# Are grizzly tools good quality?



## Sparky

Hello all. I'm new here so this question may have been asked already and I can't find it. With any luck I will be setting up a shop in the next year and I am starting my research on tools now. I am a maintenance man and do a lot of home repairs. I have a lot of hand tools most are craftsmen. I know craftsman is a mid range tool but I have had no problems with them. I know that the most important tool in the shop will be a table saw so I will be looking for a good one and as of now I am leaning toward Delta. If someone can help I wanted to know if grizzly shop tools are of good quality. The guy I work with bought a grizzly drill set that you change tips on from a drill to a sander and so on and although it had power it fell apart within six months. Can someone tell me if grizzly's shop tools are built better? Like there 8" jointer? It has a good price but is it a good tool? I don't want to have to buy one a few years down the road. Thanks for any help given.


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## WayneC

There are a number of Grizzly posts on the site. There has been a lot of discussion about thier bandsaws lately. I have a Delta, Unisaw, but looked real hard at the Grizzly. The Jointers appear to get good reviews. (assuming you ment a 8" jointer)


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## MikeLingenfelter

I have several Grizzly products and I'm very happy with them. Grizzly has some very nice products at really good prices. Here's what I have and I'm happy with all of them.

14" Band Saw - G0555
6" Jointer - G1182ZHW
12.5" Planer - G0505
Drill Press - G7943

I see these tools being my shop for a long time. Also, their customer service is excellent.

Do you get more if you buy something like Powermatic, Delta, Jet, ect? You might, but what value is to you? I'd say don't discount Grizzly when you are looking. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples when you do. You might see a cheaper Grizzly product, but make sure it has the same features and specs. If you are looking at a product from any manufacture, post a question out here and I'm sure you will get a lot of opinions on it.


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## JerryL

I have a low end contractors saw - G0444 - it's all I had the power for in my garage. I bought it last August at their tent sale here in Missouri. I also picked up a Shop Fox 4" belt sander for a song. It needed a $5 part to be good as new.

I don't think I can be much help as I don't have much experience with higher-end tools. I will say that I had trouble with a dado blade from them (http://lumberjocks.com/topics/431). The second replacement arrived today. We'll see.

I will say that the people that work there couldn't be nicer. I was down there last August and they were working their tails off making sure all the bargan hunters got their stuff. The heat and humidity in Agust were horible and they were running cold water out to the folks waiting to pick up equipment. Nice.

Let us know what you decide to get.


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## IowaWoodcrafter

I too have a couple Grizzly tools. I have a 10" cabinet table saw with built in router table, model G1023SLW as well as a 6" jointer, model G1182ZHW. As Mike noted above Grizzly has great customer service. A little plastic handle on the jointer was broken when I received it, probably happened in shipping. I called them up and they sent a replacement right away.

My only complaint about the tools is that the 6" jointer is too small for the type of stuff I've been doing. I'm looking to purchase the G0490 8" parralelogram model in about three months. I've sent several questions to Grizzly customer service about this jointer as well as the replacement Shelix cutter head for it. I've had replies to every question in less than 24 hours each time I sent an e-mail. I give Grizzly two thums up and will buy more products from them.


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## Treefarmer

Glad to hear the good customer service stories on the Grizzlies. I'm having fun with my new bandsaw.


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## toddc

I have had good service from the tools and fantastic customer service from the company. My favorite Grizzly tool is my 8" spiral head jointer. I was able to joint highly figured curly maple with no tear-out. The 24" dual headed drum sander was how I milled the wood since a straight knife planer would produce tear-out. The end result was the big entertainment center I have posted in my projects.

I know a couple of guys that also bought the cordless drills and air nailers. Those items were not spoken of very well. I was advised to stick to the bigger machines from Grizzly.


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## shangrila

I have a grizzly planer,lathe and jointer and have been real happy with them .I use these in my business so they get a lot of abuse and no problems.Like Todd mentioned I did get an air nailer from them and ended up sending it back do to too many malfunctions.


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## IowaWoodcrafter

Todd, which jointer did you purchase? As noted above I've been considering the parallelogram model G0490 which I would later upgrade to a Shelix cutter head. Do you happen to have the G0593?

Comparing the cost of the G0490 to the G0586 there is only a $100 difference after adding in a mobile base and shipping. This is why I'm considering the G0490 model. Does anyone have experience with a paralleogram jointer? Is it worth the extra $100?

Which model drum sander do you have?


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## USCJeff

My limited take on Grizzly: I own and use a Grizzly1023S Cabinet Saw. My prior saw was a piece of junk benchtop saw. I have nothing negative to say about the saw from Grizzly, but would have to admit that I have not used the more expensive saws that Grizzly is more or less cloning. I get straight cuts at any angle. I had to do a lot of initial tuning as it wasn't perfect out of the box. It took a few tedious hours, but I haven't had to go back and retune in almost 2 years. I've used a 0555 bandsaw and a floor model drill press. I was suprised how well the 0555 bandsaw did while resawing as it only has 1HP. One great thing about Grizzly is that they stand by their products, no questions asked. If somethings wrong, they take care of it fast! This is based on other people as I have had no problems. They say that if the Grizzly tools aren't performing to the user's desired tolerances, they will take it back.


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## toddc

Iowa-

I don't see the model that I have on the website for Grizzly. The unit cost me about $1200 total with shipping. The G0593 has a different colored base and the switch is in a different location, a better one I might add, but those may be the only differences. Mine also has the 2hp motor. You will never lack for power, even for face jointing.

You can scan my workshop images to see if that helps. I also have some shop photos in flickr that I have not been able to get into LJ (technical illiteracy) and there might be something over there. I did a few different angles than in the workshop posting here.

The benefit of the parallelogram table is that the opening remains smaller or tighter to the cutter head as the depth is changed. I talked to a guy that had one in a 12" model, but that was because that is just the way it was offered, not because that is what he was trying to buy. He admitted it was nicer but was fairly indifferent about it. You might research it more.

I wouldn't buy a jointer and then upgrade it. Buy it the way you want it.

The sander is the variable speed 24" dual head drum sander. I just went to the website and cannot find the exact model on that either. I love the machine. The rub collars wear out about once year at my rate of usage, and cost maybe $4 to replace and 45 minutes of my day. Not too bad.

The drums are wrapped in velcro to help hold the sanding strips and they have an added benefit, I can sand veneered panels without burning through. The adjustments have held on the drums and they are very accurate, they still are set from the factory. So it sands parallel from side to side.

My brother has the Grizzly model here in Ohio in his shop where I am currently working. I bought the ShopFox model for my shop back in Montana. It is the same machine, some of the parts are even green under the hood. The dust collection does not work as efficiently on it, and the worst part is the customer service. Grizzly will send out a part immediately when I call. ShopFox only sells through a distributor and it took two weeks to get a new velcro drum wrap after a friend of mine crammed a piece of wood into it too thick and it melted the velcro. As a business I can't afford that type of customer support and will never buy another ShopFox tool. I bought the sander because the drums are slightly longer and I can get a true 24" wide sanded.


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## coloradoclimber

My experience with grizzly (power tools, hand tools, accessories) is that they are a great value. The price to performance is great. Good performance at a great price. BUT, my experience is that 100% of anything I have ever bought from grizzly has required some tweaking, from the small, cleaning up flashing and machining marks, to major, needing to grind out castings and drilling or redrilling holes.

Back when money was worth more than my time I bought grizzly. Good price and I was willing to spend the time to make the tools right. Once the tools were tuned / fixed I've been pretty happy. Never had to go back and mess with them much and they worked well.

Nowdays my time is too valuable to me, and I my finances are not as tight, I pretty much don't buy grizzly anymore. I've picked up a few small things recently and my opinion still holds, great price, marginal product.

Personally I just dont get the same feeling of quality and attention to detail from grizzly that I get with other higher end tools.

I do have to echo what others have said about grizzly tech support, fast, courteous, helpful, willing to send small parts and replacements. If you're the type who is either willing to or wants to mess with tools to get them right grizzly seems to support that model.


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## Sparky

WOW!!!!! Is this site great or what? A big thank you to all that replied. Now I know where to go if I have anything I need to know. At the ripe old age of 40 I know that you get what you pay for. As I said most of my tools are craftsman and other then some of the slides on a few of there tools being loose I can't say I have had much trouble with them. The guy I work with finds it hard to buy mid range tools. Most of what he buys is from the local Rural King. I have to admit I fell for one of there cheep tools. I bought an angle grinder for I think it was $12.00 and the thing gets so hot you can't hold it and the noise it makes you would think it is going to fall apart in your hands. I will keep Grizzly in mind when it comes to buying large shop tools. Many of you have said the customer service is great and that is a big deal now days were most time when you call for help you have to talk to a computer for a half hour before you get to talk to a real person and when you get the real person you end up playing phone tag trying to get the right department. Again I thank you all. You have given me more things to think about before spending this kind of money.


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## toddc

I haven't had to tweak any of my Grizzly tools as ColoradoClimber has. They have come shipped with very accurate factory settings in my case.

I would not consider the tools that I have (Jet or Grizzly) to be commercial quality tools. I have been looking at higher end tools like SCM, Format, and MiniMax. They are ultra smooth and reliable. There is no question of straight and square with these machines, or the reliability year after year.

I started out with the tools that I have because my shop facilitated my remodeling business which needed custom this or modified that and I did it all myself. As I start using my shop on a daily basis I see the need for higher quality tools.


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## cajunpen

The only Grizzly tool that I own is the G0555 The Ultimate 14" Bandsaw. I've had it for about 4 years and have not had any trouble with it. It was set up perfectly out of the box. The built-in 4" dust port in the rear keeps the interior and belt clean. It cuts very well and came with a fence and miter guage - would not hesitate to buy another Grizzly product.


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## brunob

I have a Grizzly lathe and belt sander. No problem with either. I'll certainly consider them with my next tool purchase.


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## USCJeff

That's funny about the angle grinder, Sparky. I bought a $20 trim router not too long ago. My plan was to keep a flush trim bit in it all the time. I use it a lot and the time it takes to switch bits on my "real" router adds up. So I thought, "$20, worth a shot". I've had the bit come out during operation twice now. The whole tool jerks your hands around as it contacts wood. It has resulted in burning and the ever so good looking zip zag dado! I'll have to save up for the little Bosch.


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## WayneC

That Colt Router is on my wish list too…


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## coloradoclimber

I just received another order of small tools and parts from grizzly today, should've thought twice, but anyhow, here's what I got


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## TomFran

I have the following equipment from Grizzly:


14" Ultimate Bandsaw
6" Jointer
G0538 1/3 HP Oscillating Spindle Sander 
G8994Z VS Jigsaw

I am satisfied with all of them. If I had more money, I would buy better, more expensive tools, but for my level of expertise and for my budget, Grizzly equipment is pretty good.


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## ffej

I have a few Grizzly tools, and my overall satisfaction has been high.

I think you kinda get what you pay for.. in other words, if you buy their top of the line, they are pretty good. The low end tools are just that.

I would rely on reviews etc because even though most of their tools are built in the same place as other major manufacturers, there are design differences that make a lot of difference.

Here are some of my good and bad experiences.
I bought an 18" bandsaw for cheap, it has a strong motor, and a big throat, but you cant keep the table square to the blade. I twisted off one of the cheap plastic knobs the very first day. I have learned to live with it. The magnetic switch tends to fall apart too.

