Grizzly Bashing!

[Robert foster]

It seems odd to me that many who do not have Grizzly tools find that they are not up to the standards of "American" tools. I have been reluctant to buy Grizzly because of this mind set. I recently purchased a G0454Z and G0602.
The only problem I have had (other than small scrapes) has been with the US carriers who "delivered" it. I paid freight+ liftgate service. My G0454 was put on the ground 40' from where I needed it to get it into my shop. My 71 year old wife and I worked several hours to get into the shop by pulling it in short distances with my pickup and a comealong in the rain. In the process of US delivery they tore up my drive and yard. I have yet to receive word from the local terminal though the national customer service lady has been very sympathetic she can't help me directly.
The G0602 came about a week later but they wouldn't even come to my residence. I had to meet the driver just off the highway and transfer it to my pickup there.
I have looked at General and Powermatic at Woodsmith and it seemed that the main parts looked exactly the same.
I am very pleased with my Grizzly products and am happy to have the choice that Grizzly offers. I can't afford the prestigious products.

Thanks Shiraz

Bob

[Mike Cruz]

Yeah, I have heard many a story about the delivery/shipping people not being up to par.

Grizzly itself has done well by me. I'm a fan.

[Van Huskey]

Am I missing something... like deleted threads during the day? If anything this forum is a serious love-fest for Grizzly. Sure a few have had a bad experience but thats true with every manufacturer but they provide darn good value and most here recognize it. In my opinion they rarely have the best machine BUT they almost ALWAYS have the best price/value balance for machines that perform well enough for most of us.

If I won the lottery tomorrow, I probably would not have a single tool with Grizzly on it in a year, then again I would not be wearing a "junk" watch like a Rolex either...

[David Weaver]

General and powermatic aren't good comparisons in terms of hobbyist level tools, they aren't exactly "american", either.

Most of the importers (Grizzly, Delta, Powermatic, Jet, General International, etc) can make tools that are fine for hobbyists, some of them aren't so great (not the manufacturer in general, but specific tools), and if you order enough, you'll get one that leaves you feeling like "wow, they shouldn't have put their brand on this".

When you start getting into the high end tools, like sliding tablesaws, there is clearly still a difference - at least there was two years ago when I was at IWF. One needs only to spend 10 minutes at the importers' booths and ten minutes at the martin booth to see that it isn't just marketing hype. There's a price difference, too, it's usually there for a reason.

My delta hybrid TS (china) is one of the more uninspiring efforts I've ever seen with several things that are barely inside spec now and are out of what spec used to be with american manufacturers, but I'm pleased with my Jet bandsaw (taiwan). Most of us guys who have a little snipe when claims are made have gotten a couple of bum tools, either bum design, or bum execution.

Also, it pays to know your liftgate freight guy. Every tool I've ordered has been dropped off in my garage, as well as a piece of liftgate equipment. I grease my delivery guy a little and he puts whatever it is within a couple of inches of where I want the pallet.

[Justin Bukoski]

Robert, I think I know where you are coming from and I agree its a dated mentality. Frankly I'm not sure American=quality the way it did in the 50s and 60s. Some American = quality but there are some great tools coming out of Asia these days. The new Unisaw for instance is a great tool but so is the PM2000. The only thing I can say is that most (not all) of the European stuff has maintained a high level of quality but you pay for it.

IMO, what Shiraz has done is open up power tool woodworking to a group of people that could have never afforded it in the past. Not just by offering quality tools at an affordable price but also by forcing others to do the same. I've owned grizzly tools in the past and found them to be great value. I've also owned European equipment and found it to be superior but expensive. IMO, Grizzly is the Toyota Camry of the woodworking world - affordable, solid, good value. You buy a Mercedes if you have money to burn but you won't be sorry for driving the Camry.

I don't currently have any Griz in my shop but its always the first place I go when evaluating new tools. Glad you are happy with your purchase.

[Myk Rian]

I had a Jet 6" jointer, and bought a Griz 8" to replace it.
The fit and finish of the Griz is no where near the quality of the Jet.
I'm looking for an old iron jointer so I can get the Griz out of my shop.
Personally, I don't feel the attraction to Griz tools.

[Stephen Cherry]

I had a Jet 6" jointer, and bought a Griz 8" to replace it.
The fit and finish of the Griz is no where near the quality of the Jet.
I'm looking for an old iron jointer so I can get the Griz out of my shop.
Personally, I don't feel the attraction to Griz tools.

