# Is this Grizzly lathe Good?



## 1JaredSchmidt (Mar 14, 2008)

My dad and I have been thinking of getting a bigger lathe. Is this lathe a good choice? Thanks!   http://www.grizzly.com/products/Variable-Speed-Lathe/G0456


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## R2 (Mar 15, 2008)

From here it seems to be the goods,but as I don't live in the US or even know much about the Gizzly my opinion is not well informed.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 15, 2008)

That is an updated version of their previous top of the line lathe. I am on my second Grizzly lathe and have been ecstatically pleased with the performance of both. My new (current) lathe is the G0632
http://www.grizzly.com/products/g0632
For a couple hundred dollars less than the 0456, it doesn't yield much in features. The 0456 does have the gap over headstock for very large pieces and has the sander on the end which some would say is a worthless feature. In my shop I couldn't use it because of space/location considerations. But that would be something only you can decide.
Do note, with the 0456, the slowest low speed is 500 rpm. That can make turning large rough bowl blanks not only risky but dangerous. The G0632 has a slow, soft, start from 0 rpm. (for practical purposes, it is about 200 rpm)
I have many Grizzly tools and all have invariably been reliable and have proven to be the best value on the market. In other words, usually more bang for the buck than other brands. Grizzly service has to be the best anywhere and is always given with a smile and professionalism.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 15, 2008)

No, I'd stay away from grizzly lathes.


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## 1JaredSchmidt (Mar 15, 2008)

Why is that Ron?


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 15, 2008)

> _Originally posted by 1JaredSchmidt_
> 
> Why is that Ron?



Because I recommended them.


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## jhs494 (Mar 15, 2008)

I have a Grizzly model 0584. It has .040" side to side play in the tailstock. This is the fit between the tailstock and the bed. Very sloppy. This isn't wear this is the out of the box slop in the fit.
 It still works but I would not buy another one. This is just my opinion.
Although it may have been a good price, 
I feel I got what I paid for.


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## bgray (Mar 15, 2008)

For that much money, add a little more, and you can get a Nova DVR.

I own the DVR, and it's a phenomenal lathe.


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## ashaw (Mar 15, 2008)

I Have a General Maxi Lathe VS and very happy with it.


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## wdcav1952 (Mar 15, 2008)

Will your father adopt me??


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 16, 2008)

> _Originally posted by 1JaredSchmidt_
> 
> Why is that Ron?




There is a reason why Grizzly has good customer service, they need it.

* The fit on their lathes are sloppy out of the box
* The hole in the banjo for the tool rest is undersized, so you will not be able to upgrade to a better tool rest.
* I've heard many people who have owned Grizzlys that they would never buy another lathe from them again. I've never heard anyone ever say this about a Nova, Jet, Rikon or Powermatic.




> _Originally posted by Rifleman1776_
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nothing personal Frank, I just disagree with the advice you give. There have been times I agreed with you, but you seem to forget that.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 16, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA_
> 
> 
> 
> ...



One by one: Ron said:

"There is a reason why Grizzly has good customer service, they need it."
Of the five major, and numerous smaller, Grizzly tools I have, I have needed service, maybe three times. The overload switch on my planer was too sensitive. They replaced with a smile. My new lathe got scratched during unpacking and a small handle was broken. They supplied me with a can of touch-up paint and a new handle. A three jaw chuck was a bummer, replaced with a smile and apologies. Many calls from me with questions answered quickly and professionally. Before buying my current lathe (G0632) I asked a question they didn't have a ready answer to. The researched then not only sent me the answer but a $50.00 gift certificate for bringing this oversight to their attention. That was followed up with a phone call from a top executive offering his personal apology. That call resulted in an hour and a half conversation about tools in general. Do they need the good service? Depends on your point of view. To be a top company in a highly competitive field, I would say yes.

"The fit on their lathes are sloppy out of the box"
Pure hogwash. Absolute nonsense. I have seen many Grizzly lathes. They are fine and ready to go. Top quality all the way. This can be proven just by looking at their products.

"The hole in the banjo for the tool rest is undersized, so you will not be able to upgrade to a better tool rest."
I might have to give a 'maybe' on this. The banjo hole is ).98something. A full 1" post will not fit. I don't know if that is a criticism. I am able to upgrade with just a little work. I also do know that many products, lathes and much other 'stuff', has proprietary specifications so you must buy their products. Call this point a matter of opinion.