I bought a compressor, pretty cheap and very satisfied with it. It puts out a lot of air for the cost. They have since stopped making it. The only problem I had was that it was layed over on it's side on the pallet when it arrived, and the fan blower and cover was broke and it was covered with oil. They were nice, but it still took about a month to get a replacement.

I have a 10" buffer - never had a problem and it is heavy, balanced, and strong as an ox.

My brother has a high end table saw that is fantastic, same for his 8" jointer. Very good cost/value relationship on those two tools.

One thing I will say, you get lots of mass usually, they use a lot of cast iron in their tools and the fit and finish is pretty good.

Overall I think they are a good equipment manufacturer and I will definitely consider them for future purchases


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## Randy

I have a small cabinet shop in Mississippi and the best sander for the money in my opinion is the dewalt dw421 some we have had for 4 years And getting parts are easy.and none of them have had any trouble with there motors….also the most important tool is the table saw and after 2 powermatics we went with the sawstop and have not regreated it for a second…its a very good saw and i hope we never test its safety features Oh and i dont have any grizzly tools but i am looking at a band saw.


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## johnbro

I also have some Griz machinery-17" bandsaw, 8" (non-parallelogram) jointer, 2hp DC, and most recently a $20 pin nailer. I think they're all great. Even the pin nailer (for which my expectations were obviously pretty low). I've visited their Bellingham showroom twice and spent quite a bit of time looking over the equipment and talking to the sales staff. I know some people have had shipping problems but I picked everything up (except the pin nailer) myself. The two mobile bases I got initially had defective casters making them almost impossible to roll, but Griz shipped out replacements right away and they solved the problem. The fit and finish is excellent-the cast iron table on the jointer is a thing of beauty. I also have a PM 66 tablesaw, and although that's an amazing saw I can't say that the workmanship is necessarily better than Griz. The DO have some super-low-end tools for the extremely budget minded, and some of those (their lunchbox planer, for example) don't look all that well built. But I wouldn't hesitate to buy more of their machinery, and happily pour over the catalog like a kid with the Sears wishbook!


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## Billp

I have there 8" jointer,&14"extreme bandsaw,and 12"planer. I have had the equipment for about 2months, I have been a machinist in my previous life and this is great equipment.


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## Karson

Sparky I have the grizzly G0593 8" jointer and I also bought the 20" spiral planer. I love them both and as Todd says you can plane curly maple with no chipout. That was what I was looking for. I bought the jointer to check it out before I bought the planer. When I saw the cut quality I went for the planer also.

One thing that I've noticed (As shipped to me no modifications) that when I joint a board, it actually sticks to the outfeed table. The surface is so flat that there is no air under the board. When you pick it up you can feel the suction as the board is lifted up. A strange feeling. But a great feeling.


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## Dorje

I just tuned up my jointer and love that super flat suction effect on the outfeed! It's like lapping waterstones…when they get to flat they develop that "suction."


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## SPalm

I am in the process of upgrading my shop. Dumping my Craftsman 1/2 hp 6" jointer and 12" bandsaw. I am ready to pull the trigger on a Grizzly G0586 8" jointer and a G0457 Re-saw Bandsaw. They seem like the most bang per buck. But my shop is in the basement. The bandsaw is 250 pounds. I would think that I could take off the table and maybe the motor and remove the base and then carry it all down the steps. (?)

The jointer is a real problem. It is 480 pounds. Yikes. I guess it comes completely assembled. Do any of you have any idea how I might (with help) wrestle it down a flight of stairs? I don't. I really wanted to step up to 8" but it looks like I will have to go with a 6" just because of the weight. Could I take the tables apart?

Thanks,
Steve


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## markrules

Hire a moving company for an hour's worth of work. And when they're done after 20 minutes, you could have them move things around your shop so you can clean behind the stuff.


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## rikkor

I have several Grizzly tools. 14" bandsaw with the riser block, an OSS, and a palm sander. I have also bought luthier supplies from them. They ship quick, and talk nice on the phone.


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## Blake

Grizzly, just like Delta, has a wide range of quality standards that they make their tools to. Both brands offer bottom-of-the-barrel bargains which are very poor as well as top-dollar professional lines.

You pretty much get what you pay for.

I have a low-middle of the road 6" jointer from grizzly and it has been a fine tool. I had a hell of a time trying to figure out how to assemble the thing but when I called them for help I learned that they do have excellent customer service.


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## IowaWoodcrafter

SPalm,

Most Grizzly jointers are shipped in several boxes. The jointer bed is normally shipped separate from the base. Also, the fence is not attached or is easily detached. Call or write Grizzly to see how the parts or broked down. Or, you can review the manual online by clicking one of the buttons next to the product picture. The button should say something like "Manual PDF". The manual has assembly instructions, from this you should be able to tell how the parts are broke down for shipping.


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## SPalm

Hey IowaWC, Thank you! That was perfect. It never dawned on me that the user's manual would have the assembly instructions. I have their belt/disc sander that came very disassembled but I just kept reading that most Grizzly tools worked fine right out of the box, so I assumed that these larger ones came assembled. Yea! Yippee! These will arrive disassembled just enough to carry them. This has been driving me crazy for weeks. (They do mention that the 17" bandsaw requires a forklift, so I guess I am glad that I decided on going with the 14")

This place is the best.
Steve


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## Hawgnutz

Sparky, 
I have only a few Grizzly tools, a brad/stapler gun and a dado set. Their customer service is GREAT! My dado blade lost a carbide tooth, and as it was under 1 year old, they paid for the shipping back there and rfeplaced hte set with a new set! Their air nailer works like a champ, too! I only wish i had bought their bandsaw last Christmas! I have only heard good things about them.

God Bless,
Hawg


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## bigdog72

I too am in the market for a table saw and was hoping to read some comments in this thread. I find it interesting that although many here own many of the Grizzly tool line, very few have mentioned owning a Grizzly table saw. Now, I want to spend in the $1000 neighborhood. What do you all recommend?


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## jcash3

What i've found about tools is not to depend on one manufacture for all your tools. Over many years i've learned to do alot of research on tools and manufacturers. I'm lucky that there is a guy near me who sells several different lines of tools and will be perfectly honest about his likes and dislikes of everything he sells. i do own the grizzly GO555 14" bandsaw. I love it, I've had only one problem with it, one of the guide bearings locked up. I couldn't find the replacemant part on their website, so i sent an email, on the sunday afternoon before christmas. I had a reply from them the next morning telling me the new part number, the price, and the number and person to talk to. I love their customer service, it is the best of all the tool manufacturers i've dealt with for parts. the only drawback on the grizzlys, is the added cost for shipping. Alot of that is offset with their lower prices, and they do run sales alot. 
I think one of the was that they do keep their prices down is that they are selling factory direct. The do not sale to resalers or other marketers. I know that most of their bigger machinery is made in china, but most are today. And they clain to have high quality control standards their. My suggestion is to try the websites of the bigger manufactures like delta, jet, powermatic, steel city. They will tell you how to get in touch with a local dealer.
Keep something else in mind Delta, porter-cable, and dewalt are all owned by the same company. Jet and powermatic are owned by the same company. I'm not sure about steel city, i've heard they are good tools though.


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## motthunter

I own both a Griz table saw and a jointer. I have had them for years and love them. Got both at their tent sale and saved a fortune. My table saw is a left tilt 10" model with the extended table and my jointer is an 8"model. I have had great luck and always look to griz for my new machines. I plan to get a cyclone dust collector from them this year as well as maybe an osc. spindle sander.


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## nealjr

I have their 8" jointer and LOVE it. I got the Shop Fox mobile base and it is junk. The wheels do not roll smoothly and hardly ever swivel. Just after I ordered my jointer, Grizzly upgraded it with a build in mobile base.
Again I love the jointer and will be purchasing a shaper from them this year.

To all a Happy And Safe New Year. Keep the chips flying!!!


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## TexasOpa

Thanks to all for your imput. I am looking at the Grizzly G0462 Wood Lathe.
Does anyone have specific comments and advice about the Griz lathes?

Thank you.

Peter
Allen, TX


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## woodnut99

I was asking this same question to myself… Thanks for posting it…. Lotta good information here…
by the way HAPPY NEW YEAR…. Patrick. woodnut


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## Brodie

I have a Grizzly G0555 bandsaw (14") with a resaw riser on it to allow resaw of ~12" boards. It works great. Resaws birdseye maple without difficulty.

Their tables saws are also good. I don't have experience with the saws, but I've only heard good things.

Regards,

Brodie


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## Sawdustmaker

I have the Grizzly 1023 SL 10" Left tilt table saw with the optional Shop Fox base and a Grizzly 1HP dust collector that I use in my garage/wood shop. I have only great things to say about the saw. I am using Forrest blades and recently picked up a magswitch 30 mm feather board, as a result, I'm looking forward to the next project.


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## alindobra

Peter,

I have the G0462 lathe. I have used extensively for about 1 year (I like to make natural edge bowls). The only other lathe I used is a small Jet. Here is what I think about this lathe:

*The good*

1. For a 16" lathe, it is very cheap. Even if you want to make 12" bowls, a 16" lathe is very convenient.
2. The head and the motor are decent
3. It comes with legs which are good
4. 42" between centers (can turn almost anything)

*The bad*
1. Basically all the accessories it comes with are junk: faceplate, live center, toolrest
2. When running has a little vibration even with the special link belt (probably the bearing)
3. The tailstock does not align perfectly with the head (1mm higher)
4. The slowest speed is 600rpm
5. The speed indicator died within few months (I did not bother to contact Grizzly since I run the lathe at the slowest speed most of the time).

Now, this being said, I think if you get better accessories you are still well below a 16" Jet. I do not think that the alignment of the tail and head or the slight vibration is what will prevent you from doing good work (it does not prevent me, anyway). Somehow, I like the fact that, when other woodworkers see my work and ask me what lathe I have, they are usually shocked when I say Grizzly. The only things I would really like to have is lower speeds and reversing rotation direction. All in all, if you have a low budget but you want to turn big things, this lathe is a good bargain.

Alin


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## Jon3

My Grizzly really has been top of the game for me. Both from a support perspective, and from a quality tool perspective. I have a G1023SL, and I really love it. Of course, it is my first cabinet saw, so I'm comparing to a contractor's, but still!

Their high end bandsaws, the whole 1023 line, planers, and the jointers generally get great reviews. They are not always tops with some of the other areas, like Lathes.


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## TexasOpa

Alin,

I really appreciate you taking the time to give me a DETAILED response about the G0462 lathe. I also am interested in bowl making.

Thank you.

Peter


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## alaskawoody

Hi
I'm looking at buying the Grizzly 12 1/2" planer G0505 but have a chance at the Craftsman 13" planer 21743 for the same price. Slightly used. I've done a lot of reading but nothing comparing the two. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help


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## Harold

The biggest problem I have with grizzly is the catalog weighs 14 pounds.


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## dalec

I did a quick search and found some discussion on LJ's forum on the grizzly thickness planer also saw a review of a number of planers on FWW. Just do a "thickness planer review" or "grizzly thickness planer review" goggle search or a search in LJ.

Dalec


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## kev1

Edit (for another 60 minutes)

I have several Grizzly products and I'm very happy with them. . Here's what I have and I'm happy with all of them.

19" Band Saw - G0514X2
6" Jointer - G1182ZHW
3 Hp dust collector - G0562
Drill Press - G7943
Downdraft 1 HP-G0535
24" 5 Hp Drum Sander with VS-G1066Z
Combo sander-G1014ZX
Oscillating Spindle sander 1 HP-G1071
router table-g0528

I see these tools being my shop for a long time. Also, their customer service is excellent.
I also Have a sawstop cabinet saw and that is by far the BEST table saw.


