# Grizzly Jointers Comparison Questions



## newTim (Jul 11, 2008)

Hello fellow LJs. I'm looking for some help on the Grizzly Jointers. I'm looking for an 8" Jointer w/ Spiral cutter and the mobile base. Actually I'd really like to get a 10" jointer. Yes, I know they make a 10" jointer/planer combo, but I don't want that.

Grizzly offers so many jointers and it is hard to compare them. I'm trying to figure out the difference between the G0656P 'Polar Bear Series: whatever the heck that is), the G0593, the G0490, the G0656X, or the G0490X. I wish they'd provide a side-by-side comparison to make it easier. And does anybody know what a Parallelogram jointer is? I suppose, versus a regular one? And what are dovetailed ways?

Also if anyone has any opinions about other manufacturers I'd like to hear them. Thanks.


----------



## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

I cannot answer all of your questions but I can answer some. I have a 6" Grizzly jointer (G0604X) and it has the Parallelogram system. You will see that you adjust the infeed and outfeed tables with a lever (not a wheel). Internally, the engineering uses a parallelogram to mechanically move the tables. This virtually guarantees that the 2 tables will always remain parallel to each other. It also makes height adjustments fast and easy. I recommend it.

I don't understand the Polar Bear Series. In theory, it provides comparable tools at lower prices. I do not know what compromises they are making to lower the prices further. Grizzly is already a low priced manufacturer.

You are going to get different opinions on this but I suggest you consider straight knives as opposed to the spiral cutter. This will save you some money and I think you will be very happy with the results. I am. You will always have the option of upgrading to the spiral cutter at a later point in time if you are not satisfied with the straight blades.

In general I am very happy with my Grizzly jointer.


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I have a Grizzly 12" spiral head and I love it .


----------



## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

Dovetail ways? I would have thought they all were. This sounds a little like the claim on cheap circular saws that they had a "sawdust ejection chute." The tables are attached to the base via dovetail machining in both surfaces, the design of which is to keep the surfaces parallel to each other and in the same plane as the cutterhead axle.

I suspect the difference in series is country of origin. I had to dig but I discovered that the Z series planers were made in Taiwan and the non-Z were made in China. That translates to a price difference that makes marketing sense.

If all the specs line up between to apparently identical machines (except the base color), that might be the explainer.

Grizzly has come a long way. Early models required a whole spool of teflon tape to tighten up the space between threads and tapped holes everywhere. I had a jointer (8") in which the non-sheave axle end of the cutterhead barely contacted the bearing-it was a real stub! The early Grizzly planers had the Allen adjustment screws for the infeed and outfeed rollers on the topside instead of the bottom, and I still have a Grizzly 18" bandsaw that came with the front fence rail so long you could never get the fence off if it were inside the blade! (Hacksaw fixed that!). It was underpowered from the factory as well.

That said, I have the Z series planer (1021) and 14" bandsaw (0555 Z series) and 15" wide belt sander and the fit and finish on all of them is excellent.

So to speak to the OP's questions: Compare specs carefully. Discount the dovetail question. Ask a lot of questions about the spiral cutterheads

I value Jim's input on the spiral heads-never had one-and I'd like to know more about the real world advantages he finds they have.

Regarding the mobile base: The jointer is the most critically-adjusted stationary tool in the shop. If you can find a logistically logical way to plant it and leave it, you'll have much less grief in the long haul.

And finally, in full disclosure mode, yes, that is my mug on page 8 of the 2010 Grizzly catalog.


----------



## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Hey Lee
As to spiral heads they have dozens of 4 sided blades that cut independently so when you jointing or face planing you don't get tear out( even in highly figured woods) like you do with a large blade that cuts the whole surface at once. Also with these 4 sided blades if you get a nick in one you just loose it with a Allen wrench turn to one of the other 3 sides and go back to what you were doing in less than a minute. No blade adjustment like on 3-4 blade units. I've had my jointer about 2 years and haven't had to turn any blades yet.


----------



## oldworld124 (Mar 2, 2008)

I have a 16" MiniMax jointer/planer with parallelogram tables. They are very accurate. Mine has the Tersa cutterhead.

Spiral heads also should make the machine quieter.


----------



## LeeBarker (Aug 6, 2010)

I'm eating this info up, guys. Thanks for the education.

Now if we could just parse the differences in all those models for newTim, I could be a hero along with you.


----------



## newTim (Jul 11, 2008)

Thanks everyone. You should see the emails I sent to Grizzly trying to get basic info. Well it is like trying to pull Grizzly teeth.

It just seems to me these companies don't get it. Everytime I see a company list 'what' a thing has I reflexively ask, "So what"? Why bother telling me what a thing has without telling me the purpose or advantage of having it? You see this a lot with software. Everytime Microsoft, for example, comes out with a new system they always say it can do this, and it can do that. And if it is something I think I'll use I always ask How? Oh well, we're not going to tell you that. We're just going to tell you what it can do if you knew how to make it do that. But I digress. Point made.

So I'm trying to compare the new G0656PX ($998) with the G0490X ($1,195). The company creates confusion by listing different attributes for each. The 490, for example, has a single V belt drive and indexible carbide cutters. Okay. And the cutters on the 656 are not indexible? And why, there's that awful word again, is a single V drive so darned beneficial? And on and on. I guess either I'm too old or the writer's are too young to remember the FAB story. Everything has a feature, an advantage, and a benefit.

So this machine 'features' a spiral cutter which creates a shearing action which results in quieter and higher quality cuts and is easier to change. See that wasn't to hard was it? The other thing I hate is when they use a term without defining it. Parallelogram? Dovetailed ways? Huh? In sports lingo this kind of thing would be called 'unforced errors'. You can only hope that an unforced error doesn't result in a turnover (lost sale).


----------

