Lathe Search Wrapping up - Grizzly G0733 question - G0733 owners?

[Jay Yoder]

well, it appears that my final decision is made...I am gonna pull the trigger on a G0733. I had a real nice chat with them today and feel that they will be good to deal with. Thanks for everyone's responses and patience with all of my questions. I will keep y'all posted on the progress. I am excited...

[Roger Chandler]

Congratulations Jay...........I think you will be pleased with the overall performance of this lathe!

[Jay Yoder]

Thanks Roger. Now that I have decision and 10% off coupon, is there a chance that there are ever any bigger sales in the near future? Not that I want to drag this on, but savings is savings. I probably can't order it until later this week at the earliest...I was just down in the shop measuring where it will be located.

[Roger Chandler]

Did you ask them if this lathe is in stock? At times, they are on back order, so if it is stock, then I would pull the trigger as soon as I could, if I were you! Even if they have 10 in stock, they can go out the door in a days time! Just don't want you to wait too long and be disappointed!

[Jay Yoder]

Roger, I asked them and currently have 50 in stock and another 44 on order for July. Now that lathe is set, I gotta figure out what to do for sharpening tools. I have a new, kind of in box (purchased 4 years ago and just opened tonight) jet slow speed grinder (similar to Tormek) and a new still in box worksharp 300. I have been taking gouges to be sharpened and they have slow speed dry grinder and wolverine attachments, which works quickly and well. Should I keep the Jet and try it or pick up the slow speed/wolverine package? I love having sharp tools when turning, and would be nice to just turn to bench behind, sharpen and return to turning.

[Roger Chandler]

I have the same Jet wet sharpener, but use the Wolverine system and a cbn wheel on one side and Norton 3x on the other side. I do have the gouge jig and others for the Jet. It will put a nice edge on a gouge or skew for sure.......any heavy grinding to put a new grind or different shape will need to go to a regular grinder, unless you want to take all day to get it done.

[Tim Tibbetts]

Jay - regarding the 10% off - when I was in Bellingham, and gave the clerk my 5% off coupon (this was a couple weeks ago), he mentioned he hadn't seen many coupons coming in. Apparently Grizzly doles them out according to some scheme, so not everyone gets one with their catalog, and not all the amounts are the same. I seem to recall having heard of someone getting a 15% coupon once, but I haven't seen one! So I think 10% is pretty good.

Regarding the Wolverine - I have one (with large and small vari-grind jigs) to go with my Woodcraft slow speed grinder and a CBN wheel from D-Way. I highly recommend both the Wolverine and the CBN wheel. My only problem is my grinder is at one end of my shop at the moment and the 733 is at the other - really got get that reorganization under way!

[Jay Yoder]

Tim, seems that I kinda hit the lottery with my 10% off coupon eh? I see that Woodcraft has a kit with the Rikon SSG and the Wolverine jigs together for $269. I wonder if the local woodcraft carries that or if they would put all components together for that price, I kind of doubt it. My plan is to get one of the workbenches from Sam's Club and have the end of it directly across from my lathe so I can just turn and sharpen the tools and then back to turning. I guess you could consider your walk across the shop to sharpen your exercise for the day?

[Tim Tibbetts]

The exercise I could certainly use, but the rest of the story is the clutter in the way - maple slabs waiting to turned into bowl blanks, saw horses with the remains of the Grizzly crate waiting to be turned into a ballast box, etc. You get the picture.

My local Woodcraft (and local Rockler too) give 10% discounts to members of the local turning clubs on much of their non-sale merchandise - perhaps another reason to check our your local club(s) if you're lucky enough to have one nearby.

Also, Hartville Tool is a good place to find things like the Oneway / Wolverine jigs - free shipping (which is generally very fast - 2-3 days) and currently 10% off.

[Jay Yoder]

Well, I did it! New lathe on order! Woohoo!

I too could use the exercise. I have clutter everywhere as it seems that my projects list gets longer and I never have enough time to do half of it. It is the proverbial two step back for every step forward. I used to live relatively near to HH. They were always a good trip! I have to get a worktable set up behind the lathe and then go from there! Thanks for your input! Can't wait to make some shavings on a real lathe

[Roger Chandler]

Wooo hooooo! Congratulations!

[Bart Leetch]

Well, I did it! New lathe on order! Woohoo!

As Elmer Fudd would say & the wathe goes wound & wound He He He He.

[Doug Herzberg]

Jay, I didn't see your post until just now. Congratulations on your decision. I don't know about the Jet, but I'm pretty happy with my GO698, the predecessor to the 733. I mounted the tool basket outboard because it's pretty useless under the ways. I also got the outboard extension from Busy Bee. It comes with its own banjo, which has a swing arm, but it can't be used on the main ways. The outboard extension and banjo are much lighter duty than the rest of the GO698/733, which may be why Grizzly doesn't sell them. Between the tool basket on the headstock end and the outboard extension on the other, my lathe is well over eight feet long.

I'm surprised no one referred you to the Grizzly Green Monster Group. Most of these issues have been addressed. One thing that didn't come up here is that a lot of us have filed down the spindle slightly to get our chucks to seat fully. Some of us have had QC issues, but Grizzly has stepped up and taken care of us to most everyone's satisfaction. Tech support has been very helpful.

Hope you enjoy your purchase. +1 on the Wolverine/D-Way CBN/Woodcraft slow speed grinder combination.

[Tim Tibbetts]

Congratulations, Jay! As Doug said in another part of the thread, come on over to the Grizzly Green Monster Group and start adding to your project list from all the great ideas there!