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## Beginningwoodworker

They are better than what they use to be, but I wouldn't own a shop full of Grizzly stuff.


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## herc

I have a Grizzly lathe and bandsaw. Compared to other manufacturers they are second rate in my opinion.


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## alaskawoody

I'm looking at the grizzly 6" jointer G0452. The bed is 46" long. How does this work for 6' boards? 
Would I be better off looking at a long bed jointer? Say 60-75"?


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## Allison

Well I just happened across this and by now I am sure you have made your purchases, but I have been in the market for a new Bandsaw, and after reading this post I do believe I will get a Grizzly G0555. I have a Grizzly Drill Press that Sware by
I sure am glad I ran into this thread.
PEACE!!!


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## Darell

Just now ran across this so I guess your purchase has already been made. However, just to add my two cents worth, I have a GO555X bandsaw which is an upgrade to the 555. It's the first bandsaw I've used other than a Craftsman 10" table top model. I love this thing. Have had no problems. It resaws very well with the resaw fence that comes with it. I didn't get the riser as I don't think I'll want to resaw anything wider than 6". If, at some point I do then I'll buy the riser later. Great saw. Haven't had to deal with Customer Service so can't comment on that.


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## Markt

I have the Grizzly 12 1/2 planer and it works great.

Before I bought it I looked into it and read some discouraging reports on it. For example, it would keep tripping the reset and snipe was supposedly a problem. So I went ahead and bought it anyway.

When I set it up. I dedicated it to its own circuit and use no extension cords. Fed the Planer with no.10 just to ensure as little voltage drop as possible. In a year and a half I have planed many many boards without a lick of problems. The reset is fine and snipe is of little consequence if at all. I have planed, Hemlock to Maple with no problem at all. The harder the wood the less you can take off with one pass but still does the job very nicely.


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## F56

I have purchased a Grizzly dust collector, an 8" jointer and other smaller tools. The quality has always been OK although I had an incredible problem trying to assemble the drive belts on the jointer.

My problem with Grizzly started when I bought a sanding table - which is supposed to pull in the dust generated when I use my orbital sander. It was so weak that it wouldn't pull the dust off the top of the table much less off of the work piece or the air.

PLEASE BE AWARE: Grizzly does NOT guarantee "customer satisfaction" they guarantee quick/quality "customer service" - read for yourself. There was an immediate return of my emails and phone calls by their customer service people. Their response was quick but they wouldn't do anything about the problem because the sanding table was now "used" (three times - that's how I found out that the machine was worthless - DERRRRR). They also said that they could NOT take the sanding table back because it was not "defective" that is - it was not broken i.e. motor burned out.

After several weeks of interaction with the customer service people I finally negotiated with a CS supervisor and got a credit voucher (80%) toward another purchase if I paid for the return of the sanding table. After all was said and done, I got about 50% of my money back toward the purchase of something else at Grizzly.

That compares to people like Woodcraft and Woodworker's Supply who have been willing to replace or refund (my choice) on defective products. Woodcraft even offered to refund my money on a mobile base that I had cut down to fit the Grizzly jointer. That's the kind of CUSTOMER SATISFACTION that builds my loyalty.

There are too many other manufacturers. Nothing is made in America anymore so the only difference is the company's price and customer satisfaction about Oriental or European tools.

Grizzly has taught me that there is a galaxy separating "customer service" and "customer satisfaction". Except for using the voucher I have not bought from Grizzly again. Grizzly? I say: Buyer Beware.


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## Vincent

I have the Grizzly G0478 hybrid saw and am very happy with it. The saw has plenty of power (2 HP). I routinely work with 12/4 oak and the saw has never stalled. The fence is good (Shop Fox aluma classic) and the table was spot on flat. I checked the entire surface and the worst deflection was 0,002". There was a lot a talk about the electronic starter switch. You need to turn a knob and then hit the start button. Once you are used to it, there are no issue. There are a few downsides. The motor needs a 30 amp circuit for 115 volts or you need to rewire for 220 V. If you rewire, then you need a new electonic switch. I wired my saw circuit with 10/3 wire in case I change to 220 volts. The blade guards and splitter are not good. I use a microsplitter and am in the process of adding an overarm dusthood. The insert plate that comes with the saw has too much flex. I usually use a ZCI which is plenty stiff. I made some other throat plates for use with dado blase and angled cutting. Overall, I am very happy with the saw. Customer service was great and delivery with a lift truck posed no problem.


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## Madcow

I have the G1035 shaper and it serves me well. I had a problem that was fixed over the phone with one of their reps. Very satisfied with that. I have a handful of sanders and drills that came from Grizzly. Only the drill gave me problems but then again, it was the cheapest they had.

My caution would be at the lower ends of their offerings. I went to their facility in Washington State to pick up my shaper and I'm glad I did because I had first selected one at the lower end only to discover it was too lightweight and had non-standard mitre slots.

I've been in lots of shops full of Grizzly products and I don't hear a lot of complaints.

I took a break and googled hardwoods NY state and once you separate what you are looking for from the hardwood floor listings, there are places you can go to.l


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## carlbigman

Hi All,

I had my first shop in 1991 and outfitted it all with mainly Grizzly tools. I was attracted to them mainly by my smaller budget, but I came to love everything about them very quickly, including the design and construction, as well as great customer support. I had a 16 speed benchtop Drill Press with a Morse taper spindle which had a full-sized head on a shortened column. It came with a gravity-feed oiler bottle. I loved it a lot. I then got a 6 Inch Rabbetting Jointer, a 12 1/2 inch Planer, a 14 Inch Bandsaw, and a 6 X 48 Inch Belt Sander/9 Inch Disc Sander Combo. All were Grizzly products. My 2 Table Saws were smaller old Craftsman and American Tool "belt drive" saws and I had an old Craftsman scrollsaw that I pulled out of a trash heap and repaired the lower cam by affixing it to the shaft with a simple stainless steel dowel pin to captivate it to the shaft again where the cam for the lower blade chuck used to be swaged onto the shaft. I had revived my 2 table-saws from a flea market purchase too. All of these tools were used to do small scale mass-production woodcrafts, novelties, small shelves, foot-stools, bird feeders, and folk-art pieces as inspiration led. I ran my shop for 4 years and really was amazed with what I got for the money. While it is true that I did no high-end classic furniture pieces as a fine woodworker/cabinet-maker would, I was completely happy and totally satisfied with my Grizzly basement workshop. I would definitely buy Grizzly again and again and encourage others to use these great machines wherever they can and save a lot of cash for other necessities. I did have to assemble my machines a bit and I had to tinker a bit with the jointer as I knew nothing about jointers before purchasing it. I was a C.N.C. Machine Tool Operator and an A.S.Q. Certified Mechanical Inspector and I know from experience that to expect any machine to be perfect right out of the box is an unrealistic expectation because even when adjusted at the factory could settle and shift in transit. It is always best to take a trial cut and assess any new machine and to adjust it where needed. With the Jointer I had to adjust the table gibs to take out any loose play and make the infeed and outfeed tables function smoothly. I also had to adjust for "end snipe" as the stock being jointed came down off of the infeed table and left a mark at the tail-end of the workpiece. I quickly learned to adjust that flaw out of the process and I got very good, clean, square cuts with no defects. All of the instructions were clear to me, but I have always been used to reading such technical jargon and making the required changes. Let's be realistic here folks, even our cars need fiddling and diddling with to keep them running smoothly and performing well. Why should we expect not to have to tinker with our other machines? God bless all. Happy Easter! Carl


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## macdaddy

Greetings to the forum. I'm looking at picking up a G1023SLWX in the next few weeks. I have several projects I've been looking at tackling and I need to rid myself of my ancient contractor's saw if I want the product of my work to be decent. Is the G1023SLWX far enough up into the Grizzly product line to avoid the low-end quality issues people in these forums have been reporting with the lower-end offerings? I picked that saw because it's a left-tilt, 5HP, single-phase unit. I would love to have the extension deck but unfortunately I don't have the space for it. I'm literally putting the shop on wheels in my garage so I can push it up against the walls when not in use. I'm going to put the collapsible roller outfeed table on saw though to help make up for the smaller deck and loss of the solid outfeed table. The router table add-on on the G1023SLWX will be handy too since I only have an old homemade wooden router table. I'm planning on getting the Freud SD508 8" dado set and either some quality Freud or Forrest blades. Do it right from the get go.

One thing that I don't have experience with is fine tuning a quality table saw. My ancient Craftsman benchtop saw (the thing is nearly twice my age) is not adjustable (except the fence of course). So how does one go about tuning and tweaking a quality table saw which this Grizzly hopefully will be? Does anyone have any book recommendations? Any online guides? Will the saw come with instructions for accomplishing that task?

I'm here in central Kansas and am considering a drive to Grizzly's Springfield showroom to pick up the saw. Free shipping is also available though too. Would the saw be more likely to stay factory-tuned if I haul it myself or with a freight company? I'm assuming of course that the saw is fine-tuned at the factory too.

Is Grizzly's mobile base decent? It looks identical to the Shop Fox mobile base, at least in the pictures. The reviews of the Shop Fox base on Amazon are less than favorable. Is there a better one out there? One of the big gripes was that the threaded leveling adjustments took a bit of time to set up for each use and again to release it for storage. A foot lever would be helpful. Another common gripe was that the casters were frequently bad. Any suggestions for a decent mobile base? Jet, HTC, Rockler?

And finally, I'm looking at getting either the Grizzly 2HP G1029Z dust collector or the 3HP G1030, plus a large chunk separator. It's a little overkill for my current needs but I'd rather not have a 1HP that will be of little use to me later. Any problems or concerns with either of those models?

Hopefully these will be good purchases. I'm open to alternate suggestions though. My immediate projects are several cabinets and bookcases with a built-in hutch. I think the Grizzly will do well.

Thanks
Justin


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## bigedm

Macdaddy

You didn't say what type of woodworking projects you're planning to do.


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## bigedm

Macdaddy

oops didn't read far enough down.

If you plan on cutting sheet goods part of the time then I would suggest a larger table to the right of the saw with a capacity of at least 48". I like the left tilt. I have a number of tool cabinets on wheels that I place around my saw for additional material support (in-feed, out-feed and side-support). These are a must if you plan on cutting large stock yourself. A good quality sharp saw blade with an optional blade stiffener will make cutting easier and safer. I have a 3hp saw and I am able to cut 8/4 solid maple with no problem, 5hp may a bit over kill. I am not a big fan of out feed rollers ( has only one purpose and takes up space that could be used for a potable work surface, router table, and or material support table). I also have a grizzly 2hp dust collector with a separator it handles my saw, joiner and 15" planner all at the same time with no problem, 3hp may be a bit over kill also takes up more space. get a mobile base that fits your saw, you can always upgrade the casters later or make one yourself. I use a couple of large shims to stabilize and level my saw, it's not that big of a deal as long as you get the saw solid. I love my Freud SD508 8" dado set, you may want to look at the tenruy saw blades, they are very quiet.

I hope this helps


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## Madcow

I went up to Bellingham, Wa to the Grizzly showroom to pick up a shaper. I had one minor problem and I can say the customer service is as good as one would hope for. The shaper was a good investment. One observation I had at the showroom was that their tools on the low end should be carefully evaluated. For example the shaper I went up there to buy was not the one I left with. The one I left without was underpowered and the miter slots were smaller than the professional machines have.