I've got an older 12" tiawanese griz jointer, weighs a ton (figuratively), and the boards come out flat.

Plus, I have a strong suspicion that I could actually buy parts for it, you may not be able to say this for the European manufacturers (but that's another story).

But look at the Grizzly catalog. To talk about a girzzly jointer is difficult because they have models from pretty cheap to pretty high end. The biggest jointers are still made in Tiawan, and the cheap ones are now made in China and are probably cheaper than they were 20 years ago.

Of course there are the martins, and other european manufacturers, and for some they may represent good value; but for many more, grizzly gives a good value for an amount of money that is within the realm of possibility, and they stand behind their tools. I think that it is safe to say that they took on their competition, and basically out competed them.

[Karl Card]

Well i started to post a message here and then decided that i really didnt know what to say.
Then I thought long and hard and decided that I had to say something with a little significance to it. That would be that anybody and everybody has only 1 person they have to please (excluding spouses) and that is yourself.
So far I have not had any creeker come out and tell me my stuff is junk, I have had a few to tell me that if I can get this or that for ??? price that I would be better off but that is not bad that is good company trying to take care of a fellow creeker. A person also has to understand that not everyone on here does this for a living etc... Shoot I am not saying anything that hasnt already been said so Ill shut up..

[glenn bradley]

There is a price to be paid for living out of the city a bit and breathing actual air and not bumping into your neighbor at the mailboxes. Having the delivery guy back the tractor trailer right into your driveway and set the delivery right in the garage is one of them.

I feel for folks who have adverse delivery conditions (not to mention Buford and Cletis hauling for the last mile or so). But, then I step out my front door, trip over my neighbor, apologize while chewing my air and I don't feel so bad for them any more. I guess it all balances out in the end ;-)

[John Coloccia]

My shop has all the hot button items... Grizzly, SawStop, Lie-Neilsen, etc. I've only got one thing to say: Why is it that so many people care about what tools I have in my shop?

That is all.

edit: I'm almost afraid to tell you guys about he Macbook Pro I'm typing this on. That's a whole other level of controversy

[Will Overton]

I can't decide on a color scheme for my shop.

Delta ras - grey
Powermatic bandsaw - yellow
Jet drum and spindle sanders - white
SawStop table saw - black
Grizzly jointer - green


IMO the fit and finish on these machines is pretty much the same. The 2 exceptions are the Jet spindle sander where the fit leaves something to be desired, and the SawStop where the black finish on the cabinet is like a mirror.

All these machines do everything I need them to do in my hobby shop/garage.

As for delivery companies, they have always put the equipment in my shop. However, only the Jet drum sander and the SawStop came undamaged ... and the SawStop I picked up at WoodCraft.

[Paul McGaha]

I find Sawmill Creek to be very Pro Grizzly. Fine with me. To each their own.

I dont own any Grizzly pieces myself I think due mainly to the fact there isnt a store near and I like to see the tools in person if I can. There are a couple of Woodcrafts near me that have a decent selection of Powermatic, Jet, Delta and those are the tools that I ended up purchasing.

Some of my tools were also bought based on tool reviews by magazines like American Woodworker and again tended to be Powermatic, Jet, Delta.

My tools are bought now (For the most part) and I'm happy with them, I must say though for any future purchase, I'd look at Grizzly and strongly consider their tools based on the fact they have so many Pro Grizzly people here at the Creek and because they are priced very sharply in a lot of cases.

PHM

[Curt Harms]

I wouldn't otherwise have. I have a Grizzly 3 h.p. cabinet saw, Jet J/P and Rikon 14" bandsaw with 13" resaw. If the only choices were Euro quality build (whether U.S. or Euro origin) I would still have a Craftsman 1.5 h.p. contractors saw, probably no jointer and benchtop planer. I wouldn't spend the $$ for industrial grade machinery for an occasional use hobby shop. Others do and more power to them but I would not. There's the 'cheap' old iron but I wonder if that old iron would be so cheap if there weren't the relatively inexpensive new Asian iron. Ain't it great to have a choice?

[Harold Burrell]

Ain't it great to have a choice?

And THAT is the bottomline...

[Chuck Saunders]

I can't decide on a color scheme for my shop.

Delta ras - grey
Powermatic bandsaw - yellow
Jet drum and spindle sanders - white
SawStop table saw - black
Grizzly jointer - green

I'm with you will, I don't even know what color my Boice-Crane stroke sander is supposed to be.