Went to the big tool store to have a look-see today. I've been wanting to
upgrade the jointer and am really interested in a drum sander. Anyway, I've
done some research, and had a good idea what I'm looking for in both. I've
been drooling over the new Grizzly 12" jointer, but the reality is I'm laid
off at the moment, so $ is a bit of an issue, plus I dunno if that big ass
12" jointer would fit in my shop very easily. The second choice was the
Griz 0490 like this one: http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2007/Main/40
My local Big Iron store carries the Grizz equivalent in the ShopFox
brand (W1741) so that is what came home with me today. Got her set up and
running. Pretty smooth and impressive jointer so far. 3hp.(Yes, 3 horse
power!!) , 4 knife cutterhead, loooong tables, heavy as @#&$, and under $800
including tax out the door. Funny thing though, while there I was really
checking out a DJ20. The Shop Fox and DJ are, with the exception of some
cosmetic stuff, identical although the DJ cost more than twice the Shop Fox.
After asking a few questions to the cool old guy that works there, I learned
that the DJ20, Grizz 0490 and the Shop Fox w1741 are all made in the same
overseas factory. He said the only difference is the Grizz/shop fox have a
3hp. imported motor, and the DJ still uses an American made 1 1/2hp motor.
He also went on to say that the Grizz/Shop fox models were originally
supposed to have a 2 hp motor, but the manufacturer had made a mistake and
shipped the first batch with 3 hp. motors. Grizz/Shop fox apparently told
the manufacturer that they couldn't switch back to 2 hp motors now after
selling some as 3hp, so they are all 3hp. now. Prolly overkill for an 8"
jointer, but what the hey. Maybe I can switch the motor with the 1 1/2 hp
on my Jet 18" BS. It needs the extra horses more than the jointer does.
Anyway, I just got her set up and made a few test cuts and am pleased. The
4 knife cutterhead, makes smooooth cuts, but is somewhat of an oddball.
Most replacement knives are sold in packs of 3. I suppose I'll have to get
a Byrd cutterhead for it next :) In any case, I'll be starting a new
project tomorrow and am looking forward to breaking this thing in. --dave
Dave Jackson wrote:
>. Maybe I can switch the motor with the 1 1/2 hp
> on my Jet 18" BS. It needs the extra horses more than the jointer does.
Congrats on your new tool, but I wouldn't advise switching the motors
as you are thinking about.. I can't tell if you made that remark in
jest or not.
I'm far from being the Bandsaw expert, but maybe you just need to feed
the material slower on the Jet. 1.5 HP should be plenty if everything
is lined up and the blade is sharp and you are feeding at a reasonable
speed.
Hi Dave,
Congrats on your new tool. I have been looking at that model myself.
Can you tell what the advantage is of the parallelogram table system?
Thanks,
Ronnie
Dave Jackson wrote:
> Went to the big tool store to have a look-see today. I've been wanting to
> upgrade the jointer and am really interested in a drum sander. Anyway, I've
> done some research, and had a good idea what I'm looking for in both. I've
> been drooling over the new Grizzly 12" jointer, but the reality is I'm laid
> off at the moment, so $ is a bit of an issue, plus I dunno if that big ass
> 12" jointer would fit in my shop very easily. The second choice was the
> Griz 0490 like this one: http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2007/Main/40
> My local Big Iron store carries the Grizz equivalent in the ShopFox
> brand (W1741) so that is what came home with me today. Got her set up and
> running. Pretty smooth and impressive jointer so far. 3hp.(Yes, 3 horse
> power!!) , 4 knife cutterhead, loooong tables, heavy as @#&$, and under $800
> including tax out the door. Funny thing though, while there I was really
> checking out a DJ20. The Shop Fox and DJ are, with the exception of some
> cosmetic stuff, identical although the DJ cost more than twice the Shop Fox.
> After asking a few questions to the cool old guy that works there, I learned
> that the DJ20, Grizz 0490 and the Shop Fox w1741 are all made in the same
> overseas factory. He said the only difference is the Grizz/shop fox have a
> 3hp. imported motor, and the DJ still uses an American made 1 1/2hp motor.
> He also went on to say that the Grizz/Shop fox models were originally
> supposed to have a 2 hp motor, but the manufacturer had made a mistake and
> shipped the first batch with 3 hp. motors. Grizz/Shop fox apparently told
> the manufacturer that they couldn't switch back to 2 hp motors now after
> selling some as 3hp, so they are all 3hp. now. Prolly overkill for an 8"
> jointer, but what the hey. Maybe I can switch the motor with the 1 1/2 hp
> on my Jet 18" BS. It needs the extra horses more than the jointer does.
> Anyway, I just got her set up and made a few test cuts and am pleased. The
> 4 knife cutterhead, makes smooooth cuts, but is somewhat of an oddball.