"I've heard many people who have owned Grizzlys that they would never buy another lathe from them again. I've never heard anyone ever say this about a Nova, Jet, Rikon or Powermatic."
I won't doubt your word. But, I would like to be able to contact some of those "many" people. I do know one person who cussed his Nova for a couple years because he had to keep sending the head back for repairs that never seemed to get fixed correctly. BTW, the head is very heavy and he had to pay all shipping. Now that it is fixed, he loves his Nova. Folks is funny. Those I have known love their Grizzly's. The guy I sold my old one to has called and written multiple times thanking me for selling it to him he is so happy. Another BTW, many of the Jet and Grizzly models come off the same line at the Chinese factory where they are made. There are sometimes minor differences in specs but many are either identical or nearly so. Maybe some people don't like green.

Not stated here, I'm not trying to put words into Ron's mouth. But, some people have told me they hate the Grizzly company because of the name of the owner (hope I spell it right) Shiraz Bilola. He is of mid-eastern ethnicity (Iraq or Iran). To some people that justifies hate. As I see it, he has become an American and an American success story. He supports conservative political issues, including the 2nd Amendment. His company exudes good service, good products, great value, friendliness and the essence of free enterprise. If you hate that, well, that's your problem.

Final word. I'm loyal to the Grizzly brand because it has proven to be the best value for the items I have bought from them. Their service is great and their store is relatively local to me. If their products start to go downhill in quality or price rise to eliminate value and service deteriorates, I'm gone. My first loyalty is to myself and my pocketbook.
Fini.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 16, 2008)

Frank, I'm not trying to start a fight

Turn safe and enjoy


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## Russianwolf (Mar 16, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Rifleman1776_
> 
> 
> Not stated here, I'm not trying to put words into Ron's mouth. But, some people have told me they hate the Grizzly company because of the name of the owner (hope I spell it right) Shiraz Bilola. He is of mid-eastern ethnicity (Iraq or Iran). To some people that justifies hate. As I see it, he has become an American and an American success story. He supports conservative political issues, including the 2nd Amendment. His company exudes good service, good products, great value, friendliness and the essence of free enterprise. If you hate that, well, that's your problem.


The guy runs a more American company than many "American" companies can claim to be anymore. By this I'm talking about the overall company, not the place were things are made. Once upon a time, "Made in America" meant quality and service (the reason I drive a 40 year old AMERICAN truck), now for the most part it's a bad joke.

When I called Griz for service, the phone was answered in Missouri, not India. The person on the other end actually knew about the tools I was asking about and worked to get the problem fixed. I received regular updates from them (initiated by THEM) until the new part hit my doorstep. All postage was paid by them, and they wanted the old part back so "we can see what went wrong and not have this problem for other customers".

I have two Grizzly's in my shop, and more will be joining as I upgrade other things. One of their disc/belt sanders is next on my list.

On the original topic. I looks like a nice lathe, but I would actually rather go with the model one step below it. It has a better speed range, and can pivot to turn larger items.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 16, 2008)

Good post, Mike.
I was recently told that the Lockheed-Martin plant in Texas has just replaced ALL their tools with Grizzly exclusively. That is many hundreds of machine tools. Companies like that ain't run by no idjits, they made the change for a reason and it wasn't to get sloppy made, poor fitting lathes in their shop.
BTW, I drove the same Dodge truck for 23 years and 500,000 miles before replacing with another Dodge. The new one, I found out, after the fact, was actually built in Mexico. Diff. went out at 70,000 miles and the trans. just after I got the diff. bill paid.


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## Russianwolf (Mar 16, 2008)

I just went and opened my Griz catalog to the "sampling of our customers", included in the list are:

Tool Compaies:

Black and Decker
Ryobi

Industry leaders in "quality" products:

Boeing
Chris Craft Boats
Fleetwood Motor Homes
GE
Gulfstream
John Deere
Learjet
Lockheed
NASA
Toyota Industrial

True Artists:

Gibson (guitars)
Suhr Guitars

I think all these places know quality tools.


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## Kalai (Mar 17, 2008)

I tried a grizzly lathe about 7 years ago I think, I did not get there top lathe but I did not get the cheapest either, anyway when I got it I was very unhappy, it was a piece of junk, so I got grizzlys top of the line lathe and that was junk too.  I must say that the lathes they have now look better  and I have heard some good things about them, it looks like it might be a good lathe to get but I have not tried any of there newer lathes but I must say you can not beat Powermatic or General, I have both of them and they are great, I also have delta and rockwell lathes and they are good too.  it all depends on what you are going to turn, I make a living turning so I need good lathes and I have tried many different lathes and turned thousands of bowls, I hope you find my input usefull, aloha.