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## FEDSAWDAVE

Do any of you run your your Grizzly Tools 8 hours a day…5 days a week?

In other words, are they used in an industrial setting?

Dave


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## spikey37857

First off, I don't YET own any woodworking equipment (Grizzly or otherwise), so I don't exactly speak from experience on your specific question. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to doing so soon. I'm retired, and looking for an enjoyable hobby, and I've been wanting to get into woodworking for a long time.

My experience on other types of projects agrees with the general ideas posted on this site.

Don't buy equipment too small to handle the job and then get disappointed when it doesn't have enough horsepower, won't maintain a straight line, the belt keeps slipping, or it shows some other signs of being overloaded. Invest a little more and get the next larger size, or heavier duty, or whatever upgrade your budget will accomodate.

Get all the attachments you expect to need when you buy the tool (try going back to Big-Lots, or Wally-World, and get another thingamajig to match the one-shy set you bought last month).

Regardless of whether you choose Grizzly, Jet, Delta, Craftsman, or some other brand, keep the equipment aligned, the cutters sharp, and respect its design - whether it has all the bells and whistles or you have to "make do" via some work-around because you don't have the necessary clamp. Take your time and think through what you're doing, After all, this is supposed to be fun, isn't it?

I like markrules' suggestion of getting a moving company to move the 500 lb gorilla downstairs. They have the equipment and strong backs to make such a piece of cake. Don't pull a muscle attempting the impossible.

Best wishes.


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## a1Jim

great tools


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## Porosky

I have several key Grizzly pieces. Their spiral head in joiners and planners is top shelf, a must have!


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## BuilderBob59

I have the 20 inch Grizzly planer with spiral head cutter which I like other than the dust collection outlet was an odd size 5 1/4 inch diameter which Grizzly Customer Service said was correct but they had no idea how to hook it up. I have the 12 inch jointer with spiral head cutter which works fine other than the dust collector connection was 4 3/4 inch diameter so I had the same problem. My dust collector also a Grizzly works well but the dust constantly swirls in the catch bag which I think is a little odd. My biggest hardach is the 19 inch bandsaw on the Shop Fox mobile base. The recommended mobile base is too small for the bandsaw base. The recommended base collapsed in the center and when I asked Customer Service they said I must have the wrong bars. They sent new bars but were the same as orignial. I ended up welding the base together. But once the base would hold the saw up, the saw rocks back and forth very unstable. I think I could easily tip the bandsaw over on this base. The saw is quite top and front heavy on the mobile base. MY recommendation is don't buy ShopFox mobile base for the 19 inch bandsaw. The saw works great after all the adjustment. The other point I have is the planner and jointer came very heavily coated with grease. Takes a lot of cleanup. Delivery after placing an order is incredibly fast. Customer service is well just OK.


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## wiswood2

I would not buy any thing else, I have 12 of them and 2 delta One delta is great the other is nothing but junk, it has spent more time in the UPS truck going to get fixed and returned than it has worked. the next time it will go to the land fill because it is ouy of wartinty, It is a jointer. good luck in what ever you get.
Chuck


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## knotscott

BuilderBob59 - I've never seen a dust collector where the dust doesn't swirl in the catch back…it's from air flow going in.


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## JohnGray

Between my son and I we have 4 Grizzly power tools and are happy with all of them and would not hesitate to buy more.

*G0580 14" Bandsaw 3/4 HP 
2 - G7944 12 Speed Heavy-Duty 14" Floor Drill Press' 
G0452 6" Jointer *


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## BuilderBob59

Knotscott

Thanks for the reply. First dust collector I've purchased. I'll assume it is operating corectly. It is by far the loudest piece of equipment in my shop. Well maybe the router is louder.

Anyone have any ideas on what to do about the nonstandard dust outlet connections on the planer and jointer or the ShopFox mobile base that doesn't fit the bandsaw?

The machines seem to work as one would expect.


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## knotscott

*"...It is by far the loudest piece of equipment in my shop…."*

Bet you don't have a thickness planer yet! LOL…


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## BuilderBob59

Knotscott

I have the Grizzly 20 inch thickness planer with Sprial cutter head. The sprial head makes it quiet, I'm told.


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## knotscott

You're lucky…everyone in my neighborhood knows I have a portable planer.


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## MikeandBart

I would like to offer a few comments on the quality of Grizzly tools. I own these Grizzly tools:

G1023sl table saw; G9859 Ultimate Jointer w/spiral cutterhead; G1021Z planer (converted to spiral cutterhead by Grizzly shop); G1026 shaper w/G4176 power feeder; G0514X bandsaw, G7944 Drill Press; G1140 edge sander; G1066Z drum sander; & G0671 4hp dust collector.

Some of the very early tools from Grizzly may have been of the "harbor freight" variety and quality, but all of the tools I own were purchased since 2004 and the quality has been exceptional. Their advertising makes a point of the fact that many (or most) of the tools come from an "ISO 9001" factory. The ISO certification requires that the factory have in place a feedback system for continual process improvement. This shows in the fit and finish of the tools as well as overall functional quality.

On line and telephone customer support are very responsive. I live within a 30 minute drive of the Springfield, Missouri outlet, and found their shop staff to be exceptional when I wanted to upgrade my planer.

While their machines are of excellent quality, the manuals that come with them are not, although I do have to say some are better than others. Some were written by a people for whom English is not their native language, and after reading the manual it appears their only exposure to English came from watching reruns of Gilligan's Island. The manual for my power feeder had me mount it on the wrong side of the shaper. Later manuals seem to be getting better, but they're not a strong point for Grizzly.

The comments on this blog site about the mobile base not fitting the bandsaw represent a problem I've had as well. When I purchased my edge sander and mobile base, I discovered the mobile base didn't fit, and had to take it back and exchange it for the next larger size. When I purchased the bandsaw, I said to the salesman, "sell me the correct size base, I don't want to have to drive back to exchange it". He looked it up in his magic book and said "this is the right one". Well, he was wrong…and even after making a point of asking him to be sure, I had to make the return trip. While Grizzly requires its factory partners to have ISO certification, Grizzly management has not yet seen an advantage in a riterative quality improvement process within their own organization. As a result, customers continue to have a problem with mobile bases not fitting the equipment and no corrective action is taken.

I will continue to purchase Grizzly products because I like the quality and value. But, I do so knowing there are some soft spots in the management of the organization.


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## Ottis

Most here know that I am now a Grizzly fan, I have four Grizzly tools….a new table saw, 8" jointer, 17' bandsaw, and 15" planer, ALL work great and I have nothing but good things to say about their customer service. While I have not had my tools for a great period of time….they are used almost daily and have been trouble free.

*BUT*...like MikeandBart said, the mobile base's they sale are a big waste of money. I bought the one the recommend for my new G0690 table saw, with-in three days the wheels bowed out so far the saw was sitting on the ground. Since then I built my own for the saw as I have for all my tools (Which I should have done the first time

Ratings
Grizzly tools ….................A+ Five stars
Grizzly customer service….A+ Five stars
Shop Fox Mobile base's….F- NO stars


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## Ottis

Forgot to add….I can not speak about how Grizzly dust ports use to fit, from what I hear and have read on this topic, they did not fit the 4" dust collection hose's at all…..but the new ones at least fit great. All four of my Grizzly tools fit my four inch hose just fine.


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## Xtreme90

Hey sparky…
Just joined the club recently, just had to post a quick message to reinsure your confidence in grizzly tools. I my self own several grizzly tools, 3 of which are massive! A 800lb 17" 5hp bandsaw, 1000lb 5hp planer, and a 1200lb 12" 3hp jointer. All 3 are the extreme series machines iso 9001 certified. I own other grizzly tools with iso 9001 certification also, but when it comes right down to it grizzly offers the cheap end the mid range and the goodstuff so ta say. They cover all ends, it's basically what do u have to spend? Now I'm not saying thier isn't somthing out thier that probally has a couple more features than a grizz, which believe me is hard to find. My father who has been a tool maker for 30 years has checked out every single one of my grizzly tools and loves these machines. But short sweet and simple grizzly offers good quality tools! Every machine we have purchased from grizzly, money was not an object, I looked at powermatic, delta, jet, craftsman. All of which are great tools! I own several other brands myself. But when it came to buying my industrial heavy equiptment me and my father prefer GRIZZ!!


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## brian75137

Alin Dobra
I know that this is a little late, but why don't you see if you can find yourself an electronic speed reducer of some sort. I know that they make them for router speed controls. Dont get any that are just a variable resistor, but one dedicated to controllingthe speed of a motor.

Hope this helps (if not too late)

Brian in Thornton (Denver area)
(720) 480-1290
[email protected]


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## Xtreme90

SPalm.
I no this post is late, but just had to tell you about our basement shop and the same senario with getting our equiptment down thier as well. I will quick tell you about our most recent machine we brought down, which was our 12" 1200lb grizzly jointer. Me and my father made up a skid for the stairs, this gave us a flat surface to slide her down the 45 degree slope. To slowly lower the massive jointer down the stairs we used our big case farm tractor hooked up with heavy duty cloth straps secured around it's solid cast iron base. We also relize this could be done with a truck, but we spent a good buck on this baby and wasn't taking any chances. Steady and easy we lowered her down to her knew home. We had done this same thing with our industrial bandsaw and planer. The real kinker is when we got the machine set up ready for operation, my father being a tool maker for thirty years spent countless hours with his micrometers, and was not happy with the error in the tables. Understanding alot about machines period we knew this wasn't a simple adjustment. Long story short the jointer came back out and was sent back to grizzly and we requested a knew one. Phewww !! What a job that was tho. Grizzly understood the problem when the machine arrived to them and was terribly sorry for the incovience, they sent our knew one out the same day! We were pleased. We had learned our lesson of making sure we check and test ran the knew one before we take her down in the shop. It was superb! We then sat and thought to our selves how easy the machine because of just the shear weight of the beast could have easly wrenched one of the tables during shipping. A good jointer is a very very fussy machine! But just had to tell ya it can be done yourself even the big stuff so ta say. Just some thinking levers and pullys always helps. Oh and for the longest time we wanted to get the 10" jointer, well we ended up getting the 12 due to it's size, mass and idustrial dependiblity. What ever jointer u purchased I'm sure (actually positive) it's good cause it's a grizz. The point is when it comes time buying your equiptment get the one you want! Based on if you can get it through the door, not it's weight. Weight is your friend with woodworking equiptment.

Peace.


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## FEDSAWDAVE

5 Stars out of what? 30 ?

Compared to what tools?


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## TheWoodNerd

I'd say compared to any tools based on value. Nobody can argue that saws costing 2-3 times as much are better in some ways. But, having used PM, Jet, and Sawstop saws in the past, I can say that without a doubt they're not 2-3 times better. And in their core function, i.e. cutting wood, they're not *any* better. My Grizzly saw, as it came from the factory, had 90% of the quality of my friend's PM2000 at 40% of the cost. After adding the Incra fence with 80" rails, I'd say my machine is now a *better* saw than his PM and I'm still $500 under what he paid.


