Any G0513 owners???

[Joe Shinall]

I am about to bite the bullet and order a new bandsaw. I have the standard Rigid 14" now and I have $1000 to spend and was looking at the G0513. I was also looking at the G0513X2B.

Does anyone have any insight on these models? Is there a real reason to pay the extra $300 to have cast iron wheels and trunnion and a motor brake??? I have never used this nice of a bandsaw so I do not know if the extras are worth the cost.

I have a %10 off coupon so it makes the X2B model right at the limit of the highest I want to pay.

[Gary Redden]

I have the G0513x2 and I love it. I had a HF 14" bandsaw before this and it was a joke compared to the 513x2. The 513x2 does not have the brake but I do not think I need one either. I am not saying that some would really see a need for the brake but I do not in what I use mine for. Like you, when I was going to buy a new bandsaw I wondered if I should not just get the standard 513. I am sure i would have been satisfied with it but would have though back on the purchase and wish I would have bought the x2. So to prevent me from doing that I bought the x2 and have been very happy with it and do not regret it for a minute.

Gary

[Maik Tobin]

I bought the 513X2B in December and I am very happy with it. While some may disagree, I thought the step up to the X2B was an easy one. I love having the brake...the blade stops within seconds of shutting down and the extreme fence meant that I did not have to upgrade the fence. For me, the upgrade was an easy decision.

[Joe Shinall]

Thanks guys, is that 2HP good at resawing? I am also looking at the 19" 3HP, but really don't want to go that high. But I want to make sure the 2HP is enough to resaw something like, say 8" walnut. I have some 8" walnut I need to resaw is why I am going to a larger bandsaw so I want to make sure it has enough get up and go.

[Dave MacArthur]

Grizzly G513X2 vs G514X


Grizzly GO513X2B vs. Rikon 10-336


Bandsaw suggestions


Grizzly 14" or 17" Bandsaw


New Grizzly series

Joe, this topic gets a lot of coverage, and we had a couple threads that specifically addressed the 513 vs. 513x2B, and whether the brake was worth it, foot brakes, and the various price points in the Grizzly line. If you decide on the G0513, then you should look at the 513P, the polar bear version of this saw, as it had a great price point. (Just checked, and it looks to be the same price as the 513 now).

In fact the cast iron trunnion and wheels get a lot more internet "air time" than they may be worth, this may largely be a case of consumers talking up a desire and the manufacturer just filling it for better marketing. Everyone who uses the saw in it's non-cast iron version seems to love it, and certainly the non-cast specs perform decently. If that $300 needs to be saved and you don't have the "Bandsaw Buying Price-Creep Virus" infecting you--LUCKY YOU!--then you can feel confidant that the G0513 plain version is a great saw with thousands of satisfied customers who have put that satisfaction in writing in reviews. Looks like $795 for G0513, $200 more at $995 for the G0513X2, and $300 more for the G0513X2B at $1095.

I'm not sure that the $300 price rise would be worth the cast iron and motor brake to me, if I was really being honest with myself for value, actual woodworking needs and tool performance. However... I'll flat out admit that that $300 IS worth it to me, because dang-it I love a nice bandsaw, and I know I'd wish I had it! Now, that being said, if I bought the motor brake x2B version, then I would certainly want to add an additional foot-activated cutoff switch to stop/brake the saw, which John Coloccia has addressed--to me, the main safety value of the brake is the ability to keep my hands still and on the work and eyes on the blade while turning off the saw, rather than looking around and moving one hand around.

Unfortunately, for me, once I got to $1095, I'd probably try to figure a way to get up to $1395 for the G0514X2, which is my favorite in the Grizzly lineup. You perceive the price-creep and slippery up-slope they've built into the lineup? Just one more small step, always lurking just outside your budget!

I've got a lot of threads linked to the 513, click the bandsaw buying link in my signature to go to a page of thread-links for reviews by owners. Glenn Bradley has the G0513 and I know he loves his, and hasn't missed the cast iron in use, so if I was looking at that $300 in your shoes, I'd probably go with the G0513.

Good luck!

[Tom Matthews]

Thanks guys, is that 2HP good at resawing? I am also looking at the 19" 3HP, but really don't want to go that high. But I want to make sure the 2HP is enough to resaw something like, say 8" walnut. I have some 8" walnut I need to resaw is why I am going to a larger bandsaw so I want to make sure it has enough get up and go.

I resawed a 10 inch wide walnut board late last year on my G0513x2 with great results. I used a 3/4" Lenox Kerfmaster and the saw didn't even flinch.

Having never used a bandsaw to resaw before, I tried it first with some scraps of hickory and the factory blade. That was a different story as far as ease of feeding (Kerfmaster took little effort, the factory blade felt like I was fighting the saw), but even with the duller blade, it never slowed down.

I feel like a brake would be nice, but it wasn't something I was willing to pay for at the time. Even after getting my saw and seeing how long it takes the blade to spin down, I'm not sure I'd have spent the extra $100.

