More G0766's On The Way!

[Roger Chandler]

Looks like tomorrow is delivery day instead of Monday. Fingers crossed for a good one this time!

Here's hoping for the best outcome for you James. I hope they inspected it and tested it before sending it out to you........if they did, you will have a good performer on your hands! I know the toolrest issue is annoying, and Grizzly and I certainly have different opinions on it, but see where you are with it, and give it a good run with a project or two, and allow yourself to experience the operation of the lathe in a real time project. I think you will find it does a great job!

[Dok Yager]

James, here`s to a good outcome and a Superb lathe! I had my doubts after all the "small" problems everyone has voiced. However after having started a couple of completely different sized projects and turned on this monster for quite a few hours now I can say she is Really sweet! Tool rest issue aside this baby can do everything well. I have turned on a few different lathes form my old Nova Comet II and my current Nova 1624-44 and a Jet 1642 as well as a 3520B and a sweet 16. I don`t think this lathe is at fault as far as performance is concerned. I am Very happy I listened to all the great folks here and stepped up to buy one!

[James Conrad]

Thanks guys. They were suppose to inspect and test before shipping, so we shall see.

[hu lowery]

There are always work arounds, however the 766 is the only lathe I know of that claims a swing bigger than a cylinder it can turn. Bowls often have vertical sections, particularly ornamental bowls. The 766 can't turn these out to close to twenty-two inches, can't turn them beyond sixteen inches.

Likewise, the 766 can't turn a bowl with a recurved lip which I am particularly fond of, bigger than sixteen inches without jumping through hoops. Can't turn another recurved form I need to turn either. While it can be debated what the inboard swing of the 766 is by using pretty contorted reasoning, what can't be debated is the outboard swing. Grizzly plainly states on page thirty of the manual that the outboard swing is 17" diameter. How many lathes have smaller outboard swings than inboard swings? Note that Grizzly also says that turning outboard allows larger turning capacities than the swing specification of the lathe.

Hu

(grizzly manual, page 30)
Outboard turning is a variation of faceplate
turning and is accomplished with the headstock
positioned so the faceplate is not directly over the
bed, allowing a larger turning capacity than the
swing specification of the lathe. On the G0766,
the maximum workpiece diameter that can safely
be outboard-turned is limited to 17".

[Roger Chandler]

There are always work arounds, however the 766 is the only lathe I know of that claims a swing bigger than a cylinder it can turn. Bowls often have vertical sections, particularly ornamental bowls. The 766 can't turn these out to close to twenty-two inches, can't turn them beyond sixteen inches.

Likewise, the 766 can't turn a bowl with a recurved lip which I am particularly fond of, bigger than sixteen inches without jumping through hoops. Can't turn another recurved form I need to turn either. While it can be debated what the inboard swing of the 766 is by using pretty contorted reasoning, what can't be debated is the outboard swing. Grizzly plainly states on page thirty of the manual that the outboard swing is 17" diameter. How many lathes have smaller outboard swings than inboard swings? Note that Grizzly also says that turning outboard allows larger turning capacities than the swing specification of the lathe.

Hu

(grizzly manual, page 30)
Outboard turning is a variation of faceplate
turning and is accomplished with the headstock
positioned so the faceplate is not directly over the
bed, allowing a larger turning capacity than the
swing specification of the lathe. On the G0766,
the maximum workpiece diameter that can safely
be outboard-turned is limited to 17".

Hu.......you and I are more together than we are apart on this 0766. Two main issues are in play. The toorest is too high from the factory, and the banjo should have not been taken fron the 0733, which has 4" less swing and just stuck on this 0766! The banjo should have been extended another 4 inches in length, and the toolrest should have been 7/8" below the centerline for bowl turning, as this lathe is advertised to be made for.

I suspect had they done these things, the lathe would be more expensive than it was, but adding another $100 to the price and have gotten these things right would have made for an intoduction of this unit to the market that would have had much celebration, instead of all the threads that point out the deficiencies.

They basically took the leg and bed castings of the 0733 and added a larger headstock, tailstock, 3 hp motor, delta inverter, and handwheel to the same frame of the 0733, which is fine, as the legs and bed are plenty stout to support that additional swing, but they did not bring out a longer banjo on it to support the added swing..........that does not render the lathe incapable of most large turnings, but it is not what it should have been either!