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## Xtreme90

Once again I'm back
To all who had bad experiences with grizzly tools that's just terrible. But honestly, where is the line drawn. You say grizzly is a ok product when you have boughten their not so high end tools or you wouldn't own one at all. By all means go ahead and spend 4 or 5 grand on a European bandsaw or a powermatic whatever, or spend half on somthing that what may not be the color you want and doesn't have U.S.A stamped on it, but would compete with any European saw. I own a monster grizzly bandsaw myself, ain't saying it's the best out thier but I'll promise it would compete well with any other saw on the market. Resaw 12-15" diameter logs of hardwood into boards with ease, let me tell ya that's takes some ponys. Or take a 10" wide board 8' long and take the twist out of it with a jointer, that's a real ringer on the accuracy of a jointer. Grizzlys extreme series line says it all! Extreme!!!!! I've operated owned and disowned many pieces of equiptment, but grizzly seems to stick around my shop. I remember when my last year in high school I took internship in shop. The schools shop was a nice shop, mostly powermatic, and a delta tablesaw. All of which were decent tools don't get me wrong, but powermatic planers I've never been so disappinted! They also had a big powermatic bandsaw, it was allright but once u started to fill that 10" of resaw height up with hard cherry for example she started to struggle, clearly the saw was just under powered with very little mass. Now I do understand that this is only my opinion, but look at the facts, Industrial users such as my self who will run one of our machines for 3-4 hours straight or just the jobs we throw at a grizz. Grizzlys extreme series machines are unbelieveable! And would compete with any other machine in it's class on the market!!!


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## juniorjock

I don't think ol "Sparky" is around any more, but…......... G.M., you are not alone. I own lots of Grizzly tools and would recommend any of them to any woodwork (beginner or the guys who have been around for a while). That green kind of grows on you after a while.


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## wavespy

I would say , if your not looking to produce alot of volume , Grizzly stuff is OK, but if you want to mill some serious lumber, Grizzly will not stand the test of time. I think Grizzly tools are for a hobby type woodworker, not so great in a professional woodshop. I would look into the Delta Unisaws, Laguna tools for a lighter duty, more affordable shop of tools. I have not been all that happy with any of Grizzlys stuff, especially the planers. Good luck….


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## juniorjock

There is a list of some of the companies who purchase Grizzly products on page 3 of their big book. I'm sure it's not a complete list and the list is long. Just a few… Fender Musical Instruments, Fleetwood Motor Homes, Gibson Musical Instruments, La-Z-Boy, Lowes, NASA, Sea Ray Boats, a lot of US Federal Government Agencies…... and the list goes on. I'm not saying that all of these companies purchase table saws or planers, but Grizzly is providing for a wide range of organizations. There is a long list of companies who make musical instruments. I'm sure these companies are very demanding and will not use anything but the best. Just my thoughts.


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## Rick Dennington

I'm on the other end of the spectrum: I've owned 2 Grizzly machines, and both were a piece of crap.
The worst was a 14" bandsaw. I had it about 3 weeks, and the tapered drive shaft for the bottom wheel exploded while I was sawing a piece of hardwood. It broke in three pieces, knocked a huge dent in the bottom door, and the blade broke in two pieces. Scared the crap out of me. Thought I'd been shot!!
Grizzly was in Memphis at the time. I called them to get another part. No part in the warehouse. It was a tapered shaft. Couldn't even get one from overseas-nowhere!! Boy was I p.o. A friend of mine came over, took measurments, and turned me a good tapered shaft out of cold-rolled STEEL- not potmetal crap Grizzly uses. Soon as i found a sucker-errrr-- buyer, I unloaded that junk on him. Never again, Grizzly. I been a Delta fan ever since. Every tool I own is Delta. The only complaint I have is that my 6" jointer throws chips and dust on me and the floor. But-- that's another story!!!!!!!!!!


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## wavespy

Yeah Gibson Guitars, thats great, but the the biggest piece of stock, wich is probably Maple, is only so big on a guitar, like the neck per say, there is only so much material on this kind of product, thats where I say lite duty work is probably all Grizz can handle. If you are planing 8/4 stock all week every week, the Grizz will fall short. I wouldnt say Grizzly is a total loss, but then again its not scmi. or weinig. Look deeper into the tools that will best suite yer needs, get the best that you can afford, it will pay off in the long run!!


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## juniorjock

wavespy, do you own any Grizzly tools?


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## BudShop

Yes, quality


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## juniorjock

Autumn, what Grizzly tools do you own besides the bandsaw?


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## juniorjock

So….... how many Grizzly tools do you own, Autumn?


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## Xtreme90

Wavespy

what grizzly machines do u own? Milling 8/4 stock in my shop basically just about every week which is suited with grizzly tools is a breeze for my grizzy machines. I own A 5hp 1000lb grizzly planer spiral cutterhead, a 1200lb 3hp jointer also spiral cutterhead and a 800lb 17" 5hp bandsaw and the beasts have always asked for more! PERIOD! Grizzly makes a variety of machines yes some cheap but right on up to a industrial grade wood eating monster! My father who has been a machinest for 35 years just loves my grizzly tools. He personally adjusted my jointers tables coplaner and parallelism to within a .001" and have stayed ever since. Oh and Autumn? What grizzly tools have u owned? Pot metal? That was used in the civil war. Lol. Yeah maybe on their contractor style table saw or 300$ bandsaw and I still don't believe they do. And how tight are you tightening ur bolts?? Sounds pretty rough if ur just shearing them off so frequant.


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## SEE

I'm completely satisfied with my Grizzly machines: G0555 and G055X Bandsaws, G0604X Jointer and G7947 Drill Press. They are a great value for the money and perform to my complete satisfaction. Grizzly CS is second to none. God willing, more of their machines are in my future.


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## sidestepmcgee

They are a great value,however for EVERY single day all day use they can run a little ragged.My buddy cabinet shop has a 16" jointer and use it to mill 8/4 and bigger every day all day and it just cant keep up anymore.Have to agree with wavespy ,buy for what your doing.Now I'm about to buy their 12" jointer seeing that I would be milling 8/4 lumber 4-8 hours a week ,perfect for what I'm doing.


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## Xtreme90

Sidestepmcgee,

what model 16" jointer did your friend have?


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## RedShirt013

Some people seem to be quite defensive toward negative comment for Grizzly tools. I see a lot of LJ loves Grizzly, and their reputation for customer service is good. And I've come to believe that Grizzley tools are good value, but not always the best. I don't find it that hard to accept that sometimes people get the lemons, and for the large # of product Grizzly carries, some products might not be that great of a design, or sometimes things slip through quality control.

But then in my opinion standing the test of time means those 40 or 60 year old machinery that I see in shops that stills runs great every day of the week with little maintenance, not a 5 year old machine. Those "list of customers" are always written by the marketing department anyway, and does not equate whatever they bought are used for precision or as the bread and butter production machine. Perhaps it included some company who has a purchasing account with Grizzly, and buys their table saw for their custom department to make the oddballs?


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## juniorjock

I think this is one of those threads where there is no right or wrong. If everyone liked the same tool company, there would only be one place to buy tools. Like the saying goes - "different strokes for different folks". I have a few Grizzly machines, but I also have some Delta, PC, and others. I'm sure that there is at least one brand of tools that every individual has said they hated them and would never purchase anything else made by that company. The bottom line is that if you've had major trouble with a piece of equipment, you're not likely to buy from the company again. We live and learn. And if it is a safety issue, and you don't feel comfortable using a machine, you have every right to lean toward another brand.


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## Xtreme90

Autumn,

That deff sux that your experience with grizzly was so poor. The whole "Pot metal" used in civil war was a joke, did not mean for that to sound mean. I happened to have a father who has been a tool maker for 35 years and he knows what type of metal your talking about. Just have to tell you tho my band saw has a total of 10 bearing guides. 5 upper 5 lower and the upper portion is supported by a 1"x1" solid piece of steel. Not pot metal, no offense. I've used my bandsaw as a bandmill because of it's features, with a 16" resaw height I take 12" + hardwood lumber oak, cherry, Osage orange, hickory and resaw with ease. I've done alot!!! Of resawing on that bad boy and just have had great results. I agree with you tho if you personally don't feel comfortable or feel the tool is a hazerdous machine by all means give it the college toss & do some shoping. 

Happy woodworking.


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## coloradoclimber

JuniorJock, I suspect you are correct, those that have had good experiences with "insert favorite brand here" will defend it, buy another, and recommend it to their friends. Those with bad experiences will take the other side.

I doubt most people, most lumberjocks included, really have the background or the interest to fully know what quality, reliability, and longevity to expect from a machine, particularly under diverse workloads. I expect most people just have their own experience, and maybe the experience of a friend who recommended the same brand. Those with good experiences love it, those with bad hate it. And I'm not sure relying on marketing literature from a manufacturers website really counts.

Myself, I've had pretty much uniformly bad experience with Grizzly tools, I'm in the not so lovin them camp. But I see plenty of LJ's who really like their Grizzly tools so I'm willing to believe Grizzly can make a good tool. I've not had the pleasure of owning one. I have owned one of their table saws, a 1023, and a few of their smaller tools. Pretty poor luck on all of them. Here's one of my posts soon after receiving another mixed bag from Grizzly. I eventually reworked the table saw and sold it on Craigslist. Personally I was happy to see it out of my shop and the guy who bought it seemed happy to be moving it into his shop. To each his own.


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## reggiek

Over the years I have seen or had lemons from almost every manufacturer. Since all of these items are designed and QC'd by humans it is to be expected…especially if a company uses unskilled and low paid workers. I have several Grizzly tools in my shop…they work fine but did require proper set up and adjustments.

Some of the assembly and machining I see on the Grizzly tools is low quality…some of it is quite good….it probably depends on where the items were manufactured (parts come from almost anywhere now…and are assembled in China typically)....I also have some delta/jet and some powermatic machines in my shop…and I have noticed they have some of the same flaws and also some of the high quality work….

I use my tools quite hard…but I take good care of them….I clean them and lubricate them frequently. I also have a schedule for each machine to see how many hours they have been running…I follow the mfg recommendations for any maintenance and have my own schedule to check all fasteners for tightness and for any signs of wear or failure - I inheirited this from my father who was a flight trainer in the air force - he would never fly any jet, plane or helicopter without inspecting it himself…or until all preflight and safety checks were completed.

So far this seems to work ok for me….but the machines still will break now and then….and need repair. I always try to replace or repair a part with a quality replacement….

Unfortunately, in the days of consumer demand for cheaper products, there are not as many quality manufacturers left that can survive the low priced competition…we as consumers, either need to demand higher quality (and be willing to pay for it) or deal with the flaws - Grizzly does cut some corners….and there are occassional lemons….so far though they have stepped up and made good for me…and I will continue to consider their equipment as long as they do so..


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## mgb

I have a GO691 cabinet saw and I love it. I have a shop fox mobile base and extention. It's the heavy duty model (1300 lbs.) The one that Grizzly recommends was to close for the weight of the saw. I had very little adjusting to do out of the box. I also have their Chipper/Schredder that I have had for a couple of years and it works great, even the 3" diameter branches. I'am very satified with their products and their customer service is top of the line.

It's kind of like some people like Fords and some like Chevy's.

Good luck with your purchase.


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## mgb

Autumn

The wise thing to do is to get rid of your bandsaw before anything serious happens.


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## mgb

Autumn

I totally agree with you. I would not sell something I know could cause a serious injury.

I don't know how long you have had your saw, but try calling Grizzly and see if they can help. I'am sure if you mention the potential hazard, they may try to work out something. You have nothing to lose for trying.
Just throwing in my two cents.


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## wavespy

Xtreme90, We have a 24 inch heavy duty (heavy duty


> ?