> Most replacement knives are sold in packs of 3. I suppose I'll have to get
> a Byrd cutterhead for it next :) In any case, I'll be starting a new
> project tomorrow and am looking forward to breaking this thing in. --dave
I'm unsure how much of an advantage the parallelogram table system really is
over the standard dovetailed ways on a regular jointer, but the
parallelogram design is supposed to keep both infeed and outfeed tables
parallel and be easier to adjust. I will say that the big infeed table
slides quite easily on its mechanism. I've run some wood through it now,
and am happy with it. It makes very smooth cuts on all the wood I've sent
through it so far. It's also able to take off a much bigger bite than the
Jet 6" (1 hp.) it is replacing. I actually sent an 8" wide hard maple board
through at the maximum recommended cut (1/8") and the machine did fine.
I'll post a mini review after I've had a chance to get to know it
etter. --dave
"shooter" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi Dave,
>
> Congrats on your new tool. I have been looking at that model myself.
> Can you tell what the advantage is of the parallelogram table system?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ronnie
> Dave Jackson wrote:
>> Went to the big tool store to have a look-see today. I've been wanting
>> to
>> upgrade the jointer and am really interested in a drum sander. Anyway,
>> I've
>> done some research, and had a good idea what I'm looking for in both.
>> I've
>> been drooling over the new Grizzly 12" jointer, but the reality is I'm
>> laid
>> off at the moment, so $ is a bit of an issue, plus I dunno if that big
>> ass
>> 12" jointer would fit in my shop very easily. The second choice was the
>> Griz 0490 like this one: http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2007/Main/40
>> My local Big Iron store carries the Grizz equivalent in the ShopFox
>> brand (W1741) so that is what came home with me today. Got her set up
>> and
>> running. Pretty smooth and impressive jointer so far. 3hp.(Yes, 3 horse
>> power!!) , 4 knife cutterhead, loooong tables, heavy as @#&$, and under
>> $800
>> including tax out the door. Funny thing though, while there I was
>> really
>> checking out a DJ20. The Shop Fox and DJ are, with the exception of some
>> cosmetic stuff, identical although the DJ cost more than twice the Shop
>> Fox.
>> After asking a few questions to the cool old guy that works there, I
>> learned
>> that the DJ20, Grizz 0490 and the Shop Fox w1741 are all made in the same
>> overseas factory. He said the only difference is the Grizz/shop fox have
>> a
>> 3hp. imported motor, and the DJ still uses an American made 1 1/2hp
>> motor.
>> He also went on to say that the Grizz/Shop fox models were originally
>> supposed to have a 2 hp motor, but the manufacturer had made a mistake
>> and
>> shipped the first batch with 3 hp. motors. Grizz/Shop fox apparently
>> told
>> the manufacturer that they couldn't switch back to 2 hp motors now after
>> selling some as 3hp, so they are all 3hp. now. Prolly overkill for an 8"
>> jointer, but what the hey. Maybe I can switch the motor with the 1 1/2
>> hp
>> on my Jet 18" BS. It needs the extra horses more than the jointer does.
>> Anyway, I just got her set up and made a few test cuts and am pleased.
>> The
>> 4 knife cutterhead, makes smooooth cuts, but is somewhat of an oddball.
>> Most replacement knives are sold in packs of 3. I suppose I'll have to
>> get
>> a Byrd cutterhead for it next :) In any case, I'll be starting a new
>> project tomorrow and am looking forward to breaking this thing
>> n. --dave
>
"Dave Jackson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Went to the big tool store to have a look-see today. I've been wanting to
> upgrade the jointer and am really interested in a drum sander. Anyway,
> I've done some research, and had a good idea what I'm looking for in both.
> I've been drooling over the new Grizzly 12" jointer, but the reality is
> I'm laid off at the moment, so $ is a bit of an issue, plus I dunno if
> that big ass 12" jointer would fit in my shop very easily. The second
> choice was the Griz 0490 like this one:
> http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2007/Main/40
> My local Big Iron store carries the Grizz equivalent in the ShopFox
> brand (W1741) so that is what came home with me today. Got her set up and
> running. Pretty smooth and impressive jointer so far. 3hp.(Yes, 3 horse
> power!!) , 4 knife cutterhead, loooong tables, heavy as @#&$, and under
> $800 including tax out the door.
snipped....
I think you'll like it. Mine has worked well out of the box with the only
exception being the outfeed table was a little low causing snipe. Easily
rectified, I've been using mine for about a year now. Helluva tool to put
together by yourself however (very heavy!).
Cheers,
cc
"bf" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Dave Jackson wrote:
>>. Maybe I can switch the motor with the 1 1/2 hp
>> on my Jet 18" BS. It needs the extra horses more than the jointer does.
>
> Congrats on your new tool, but I wouldn't advise switching the motors
> as you are thinking about.. I can't tell if you made that remark in
> jest or not.
>
> I'm far from being the Bandsaw expert, but maybe you just need to feed
> the material slower on the Jet. 1.5 HP should be plenty if everything
> is lined up and the blade is sharp and you are feeding at a reasonable
> speed.
>
Not to mention that single V belts aren't that capable of holding on against
the torque of a 2 horse.