Steelex ST1011 Jointer

[mike wacker]

I'm in the market for a new 8 inch Jointer. Preferably with a spiral cutting head. This model on paper fits the bill. What scares me the remarkably low price, about $1250. Does anyone have any experience with this product?

ps. I'm a long time follower of the Creek but have been gone for too many/few reasons. Now I've got shop space and time to set up right. Pretty excited. You'll probably get sick of me.

[Mike Kees]

I have never heard of this brand before. If possible try posting a picture maybe someone will recognize this jointer and be able to help ,good luck, Mike.

[Matt Day]

Pretty obviously it's a rebadged Grizzly/Shop Fox based on the pic I googled.

[Robert Chapman]

Just Googled it. The correct spelling is Steelix and it looks like a nice 8" jointer for about $1250. I've never heard of the brand.

[mike wacker]

You are correct on the spelling . But my questions. It is certainly a rebadged product. Having owned a Powermatic 882 with straight blades, which was exactly what you expect, perfect but getting blades sharpened and adjusted takes time. Biting the bullet and purchasing a new Powermatic 60HH or a new 882HH is 2 or 3 times the money. I'm setting up an "advanced" hobby shop. So looking at the, if you will, 2nd tier, equipment. Solid, apparently, maybe not up to production use, but budget is limited. Could do the Craigslist thing but that takes 2-3 years to find the right deal. Still looking for someone who owns on of these to give me a thumbs up or down.

[Matt Day]

Personally I think it's a waste of money to get a spiral head in a jointer, but in this case it's not much more to get it. BUT do you know anything about the customer service and warrantee? It's up to you but for $1500 delivered you get likely the exact same machine from Grizzly and you know you have an established company behind you. That being said, the Steelex parts are most definitely interchangeable with Grizzly parts if you had the need and are mechanically inclined.
If there are no reviews on Amazon, you'll be hard pressed to find any reviews anywhere.

[Robert Chapman]

I do a lot of work with figured maple [Birdseye and Curly] and in my experience a spiral head on the jointer and planer is well worth the extra price for at least two reasons -1. Unlike with straight blades there is very little tear out with figured wood, and 2. Spiral heads with the turnable cutters go forever without sharpening.

[John C Bush]

I have a Griz jointer (12") with spiral cutter head and it is a great machine. Extra cost of spiral head is well worth it and if the Griz vs. Steelix price difference is not that significant Griz's Hx of service is. Will it fit down the chimney?

[Matt Day]

I didn't say anything about a spiral head not being worth it in the planer. But if budget is tight I'd save it for the planer before the jointer - it all goes through the planer in my shop so it doesn't matter if there's a spiral in the jointer.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

A spiral head will do double duty in a combo j/p. Something to consider.

[Rick Fisher]

Steelix is a brand belonging to Grizzly .. like Shop Fox ..

[mike wacker]

Getting a little off topic here but my main attractions to a Spiral head on a jointer is my dust collection system handles the chips of a Spiral head much better and the operating noise level with a Spiral head is significantly lower. Unfortunately I have found zero reviews on this machine, Amazon included.

But as said, it appears to come from the whole Grizzly/Shop Fox family at a stupidly attractive price point, I'm still investigating. Or on the other side I could just win the lottery and go out and get a Powermatic PJ882 with a Spiral head for 3 times the coin.

[mike wacker]

Upon further review the correct spelling is Steelex, or at least that's what's on the front of the machine's picture on Amazon