Kalai


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 17, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Kalai_
> 
> I tried a grizzly lathe about 7 years ago I think, I did not get there top lathe but I did not get the cheapest either, anyway when I got it I was very unhappy, it was a piece of junk, so I got grizzlys top of the line lathe and that was junk too.  I must say that the lathes they have now look better  and I have heard some good things about them, it looks like it might be a good lathe to get but I have not tried any of there newer lathes but I must say you can not beat Powermatic or General, I have both of them and they are great, I also have delta and rockwell lathes and they are good too.  it all depends on what you are going to turn, I make a living turning so I need good lathes and I have tried many different lathes and turned thousands of bowls, I hope you find my input usefull, aloha.
> 
> Kalai



Would you please be specific about the "junk" comment?
And, it should be pointed out there are thousands of dollars difference in the prices of the Griz and PM or General.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 17, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Rifleman1776_
> Would you please be specific about the "junk" comment?
> And, it should be pointed out there are thousands of dollars difference in the prices of the Griz and PM or General.



Junk - _noun_ 
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/junk
2. anything that is regarded as worthless, meaningless, or contemptible; trash
7. cheap, worthless, unwanted, or trashy.

We all know that most Taiwan lathes are made in the same factory, did you ever wonder what happens to the lathes the better brands reject?

Remember, you get what you pay for.



Russianwolf
These big companies you listed not only have buying power, they can demand certain specs on the equipment they purchase and reject containers full of equipment that isn't to spec. Don't be fooled into thinking that they are buying the same product as we can though the catalog.


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## Kalai (Mar 18, 2008)

Hi, I did not like the motor, it was not a continous duty and not very strong (reminded me of sears maximum developed motors), the tool rest was to small and the cast iron it was made from striped to easyly after tightening, the cast iron over all seemed not very good, it is easy to damage compared to some other cast iron I have had, the tail stock is not acurate, and after trying the top of the line model I found myself wanting to go back to my old delta and rockwell or even a sears lathe.  Remember I do a lot more bowls than pens and like I said they seem to be a bit better now, atleast they look like they are made better now but I still will not buy another one to find out.  I find it better in the long run to spend a bit more money in the begining to get good tools.  This is my opinion and it is based on there older grizly lathes NOT the newer ones, and I should point out that I was surprised and just figured that grizly was just starting out in the wood lathe aspect and needed to learn a bit, because before I had the grizly lathes I had a sander and planer and was satisfied, I also seen and used the 14" bandsaw and it seemed good too.[8D] aloha.

Chris
Kalai


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 18, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Kalai_
> 
> Hi, I did not like the motor, it was not a continous duty and not very strong (reminded me of sears maximum developed motors), the tool rest was to small and the cast iron it was made from striped to easyly after tightening, the cast iron over all seemed not very good, it is easy to damage compared to some other cast iron I have had, the tail stock is not acurate, and after trying the top of the line model I found myself wanting to go back to my old delta and rockwell or even a sears lathe.  Remember I do a lot more bowls than pens and like I said they seem to be a bit better now, atleast they look like they are made better now but I still will not buy another one to find out.  I find it better in the long run to spend a bit more money in the begining to get good tools.  This is my opinion and it is based on there older grizly lathes NOT the newer ones, and I should point out that I was surprised and just figured that grizly was just starting out in the wood lathe aspect and needed to learn a bit, because before I had the grizly lathes I had a sander and planer and was satisfied, I also seen and used the 14" bandsaw and it seemed good too.[8D] aloha.
> 
> ...



Interesting. And, I thank you for replying objectively. FWIW, my first Grizzly lathe was a G1067Z that I bought about ten years ago for $325.00. The 1/2 hp motor did what it was supposed to do. Granted, it was not powerful enough for all I wanted. But, it was a $325.00 lathe and I have since upgraded to a 220V 1 1/2HP at considerably more dollars. The old lathe lined up perfectly, point to point first time out of box and remained accurate to the day I sold it. You formed your opinion and that's all right. I just would add that I possibly could form a similar opinion of all Delta tools by comparing my $89.00 table saw to $1,000.00 models of other makes. Sure would be interesting to have you come to my shop (that's an invite to stay at Casa Fusco as a guest) and try my new G0632. I betcha ye would be impressed.


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## Russianwolf (Mar 18, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA_
> 
> [Russianwolf
> These big companies you listed not only have buying power, they can demand certain specs on the equipment they purchase and reject containers full of equipment that isn't to spec. Don't be fooled into thinking that they are buying the same product as we can though the catalog.


