Lookng for Information on Grizzly Bandsaw G0513P

[Kevin Wanamaker]

Hi I'm in the market for a 16" or 17" band saw. I was looking at a Jet JWBS-16B at a cost of 1429.99 + tax's. Then I look at Grizzly there G0513X2 at 1050.00 + 99.00 shipping or there G0513P at 765.00 + 99.00 shipping. The G0513X2 has cast iron wheels and others up grades from the G0513P. But is the cost different in price worth it? Also is going with the Jet over the Grizzly worth the different? Were the Grizzly is so much cheaper because there cheaply built or are they well built? I don't know anyone who has any Grizzly tool can anyone help? Thanks Kevin

[Guy Belleman]

Seems like some of the answers are in a thread last week. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...ice-differance

[Larry Browning]

You might want to search the forum for threads on the G0513. You will find many hours of reading about all aspects of this saw and all versions of it. I have the G0513X2 and love it. I really don't have any experience with any other band saw, so I can't compare it to anything else. But it always makes me feel like it is probably more saw than I really need every time I use it. Don't get me wrong, I am not looking to downgrade, but I could have gotten by with a G0555 just fine. Anyway, the G0513 is a very popular topic of discussion on SMC so the best advice is search for existing reviews on it and just about any other band saw available.

Oh, and by the way: WELCOME TO THE CREEK!

[Kevin Wanamaker]

Thanks I'll look there. Were I'm new I don't know my way around

[Cary Falk]

If you post you location a member might invite you over to test out some Grizzly tools. I have quite a few including the 513X2 and you are welcome to try them out if you are in the Portland OR metro area.

[Keith Hankins]

Well, I've had the original (before there was an x2) for over 10 years, and its been moved across the united states and back. I still have it use it often and it's a decent saw. Runs true. Only thing I've done to mine is change out the guides from the eruo stile with an upgrade kit and bought a fence upgrade from griz. Best move I made was to put a laguna CT blade on it. I use it primarily for resaw after I found an old 1934 delta 14" for a couple hundred to do the small stuff. Mine does not have the cast iron trunions which was an upgrade when they came out with the x2 (I believe). However, to be honest, I don't do angle cuts on it anyway so it really don't matter. The 2hp motor I have has been more than enough to do resawing of wide boards and I've done some nice veneers. Only recently had to replace the tires. Would I buy it again. No, not because its a bad saw its a fine saw. I would find for the same or less money, and old big piece of american iron.

I'm rehabbing an old walker turner 16" that will be a monster when done. I'll have a few hundred in it. I've seen some 31 tanowitz saws for 7-800 range. Again my griz cuts fine and has served me well but the old iron is ten times better. Just my opinion.

[Matt Meiser]

As mentioned above there are a ton of threads on the G0513 variants. I've got the X which has the CI wheels but not the CI trunnions. My only wish is that it had a brake, but for the price I paid (secondhand from a friend that was moving away) I can't complain. I've not had the opportunity to run any small blades though I do have one, just due to the nature of the projects I've done since I got it. I've used it quite a bit with a carbide resaw blade and love it.

[Tai Fu]

I find it more difficult to tension smaller blades on a 18" bandsaw for some reason. On a smaller saw you can tension them fairly hard without worrying about breakage but on the large saw even though I can get a blade really tight it still flexes a bit (due to longer overall length) and I really fear breaking them from excess tension...