I would really like to see Grizzly take these issues to heart, and begin putting a longer banjo on these 0766 units, and make that small adjustment to the toolrest height, then they would likely have threads singing their praises for such a fine and powerful lathe that this unit has the full potential of being if these two changes were made.

[James Conrad]

This might be a case of cut and paste error, see page 30 of the g0733 manual, same wording except the g0766.

[hu lowery]

Hu.......you and I are more together than we are apart on this 0766. Two main issues are in play. The toorest is too high from the factory, and the banjo should have not been taken fron the 0733, which has 4" less swing and just stuck on this 0766! The banjo should have been extended another 4 inches in length, and the toolrest should have been 7/8" below the centerline for bowl turning, as this lathe is advertised to be made for.

I suspect had they done these things, the lathe would be more expensive than it was, but adding another $100 to the price and have gotten these things right would have made for an intoduction of this unit to the market that would have had much celebration, instead of all the threads that point out the deficiencies.

They basically took the leg and bed castings of the 0733 and added a larger headstock, tailstock, 3 hp motor, delta inverter, and handwheel to the same frame of the 0733, which is fine, as the legs and bed are plenty stout to support that additional swing, but they did not bring out a longer banjo on it to support the added swing..........that does not render the lathe incapable of most large turnings, but it is not what it should have been either!

I would really like to see Grizzly take these issues to heart, and begin putting a longer banjo on these 0766 units, and make that small adjustment to the toolrest height, then they would likely have threads singing their praises for such a fine and powerful lathe that this unit has the full potential of being if these two changes were made.

Roger,

As you know, I bought the 766. I still want one if it can safely turn what I need to turn. I would buy the Oneway banjo if Grizzly indicated this was safe. That puts the 766 plus banjo several hundred dollars higher than the 733. I think they could have easily marketed it at a hundred above the 733 with a longer banjo and the toolrest issue corrected. The toolrest height is easily taken care of although there might be a few months production lag time. Telling owners a new toolrest was on the way would address that issue nicely without it being a big deal.

Where we differ is if the banjo was an oversight or not. Several things I have read after my purchase indicate that Grizzly knew exactly what they were doing. Leads me to believe that the banjo is a deliberate bottleneck to protect other components. If true, I strongly believe that the lathe should have been marketed as a 16" swing lathe, not as having a 22" swing.

Hu

[Roger Chandler]

Roger,

As you know, I bought the 766. I still want one if it can safely turn what I need to turn. I would buy the Oneway banjo if Grizzly indicated this was safe. That puts the 766 plus banjo several hundred dollars higher than the 733. I think they could have easily marketed it at a hundred above the 733 with a longer banjo and the toolrest issue corrected. The toolrest height is easily taken care of although there might be a few months production lag time. Telling owners a new toolrest was on the way would address that issue nicely without it being a big deal.

Where we differ is if the banjo was an oversight or not. Several things I have read after my purchase indicate that Grizzly knew exactly what they were doing. Leads me to believe that the banjo is a deliberate bottleneck to protect other components. If true, I strongly believe that the lathe should have been marketed as a 16" swing lathe, not as having a 22" swing.

Hu

That certainly is an interesting perspective, Hu! A couple of things that I know are these......one the bearings on this G0766 are bigger than on my G0698 18/47........it handled everything I ever threw at it.......of course most of my turnings were under 18", over the 5 + years I turned on that lathe. There were numerous times when I put out of balance blanks that were fairly large on that lathe........it handled them fine, but I had to find the sweet spot as far as rpm's go to get the harmonics as manegable as I could. Those original bearings are still in that lathe and still run like new, although I did purchase an extra set just to have them on hand in case I ever needed them.

Second, the added weight of this 0766, and the bigger and heavier headstock and tailstock......they lend themselves to handling bigger blanks than I put on my former 0698.

Third......a bigger 3-phase A/C motor with premium inverter.........that combination has more low end torque than my 2 hp brushless D/C motor, which had a controller, on the G0698............all that lends itself to slower speed, additional torque, and smoother operation for roughing out big blanks.