Yeah, some can, others would only be buying maybe a d0zen of any tool, so no, they would not and they are the one's I think make the "better" product. Leerjet for example doesn't make 10000 jets a year with the kind of interiors that scream over the top excellence (burl woods all over the place), but the ones they do make are prestine. 

It's also why I mentioned Suhr Guitars, they are pretty low volume comparitively and I believe an article I read said that all the tooling they have is from Grizzly.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 18, 2008)

I firmly believe that you get what you pay for. Sometimes the cheapest product will wind up costing you more in the long run in either down time or upgrade. Of course a tape measure is a tape measure no matter where you buy it from. 

BTW -  Martin Guitars was once on Grizzly's list on companies, I wonder why they are no longer present.

I know there are people who purchase only on price and then justify what they buy as the "best deal"


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## loglugger (Mar 18, 2008)

I get really tired of hearing  "you get what you pay for"  anyone that pays quite a bit less for anything is taking a chance that it is going to have something not up to par. There are some really good buys that with a little adjusting and fine tuning you will have a tool as good as the best of them. If you don't know anything about machinery then you should pay the price and get a good one out of the box, if you are willing to take the time and do the adjusting and fine tuning you can make a good tool out of some of the cheaper not so good tools. 
Bob


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## Kalai (Mar 18, 2008)

Hi Frank, that is a nice offer, I will take you up on that if I ever visit your area.  If you ever come to the Big island of Hawaii I hope you look me up, aloha.

Chris
Kalai


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 18, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Kalai_
> 
> Hi Frank, that is a nice offer, I will take you up on that if I ever visit your area.  If you ever come to the Big island of Hawaii I hope you look me up, aloha.
> 
> ...



BTW, you wouldn't be the first Hawaiian to be a guest here. And first one used my lathe also. They were e-friends, now are good personal friends.


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## nwcatman (Mar 18, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


i agree. had one, never again. got rid of it as fast as i could.


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## Russianwolf (Mar 18, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA_
> 
> I firmly believe that you get what you pay for. Sometimes the cheapest product will wind up costing you more in the long run in either down time or upgrade. Of course a tape measure is a tape measure no matter where you buy it from.
> 
> ...


there are exceptions to every rule. 

I've used tablesaws that ranged in price from $100-2000. The $2000 saws are very nice, but the saw I have cost $300 new (Ryobi) and provides beautiful, repeatable cuts on everything I use it for. I've even resawn 16/4 Wenge with it and while not the fastest on the cut, it did a great job of making an overlapped cut that only needed light sanding to smooth to a glue joint. I'll replace it at some point, but the replacement will be a $3k+ Euro style saw (reason, nothing else offers the features to replace my current saw's features).

I also have a Hitachi 12 inch bandsaw that you would be hard pressed to beat for anything less than three times the price. I can even put a riser block in to to raise the max cut to about 11 inches. The only thing I wish it could do is take a nice thick resaw blade, but for $115 hey, I can forgive that.

Wanna compare the "get what you pay for" of the $20,000 Jeep Wrangler and a $100,000 Hummer H1?


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by loglugger_
> 
> I get really tired of hearing  "you get what you pay for"  anyone that pays quite a bit less for anything is taking a chance that it is going to have something not up to par. There are some really good buys that with a little adjusting and fine tuning you will have a tool as good as the best of them. If you don't know anything about machinery then you should pay the price and get a good one out of the box, if you are willing to take the time and do the adjusting and fine tuning you can make a good tool out of some of the cheaper not so good tools.
> Bob




What a sad state of affairs.

Is this what consumer expectations have fallen to in this country?

We buy something new than have to fix it before we can use it?

I don't know about you folks, but this scares the bejabbers out of me.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA_
> 
> I firmly believe that you get what you pay for. Sometimes the cheapest product will wind up costing you more in the long run in either down time or upgrade. Of course a tape measure is a tape measure no matter where you buy it from.
> 
> ...



