real job, not your biggest wish.
• The G0925 8-inch is a small-work companion; a mid-size bench or floor model is the true metal machine.
• Confirm parts availability before buying older models like the G7943 and G7948, which are discontinued.
• The G9969 radial is a specialist. Buy it only if wide workpieces are a regular problem.

FAQ

What is the smallest Grizzly drill press? The G0925 8-inch benchtop is Grizzly’s most compact drill press, with an 8-inch swing, a 1/3-HP motor, and a 1/2-inch mild steel capacity.

Are Grizzly drill press parts easy to get? For current models, yes. Grizzly posts exploded parts diagrams and sells replacement parts through its online parts store, with phone tech support available.

Is the Grizzly G7943 still made? No. Grizzly lists the G7943 as discontinued. Its support page still shows specs, but replacement part availability is not guaranteed, so check the parts store.

What is the drilling capacity of the G7948? The 20-inch G7948 floor press is rated for 1-1/4-inch holes in mild steel, with a 1-1/2-HP motor and a 4-3/4-inch spindle travel.

What is the difference between a benchtop, floor, and radial Grizzly press? A benchtop sits on a bench for small to mid work. A floor model stands on its own column for stronger motors and taller stock. A radial has a head that slides along an arm to reach wide workpieces.

What spindle taper do Grizzly drill presses use? Small benchtop models like the G0925 use a JT33 taper for keyed chucks. Larger models such as the G7948 use a Morse taper, which accepts both chuck arbors and MT tooling.

Which Grizzly press is best for drilling steel? A model with a low minimum speed and a stronger motor. The 14-inch G7943 drops to 140 RPM, and the floor G7948 pairs a 1-1/2-HP motor with an MT spindle, both better for steel than the 8-inch.

Can I drill wide panels on a standard Grizzly press? Only up to the swing rating. For panels wider than the swing allows, the G9969 radial reaches the center by sliding the head out along its arm.

References

• Grizzly, G0925 8-inch Benchtop Drill Press: https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-8-benchtop-drill-press/g0925
• Grizzly, G9969 45-inch Radial Drill Press: https://www.grizzly.com/products/grizzly-45-radial-drill-press/g9969
• Grizzly Support, FAQ: G7948 Drill Press (Discontinued): https://support.grizzly.com/hc/en-us/articles/4411307933079-FAQ-G7948-Drill-Press-Discontinued
• Grizzly Support, FAQ: G7943 Drill Press (Discontinued): https://support.grizzly.com/hc/en-us/articles/4411313880727-FAQ-G7943-Drill-Press-Discontinued
• Grizzly, Parts and Manuals store: https://www.grizzly.com/parts/parts-and-manuals
• OSHA, Woodworking eTool: Drill Presses: https://www.osha.gov/etools/woodworking/production/machines-tools/drill-press