Replies

1. 
   John_D | May 09, 2006 08:16pm | #1

   I bought both from Grizzly.  I've only a few months use in on them though, but my experience so far as been at least as good as what I paid for. :)

   My G0490 8" jointer has a bit more vibration than I'd like, but it works fine.  The belt that came with it was the wrong size, and the replacement link belt rubs against the belt guard in the back.  I beat the crap out of the guard with a hammer and it doesn't rub any more.  But it's powerful and flat, and it turns out flat boards.  I saved a TON of cash over a (probably much nicer) Delta or Powermatic.  I prefer handwheels like on my old G1182ZHW, but I don't adjust the tables much so it's not a big deal.

   I am pretty happy with my G0513 band saw (17").  Not too difficult to get tuned well.  Didn't care for the fence, replaced with a decent Kreg (had to drill a hole in the mounting rail) with a 7" resaw attachment.  The blade that came with it is excellent... for cutting pallet wood etc.  Let's just say it's not a premium blade.  Its blade length is wrong in the manual, the correct length is 131 1/2".  In retrospect I think I would rather have gone for the G0513X, which adds cast iron wheels.  Larger table, iron (not aluminum) wheels.  I didn't because I thought I wanted the larger table tilt of the G0513, but I'm not finding it a big deal to have after all.

   So there's a vote for a couple Grizzly tools.  I won't claim the fit and finish is top of the line, but they work and they're affordable. YMMV.

   Have fun!

   My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
2. 
   wplaut | May 09, 2006 11:57pm | #2

   I have an 8" Powermatic jointer (I forget the model number) and I am very happy with it.  Have no idea what they cost now.  I also have an 18" Laguna band saw that I wish I had never bought (wish I had researched it a little  more).  I bought it many years ago; the guide bearings were terrible and for almost $300 they were happy to sell me their cermanic blocks and those are a pain to install.  Now I see that for $400 plus some change they would be happy to sell me an American made Baldor motor to replace the European motor that came witht the saw.  If I could sell for something close to what I got into it, I would.

    

   wplaut

1. 
   SteveBB | May 10, 2006 02:19am | #3

   I have a newer JET 18" bandsaw that I've been very happy with.  It was easy to set up, and the blade tracks parallel to the fence and miter slot.  I thought about getting the 14" to save money, but upgrading the 14" with guide bearings instead of blocks and a resaw fence (both included in with the 18") would have made the 14" more than the 18!  Shop with care.

   Steve

3. 
   JMartinsky | May 10, 2006 06:06pm | #4

   We all want that! How about Wilke Machinery: Yorkcraft 8" Jointer $689.00:

   1) http://www.wilkemachinery.com/default.tpl?action=full&cart=114727336547393&id1=7&--woSECTIONSdatarq=7&--SECTIONSword=ww&--eqskudatarq=2351

   Bridgewood 17" Bandsaw for $995.00

   2) http://www.wilkemachinery.com/default.tpl?action=full&cart=114727336547393&id1=2&--woSECTIONSdatarq=2&--SECTIONSword=ww&--eqskudatarq=2088

   Just get shipping prices before you commit. Let us know what you end up with.

   John

4. 
   deerchasellc | May 11, 2006 05:02am | #5

   I've always thought you get what you pay for.  I have a 14" delta which works well but won't cut anything heavy.  I just found an old 20" davis and wells, rebuilt it and it works great for cutting oak 8x8s and larger.

   As for the jointer, I am looking for one myself and have been looking at the Powermatic PJ882 8" parallelogram jointer.  If you look around you can get it for about $1,500 including frieght.  Hope to buy it in a few months when the cash flow allows it.    Good luck.

1. 
   tinkerer2 | May 11, 2006 06:30am | #6

   PJ882 for $1500 including freight.  OOh, I wish you would have told me that some two month's ago.

1. 
   deerchasellc | May 11, 2006 05:54pm | #9

   I found a few sites that have lower prices than Amazon yet when you click the check out button it sends you over to amazon which handles the transaction.  Strange but true.  Take a look at deepdiscounts.com and unverse.com, they both had the PJ882 for several hundred less than amazon's listing yet amazon handles their transaction!

1. 
   tinkerer2 | May 12, 2006 06:03pm | #12

   Sites cheaper than Amazon.

   Oh, where were you a couple of months ago.  Thanks anyway, and I have a couple machines to go.  I'll save those sites.

5. 
   XMLNut | May 11, 2006 09:21am | #7

   The 8" Powermatic is pretty nice but suprisingly so is the helical head ShopFox. Take a good look at both. As for 18" bandsaw's, I wish I could say Jet but I still think they have some issues that they are ignoring. When I sold tools I never had a complaint about the Delta's. Those that bought them seemed to like them.

   I have an 18" B model. After about six months it started drifting badly. It turned out to be a well known problem of bad welds at that top of the upper wheel housing and the backbone. I ended up making a straigthening fixture and then re-welding it. Its fine now but had I not had the TIG welder and the know-how to make the fixture it would have been a expensive fix.

6. 
   mcculloch | May 11, 2006 10:18am | #8

   I bought the Grizzly 8" Jointer and a Grizzly 14" bandsaw. The Jointer works very well (I have had both for two years) and I can't think of anything negative to say about it except that the blade guard could be a little better. Mine sometimes rides the table top after I have had it off. Can be a pain to put back on properly. At the time it was by far the bang for the Buck coming in at half the next nearest. Of course most venders are making an 8" unit for less money than they did then. I would buy it again.
   The bandsaw on the other hand wasn't as good a buy. Had a lot of problems getting the two wheels co-planar. Tension spring isn't that good and the fence is essentially useless. Table trunnions have tendency to slip as well. Again it was the best price . I don't know if the 18" units are better built or not but but I would be thorough in checking it out before you buy.

7. 
   DJK | May 12, 2006 04:30am | #10

   Look for used machines. I always purchase older used machinery, better built, heavy, tons of cast iron, will last a couple of life times. At yesterdays auction two Delta 20" wood/metal bansaws sold for $550 and $600. A 13" Wadkin jointer sold for $900. These machines were in perfect ready to run condition.

1. 
   bosava | May 12, 2006 02:23pm | #11

   What auction would that be?

1. 
   DJK | May 12, 2006 06:36pm | #13

   Mack Industries in Troy, MI