I would wonder also. One cannot draw conclusions from changes like that. In my area are many companies that build fishing boats. They will sometimes change the motors they put on. e.g from Mercury to Honda, etc.  That doesn't mean Mercury suddenly got bad. It is a business decision with various elements involved.
BTW, I have always emphasized "best value" for me. To some that might interpret as best deal. Best value does not always mean lowest priced. And I always emphasize 'for me'. These purchasing decisions are personal. What I would choose for myself and the reasons behind those decisions might not fit the needs of others. I share my observations and experiences.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA_
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ron, that is nothing new. I have sold and traded in guns for many years. Most, including the well-known American brands, need some kind of tune-up for optimum performance as they come out of the box.
And, since I am fighting off barbs about Grizzly products, none of the Grizzly tools I have ever purchased needed repairs before I could use. Small exception, the planer mentioned needed the overload/heat switch replaced because it was too sensitive. Griz did it with a smile under warranty.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Russianwolf_
> 
> there are exceptions to every rule.
> 
> I've used tablesaws that ranged in price from $100-2000. The $2000 saws are very nice, but the saw I have cost $300 new (Ryobi) and provides beautiful, repeatable cuts on everything I use it for. I've even resawn 16/4 Wenge with it and while not the fastest on the cut, it did a great job of making an overlapped cut that only needed light sanding to smooth to a glue joint. I'll replace it at some point, but the replacement will be a $3k+ Euro style saw (reason, nothing else offers the features to replace my current saw's features).




Yes, that nice and all, but this topic is about grizzly lathes and a 15 yr old person looking to get his first lathe. Lets not forget that. The last thing I would want to see is Jared get disappointed in turning because of a crummy lathe.

For the record... I own Ryobi, Hitachi, Craftsman, B&D, DeWalt and Grizzly tools.  The grizzly I own is a 6x48 belt sander I purchased at a garage sale for $50. Best $50 I spent and the tool is worth every penny that I paid.

The Ryobi TS is a decent tool for the weekend warrior. But it does lack power.



> I also have a Hitachi 12 inch bandsaw that you would be hard pressed to beat for anything less than three times the price. I can even put a riser block in to to raise the max cut to about 11 inches. The only thing I wish it could do is take a nice thick resaw blade, but for $115 hey, I can forgive that.



I own 2 Hitachi routers and I love them.

I never liked 12 inch bandsaws, even at 1/3 the price. Especially if I couldn't install a thick resaw blade, no matter who made it.  Unless of course, it was the second or third bandsaw that I owned. Then it might come in handy something, but if you ever used a real bandsaw you would know what I'm talking about.



> Wanna compare the "get what you pay for" of the $20,000 Jeep Wrangler and a $100,000 Hummer H1?


You can't account for the stupidity of stasis symbols


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## loglugger (Mar 19, 2008)

quote Ron, What a sad state of affairs.

Is this what consumer expectations have fallen to in this country?

We buy something new than have to fix it before we can use it?

I don't know about you folks, but this scares the bejabbers out of me.



Ron, if I can save money with some adjustment and fine tunning them I will do it. Like I said if you don't have very much experince with the machine you are buying then it would be better to spend the money.
Bob


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## Russianwolf (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by loglugger_
> 
> quote Ron, What a sad state of affairs.
> 
> ...


and even the best of machines need to have a periodic tune up. vibrations and other bumps and things knock them out of alignment and simple wear also. There isn't a machine available that's an out of the box flawless machine and  will stay that way forever.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by loglugger_
> Ron, if I can save money with some adjustment and fine tunning them I will do it. Like I said if you don't have very much experince with the machine you are buying then it would be better to spend the money.



Loglugger. I've been rebuilding printing presses for years. I'm not to sure that Jared has our background



> _Originally posted by Russianwolf_and even the best of machines need to have a periodic tune up. vibrations and other bumps and things knock them out of alignment and simple wear also. There isn't a machine available that's an out of the box flawless machine and  will stay that way forever.



Wake Up! 
Did you forget we are talking new equipment here and not ones that have been in use?

Edit in:
Just a Thought: Within the last 5 or so years in my business, I've found that used equipment seems to out preform new equipment. Really a sad state of affairs.


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## wizical (Mar 19, 2008)

after reading all of these posts and seeing what everyone has gone through with their equipment.  this is just my opinion....If you have to call a company over and over again cause your equipment is failing, and they do it with a smile, that tells me their customer service might be great, but their equipment must not be first rate.  there is nothing wrong with calling them every so often, but if you have to call them repeatedly to have something fix, you need to get some new equipment.  And yes, it should work right out of the box, sometimes you need to fine tune, but not call the companies customer service as soon as you get it.  