Fourth.........adding ballast to the bottom of the lathe with a shelf and sand, bags of lead shot, or whatever means [tractor weights?] will be sufficient I believe to make this G0766 a stable platform for most turnings in the 20-22 inch range.

I guess I have a degree of trust here that you do not have, Hu, because of my positive experience with my former G0698, and this is a beefed up version with many improvements..........notwithstanding the toolrest/banjo combination could be better!

Many 3520b owners turn large turnings and this unit will stand its own with those minor issues addressed, I believe. I have turned on 9 different 3520b units to date, some multiple times, and I think by and large they are great.........I think the performance of this G0766 is equal to them in many ways, just the undersized banjo and too tall rest needs some tweaking.....other than that, no issue. The performance is there in my opinion, which is based on my actual experience and not speculation.

[Mark Greenbaum]

All G0766 buyers and users:

I just got off the phone with Joe at Springfield Grizzly Customer Service, and he read a memorandum to me that states the tool rest height issue has been addressed on a woodturner's forum. Grizzly has deemed the tool rest to be safe and within specifications, and no "Grizzly in-house" modifications to the tool rest can be made. I have registered my complaints, and have an activity number that Joe's supervisor will call me to go over what can or cannot be done for the tool rest issue. I also mentioned the banjo length issue, but not in depth. I told Joe, I was not personally experience with this lathe yet, but I wanted to circumvent, and be pro-active on the tool rest issue, so I don't have to spend more $$$ after the receipt of my machine. He understood, but was unable to have the tool rest modified by Grizzly. I will continue to plead for a remedy, for myself, and future buyers. Wish me luck.

I also asked if there was any future plans to have an extension corded control station (for emergency stop, on/off, and speed control) from the tailstock end. He had no knowledge of such an accessory. I will mention it to the Supervisor when and if he calls me.

[James Conrad]

The delivery truck pulled in as I typed my last. Should have asked him to stay while I checked it out.

The crate was never opened and therefor the machine never inspected. The sides of the crate were never nailed to the bottom, the tail stock was loose and bouncing around inside as well as the legs. The motor has a significant whine. It was loose on the housing, the thumb screw holding the belt door closed was missing its retainer for the washers so they fell inside the housing. And, the ways were scratched up and of course paint damage.

So, I'm done with Grizzly and have learned a lesson. This was my first piece of machinery from them and my last, and stand by my statement and experience here that they will only do what benefits them and are not a customer centric company.

Now, let's talk other lathes...

[Mark Greenbaum]

James:So sorry to read this. My confidence is waning in what Grizzly has to offer. I will give them the benefit of the doubt, but I will make the delivery man wait as I inspect the crate & contents. I specifically have asked for my machine to opened and inspected prior to shipment to me. I don't have time to fiddle-f@rt with this sort of inconvenience, as I am sure none of us do. When we spend good hard earned dollars, we expect that quality will be forthcoming. Contact Grizzly and photograph the damages, and make them do right.

[Roger Chandler]

All G0766 buyers and users:

I just got off the phone with Joe at Springfield Grizzly Customer Service, and he read a memorandum to me that states the tool rest height issue has been addressed on a woodturner's forum. Grizzly has deemed the tool rest to be safe and within specifications, and no "Grizzly in-house" modifications to the tool rest can be made. I have registered my complaints, and have an activity number that Joe's supervisor will call me to go over what can or cannot be done for the tool rest issue. I also mentioned the banjo length issue, but not in depth. I told Joe, I was not personally experience with this lathe yet, but I wanted to circumvent, and be pro-active on the tool rest issue, so I don't have to spend more $$$ after the receipt of my machine. He understood, but was unable to have the tool rest modified by Grizzly. I will continue to plead for a remedy, for myself, and future buyers. Wish me luck.

I also asked if there was any future plans to have an extension corded control station (for emergency stop, on/off, and speed control) from the tailstock end. He had no knowledge of such an accessory. I will mention it to the Supervisor when and if he calls me.

All these are laudable additions to this lathe,and make sense, Mark.........however, I do think that if we want Grizzly to provide an absolutely Cadillac lathe will all possible bells and whistles, then we should be prepared to expect a much higher pricetag than we have paid!