??) Grizz planer thats sits next to a 24 inch scmi planer,,, so in all reality,, its a drag race between the two. That Grizz is the biggest pile of junk!!!!! That thing can hardly choke down the lumber we feed it, not to mention all the crap it leaves in the wood,,, ( and yes I do adjust the rollers, and all the other bogus parts on it all the time),,, the scmi, we feed all week long and the thing asks us to work on the weekend, where the grizz calls in sick every other day. We produce 60 to 80 passage doors a week , plus millwork, cabinet work, and just about anything else to do with wood, and Grizzly tools just dont have what it takes to make the money!! We should all move on now,, and find a new subject ,this has been fun, but no way you can convince me Grizz is worthy!!! Yuck!!!


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## Xtreme90

Wavespy

Hey by no means am I trying to convince u in grizzly tools, I simply said my personal experience with grizzly has been awesome! Yours obvisouly not! Yea I guess they are junk when so many people own em. I'm not sure what else to say besides my grizzly machines work superb for my industrial and precision needs. One example is my brother in law has a post and beam home with room to spare and I've lost track of the amount of planeing jointing and resawing I have done for him. And that's besides all the other houses and custom work I do during the week and weekend. Yes and the weekend. I take 30"x6"x14"of oak, hemlock maple and more and resaw it to get two 30"x3"x14" pieces. I plane em joint em and cut em to be massive corner supports for local post and beam homes. I've had to make dozens and dozens and dozens of em already, by no means not light work on a woodworking tool. Not that my machines can't do production but I'm into precise woodworking. Hey maybe you like to go a million MPH doing production industrial grade work which scmi works fine, but I'm into precision grade work, milling wood to high standards for those who pay for it. So yes let's move on maybe start a blog on scmi?????


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## humungo

I have a number of Grizzly machines in my shop along with other manufacturers. As a professional cabinet/furniture maker all my machines get a regular workout and I can only express complete happiness with the tools I own. I've owned a 15" planer for 12 years now as well as a 15 and 19" bandsaw, a wide belt sander (first grizzly tool), and a 3hp shaper with a power feeder. When any one of these tools gets switched on they tend to run for hours at a time and under heavy loads. While none are perfect, neither are my tools from Delta, Jet, or Powermatic. All require periodic maintenance and adjustment. In short dollar for dollar Grizzly is tough to beat. A neighbor however, just purchased the 18/36 open ended sander and wound up returning it after the second one failed. Even at that though, Grizzly was a stand up company and fully refunded my friends money.


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## Dustmite97

I don't own any Grizzly tools but I hear a lot of good things about them. I also hear a lot of good things about their customer service.


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## mcase

Recently I began to look for a new jointer. I really needed an 8" jointer and absolutely wanted the longer infeed table of a parallelogram jointer and the adjustment for tuning the tables to absolute coplanar. I wish to make it clear that I did not buy a Grizzly Jointer based on price alone. I do not want to start any wars so let me preface the next few statements with "in my opinion". IMO Powermatic and Delta have gone done hill. I've lost faith in their products. OK If anyone wants to hear my reasons at length for not thinking highly of Powermatic and Delta send me message or we can exchange posts on another thread. The point is I did not go for Grizzly just because of price. Initially I thought the only quality alternative to PM and Delta was General International. However the GI 8" parallelogram goes for $3000.00. Frankly, price did come into play here. So I began looking into Grizzly. Their (G0490) 8" jointer looked like the exact machine for me. But, honestly I had a lot of doubts. However, I kept coming across positive posts and reviews about Grizzzly jointers.. Fine Woodworking rated their older style 8" jointer #1. This was largely based on the dead flatness of their tables which according to this particular review were absolutely flat. All truing begins on the jointer bed and a long flat table with a flat square fence is absolutely essential. So this review really drew me in. I read post after post and it seems most people are really pleased with the current generation of Grizzly machines, particularly the jointers. Grizzly also is willing to give out the phone numbers of customers in your area who actually own the machine your interested in. I did not take advantage of this because I communicated with people on LJ that actually owned the machine (G0490) and they loved it. This gave me the confidence to buy Grizzly. I ordered the G0490 8" parallelogram jointer. It weighs 508 pounds, has a 3 horse tefc induction motor, is 76" long and has a 43" infeed table. It is essentially the Delta 37-365X 8" with upgrades: a three horse, a four knife cutter head, and an integral mobile base, and a magnetic switch. The cost was $850.00, no tax, no delivery fee. By comparison the Delta 37-365X 8" goes for about $1800.00. 
Now let tell you how it went. Grizzly answers their phones right away. This was consistent throughout my dealings with them. They sent the machine out right away. It arrived within three business days! I was worried about getting the four hundred pound crate with the beds and tables in my shop so I paid $30.00 for lift gate delivery. The delivery was UPS. They arrived on time and the driver was very helpful. So far so great. I opened the big crate and all was well. I counted all the parts. All were there. Then I opened the base carton. I had hardly given this one a thought since it only weighed 160 pounds. Well they say it's the wolf you don't see you have to fear. Damn! It was smashed up. The motor which weighs upwards of 80 pounds was broken loose. The flanges were cracked clean off and it had really banged things up. The top of the base was also crunched badly. Clearly someone had dropped this a good three feet. I called up Grizzly and they answered right away. They apologized and sent me a whole new base unit right away. In fact they overnighted it! The new base carton came on time again and was in perfect shape. 
Now at last I could assemble the jointer. I rented a chain hoist and made slings and this made lifting the tables a breeze. It all went smoothly. The most time consuming thing was adjusting the beds. I had to call tech support with a question. They answered right away and were very friendly. Now here's the really good part. The tables really are dead flat! They are perfect, just like the reviewers said. I went over them with a Veritas 36" straight edge and .001 feeler gauge and could find no flaws. They are the most beautifully machined jointer tables I have seen. They adjusted to absolute coplaner and the fence is dead flat and true in all dimensions. Boy this was an impressive showing. Also, let me tell you this machine has power. It really is a three horse. I had a piece of rough sawn hard maple set aside just for testing this machine. Well it trued it lickety split. This jointer can take a 1/16" off a full 8" maple board without the slightest hesitation. It has a four knife cutter head and makes beautiful cuts. It also joints edges dead square and the long 43" infeed table takes the crook out of an 8' board with ease. The base is heavy gauge steel, very solid. Its a mobile base and the wheels are an integral part not some add on feature and moving it's a breeze. Grizzly's customer service was great. Its' a really heavy, powerful, and dead true jointer. A great machine at a fantastic price. Every time I look at it I'm happy.


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## Konomigon

I bought a Grizzly cement mixer this summer for some concrete work on my house. I have only used it once for part of a footer that needed built, (don't even get me started on this fixer upper!!!) The mixer worked great through 40 bags. I assume it will continue to perform in the future.

The only problem I have is the instructions don't exactly match up to the part list. The parts are mostly nuts and bolts. I did have enough to build the mixer, but the lengths of bolts I had didn't match the instructions. Extra time to set up, but not an issue once its done.


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## JasonWagner

MGB - the shipping weight of your saw is only 572lbs. You must have ordered two of them and an olympic barbell set as well. As many posts said, I have a G1023SLWX that I got on CL and I am happy with it. The take home message that I think you'll get is you get what you pay for. A $1200 saw from Grizzly compared to a $2500+ saw from Powermatic…I'd love to have the latter but am pretty darn happy with Grizzly. Or a Ford gets me around while a Jaguar does it in style.


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## mgb

Hey Jason
Your correct about the weight of the saw. The Mobile base that Grizzly recommended had a 600 lb capacity which for me it was too close. I read some reviews which stated the the wheels started to bow a little. Any ways, I love my saw. I agee with you, I'd love to have alot of toys but if you can get similar quality for a little less….........why not. 
Have a good one


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## richgreer

My first Grizzly purchase was the 6 inch joiner, Go604x, and I think it is great. Recently, I bought a lathe, go462. Neither product is very fancy. They're just solid and dependable tools that work very well. Soon I will upgrade my drill press and Grizzly is my first choice. I don't need a floor model. I want a real heavy duty bench model with real power, a good table and at least a 14 inch swing. Grizzly has just what I need.


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## adam77

Just got the Grizzly 10" wet grinder for christmas and its going back. Its garbage. The grinding wheel looks like it was hit with a sledgehammer.Just for kicks I put the wheel on the machine it looks like a car wheel with loose lug nuts. I also have a grizzly dual drum sander that im unhappy with. The last time I buy a Grizzly tool. IMO they are one step above Harbor Freight.


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## mcase

Hey Adam,

I must confess Grizzly is one company whose business model seems confused. They sell junk and they sell good machines and they can't seem to make up their mind which way to go. I hear their small stuff is bad, like your wet grinder. Most of the big machines get good reviews except some of the drum sanders. Your not the first person who was displeased with this product. Its crazy. Powermatic charges big bucks for their 8" jointer and all the reviews and individual posts I read say the beds are not flat. If the PM 66 I owned was any indication I can believe it. Grizzly the cheapest of the lot gets this crucial and difficult part of manufacture right on their jointers. But then they turn around and sell these sanders no one is happy with. Its such a mixed bag it makes my head spin. I wish they would sort out their business model and take the high road. I mean charge a few hundred more and get it right. They are a purely web based company. Every review like yours scares off potential customers. They should drop the crap and stick to the stuff they do right and improve upon it. You got my sympathy. I hate a bad machine, but let me tell you some of the bad ones I've owed had Powermatic and Delta stamped on them.


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## richgreer

I grew up on the family farm MANY years ago. The better Grizzly tools remind me of the early John Deere tractors (before 1960) and that is not because they are green. In the early years, John Deere believed that simplicity in engineering has virtue. The typical farmer could usually overhaul an engine in the winter or replace a clutch with no assistance from a mechanic. The engineering of a Grizzly tool is similar. I honestly believe that, if I can get the needed parts, I could repair anything on a Grizzly tool. Their customer service is outstanding so getting parts should never be a problem. So far, I have only had to replace the belt on my lathe.


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## Xtreme90

Rich,

Couldn't agree with you anymore!!! Me and father have looked at the same thing on our grizzly tools, and have took notice that if anything were to ever need replacing it's matter of unbloting a couple things here or thier. We are very impressed with how our big boys are put togather and the ease to ever replace anything.


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## jagans

I see that most, if not all the responses to this newcomers question are from people who own Grizzly Tools. The fact is that it is very difficult to compare when you only have experience with the brand that this person is asking about. My experience is also limited in this department, but I have owned a couple of Grizzly Tools, so I will throw in my two cents.

First the good about Grizzly:

1. Service: Second to none.
2. Support: Second to none. You can always download their user and parts manuals as PDF's. You dont have to pay for them like some of the other manufacturers.
3. You get a lot of Mass for the money with Grizzly. 
4. Nice Catalog. Its like a Red Lobster Commercial. When you actually go there to eat, you cant believe its the same food they showed on TV. In other words, they have a great Advertising department. Of course you don't see misaligned holes, or poorly machined parts in a picture.

Now the Bad: Their fit and finish is marginal, at best. The tools show the typical lack of care in the end product that the Chinese are famous for. Sharp edges, poor castings etc. At the end of the day the tools do the job, but you do not have the feeling of working with a quality piece of machinery.

Maybe their more expensive tools like their Cabinet Saws are made and finished in a shop that cares about the finished product.

