# 12" Grizzly G0609X spiral head jointer



## GaryK

Great review Jim, thanks!

I still have this on my wish list even though I really can't justify it.

Maybe I'll just get one anyway. 

I could just get the one without the spiral heads for $1795 and free shipping.

Do you think the spiral head is worth the extra $755?

Does yours have the Shelix head or the Grizzly head? If it's the Grizzly on, they sell it for $550 so maybe I could save $180 and install it myself. I would then end up with both kind of cutter heads.


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## OhValleyWoodandWool

Great review, great machine. Just makes me want one even more.


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## a1Jim

Your welcome Gary
When I bought mine I was planning on making this the last in my upgrades for jointers having had a 8"powermatic before this 12" and I didn't want to have to be sorry I hadn't got the spiral head. At the same time I bought a Grizzly 20" spiral head planner that has been great also. I would do it again. I feel it does a much better job on all wood but particularly figured woods. Having a number of cutters it does not shear with one long blade it has all the separate cutters that handles all the different textures in curly maple or birds-eye.
I don't want to talk you in to any thing because the woods and use of each persons jointer my be different.
If you consider the spiral head you might see if Grizzly will be offering free shipping closer to Christmas,They have done it before. My spiral head is Grizzly's . I think I read a review here on LJs of someone who had purchased the shelix and installed it and wished they hadn't.


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## degoose

Jim while I can not even get Grizzly here in the land down under… I do appreciate the fine machinery…. and I am impressed with both the tool and the review..Thanks for taking the time to let everyone know about it… It has certainly given me food for thought as to the spiral heads.. I am currently using a cheap chinese knock off 6'' jointer… with much success I might add but IMAGINE the difference one of these buggers would make… on my list of I WANTS.


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## sbryan55

Jim, this is a nice review. I have a lot of respect for Grizzly tools and have been considering upgrading my 6" PM. If I do so (and can find the room in my shop) this one would be at the top of my list. I am like Gary in that I am not sure about going with a spiral head cutter is the right path for me since I do not work with figured woods. But like you said I am a firm believer that, when it comes to tools, I would rather have the added capabilities and not need them rather than finding later that I do need them after all.


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## asthesawturns

Wonderful review, This was struck from my wish list when I watched Gary's shop tour video and noticed he had a 6" delta jointer, I commented on how nice it was to see something like that in a heavy duty shop and that it was good to see you didn't need a $2000 jointer to make great furniture. Well it is back on the list now, although well down on the list, probably try a $800 grizzley first.
Thanks


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## REK

Good review, A grizzly 8" might be on my short list for next year. Spiral cutters sound good,


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## woodsmithshop

good review Jim, I would like to have a 12" jointer, but I don't think I could find it in my budget ( at least according to loml) I do think that the spiral head would be a big plus.


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## Rick_Boyett

Does it come with an F-14 Tomcat? 

It's a beautiful piece of machinery. Definitely more jointer than I would ever need but beautiful none the less..


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## NBeener

Wow. Great review of what sounds like a great tool!

Thanks, Jim.

[note to self: STOP looking at the Grizzly catalog!]


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## oldwoodman

Jim,

Thank you for the review of the 12" Grizzly jointer. I have looked at this jointer in the Grizzly catalog and wondered what kind of woodworking would require such a jointer.

For most home or small shop woodworkers, a 6" jointer would be sufficient, since a jointer is used mostly for jointing the edges of boards. However, an 8" or 12" jointer is purchased for its face-jointing capability.

Therefore, what kind of woodworking do you do that requires this large jointer? I am sure you did not buy it just to have the "largest, baddest, jointer" on the planet.

Let me say as well, that I appreciate your contributions to this forum. I like hearing from the voice of experience. You, and quite a few others, have contributed greatly to my learning about woodworking.


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## a1Jim

Thanks everyone . I hope the review helped anyone interested in such a beast.
oldwoodman 
Need is all in the mind of the purchaser . I guess I wanted a 12" jointer because it always seemed I wanted to face joint a board that was 8 1/2" or 9" and would have to rip the board in half and glue back together. I mostly found I needed the 12" when having to do solid wood panels of case work. Could I have done it another way? Sure, but I'm not that fond of hand planning and I like good tools.


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## Wood_Chuck

Thanks Jim for the great review!


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## oldwoodman

Jim,

Thanks for your response. I always enjoy reading your comments and insights.

oldwoodman


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## BlankMan

Nice review Jim. I've been thinking about getting a Shelix for my jointer so it's good to hear that that design works well in figured woods.


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## stefang

Great review Jim, and the fact that you have been using it for some time now certainly adds a lot of weight to your opinion of this machine.


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## TrickyDick

Jim, I have had mine now for almost 9 months and it is the best buy I could have made! Spiral is the best!


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## a1Jim

Thanks everyone.
Glad you like yours too Dick.


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## mmh

I need to acquire a 6" jointer and have been looking at the Grizzly w/ Spiral cutter head. It looks like a smaller version of what you have may fit my needs (and workshop). Thanks for the great review.


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## WillyParker

I have the same machine, your review is right on. The quality of the cut on figured lumber is really nice, absolutely no tear-out when the grain changes direction. You can even face joint in the wrong direction, not that I've ever done that! Fit and finish is excellent, tables were acceptably co-planar and parallel from the factory although I did make some minor adjustments. Easy to do with the machines eccentric adjusters-the only requirement is a good long strait edge. Machine is very smooth and quiet. Like a1Jim, I'm very satisfied.


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## Woodn88s

Throwing my 5 cents into the discussion about the grizzly 12" spiral head Jointer
I've had mine since 2010 and really like this machine, it has the 4 sided indexed carbide cutters. I've probably used it every day since I bought it, I moved it once and it's still set up perfect. really cuts figured lumber like curly maple with pretty much zero chipout. It is quiet and has so little vibration that I can stand a nickel on end on the table, turn it on , and the nickel won't fall…...........watch the video on youtube at…..........






www.greggswoodworking.com


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## Mason86

I have the Grizzly G0495z 8" jointer. It's an amazing machine and I'm thinking adding the G0609x to my shop. Why? I see folks asking what type of woodworking would require a jointer this big? Well I'm a serious hobbyist and I make custom picnic tables and farmhouse tables. Now my table tops can have no board bigger that 8" as a part of it. I would like to be able to make tops with 12" lumber. Especially with pine. I can get rough pine directly from the mill. I live in New England and we have plenty of wood mills around. I could just use my plainer to mill my boards but that's what I thought befor I got my 8" machine. If you put a bowed board into your plainer it will come out the other end just as bowed but with one smooth side. Useless! I can sell 10 pine tables for 300ea before I can sell one maple or oak piece for a grand or more. So having the ability to use 12" stock will lower my labor time and stock prices.

My 8" jointer has the spiarl cutter head and I can not say enough good things about it. Cuts so smooth you could almost for go sanding! Little to no tearout. Little to no sniping mostly none! And you get 4 sets of blades vs just one. All you do if you need a fresh edge is loosen the cutter and rotate it 90 degrees. DONE! No further adjustments necessary! No more trying to get straight knives adjusted properly. Saves huge time and aggravation.


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