OK, I’m leaning heavily towards the Grizzly 17″ saw, but had a few questions for those that own or have taken a good look at them.
1. Looking at the parts diagram it appears the trunnions are flat steel pieces that ride in a carriage of sorts as opposed to the traditional half-circle, wide cast iron or alum trunnions. Also, the diagram only showed one. Are there two trunnions or just one? Please give me your take on how sturdy this setup is.
2. Does anyone have the new G0513X (Extreme) model w/ upgrades? For $100 more you get iron wheels, larger table, iron fence a/ aluminum high fence for resawing. Seems like a lot of extra features for a little more. Of course I keep saying that and find myself getting deeper into the $$$’s as I go along.
I’d like to make a choice in the next couple days, so any feedback would be great. Also thinking about one of the new Griz cyclones (2hp). Any feedback there?
Replies
I've looked it over and there are definitely two of them; I checked the online owner's manual as well. I've heard someone who uses his saw to section logs that they flex a bit under the heavy weight, more than he likes them to. For normal wieghts they appear sturdy enough.
The CEO has said the new "Extremes" were to add more value to respond to the competition.
Seems like a lot of extra features for a little more. Of course I keep saying that and find myself getting deeper into the $$$'s as I go along.
That's how I worked my way up from a Craftsman hybrid Oakton (22124, $990) to a 5 HP Unisaw ($1720). Heh.
Yeah, it is an illness. My wife has been calling me a "tool geek" this weekend cuz I'm obsessing over this stuff. I'm the kind of person that has to collect info and weigh it out before making a big purchase. Started out thinking I'd get a 14" w/ a riser block and I'm up to the 0513X now at twice the $$. But that is the absolute max.
Funny thing is that my wife is responsible for it. I was trying to convince myself that the 0517 w/ 8+ resaw capacity would be fine. She chimes in saying, "if it is only a couple hundred more for the bigger one, just get it." Okely dokely!
Take a look at the discussion of Bridgewood vs Grizzly. I think you would find the Bridgewood to be a better saw.
Alan - planewood
I've been looking at that info. Unfortunately there is a dearth of info on the Bridgewood and the X version of the Grizzly, which is a closer match w/ its upgrades.
It appears, however, that both are made at the same factory in Taiwan, so without being able to ascertain differences in such things as trunnions it is hard to say if they really differ in any significant way. Does the Bridgewood 17" have the same stamped steel trunnions as the Grizz? Or are they beefier cast ones? Anyone, anyone?
My Wilke/Bridgewood 20 inch saw is Italian made. I would call Wilke and ask about the model you are interested in.
Alan - planesaw
For what that saw costs, you can pic up a used Powermatic 20" and have a real saw.
DJK
There is one serious caveat there; finding a used Powermatic 20" (or any other good, big used saw that is in good shape.)
I have been looking at every source, going to local shops, etc. The only old iron I have found needs to be fully reworked.
Sorry to hear you can't find a decent used saw. I know of about a dozen 20" or larger saws for sale in different parts of the country. If you checked every source, you've more than likely seen them and they must not meet you criteria.DJK
Well, I certainly overstated things when I said I had checked every source, but if you have some good places to look I'd be really grateful. I have looked at the classifieds here and at Sawmill Creek, ebay, and locally (Richmond, VA). The only thing I am concerned about w/ a private sale is freight costs can be huge, but I'm open to all options.
thanks, Jake
After spending about a month doing research, I ordered the 0513x. I wish I could give you a review but it is a new item and is on back order for three to six weeks. I looked at the bridgeport, rikon, grizzly, minimax, laguna. While the minimax and laguna are definately in a different league but they are also very $$$. After reading the review in wood I was leaning heavily towards the rikon but just I was making my decision the "x" showed up. Ok I thought the "x" answered what I thought the short comings of the 0513 but had never seen a grizzly machine and was a little leary about it until I read a post by the grizzly prez on a different board. He stated that as girz has grown up they have taken the issue of quality control very seriously, something that I feel even companies like delta have become a little lax on. And, while for every horror stories of griz's costomer service I've read, I've probably read three or four praising it.