Cutting to the chase, I would have to say that I would go Delta over Grizzly every time with woodworking tools, and after reading stories about their metalworking machines, I would have to say to go old American Iron every time. To me it is an American Tragedy that Grizzly now owns the South Bend Name Brand, but judging by the prices they have put on their SB labeled machinery, they must be putting a lot into those tools. It just bugs the hell out of me that "South Bend" Now means the South Bend of the Yalu River.

I am simply tired of Chinese made anything, except maybe good Chinese take out, Oh and Tsing Tau Beer.


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## richgreer

I'll respond by focusing on my Grizzly lathe (G0462). I have also had a lot of exposure to comparable Jet lathes. I've used them extensively at demonstrations. On a "for the money" basis, you can't beat Grizzly. A comparable Jet would cost at least double. The Grizzly has a lot of mass and a lot or power. Fit and finish come up short but functionality does not.

I do know of people who have had trouble with their Grizzly lathes. My theory is that Grizzly does not have good quality control and every once and a while a bad unit is made and sold. It's a random thing. I'm making up the numbers but for illustration purposes, it may be that Grizzly makes one bad unit out of every 100 and Jet may make one bad unit for every 1000. The great customer service makes me willing to take this risk.

Once again - I am making up the numbers to illustrate a point. The point is that you have a higher likelihood of getting a bad unit from Grizzly but a large percentage are happy.


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## ND2ELK

I have a good friend that has a Grizzly cabinet saw, band saw and jointer and is pleased with all three. I have some Powermatic but mostly Jet. I bought 5 pieces of Jet all at the same time and got a deal I could not pass up. I did do tool reviews on some of the pieces. God luck setting up the shop.

God Bless
tom


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## Grandpa

I am an old Industrial Arts person. I worked at our local Technical School in the evenings teaching Cabinet Building many years ago. The school had 2 Powermatic cabinet saws with 50 inch rip capacity. Recently I was in the building and noticed one of the saws had been replaced with a Grizzly. I am sure it is a top of the line but don't know the model number. I asked the instructor how he liked the Grizzly and he thought they were getting good service from it. My wife is a Home Economics teacher. She has always maintained that a sewing machine that would stand up to teenagers all day long would hold up indefinitely in the home. I would think the same about power tools. Those kids give them the ultimate test. I have a couple of bench top sanding machines from Grizzly. Those have served me well but this is a home workshop for a retired person. I don't make a living with my tools.


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## Billp

I have an 8" jointer, band saw with a riser ,12 1/2" planer ,mortise machine all grizzley . I would buy them all over again. They also have great customer service. If I had money to burn I would consider other brands also but for the money they have a great product.


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## mikerosendahl48

I have a shop full of Grizzly machines and have had great success with them. However, I am involved in a debacle right now trying to get a plate stand from them, and have completely lost my confidence in this company. The customer service has deteriorated to a level that is unacceptable to me. The plate stand that I waited three months to get was drilled wrong and cannot be assembled. When I complained, they were going to send a truck to pick it up, then once they got it back, they would ship me another one. I would not agree to that, so I had to buy another one, and the delivery truck that drops the new one off, will pick up the old one, and after they get it back, they will refund me for the second purchase. There was a time years back, that this would not happen. Something has changed, and I am no longer a Grizzly customer.


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## mikerosendahl48

cr1,
I hear what you are saying. I have a 21" Meber band saw that is made in Italy. It is the cream of the crop. But like many of the folks out there, I cannot afford to buy all my machines at the same level of quality. So I have invested a small fortune in Grizzly tools. They seem to get the job done and at a much more reasonable price tag. However, when their customer service started to wane, I decided to take my business elsewhere. I have no problem with the tools. You get what you pay for. I have not seen a Martin yet. Would love to know more about that company.


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## stevenhsieh

Grizzly makes good bandsaws. But that doesn't mean that their jointers or planers are also good.


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## mikerosendahl48

Steven H,
I have an 8" jointer made by Grizzly that is only a year old. It works great. I can't speak for the bandsaws, but I have a large belt sander on a stand, a drill press, a planer, and a dust collector and they all work great. I used to own a Grizzly shaper, but I sold it because I no longer needed it. I also had a power feed on that tool that I bought from Grizzly. No complaints on that tool either. The issue I have is with a steel table, and it is not machinery. Also, with customer service, which upsets me the most. Their customer service has been very good until now.


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## stevenhsieh

I know. Im just saying.

Dont assume that one of their tools is good , the rest will be good right?
WRONG


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## mikerosendahl48

Steven,
I am through dealing with Grizzly, so there is not much of a chance that I will buy another tool from them. As most of the major tools are made in Asia now, it's hard to decide what to buy. I think the European tools are the superior ones. That is probably what I will go with, although, I should have everything I need, already.


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## Bertha

I'm pretty sure this guy would say, "no". Lol

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/30424

Mike, check out the Felder site. You need to register to properly navigate the site but so far, they haven't hounded me like Laguna with their sales pitch. Don't forget about Hammer either. Good luck.


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## mikerosendahl48

Bertha,
Thank you for that information. I will register and check them out. Haven't heard of Felder or Hammer, but I don't get out much…...Information is exactly what I was looking for when I registered on this forum.


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## Bertha

No sweat, Mike. I get tired of the Grizzly arguments so I admittedly didn't read any of the replies above. I can imagine, though. Good tools are expensive and even the good manufacturers can have questionable sales strategies. Grizzly's hit or miss but if you hit, you've saved yourself some money. Here's the main Felder site:

http://www.felderusa.com/?region=us-us

The Martins are drool worthy and every once in a while, you can find a refurb project. Also keep an eye out for the old Olivers if you're up for a restore. Good luck!


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## mikerosendahl48

Bertha,
I recognized the Felder machines when I saw them, but the Hammer is a new one to me. I have had a problem getting parts for my Meber bandsaw. It is made in Italy, and I can only find one dealer in the US. The shipping is a real problem, because the dealer only stocks certain parts. I needed a new brush for the wheel, and it was four times the cost of the brush to ship it. So I did without. I would imagine that Felder parts are a little easier to get. Those are great looking machines.
I'll keep an eye out for the Martins too. I don't mind a refurb, as long as the parts are available. I would check into that before buying anything. My Dad was in this business, and he bought and refurbed many machines. Including Oliver. I understand what you are saying about Grizzly. There are not many good arguments left that will bring a Grizzly up to the standards of some of the machines you are talking about. I had to have a lot of machinery in a hurry, and I bought a few new and a few used tools that were made by Grizzly. They get the job done, but I know I would be much happier with a better machine. The old saying "You Get What You Pay For" applies here.


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## Bertha

I guess I should have read enough to know that you're looking at bandsaws, lol. I don't know a whole lot about the Felder bandsaws but I have no reason to think that they're not top notch. I don't know about your neck of the woods but I tried to get either an Agazzani or a Laguna 18 a few years back. It looked like I'd have trouble getting the Ag serviced (if need be) and the Laguna people wore me out with their sales pitch. I ended up waiting so long that I found a vintage 20" Rockwell and purchased that instead. It's no marvel of modern production techniques but it's a really nice saw that's served me well. And, of course, it was a small fraction of the price. When I was looking at the middle of the road bandsaws, I had pretty much decided that the Powermatic 14 with a riser was the one for me. As you can see, I was kind of all over the fiscal map in my bandsaw search


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## stevenhsieh

Have you seen the Powermatic 14" up close?

I dont see whats so special about it. It looks like they just paint it a different color. And call it Powermatic.
It looks very similar like my grizzly 14" but the stand different.


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## Bertha

^I wouldn't necessarily call it "special" but I think it's the machine I'd go with in that price range. Every once in a while you can get the riser kit for free. I have a friend who owns the saw and I've used it quite a bit. I wouldn't consider in to be anywhere near the same league as an Agazzani or Laguna but it's a pretty respectable saw IMO.


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## stevenhsieh

For $1,000, you can get Grizzly 17" bandsaws or Laguna SUV bandsaw.

But I guess it depends what your doing and its all a personal choice.


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## rusty22

I do not like them. Had the problem shown below 3 years after buying. Customer service tired to sell me a new switch, I think the wiring and switch were defective and this goes beyond simple out of warranty issue. Any way their machines are as cheap as the pricing, light weight unstable poorly wired and flashy. I think they spend more on there fancy nameplates than they do on motors.


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## Xtreme90

Boy, good assumption to make after just a bad switch. Sounds to me your expecting to have a Mercedes out of a volts wagon. I have a $5,000 grizz jointer and would put it up against a Martin! Some may think that's just impossible but in reality we can only machine wood so close and my grizz does just that. In fact I have over $70,000 worth of grizzly equiptment that I could never be so satisfied with, yes it is most of grizzlys top dollar tools. But me being only 21 years old, and seeing a $50,000 price tag on just one Martin tool makes me lean towards grizzly. I absolutely would dream of having a Martin jointer or planer just to say I have German engineering in my shop, but would guarantee my grizz's would do just as good a job! Guaranteed!

Just my two cents.


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## DocSavage45

Looked at the cabinet saws. Posted a blog and recieved some great feedback from LJ's. Even talked to tech support and I was told what their bread and butter machines were.

I would buy the best I can afford at the present? Grizzly now has a 6 month same as cash deal? Grizzly shipping was better than amazon or Harbor Frieght.

When something is shipped to me now I really want to take the time to check it while the driver is there.

I think the next question is "how knowledgeable are you about tolerances, alignment, and knowing what might be wrong?

Powermatic tools are at least 1000 dollars more. and If I have a full time production shop vs, my amateur (sp?) shop. I can justify the costs?

Steve? What would your insurance rates be. LOL I like the suggestion of hiring movers. I'm such a woosie that I am trying to figure out how to get that cabinet saw from the street to my shop. And they don't sissassemble it, I asked if they could do that in shipping.


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## rusty22

My hope was that I was buying a Hyundai, when I purchased my Grizzly sander, unfortunately it is a Yugo. I think any one who buys a Grizzly is pretty much buying an IKEA product. The product looks good and costs very little; however, the are disposable. Even the top of the line Grizzly tools will have a very poor resale value. The sander I show above cost $800 new and I am mad at myself for having given it a shot. It is frustrating to use. The table is insecure and will not stay square to the platen and the sander crowns anything it touches. The switch failing is not that big of a deal, the wires burning is another matter (it could have burned my shop down). Why did they burn? It looks like the wire terminals are of poor quality and developed major resistance. That is the problem with Grizzly, it is all suspect. They cut corners every where to save a nickel and dime and the end product is totally suspect. The places they cut corners are easy to overlook because it is in the thickness of steel plate, the actual quality of the steel they use is suspect, cheap bearings, cheap controls (starters, and control buttons), poor welds on cabinets and bases and I do not think they balance pulleys or motors very well if at all. Add it all up and the tool will frustrate you with inaccuracy, vibration and breakdowns that eventually lead to the scrap heap. There is a very good reason they put flashy big emblems and shiny paint on the machines, it take your eye off the bones of the machine.
If you buy good name brands they will not fall apart like Grizzly. I have some nice German and Swiss tools such as Brandt, Weeke, Striebig and a few USA tools such as Timesavers. Did they cost a fortune. No. I bought them used and they all hold up because they were designed to run every day all day. If you have 3phase you can pick up used production machines cheap. A like new use machine will cost around 65% of the original price. The average price is around 35 cents or less on the dollar and when a really good tool does break down it is almost always well worth the repair expense to fix it. Also these machines are nice to use as they are accurate and have the stability and power to work smoothly. Ebay is a great way to pick up a good deal, many of the machine dealers sell on it and it is usually a buy it now type deal. Do you want a 20" Martin? A Martin T54 20" Jointer in Mint Condition for $15,900 is on Ebay right now, it can probably be had for quite a bit less if you make an offer.
I have never used a Martin or Grizzly jointer so I cannot compare them, I can compare an Altendorf sliding table saw and top of the line Grizzly slider. The Altendorf is worth the cost premium, and if you buy a used one it will cost around the same as a new Grizzly.


