Quality of Grizzly Products

[Frank Martin]

Good morning all,

I am in the market for a 16-18" bandsaw and a 12 inch jointer/planer combo. I am a hobbiest with very little time for woodworking, but really enjoy quality products.

For the badsaw, I have been leaning towards either a MM16 or Bridgewood PBS440. But there are also Grizzly units (G513X and G514X) for much less. I have read at multiple places that the Bridgewood unit is also very high quality close to MM16. However, I have not found any reference to how Grizzly compares to Bridgewood and MM16 in terms of build quality, frame stiffness, ease of adjustment, etc. The resaw capacity, hp rating, etc are not really different enough for my intended use to sway my decision one way or the other.

For the jointer/planer I was pretty set on the Minimax unit, however, when I saw the Grizlly unit coming up which seems to have better features (i.e., carbide insert cutting head and seemingly better engineered fence mounting) at a lower price of $2500 (delivered) compared to the over $4000 (delivered with the current special) of MM unit. Now, I realize given that the Grizzly J/P combo has not really been released yet, but given your experiences with Grizzly do you think it is worth waiting for the release of it?

I have read that the Grizzly quality has improved in the recent years, but I would like to get feedback from people who has experience with lets say similar range products from MM and Grizzly to comment on build quality etc.

Looking forward to your feedback/suggestions.

[Jim Becker]

Grizzly's product quality has generally been regarded as very good over the past few years.

That said, I'd be more comfortable "shopping around" for a bandsaw than for a combo unit, especially when the one begin compared is, as you say, an unreleased product. All of the J/P combos in the FWW review have been around for awhile, relatively speaking, either as tested or with similar products in lines known for combos. I'm not in any way suggesting that the new Grizzly product is in any way undesirable; rather, it's just not possible to actually compare it to the field until there are owners. And combos bring into play a lot of things that have to be really well done for best results.

[Todd Solomon]

I don't think you can make a blanket statement about Grizzly's tool quality. I have a Grizzly Ultimate 12" jointer that is, I feel, one of the highest quality jointers on the market. But Grizzly sells high-end and low-end tools, at every quality level. You have to look at each tool on a case-by-case basis.

Regarding their jointer-planer, it might be a great machine, or it might be a dissapointment, who knows. Have you seen the FWW jointer-planer comparison in their latest issue? They describe significant differences between the brands, in changeover time, fence design, Etc. If it were my money, the lowest I'd go is the Hammer J-P for about $3K (that was the recent sale price). A friend has one, and it is quite nice. If I had additional funds, the Mini Max would be my choice (I think $3.8K is the sale price). But I wouldn't get Rojek's low-end machine, even though it's less expensive, based on the review. It's a shame that the Grizzly wasn't reviewed. Jointer-planers are complex machines, I wouldn't want to be the first to see if Grizzly got it right.

Todd

[Ted Miller]

Frank, I own one griz item the G0555 and its been great for years, I did replace the fence for resaw reasons, new tires and of course I cut my own blades, but could not be happier...

[John Michaels]

I live near the grizzly corporate headquaters, so I get a chance to look at tools in their showroom. The low end stuff is just that, but the more expensive tools seem to be very well made for a good price. As an example the G0454 20" Planer they sell runs for $1250.00. Other "20 planers on the market are more costly, but for less money I think most people would be very happy with the performance of the Grizzly.

[Dick Durbin]

I have been using a Grizzly 14" bandsaw for several years and have been perfectly pleased with it. I have replaced the tires with urethane and installed cool blocks, a riser kit, and a new fence.

[John Eaton]

To echo Ted Miller, I also own the GO555 and it has worked flawlessly, right out of the box - the accompanying blade is crap but that's easily fixed. I had some issues with alignment on the riser block but it wasn't anything too difficult/impossible to get right. I haven't replaced the fence yet as the stock has met most of my needs. I would certainly consider an 18" model as an upgrade in the future.

-- John

[Travis Hirst]

I also live near the Grizzly headquarters and it is a site to behold. More tools than even Tim the toolman Taylor could use. I have many Grizzly tools including a 14" bandsaw, a 12" planer, my lathe, and my new 10" table saw. I had 1 problem with my planer where a piece of the pot metal broke. I called them up and gave them the part number and they had me a new one within less than a week. I am more than pleased with the quality and the service that Grizzly has shown me.

Travis

[Greg Cole]

I can chime in on a couple Grizzly tools. I have a G0513X bandsaw, its a fairly new addition to the stable so I can't say much other that it's done well in the short time I have had it. It's resawn some 12" maple and not blinked, granted is was only silver maple not hard maple.. but 12" isn't exactly a little stick, especially @ 5' long.
I also have a G0586; 8" jointer. This has been an integral memeber of the stable for going on 2 years or so. Not ONE complaint, but I am itchy to use my spare blades I bought with the jointer so I can pull the trigger on a Byrd spiral head.