I'll post a review here once I get it.
-w
Thanks, that is good info to know. I have not been impressed w/ Delta's current products (in the bandsaw lineup), and some other name brand products seem to be overpriced given that many are being outsourced to Taiwan, negating the Made in America issue that so many point to.
The review will be very nice. I bought the 513 (they did not have the x at the time). The review with pics are in the old knots. Take some digital pics. I like to see where they improved things. I have had no complaints out of mine. Good saw at an excellent price. Let us know how it goes.
Will do.
Sorry all but my review of the Grizzly 0513x will be indefinately postponed. I don't know what kind of problems are going on over at grizzly but they have not been able to fill this order yet an I have canceled the order for the time being. I'm in the process of laying down the ground work for a new garage/ shop so I don't want to purchase any heavy equipment that will just go in storage.
I ordered the G0513, not the G0513X, but it's coming tomorrow and I ordered it Saturday. I wonder why the big difference?My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
Bones, check out the Griz site to see the primary upgrades; nice cast iron wheels, cast iron fence (same rails and base), tall aluminum auxilary fence for resawing and a larger table. A bargain for an extra hundred dollars. They have pics of that stuff.
The downside, as mentioned, is that they are on backorder. I may go w/ the Bridgewood just so I can get the darn thing and they are almost identical saws (look to be the same basic saw w/ a few different options), although the Bridgewood is a little more money.
One thing that may be different are the trunnions. Bridgewood told me on the phone that they are cast aluminum in the traditional style as opposed to the Grizzly trunnion set up which you obviously are familiar with since you own one.
Yea, the trunions on mine are steel, but not been an issue for me. I built a resaw fence out of scrap mdf that works great. I'll go check out the thing just to see the differences. For a 100 bucks, I would have gone for it (probably).
HI,How do you link the grizzly 18" bandsaw you purchased? I am considering purchasing that or the 18" Rikon and wonder if you could post a review of the extreme 18"?- Lyptus
I have the Bridgewood 17 and the main difference is in the wheels. The Bridgewood saw has
cast iron wheels, the Grizzly has aluminum wheels. This makes a lot of difference in how well
balanced and stable the saw feels, especially when resawing, besides the fact that it adds a lot more mass to the saw that aluminum does not provide.
Ron
Edited 1/15/2006 7:53 pm ET by Ronaway
But the new 0513X has cast iron wheels as well as an improved fence and larger table, so it is now much more comparable in those features to the Bridgewood. And it is only $100 more than the regular 0513, so it seems like a lot of upgrades for a little money. My big question is whether there is anything that really separates the two now that the Grizzly has been updated.
Since you have the Bridgewood, can you tell me what the trunnions are like and if there is anything you don't care for about the saw?
thanks, Jake
Sorry for the oversight about the Grizzly saw wheels, I missed the x designation. My Bridgewood has a formed steel backbone, given the configuration I can't imagine that cast iron would be anymore rigid. The upgrade to the cast iron wheels would probably make the Grizzly saw almost identical to the Bridgewood, my visual assessment is that it looks like you could almost exhange parts between the two saws but I could not say that for sure. There are always areas where cheaper parts could be used in order to cut cost but it seems from a manufacturing sense that would cause more trouble than it would be worth in monetary savings. The Grizzly saw actually has a cast iron fence whereas my Bridgewood has an aluminum fence, but it works fine and is very rigid. I found that the lower dust collection port to be of little or no use. The port right below the guides collected all the dust that came thru the guides so the lower port was redundant. The area that really needs improved dust collection continues to be ignored on new saws. That is the area right under the table where all the dust emerges. I built an enclosure that surrounds this area and attached my second hose there, it pulls air thru the table insert, I painted the thing black and tapped the side of the saw in order to hold it in place with a threaded knob, it is much more effective than having the second hose hooked to the lower port and it removes quickly for blade changing.Ron
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