I own a NOVA DVR XP Lathe and within the two months, the motherboard was fried.  They replaced it with no problem and that is what happens with electronics, but if I have to call them over and over again about this lathe.  Then I would have them replace the whole thing or refund my money.  but that is my opinion and words.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by wizical_
> 
> after reading all of these posts and seeing what everyone has gone through with their equipment.  this is just my opinion....If you have to call a company over and over again cause your equipment is failing, and they do it with a smile, that tells me their customer service might be great, but their equipment must not be first rate.  there is nothing wrong with calling them every so often, but if you have to call them repeatedly to have something fix, you need to get some new equipment.  And yes, it should work right out of the box, sometimes you need to fine tune, but not call the companies customer service as soon as you get it.
> 
> I own a NOVA DVR XP Lathe and within the two months, the motherboard was fried.  They replaced it with no problem and that is what happens with electronics, but if I have to call them over and over again about this lathe.  Then I would have them replace the whole thing or refund my money.  but that is my opinion and words.



If you are referring to me, I don't have to call Grizzly "over and over again". But those few times I needed to, they have been great. In fact, most of my contacts with Grizzly service are pre-purchase to clarify what might not be in the catalog. Please read all my posts in this thread.


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## wizical (Mar 19, 2008)

im not referring to anyone, i did read all the posts, it is mind boggling that you are getting defensive over this. it is just a post.  You made your choice and if you are happy, then that is fine.


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## woodman928 (Mar 19, 2008)

Jared
  Let the guys fight over Grizzly verses yada yada yada
I go by Grizzly here in Springfield Mo as itâ€™s just up the road and it fun to go in and talk with the folks there. I looked at the lathe you are talking about (this is the one I thought you had Frank) and the thing is build like a tank the only problem I see with it is the head stock shaft dose not go through its plugged. A big draw back if you ever want to use a vacuum set up. The lathe is a real beast and solid as a rock. They are aware of the plugged shaft thing and it may change at some point as they said that is the only complaint they are getting on the lathe.

 Now the guys I talk to are salesman for Grizzly but I knew several of them when they had there shops going I was still in the woodworking business and I trust what they say they will even tell me when to leave a machine alone (very quietly ).

I had a large production shop and ran a lot of Powermatic, Delta, Porter Cable, and a very expensive CNC and yes some Grizzly. I would not be afraid of this lathe one little bit if the through hold is not a problem and I will look at it much harder if they change that one problem. I have a dealer here in town to compare machines with (jet, PM General and Delta) and for the money I would buy the Grizzly. 

I would however not touch the lower modelsmachines as I just did not like what I seen. This is JUST my opinion as I have not used them.

Hope this helps.

Jay


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 19, 2008)

Jay, my lathe is the G0632. It does have a hole through the headstock. That is one reason why I originally suggested Jared consider stepping down from the G0456. I believe the 0632 to be a much better product all around. And, BTW, it too, is built like a tank. In fact, the cast iron legs look identical to those on a Powermatic.


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## Russianwolf (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No need to yell. Ron, I'm talking about brand new tools too. Every manual I've ever had on every major tool (from my uncle's Powermatic 66 to the Grilly lathe I have now) has an adjustment/maitainance section immediately following the assembly section. Why? because tools can get bumped out of adjustment during shipping no matter how well made and no matter how well packaged. If you don't take to time to go through the process of making sure your tools are set up dead on before you power them up, that's up to you. True a lathe doesn't require as many adjustments as a Tablesaw, but I have a feeling if you call all the lathe manufactures they will tell you that it's possible for the tailstock to not line up out of the box even on their products. that's why they are adjustable.


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## Russianwolf (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Rifleman1776_
> 
> Jay, my lathe is the G0632. It does have a hole through the headstock. That is one reason why I originally suggested Jared consider stepping down from the G0456. I believe the 0632 to be a much better product all around. And, BTW, it too, is built like a tank. In fact, the cast iron legs look identical to those on a Powermatic.


Hey Frank,
   How is the motor on the 0632? I saw that it's 3 phase with a frequency drive, and I have no idea what that means.


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Russianwolf_
> 
> 
> 
> ...



To me, that means it works fine. Very powerful and smooth running. Technically, I dunno nuttin' 'bout electrics. I do know it is 220 V and a friend came over and did the wiring for me. I flip the switch, choose my speed and go to work. It has some kind of fancy-dancy box on the back with stuff written on it and a digital read-out (in addition to the big red LCD read-out on front), and some controls. It is there for reasons I don't understand and nothing is to be done with it. My non-technical _guess_ is that this box can be used to change it over for electrical service in other parts of the world. My friend with a Powermatic has the same identical box thingy on the back of his headstock. I like things simple. As I said, it works and works fine. That's all I need to know.


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## jtate (Mar 19, 2008)

I got lousy customer service from them.