The rest issue is a difference of opinion that they have with us end users........I personally believe they are in the wrong, but they seem to insisting at least that this is the specs that are correct, and I do not think they have approached this in the best way..........I am still looking at the other makes of lathes by this same manufacturer who did make their posts sit lower, and the other brand name lathes like Oneway who have the same 7/8" lower dimension on their rests that have been attested to by owners of those units...........Grizzly seems content to ignore those compelling testimonies in favor of some supposed specifications that they have........where they got them, I do not know! If from the manufacturer, then why did they make the Powermatic and Jet rests lower? Why does the higher end Oneways have the same 7/8" below center dimension if they are wrong? Good question that Grizzly has no good answer for!

Most of the corded extensions with emergency shutoff are from the higher end units like Robust and Oneway. Most of the ones I have seen on the 3520b Powermatics were made by the owner as a modification. This will add some substantial cost if they were to offer one.

The banjo.........they put a banjo for an 18" swing lathe on this 22" swing model........plain and simple. Perhaps they believe this to be fine.......it was at best a cost consideration as a longer banjo would have meant a new casting, and added expense to the manufacturing of this 0766 unit. Not ideal for the purchaser/user, but all of this can be worked around with aftermarket accessories...........ideal for us, no! Good for Grizzly's bottom line.........I am not sure, as this might affect the number of purchasers in the future.......we shall see.

My personal bottom line is this..................I LIKE this lathe! I think it is a good performer from a motor/inverter standpoint and the size of this thing. Are the issues outlined above a deal breaker for me..............NO, because the value and performance is still there, and I am able to tweak things with the aforementioned aftermarket accessories, which just means that this lathe has increased in price for me, but is still the best value on the market for a large lathe with the 3-phase motor and premium inverter combo.

Your mileage may vary..............and to state my final opinion, again- Grizzly could and should have made a longer banjo for the swing of this lathe, and the toolrest should sit 7/8" below the centerline, which is what other makes made by the Burt Group have in this size class and the Oneways, etc!

[James Conrad]

Thanks Mark. I already have the return in swing and should have the bill of lading probably Tuesday based on my last return. I will secure the crate to the bottom, and that's it, they get it back in the same way I got it. Hey, I take some blame here too on wanting this to be a good deal and holding out for 6 months and the returned lathe. I'm sure most people will get a completly adequate lathe, but for me, the experiment is over.

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks Mark. I already have the return in swing and should have the bill of lading probably Tuesday based on my last return. I will secure the crate to the bottom, and that's it, they get it back in the same way I got it. Hey, I take some blame here too on wanting this to be a good deal and holding out for 6 months and the returned lathe. I'm sure most people will get a completly adequate lathe, but for me, the experiment is over.

Wow! I am so sorry to hear this for you James.........I do not blame you one bit.......had this occurred to me, I would be done also!

I am not sure what you are referring to as "motor whine" ......mine has gotten quieter as I have used it, and it was never an unacceptable noise, and was comparable to the Powermatics and Jets I have used over the last few years. I think some of that is normal and that perhaps there is some adjustment the inverter makes as it operates over time adjusting to electronic input from the motor and even the actual power coming into the lathe........call it a settling in, or whatever, but I wonder about your assessment of these, unless you have specific expertise in this area of motors/inverters.

All the other stuff........well that is for the birds! I still wonder about vibration and such on the trip across the ocean, and the failure of the factory to address these, and the failure to inspect before shipping from the distribution center! You have now been burned twice.......I cannot say I would feel any different than you!

Of course your situation, nor anyone else's is any business of mine, but we are an online community that gathers around the common interest of wood turning and related things.............I do care about the rest of this community, and desire the best for them, although each person has to make their own choices about machines, techniques and such, but we do all learn from one another!

Best of luck to you as you pursue a lathe from another manufacturer.

[Izzy Camire]

Gee sorry to hear this James I don't blame you for being done with them.

I had been considering this as the lathe to get later in the year but it seems Grizzly sometimes has these problems of not getting things right. Now I am just not sure what I will buy in the fall.