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## Xtreme90

I deffanitly see your frustration rusty. And it sux that you had such a bad experience with grizzly. :-/


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## Bertha

I don't mean to be a jerk, but are you really comparing Grizzly to Martin? Am I reading that right or are you simply kidding. No offense meant, but c'mon dude.
.


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## doncutlip

I have a Grizzly TS, Bandsaw, drill press and dust collection. Very happy with all of them. Quality compares to the Delta products I have; planer and jointer.


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## Xtreme90

Bertha,
in response to "am i comparing grizzly to martin" YES i am


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## Delta356

Go With Delta Machinery. There starting to make most of there tools here in the USA, and you can even get older Delta tools that are made in the USA. Grizzly seems well made form what I have heard. I don't own any grizzly tools so I don't know form my stand point. Grizzly has always been an importer and always will. Support a company like Delta, that gives americans jobs. I don't know about you all, but I make furniture in the USA and I want the tools that help make the furniture to also be made in USA.

The quality is all the same. All the major tool brands are made by Geetech. Made in Tiawan plant or China Plant..!!
Take care.

Thanks, Michael Frey
Portland, OR

FREY WOODWORKING INC.


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## knotscott

Delta is now owned by Chang Type Industrial Co., Ltd, Taiwan-based manufacturing company. What else does Delta make in the USA besides the new Unisaw?

Rusty22 - You really can't make a blanket comment on all Grizzly products accurately without trying or at least researching them all. Otherwise credibility suffers. It sounds like the one you purchased had some issues…how does that factually correllate to all of them?


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## Delta356

Lets see, They make there Unisaw in USA, There RAS in USA, Line Boring Machine in USA, All add on parts, and there fences. A lot more then Anyone else. You can find older Delta things there are made USA. 4 years.. old..

Just an idea.

Thanks, Michael Frey
Portland, OR

FREY WOODWORKING INC.


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## MoPower

I just received a new 12" spiral cutter head jointer from Grizzly last week. I'm still in the cleaning / assembly stage. Actually I'm still in the cleaning stage. They are generous to a fault with the cosmolene ! So far I have not found ANY cheap short cuts, this thing is a well built machine. It was shipped assembled except for the fence.
I have owned Delta and used the Powermatic equivalent machines in the past and so far have not seen anything that would make me regret saving the 2-3000 dollars by buying the Grizzly over the Delta and Powermatic !


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## MoPower

BTW, I am big on Delta, And now that they have split from Dewalt the customer service is outstanding and they are once again building very good machines.
I bought the new 5 hp unisaw last summer and it was everything I expected and much more. When it arrived the outfeed table had one corner that was crushed, I called customer service and e-mail a pic to them, two days later I had a new table !

That being said, It's hard to stick with the buy American mantra, as much as I would love to, when buying machinery for the home shop. The grizzly 12" jointer w/ spiral cutter head is $2700 shipping included, The delta 12" jointer w/ Straight knife cutter head is $4300 the spiral upgrade is $1200. The powermatic is right at $6000. BTW the grizzly weighs 300 lbs more than the Delta, and in machines like this, heavier is better.

I will be buying the Delta 18-36 drum sander and 14" band saw. There are somethings Delta makes that I will not pass on for a less expensive brand. And that's just because I like the Delta version better.

And as I said in my earlier post I'm still in the cleaning/assembly stage on the new grizzly, but have found no shortcuts in quality. It is a well made machine.


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## DocSavage45

Wow,

Interesting blog! I had one on grizzly cabinet saws. Didn't go this far. Good information from you all. Nice to see pros and cons with support.

I own a couple of grizzly tools. It was the only advice a retiring woodworkerwas willing to give. If I had money…and that may be the issue?....I might buy a sawstop? Or a Powermatic. I would love to have a 3 phase 220 machine. And made in USA. It's a double bind we have created for ourselves? So I looked at critiqes on Jet air filters, delta dust collectors, and Grizzly band saws.

Based on negative and cosistant criticism, I stayed away from the Jet, bought from Grizzly, and even though someone else got a lemon or a gem I got what I got?

With more informed consultation I might have bought something else.

Grizzly is an american company. The techs speak english as a first language, For the most part they are very strong in service, So if I have a problem, and it is in warrentee, I have gotten immediate replacements. Even got advice on motors when I wanted do give my existing belt driven craftsman "more power" to cut hardwoods.

Thank you all for sharing,

Great thread.

Due to current world economic situation, it appears it might be cheaper to have it made in USA?


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## DocSavage45

FYI: Whie looking at this thread my Goggle bar indicated an 8 min video on Grizzly tools. What I was impressed with is a 17 inch resaw band saw, and a home shop sliding table cabinet saw.


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## Arcatekt

I have a 14 inch grizzly band saw and have been very impressed with it. I am originally trained as a metal machinist and have worked with some million dollar CNC machines in my day. As far as grizzly, I feel that they have good quality for the price paid and the customer has been good so far. I know everyone has their own experience but for me, the grizzly experience has been good so far. I will be looking at their stuff for future shop additions as well as the other companies. Obviously, I'll be asking for LJ input as well when the time comes. Hope this helps out.


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## nirvanashot

Grizzly is not so good when asked to stand behind the quality of their products.

I own a couple of Grizzly tools and they are working fine. In following my experience my dad purchased some of their tools, including an 8" jointer. After more than a year, I visited to do some projects with him. When using his jointer, I noticed two significant quality defects in the jointer right off the bat. The first was a casting that was cracked completely through at the end of the ram that controls the fore aft position of the fence. The second was significant cupping the full length of the fence.
My dad hadn't used the jointer very much as he is older and has been busy doing a fair bit of traveling. He did notice that he wasn't being very successful at squaring up his boards, but hadn't made the connection. I noticed the cupping (>1/16" in the vertical center of the fence) when I went to confirm that the fence was square to the table.

Given that my dad's tools are all in a conditioned space and that things are kept meticulously clean, and that he has been the only one using the tools, the issues existed since the day he received them. 
Despite delivering photos and communicating in a very kind fashion to the folks at Grizzly, they were not, without question or further consideration, going to do anything to replace or compensate my dad for the defective nature of their products.

I have worked in a number of industries and had to deal with many warranty related considerations. I consider it to be particularly poor customer service to not in some fashion or other to stand behind the products you make, regardless of the length of the stated warranty, particularly when it is obvious that the defect existed before it even got to the customer.

There are a number of value oriented woodworking tool companies out there. I will not be considering Grizzly as an option in my future purchases.


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## knotscott

Grizzly's stated warranty period is 1 year. Their relatively short warranty period and lack of dealer markup are key to their pricing scheme. Had service to your father's jointer been pursued while still under warranty, I would have fully expected them to cover it. Had that been the case you'd have a pretty sturdy leg to stand on, but I don't feel as though do at this point. I have heard of isolated situations where Grizzly has extended service beyond the warranty term, but I certainly wouldn't expect them to do that on a regular basis. I don't expect it of any company, and am surprised that you would. It's unfortunate for your father, but it could have and should have been dealt with during the known and stated warranty period.


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## rusty22

Grizzly tools are a fancy paint job sprayed over twisted castings and thin stamped steel . Try a brand that puts money into good quality castings and electrical components. You will be happier with an older tool made in the US or Europe from a reputable company like delta etc.


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## Surfside

I prefer Grizzly tools made in Taiwan than in China.


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## Xtreme90

My fancy painted twisted cast iron base jointer machines wood as close as wood can be worked! After all this is wood we are trying machine.. Not steel.


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## Xtreme90

Sorry for the pic orientation.. I always seem to have this problem.


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## moke

Scot,
Before you buy the Delta drum sander, I might do some research. I bought one on a whim once and it was aweful. Now possible it has been redesigned, but I could never make it operate correctly. It is because the table goes up and down instead of the head….It might have been just me too, but I even had a serviceman look at it….he had nothing good to say about it either. I then talked to some others, no one had anything good to say, including some owners. I've had a lot of good Delta stuff, but not that one.
Sorry to steal the thread, just wanted to prevent a bad buy.
Mike


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## bobd67

This is my two cents worth regarding Grizzly power tools. There are two manufacturing locations, China and Taiwan. I have leaned towards those made in Taiwan for several reasons. Taiwan is an ally to the US whereas China is an adversary. So much for the geopolitical aspects. My main reasons why I look at the tools made in Taiwan is because in recent years Powermatic and the Delta Unisaw have moved their manufacturing to Taiwan. I'm sure there is a reason why these two manufactures selected Taiwan over China. When looking at the Grizzly catalog the tools made in Taiwan clearly state with a yellow/red label near the tool's picture stating "Made in Taiwan". Something similar to the old days when a product would state "Made in the USA". A few months ago I made a trip to the Grizzly showroom to buy a Grizzly cabinet saw. For my purposes I didn't really need a cabinet saw but I had concerns about dust control. I was looking at two different options, one from each of the two countries. The salesman clearly stated to go with the Taiwanese model. Needles to say I am very pleased with my purchase. The packaging was great. Having picked up the saw at their warehouse I didn't have to worry about shipping damage by a common carrier (major complaint by some of the reviews). The only adjustment needed was the rip fence. An adjustment was needed to make it parallel but not by much. I have two Freud saw blades on order because my current blade collection doesn't meet the criteria for my new saw. A thin kerf blade won't work. I'll have more feedback about this table saw after I receive the new blades and start cutting wood.


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## diverlloyd

Bobd on the left under the person who makes a post is the date it was posted. The one before you was in 2013 so your 5 years and 6 months late to the conversation.


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## bobd67

Gee, I didn't realize there was a time limit on getting into the conversation. I only wanted to express my opinion on the subject for viewers to read. Apparently it worked because you read/responded. If the original post is that old then the administrator should have it removed.


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## ibewjon

I am glad to see old posts. It's never too late to learn. And there always newcomers looking for information, myself included. This is like having a library. Old books are welcome.


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## bobd67

Just a note (and compliment) on Grizzly's customer service. Late night I sent an email to their customer service department inquiring about the shipment of some items that were out of stock. At 7:50 this morning I went to my email folder and there was already an email from Grizzly giving me the arrival dates for each item along with an explanation about placing an order and holding my place when they would arrive. A quick reply like that says a lot about their customer service.


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## Superbird

Don't own any Grizzly tools myself but people I know like them and I heard their customer service is real good


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## rusty22

Thank goodness they have a good parts department. The grizzly tools I have owned wear out parts I would never expect to fail. Dont bother complaining about defects if the warranty has expired. If any one has had success with an out of warranty complaint I would like to know how you did it.


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## CWWoodworking

Dont bother complaining about defects if the warranty has expired. 
- rusty22
[/QUOTE]

Technically, if The warranty is over, it's not a defect.

But to combat your theory, I have a grizzly bandsaw with original tires that's going on 2 decades.

Grizzly tools are slightly hit or miss. Generally, with anything, the more you pay, the better it is.

Would I buy a cnc from grizzly? Hell no. Would I buy a 19" bandsaw? You betcha.


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