I ordered a chuck and they sent me a chuck that was MUCH different from the one I ordered and MUCH more expensive than the one I ordered.   Unfortunately, I couldn't use it.  I was tempted to just put it on EBay and sell it when they gave me so much grief over replacing it.  They wanted me to pay to ship it back to them.  They wanted a restocking fee.  They wouldn't just send me my chuck until they had received the wrong one back from me, even though I offered to give them my credit card number to hold in case they never got the wrong one backl from me.  

Then, after all that, they wouldn't accept the worng chuck back until they'd gone out and counted all the pieces in inventory of this wrong chuck to see if, indeed, they were short one of them.  

Why would I have lied to them about this?  The one they sent was WAY more expensive - like twice as much - and still they treated me like I was trying to pull something on them.  I was trying to get the chuck I wanted and help them fix their own mistake.  

I finally did get the chuck I'd ordered.

I haven't ordered from them again.


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## nwcatman (Mar 19, 2008)

> _Originally posted by jtate_
> 
> I got lousy customer service from them.
> 
> ...


thats what i'm talking about!!! i got the same run around/who cares attitude from em when i had questions about the lack of quality on my grizzly lathe. they couldn't of cared less. so....i don't order from em or reccommend em to anyone. when anyone asks, i tell em. that simple.


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## 1JaredSchmidt (Mar 19, 2008)

I've been talking to my dad about getting a Nova DVR XP. Looks like a nice lathe. Thanks!


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 19, 2008)

You're going to love the Nova


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## wdcav1952 (Mar 20, 2008)

Jared,

You asked an excellent question.  It is always good to get input before making a big decision like this.  If you ever need more calm rational input from the adults [?] on the forum, please do not hesitate to ask another such question.


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## Dario (Mar 20, 2008)

> _Originally posted by 1JaredSchmidt_
> 
> I've been talking to my dad about getting a Nova DVR XP. Looks like a nice lathe. Thanks!



Great lathe choice but let me confuse you further LOL [}]

Before you actually but...can you try Jet 1642 EVS and/or PM3520?  Go to your local Woodcraft, turning club, etc and see if they have one they will let you test/try.

I just sold my PM3520 for $2,000.00 (out of necessity) so I know there are steals/deals out there (though far in between).  It is a mighty fine machinery and I will recommend it anytime.

Frank talks about value and I do the same, but for me these 2 lathes offer the best value.  Just shop around for the best price.


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## RogerGarrett (Mar 21, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Dario_
> Great lathe choice but let me confuse you further LOL [}]
> 
> Before you actually but...can you try Jet 1642 EVS and/or PM3520?  Go to your local Woodcraft, turning club, etc and see if they have one they will let you test/try.
> ...



Ha!  I was going to post earlier and recommend someone talk to Dario about his lathe purchases.  

Warning - LONG POST!

I purchased my first Jet mini-lathe and, after reading up on the forum here and realizing I needed variable speed at my fingertips, sold that to Rich (low_48) and purchased what I thought would be the best lathe for the money - a Jet 1236.  6 months later, BAM! I became curious about bowls, and I discovered the Jet 1236 wasn't the lathe I wanted to have in another 10 years.  I've kept it because it's a great machine - and I'm not doing bowls right now.  But I asked people who had upgraded from the 1236 to other lathes why they did and what they discovered.  One of those people was Dario.  He had already done a lot of research - so I figured I would start there.  I have since learned quite a bit about lathes, and have developed a preference for the Powermatic top end line.  This was the line recommended by Dario (who went throught the same process to find a lathe - and seemed objective), and, because my research has led me to a similar conclusion about the lathes, I have grown to trust Dario's advice about lathes.  

I don't know why anyone would stick with just one brand of tools or machinery - although some do and are happy.  My experience has been that some manufacturers are better at some types of machinery than others, but in some cases - you are "safe" to go with tools that cost less but appear to be comparable in what they do.  For example, when I purchased my first table saw - I was looking at contractor saws (I couldn't afford a real expensive saw, and frankly, I was new to woodworking and had no idea where it was going).  The Jet gave me a cast iron table when others did not, and it had good reviews.  It performed great for 6 years - although it was a bit underpowered.  When a Delta Unisaw became available in town (the one I had been looking for), I sold the Jet and bought the used Delta.  I wouldn't hesitate to purchase a new one however - they are tried and tested over the years.  I just think their saws are better than many others  at the high end.  Fine Woodworking did a review on the saws this past year - and their findings are pretty much on a par with what my research revealed.  The Grizzly saws are not rated as highly, but they are still considered very good purchases in this category.  

