Shop Fox vs Grizzly

[Frank Foley]

I am ready to make a bandsaw purchase and have been leaning toward the Grizzly G0555. Everyone who has it seems to love it. I know Shop Fox for the most part is the GM version of a Chevy ( basically the same). Shop Fox has a similar version to the G0555 it is a W1706. The noticable difference is cast iron wheels, a closed base and 2 years on the warrenty. For this you pay an additional $123.00. I would be interested in your opinions and if anyone has the Shop Fox BS, how do you like it. Thanks

Frank

[Jim Becker]

$123 isn't much money for more heft...and a longer warranty is a nice thing, too. You also get to patronize your local dealer with the ivory machine.

[Tom Mullane]

I have had my GO555 for over a year now and use is constantly... I bought the riser block at the same time.... I absolutely love this saw... My buddy had a Delta with the same spec motor... the fence and roller guides on the Grizzly are much better than he got on his Delta... he even said that had the Griz been out when he was buying he would have bought it instead...
Just make sure you get the best blades you can get... in my case I find that Timberwolf blades are great and at a great price...
If the Shop Fox is truly the same as the Griz with the mentioned differences I might have bought that... the closed base, better wheels and warranty are worth the extra... but I have no complaints with my Griz

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

Ditto what Tom said........I have the same saw, set up like Tom's, and it is a great BS. Like most tools, if you take the time to set it up and use it properly, it will reward your efforts. If I had it to do again, I would probably buy the same saw. It's been good to me!

[Mike Mortenson]

I have had several people tell me that they think shopfox is a step above grizzly and also had a dealer that sells jet and shopfox are equally good, but the shopfox has a 2 hp motor where Jet is only 1.5. I am getting a shopfox as soon as the dealer gets it in.

[John Shuk]

Once you figure shipping in is the cost still $123? I think all others things being equal the warranty, local help if there is a problem, and those cast iron wheels would be a real plus.

[Gary Max]

Have to go along with Jim on this one----local service is hard to beat.
It just beats the heck out of someone getting smart with you on the phone who is on the other side of the country.
The doctor says I am doing better now--

[Dennis Peacock]

Have to go along with Jim on this one----local service is hard to beat.
It just beats the heck out of someone getting smart with you on the phone who is on the other side of the country.
The doctor says I am doing better now--

Agreed. But whatchoo mean other side of the country. Try other side of the "Pond". But of course I/we can't go there and discuss this topic....makes me to ill.

Support your local shops when and where you can.

[Tom LaRussa]

I am ready to make a bandsaw purchase and have been leaning toward the Grizzly G0555. Everyone who has it seems to love it. I know Shop Fox for the most part is the GM version of a Chevy ( basically the same). Shop Fox has a similar version to the G0555 it is a W1706. The noticable difference is cast iron wheels, a closed base and 2 years on the warrenty. For this you pay an additional $123.00. I would be interested in your opinions and if anyone has the Shop Fox BS, how do you like it. Thanks

Frank

Frank,

I just received my G0555 the other day and love it, but I agree with Tom & Kevin, only with a couple questions:

[1] Does the SF have a quick-tension thingie? (The Griz does)

[2] How much does the riser block cost for the SF? Griz sells theirs for cheap, but some companies -- Delta for example -- charge an arm and a leg.

Tom

[Kent Cori]

I uncovered an interesting fact at the IWF show this weekend. The fence and rails on the MiniMax 14" are a dead ringer for the one on the Griz and I suspect the Shop Fox. Consdering the difference in price, I think those of us with the Griz/Shop Fox should feel pretty good.

[Jim Becker]

I uncovered an interesting fact at the IWF show this weekend. The fence and rails on the MiniMax 14" are a dead ringer for the one on the Griz and I suspect the Shop Fox. Consdering the difference in price, I think those of us with the Griz/Shop Fox should feel pretty good.

Of course, one needs to consider that MM is made in a different part of the world...but they are not known for their 14" machine, anyway. 'Hope you got to meet David Marks at the MM booth while at the show!

[Frank Foley]

I wanted to thank everyone for their input. I did some further checking and it is just like the G0555 (quick tension release etc) the riser block does cost more though. Now for the bad news. This bandsaw is brand new and is not expected to ship till late October (maybe) . I need a bandsaw bad, don't know if I can wait that long. Thanks again for everyone help.

Frank

[Kent Cori]

Frank,

Then go with the Griz version. You won't be disappointed unless you don't like green.

[George M. Perzel]

Hi Frank;
Let me preface what I am about to say. I am not a bandsaw expert nor have any allegiance to either company. I was in the same boat you are abouta year ago. I visited the Grizzley store in Muncy, Pa and saw a large number of Grizzley bandsaws and also the then current Shop Fox models. From a price level I compared the 16" ShopFox G9971 with the Grizzley 17" G0513- both around the $800 mark. There was no comparison, the Grizzley had much heavier cast iron parts and had better adjustment controls-as well as weighing 70# more. By far it was much better made- so obvious that I accused the salesman of having the ShopFox models there only to make it easier to sell the Grizzley's!
It's a year later and things may have changed-I haven't kept up with the newer models, but after that experience I cast a wary eye on anything with the ShopFox name.
The final irony is I didn't buy either of them! I found an old Grob 18" bandsaw on Ebay, bought it for $600, refurbed it (another $300), got my daughters to buy me a $200 Laguna carbide blade for Xmas- and couldn't be happier.
Good Luck-pic of Grob is below.
George M. Perzel