Hey folks, I’ve checked the archives on this topic and found numerous favorable postings on the Grizzly. However, I can find very little on the two other non-name-brand alternatives; Sunhill and Bridgewood. I’ve basically distanced myself from the Bridgewood as it would cost $1000 to drop it at my door. The Sunhill is harder to let go of for a number of reasons. It has a 2hp motor (Grizzly 1 1/2) 72″ bed (Grizzly 65″) and 4 cutter heads vs. the Grizzly’s 3. The Sunhill is comparably priced $739 Vs. Grizzly $695 but the shipping is $129 vs. $55 for the Griz. Ah there’s the rub!! I would be grateful for your opinions; is the Sunhill worth the $118?
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Replies
Only you can tell.
I am going thru the same decision process regarding an 8" jointer. I have also looked at Bridgewood and Yorkcraft.
What keeps me coming back to the Grizzly 8" jointer is customer service. I know Grizzly's reputation has improved dramatically over the last few years. I have recently purchased a 20" planer from Grizzly and was impressed with the way it was delivered and the quality of the machine for the price. I know that the Sunhill has a longer bed (thru the addition of two 3" cast iron extensions), 4 knife cutter head, and a 2hp motor, but I have read that Sunhill customer service is suspect and that their owner's manual is minimal.
I think you need to ask yourself what is most important to you and go from there.
Let us know what you decide.
Paul
Paul,
Thanks for a helpful reply:-). I agree with you. I've checked a couple of similar woodworker forums and have found almost universal agreement that Grizzly's customer service is very strong. I actually changed forums because the last one I checked was so favorable of Grizzly that I thought it was populated by Grizzly employees. I will probably go with the Grizzly.
Thanks, Miles Morrissey
Easthampton, MA
the sunhill manuals leave a lot to be desired... unless you're looking for a good laugh, the english translation is really funny.
Customer service, on the other hand, is quite good. I've not had a functional problem with my sunhill jointer, which in my book is a lot more important that customer service, but when I have called I have found the people to be courteous and knowledgeable about their products.
Paul -
Sidebar question - since you said you have the Griz 20" planer....
How does it do on the question of snipe on either/both infeed or outfeed? I bought a little Dewalt planer some years ago before I knew what to look for in this kind of machine. I deal with the snipe problem by feeding the workpiece on a sled with some sacrificial material ahead of and behind it. It's something I'd rather not have to do. Would sell the Dewalt in a garage sale and upgrade if there's really a difference to be realized.
Dennis in Bellevue WA
[email protected]
Dennis, I get a lot of snipe (about 1-2") from my old 12" Delta planer (had to factor that in for all my stock).
While I have used my new Grizzly sparingly, I have not noticed any snipe on the material that I have planed. I did install a solid wood bed that spans the infeed and out feed rollers. This bed is a "sandwiched" piece that I made from 1/4" luan plywood (bottom), 3/4" MDF (middle), and a smooth laminate (top). While this does reduce the overall capacity of the planer by 1" (I never plane 8" thick stock anyway), this arrangement does provide a solid surface throughout the run thru the planer. I saw this set up at the Marc Adams School (they had it on all of their planers). It works for me. I am planning another project for this winter and the Griz will get a complete work-out at that time.
Hope to have my 8" Jointer sometime next month.
Paul
A clever idea. Is this what eliminates the snipe? Does snipe come from the height of the bed rollers, which is what I suspect? I have mine set at about .002" with little snipe; just on occassion. Any planer pros out there?
Hi Paul -
Like you, I use a platform under my little Dewalt planer, but that doesn't seem to help much. The only way I've found to eliminate the snipe when planing short pieces where there's no allowance for cutting waste from the ends is to mount the work piece(s) on a sled with similar thickness stock ahead of and behind so the feed rollers ride on this material for both infeed and outfeed. This prevents the work piece from being allowed to move vertically thus eliminating the snipe.
I noticed early on that both infeed and outfeed extensions on this planer (fold up type) were slightly angled up. I've been told that to reduce the snipe problem, the stock needs to be held up as it enters and exits the machine. I've tried everything up to almost tipping the dang thing over to get this to work with no such luck.
I think I'll take a serious look at the Grizzly if it produces a better end product.
Thanks for the chat....
Dennis in Bellevue WA
[email protected]
I just recently read a layman's review of a Star 8" jointer, don't know anything about them but here is the link:
http://www.geocities.com/drvermin/Toolreviews/starjointer-b.html
I've gotta second the rugged durablitity of the Grizzly. I tipped mine over moving it around and while it smashed the handle and bent the post, it still planes nice. evan after all the rain that has fallen on it.
I doubt that any one else on this board will put the demands on their planer that I do (have you ever seen a 24 foot long 6"x12" white oak timber hanging off the infeed side of a planer? )
The 8 inch jointer has done a nice job on most of the wood I've feed it, I run a few boards over the beds to remove the surface rust and poof, a nicely flattened board.
The blades seem to last a bunch longer than the delta that I used to use and are about a hundred times easier to set properly after removing for sharpening.....
It seem to me one of two things. One the out put feed bed is not long enough. the boad is droping causing the swipe
How long was that sled that you built 8’ long?
Could it be the input feed roller be holding the cutter knife up so when the end of board clears of the input feed roller the knife drops and gives you the swipe.
Hi Fred -
It's not a matter of the weight of the piece forcing the tail (or leading) end into the knives, that I'm pretty sure of. Because (1) nothing I've done thus far has been all that long and (2) I've tried holding the ends of the piece up somewhat off the infeed (beginning the cut) and lifting it up at the end as it exit the machine.
The sled I built was essentially for planing short pieces, shorter than the machine's designed to take. I attach waste stock ahead of and behind the work piece, all on a longer piece of MDF or whatever flat straight scrap I might have around. This way, all the snipe takes place in the waste pieces ahead of and behind the work piece. A little trick I learned from watching the guys on a job.
What everyone tells me is that these little 'consumer' planers are notorious for snipe at both ends. I just deal with it for the time being. As of Friday I'll be self unemployed so dreaming of a new machine will have to remain just that .... a dream .... at least until the next big project.
Dennis in Bellevue WA
[email protected]
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