Older Grizzly 1018 Jointer -- worth it?

[Michael Shoffner]

Ok gang, still 8" jointer hunting here in NC. Ya'll wisely talked me out of the overpriced used Delta I found. I'm still considering a new Grizzly 8" jointer when they come back in stock. In the mean time, I've found a guy selling a Grizzly 1018 for $300. It only has a single belt on the motor, so best I can tell that means it was built prior to 1992 ( and also means adding a newer spiral head is not an option). Tables and fence all seem flat based on pics he has sent me and they show minor surface rust. I have not seen the unit in person. Its a 2hp motor wired for 220.
I have no experience from Griz machines that old. I'm perfectly happy with the more current Grizzly machinery I have.
So the big question? .....scoop this older 8" jointer up for $300 and attempt to clean her up, or spend $1300 on new with spiral head??

[Chris Hachet]

Depends on your budget and priority. Trust yourself and make sawdust, either choice would work. I personally think the more troublesome thing is that you are basing a purchase decision on your desire to get the purchase over quickly rather than waiting for the new Grizzly.

I have a friend who is very much into home theater, I talked him into buying what he really wanted. He does not regret his purchase one bit.

Personally, I would buy the new Grizzly and never ever look back.

[Vinito Caleb]

Seems like at $300 it's a good enough deal to get and add a spiral head later, or right away.
Grizzly has these: http://www.grizzly.com/products/T27713 and http://www.grizzly.com/products/T27697

I don't know what the defference is, but it would be worth a call to find out. FYI I picked up a used 6" Grizzly jointer cheap and immediately bought the same version of cutterhead to suit my machine, and in my phone call the said it wouldn't fit. I could machine things to make it work if there was a problem, but they were just mistaken and it fit right up and works great. YMMV, but it worked for me and I really like the cutterhead.

[Bill Dufour]

$1,000 dollars buys a lot of wood and tools. How much more would that be for shipping and tax? Why do you think you need a spiral cutterhead?
I bet for under $750 a machine shop would turn an existing head down to fit.
Bill D.

[Don Jarvie]

300 hundred for an 8 inch jointer is a good deal if the tables and fence are ok.

[scott spencer]

That 1018 for $300 seems like a very good deal to me if its in decent shape.

[Cary Falk]

$300 is a good deal but if you want a spiral head and one won't fit this machine then move along. I have a spiral head in my 8" jointer and love it. I found a 1018 for a friend for $450. I thought that was a good deal. We were able to put a spiral in it though.

[Michael Shoffner]

$1,000 dollars buys a lot of wood and tools. How much more would that be for shipping and tax? Why do you think you need a spiral cutterhead?
I bet for under $750 a machine shop would turn an existing head down to fit.
Bill D.

....well there lies the struggle. The difference in cash is significant between old machine and new dream machine. I've always had straight knives on my 6inch and they've been fine ( though changing and aligning them is a pain). Yet I've never talked to a person who upgraded to the spiral head and regretted it, so there must be something there. I'm hoping this is the last jointer I ever buy, and just debating if it's worth it to get one that leaves the spiral head option open. ...and on the flip side, $300 seems like an awfully good price for an 8".

[Chris Hachet]

That 1018 for $300 seems like a very good deal to me if its in decent shape.

It really does, but the OP seems to want a new tool with a helical cuter head. If that's what he wants, and can afford it, that is what he should buy IMHO.

[Chris Hachet]

That 1018 for $300 seems like a very good deal to me if its in decent shape.

Unless the OP would prefer to buy a new tool, plug and play, with a helical cutter head. I am a huge fan of the buy it once Idea.

[Chris Hachet]

$300 is a good deal but if you want a spiral head and one won't fit this machine then move along. I have a spiral head in my 8" jointer and love it. I found a 1018 for a friend for $450. I thought that was a good deal. We were able to put a spiral in it though.

The Spiral is really nice. Alternately you could wait for a sued grizzly with the helical head-one sold around here for $800 gently used, it did not hang around on the market long.

[Michael Shoffner]

I've been trolling the used market for a year now and this is one f the only machines I've found in my area. They just don't seem to pop up much here

[Adam Merritt]

I had the opportunity to buy a 1018 in decent shape 2 weeks ago for $675 WITH a new in the box Byrd head. Something just didn't feel right, so I walked. I really want an 8'' parallelogram spiral jointer for my next purchase, and honestly, don't regret passing it up. Decide what features are most important, and buy one that fits. If saving money is the most important feature, then you have a good candidate. If others such as the spiral head are more important, then wait. Holding out another few months to get the one that fits your needs will be well worth it 10 years down the road. Those few months of waiting will be nothing compared to the long term satisfaction of getting exactly what you want. No need in looking back asking yourself the what-ifs about what you could've or should've done.

[Michael Shoffner]

Agreed. $300 is a very tempting price. Starting to think, that I should buy this and use the saved money to buy a helical head for my planer instead since thats the machine that is closest in line to the finished surface.

[scott spencer]

Agreed. $300 is a very tempting price. Starting to think, that I should buy this and use the saved money to buy a helical head for my planer instead since thats the machine that is closest in line to the finished surface.

$300 seems low enough that you could easily recoup your investment if you decided to resell it, and pursue a new machine later. The downside is just the hassle, but that's life in the fast lane of tool acquisition!