Pre-gloat.......................jointer...... IT's OFFICIAL NOW

[Ken Fitzgerald]

For a belated Father's Day present and birthday present, the LOML told me to order the jointer I've had my eye on.

I joined the Creek a number of years ago when I started building my shop. I have gradually over time, purchased some fairly good tools.

The one tool I need was a jointer.

Friday evening I ordered my first major Grizzly tool when I ordered a G0490X 8" jointer with the spiral cutter head.

I have a good Ridgid lunchbox planer but someday I'd like to replace it.

However, with the purchase of this jointer, I have an arsenal of tools that is capable of more than my capabilities.

I will provide a review after it delivers next week.

Now it's time to practice and improve my abilities.

[Gordon Eyre]

Congrats, it is always nice to get a major piece of equipment.

[Paul McGaha]

Ken,

Congratulations on the new jointer. I visited the Grizzly site to look it up and it is a fine looking jointer.

PHM

[Mikail Khan]

Congrats on the new tool.

MK

[Jim O'Dell]

The 490 has been in on my want list ever since it came out. The addition of the spiral head makes it that much more intriguing. One of these years. With so many new jointers by Grizzly, I'll have to really study to see if the 490 is still at the top of the list. What was the thought process on your decision? Jim.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jim,

The wood I just used to build shelves for my new shop cabinet demanded the use of a jointer. I could have used it yesterday!

While I would love a larger jointer, 8" seems to be the maximum size within my budget.

With a possible impending retirement, I would prefer to get one before retiring.

I don't have a lot of patience so buying the spiral head eliminates blade alignments problems.

IF the parallelogram bed operation is an improvement over the standard dovetailed keys, this one has the parallelogram.

At half the cost or less of a PM or equivalent and 1/10 the cost of a Northfield, the Grizzly met my budgetary constraints.

[Jacob Mac]

Congratulations. I bet you will get a lot of use out of your jointer.

[gary Zimmel]

Congrats on the new jointer Ken. Make sure to give us a couple of pics when she is in her new home and making chips....

[glenn bradley]

I have been running my G0490X several times a week since May of 2008. I have yet to rotate the inserts. I just got the G0453Z spiral head planer. Even after all the material I have run across the jointer the surfaces it yields are just as smooth as the ones off the brand new planer head. You are going to be very happy.

The new version has addressed many of the immediate "fixes" many of us have learned. Your dust chute is already a sealed pathway instead of an open top channel that I closed up. Your belt and pulley system will have addressed the belt issues that led many of us to link belts and altered belt guards.

Congrats on the latest version of a proven platform that will give you years of service without a hitch.

[jim tracy]

Congrats Ken,

I am also in the market for a new joiner. I have a Jet 6" that I find very limiting. I wish Grizzly would make their G0706 in an 8" or 10" verison. I love the 60" bed on the G0706 for my very small shop. I would love the 12" but it's just priced a little out of my reach.....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

The truck driver called last night. It will deliver after 1200 today.

I may be running out of luck with my truck drivers delivering tools, though.

Of course, I'm now deaf so I didn't take the phone call, the LOML did.

The driver tersely told her he'd deliver it with a lift gate to set it down on the cement. Whoa! The only cement on my property is floor of my carport or the floor of my shop. I think he probably means the asphalt which means I'll be making a mad dash to the rental place for a pallet jack.

Every other time I have had a large tool delivered, the driver has very genereously helped me get it into the shop.

It wouldn't surprise me if my luck ran out.

Just for kicks, I ordered a straight edge too. I have never owned one for personal use. It delivers later today also.

[Rod Sheridan]

Congrats Ken, always nice to get a new piece of machinery.

Hope the delivery guy helps you out...............Regards, Rod.

[Matt Armstrong]

Congrats! I found my grizzly jointer beds to be about the most precise pieces of cast iron in my shop (which is a good thing, obviously). I am very happy with my non-spiral G0490, but I have an older model with a super noisy belt and belt guard. Some day I'll see if I can't fix it, but it works for now.

The parallelogram table height adjustment probably only really has an advantage over the other mechanisms in those cases where you need to re-align. I havne't had to align my jointer.

[Dan Hintz]

Normally I wouldn't suggest such a thing, Ken, but if the driver is a pain, play up the disabled card... tell him your loss of hearing makes it difficult to move large equipment because you can't hear people yell when you drop things on their toes, or you can't hear the molding peel off when the item is juuuust too big to fit through the door.

Meh, it's worth a try...

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I don't think it will work Dan.

I suspect I'll be making a mad dash out to rent a pallet jack.

Here's the sad part. We average 13" of moisture per year. 3" inches less we'd be a desert.

Guess what the weather is doing today?

If I could just get it onto the carport out of the rain, I'd be happy!