[Keith Hankins]

I have the G0513 and have had it for well over 6 years. At the time of purchase the extreme version did not exist. It's done an excellent job for me over the years. I just recently upgraded to the new style guides and upgraded the fence, but other than that it's stock. It will cut what ever you trow at it. I can also reccomend getting the laguna carbide tipped blade. It's unreal how it slices. I also can recomend timberwolfe blades. The big diff that I can see with the x2 is as you mentioned the wheels but also the guides (i beleive) are tne newer style on the x2 instead of the euro style and a tad beefier. It's not a decision killer just pointing out the difference. The trunions on the x2 are cast not stamped steel. Does not matter to me as I don't do a lot of cutting requiring that i.e. table elevated for something like cutting DT's on the BS. I can only see that as an issue if you plan on doing a lot of resawing of logs with a lot of weight. I can only think of a couple times over the past 6 years that requred a cut of that type. It does a great job. Now with that being said and I'm a huge fan of griz as I also have their TS, 12" jointer, and Horizontal boring machine. If it were me doing it today, I'd look for an old machine like a tanowitz or something. those things can be had for a song and there is no comparrison. However I don't think you will be dissapointed with the Griz! Take care

[Richard Coers]

I'll probably start a new thread on this when it gets resolved, but here is what I have found on my 514X2 and the infamous cast iron wheels. I got it last week and started it for the first time last Saturday. It is unuseable. It has such a bad vibration in it, that anything on the table will walk off in less than 30 seconds. The bottom cast iron wheel has 4, 1/8"x1"x2" weights pop riveted to the web, just under the rim. The machining under the rim, to the web, is not cut all the way around the wheel. There was not enough cast iron there to machine. The runout at the rim of the wheel is only .001" in a radial direction, so it is centered. I took off the drive belt and could stand a penny on the table with the motor running. Put the drive belt back on and "she shimmies like your sister Kate". Tech support has been notified and they wanted me to do that motor check before sending parts. So maybe the cast iron wheels are not as good a deal as I thought. Another item I had not seen or heard about is removing the blade. You must have the doors open 180 degrees so the blade will come out of the machine. I had my old machine with it's back to the wall. I will have to open the doors, and lift them off the hinge pins if I want to keep it there and be able to remove the blade. Just a little hassle.

[Andrew Gibson]

I just ordered a 513x2 yesterday. Just waiting for shipping confirmation. tap tap tap
I would have gone with the x2B but it is back ordered and I need the saw sooner then later.

[Joe Shinall]

Thank you Dave for posting those links. It really did help me alot! I've seen them before and really didn't have the time the other night to look for them is the reason I posted new. Tom and Keith, thanks for the insight. It also really helps. Richard, I read a lot of good things about the 514x2 and I am sitting on the fence on that one. I am ordering in the next 2 weeks and I am just wondering if you got a bad saw or if these are known issues. Can you let me know what comes about this issue for you so I will know?

[Van Huskey]

Is 2hp enough? First, the reality is blade makes as much difference as anything but for me 2hp is fine for 12" of resaw BUT for ME it is not optimal. My general rule of thumb is 1 hp per 4" of resaw. This allows you to run the high density exotics at a pretty quick feed rate and will cut domestics like butter. 2hp is going to strain a little with some exotics at over 8 inches but not many people actually makes those cuts often enough to warrant more HP for just that.

Although I like foot brakes better than motor brakes I would probably spend the extra $100 for one since the 513 does not offer a foot brake, but one can add a foot controlled micro-switch that activates the motor brake if one so decides.

I don't have many issues with aluminum wheels, on a smallish saw like we are discussing with relatively light cast iron wheels they just don't hold that much energy. However the cast trunnion, better fence, larger table and better guides add up to more than the price difference in my book, the 513X2 is an excellent bargain. When the 513P was introduced at less than $700 it was a much bigger choice now I think the X2 or X2B are the better bargains especially with the coupon.


I have said it before Grizzly's product line (especially bandsaws) is designed to fleece your pocket. Every time you decide on a saw there is another with something you think you need for a couple of hundred dollars more and this continues all the way to $3k. In that vein the 514 series also has excellent value.

[Joe Shinall]

I totally agree with you Van. I started out looking at the 513 which is 795 and now I'm about to buy the 514x2 for 1395. I kept going, well this is only $100 more and since I have a coupon....

But I figured if I'm gonna jump to the $1000 or $1100 range then I may as well spend the extra and get what I want and never have to upgrade anything. I'll be making my order in the next 2 weeks and I'm just hoping the x2 will not be on backorder like I have heard on a lot of their machines.

[Van Huskey]

I'm just hoping the x2 will not be on backorder like I have heard on a lot of their machines.

The 513X2 is on eBay currently which one assumes means it is in stock.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Precisely the reasoning I went with the G0513P. It is LEAGUES and LEAGUES ahead of the Ridgid it replaced, but not a vast amount more money. At least it wasn't when it was on introductory special last year. I considered the higher end models, but for what I want it for, no big deal if it doesn't have cast trunnions or wheels. What it DOES have is a 2HP motor, a much larger table, a steel frame (ie springier), a built in tension release lever, 12 inch resaw capability, urethane tires, a monstrous tension spring, and a reasonable fence. I continue to smile every time I power it up!

[Joe Shinall]

The 513X2 is on eBay currently which one assumes means it is in stock.

Yeah, but I'm going with the 514X2. The 19". I read something on another post that said they were backordered til May but then saw where someone ordered one and just got it, so not really sure, will find out hopefully next week when I order!