$0.02 for free.

[Terry Bigelow]

I remember before I made my big stationary tool purchases how much I pondered this same argument. After realizing how much I like woodworking and that the crappy tools I bought were just that, I decided I wouldn't buy cheap tools anymore. Then I saw the price gap between Grizzly and some of the big names and I wondered if they are inexpensive or just cheap. I can't speak for all their tools(and as Todd pointed out there are different levels of quality within Grizzly) but the ones I have perform wonderfully. As a point of reference I do work at a cabinet shop with a fair amount of brand name stationary tools to compare, so it's not as if I haven't used anything else. I have the 17" bandsaw(G0513),3hp table saw(G1023Z) and also two ShopFox tools which is Grizzly's sister company:8" jointer(1741) and the 2hp DC. All of these tools have been excellent for me. I have done quite a bit of resaw work on the BS with curly maple,walnut and cherry with great results. I did by the Kreg BS fence for the G0513. I would reccomend any of these tools. One other note, the ShopFox tools come with a 2 year warranty whereas the Grizz only have 1 year and there are more ShopFox dealers than Grizzly(3 stores for Grizz).

[Lloyd McKinlay]

When I bought my G1023SL table saw my research indicated Grizzly had used the same manufacturer in Taiwan for many years. The saw arrived in great condition, level, well adjusted and easy to set up. It has performed flawlessly.

My recent purchase of a G0586 jointer arrived with a label saying "Made in China". The cast iron table had a strange stain. After a couple calls to Grizzly (they had no idea as to the cause) and an hour of sanding most of the discoloration is gone, although I can still see the outline. Unfortunately the table is not as flat as I would like (not even close to the saw) but seems within tolerances. The paint is caked on, and chips easily. Yesterday I noticed even on the end of the infeed table the paint is chipping off. Another potential rust spot. Mechanically the machine seems fine, of course it's simply a motor and a cutter head. Fit and finish are not even close to the quality of my table saw.

As it appears Grizzly has added or changed manufacturing sites perhaps an important question is where will your order be produced.

[Michael Keating]

Hi Frank,

I am a Grizzly owner and I could not be happier with the qaulity of the machines. I own the 1023sl, the 15 inch planer and the new 8 inch jointer 0586. They are very good machines and I do not have 1 complaint about them.
I do also own a MM-16 and that is a fantastic machine. There was a problem with the switch when I first got the machine, but they were very good with the follow-up.

I am not a professional woodworker, just a hobbyist who makes about 6 or 8 projects a year and for my needs I could not be happier with the selections I have made. That being said, I am thinking about consolidating some shop space and selling my planer and jointer and getting one of the combos too.

Let me know if you get one and how it works for you.

Mike

[Alfred Clem]

I own a GR1023SL table/cabinet saw and a Grizzly two-bag dust collector. Both have delivered flawless service since the day they were delivered. I can say the same for my Jet lathe and Jet bandsaw. I believe all these tools were made in Taiwan. Customer service from both companies has been quick and responsive. I cannot say the same for tools bearing the Delta label, especially a lathe that was a genuine lemon and has since been sold.

[Brian Hale]

Hi Frank,

As i'm sure you've noticed there are a lot of Grizzly fans around and you'll get plenty of positive opinions on their machines and yes, price can be a good indicator of quality. Grizzly also has good customer service.

I don't own any Grizzly machines and i don't forsee that changing in the near future. (no more room in my shop! )

IMHO, Grizzly is not in the same league as MM or Bridgewood. Both of the latter are quality Italian made machines that are spec'd out by their respective distributors whereas the Grizzly is most likely made in China. (Someone please correct me if i'm wrong). The president of Wilke is always proud to say that the PBS line of bandsaws showed the least amount of frame flex in one of the popular magizine reviews (FWW?) and comes with an American made motor. I also like the way the fence tracks on the PBS series as opposed to the MM.

I can't offer much input in the J/P combo except to say i would prefer 2 separate dedicated machines. Even though it only takes a minute or two to switch between jointer and planer, i'd most likely find myself performing a task some other way because i didn't feel like making the switch. (OK, i'm lazy )

As for the MM vs Bridgewood question, i say go with the Bridgewood. I own the MM16. Feel free to PM me if my opinions are of interest to you as the last time i expressed them openly here i got emails, PM's and phone calls badgering me about my them.

Something noteworthy about the Bridgewood. Wilke will perform a setup and test run at their facility before they ship it to reduce the possibility of you getting a "bad" machine. As far as i know they are the only company to do this.

Brian

[Jerry Olexa]

IMHO Grizzly offers a lot of "bang for the buck" but be sure to include Shipping charges when u consider... I usually opt for a name brand from a local supplier where I can handle easily if a problem. If I lived near their factory, I'd consider them as a viable option. My 2 cents