On the other hand, when it comes to jointers and sanders - I look to Grizzly first.  Why?  These items have been manufactured by Grizzly for a long time - they have been updated, tweaked, and there isn't a whole lot that can go wrong with them. And I spend significantly less for the same quality of machine.  For example, I upgraded my lousy benchtop Delta sander to what I think the same sander is that Ron has ($50????  You dog!).  Great buy.  However, it came dented, and the part they sent me was a different color green.  Oh well - covered in dust, it doesn't really matter.

Planers?  It depends on the application.  For example, when it came time this past year to replace my trusty but tired 12.5 inch portable Delta, I looked at several planers.  In my opinion, based on advice from many who are in town here and have professional shops - the Delta portable planers are superb, and the comparable Grizzlys have had reviews that focus on a few negatives I wanted to avoid (small things - more snipe in boards, hard to read gauges, etc.).  I looked to Fine Woodworking for advice and read their reviews, and I went online and read reviews.  I don't always take the review for the honest gospel however. For example, despite the good reviews in Fine Woodworking, I had heard some negative things about the 13 inch, two speed DeWalt - both from professionals around town and online reviews from people who had had some trouble with the design (DeWalt was addressing the issues).  Since the Delta was also well reviewed, my friends in town had experience no problems with it, and it was $100 less, I decided to purchase it.  Great choice - it has worked flawlessly.  But at the heavier end - the 15 and 20 inch planers - Grizzly has the market beat hands down in my opinion.  My Grizzly 15 inch planer has been a workhorse.  I'm glad I read the instructions about oil however - it was shipped bone dry, and had I run it for long, it would have burned up the works inside.  

My reason for mentioning the damage to the sander and the missing oil in the planer is that I had never had any other items that were shipped to me damaged or missing essential elements that could damage the machine if used.  I never have had to order a replacement part or ask for customer service except for those times that I didn't read the instructions and did something to damage the equipment.  Because others who have written have had trouble - you need to take that information and store it away to use when you are making your final decision.  In the end, you might take the risk - or - you will find that you don't have to.

I've looked at Grizzly band saws - they seem nice - but I will probably buy the new Rikon 14" band saw when I upgrade.  Just looks and runs at the local store exactly like what I need.  I don't see any  problems with the Grizzly - just that my research is taking me in a different direction.  I don't care if it is a Grizzly, a Delta, a Jet, Powermatic, Nova, Oneway......as long as it does what it is supposed to - and that there are people I can depend on to tell me their honest, objective experiences.  If I'm spending a large amount of money on the tool - it better work right fresh out of the box!

I guess the point of my very long post here is that, for every tool you look to purchase or upgrade, everyone has an opinion about what works best.  Ask the people you trust for advice - based on what you know about them and about their work.  I have a friend in town who I trust implicitly for advice about saws, jointers, sanders, planers, etc. but doesn't do much turning at all - so I listen to his advice for the former.  I ask others in town about the latter.  Don't ever rush a purchase - just take your time and learn as much as you can.

Your post was wise because you flushed out a lot of information - which sure jumped out fast!!  Now you have to look carefully at what was written, weigh the information thoroughly and objectively, and begin to look at your ideas in a new light. 

Ok - one last thing - and my apologies to Bob (Loglugger) who is tired of hearing, "You get what you pay for."  While it is an old, tired, saying - I've found it to be sadly true - with most things.  If you're going to purchase a new clarinet that is an upgrade to the beginner model?  Pay the money for the top end of the preferred brand - because the mid-line aint worth it in one more year.  A new DVR?  Pay the money for the good one - not the unknown brand - or you will find some DVDs won't work on anything but a computer.  A new drill?  Spend the extra $75 for the known quality - it won't burn out on you in the middle of a large project.  And so on.  

Long post - but my email is down, it's 6:30 AM and I can start the machinery because everyone is asleep.  Time to get coffee.

Happy day everyone!

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett


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## Dario (Mar 21, 2008)

Thanks Roger [:I]

I don't do all the research...most of the time, I start with what most people use (at the bracket that I am looking).  I don't hesitate asking questions too (just like this thread) before spending my money.  I do try to be objective and not get blinded by the cost/price, name brand, gimmick features, etc.

If you spend time in SawmillCreek...you will learn that most people there (with big lathes) uses PM3520B.  Most are mid to professional turners.  Even the ones who own better lathes (Robust, Oneway, VB, Poolewood, etc.) agree that at the price range, nothing even comes close to PM3520B (value wise).  Next step down is the Jet 1642 and the Nova DVR XP.

Can't go wrong with any of these lathes and most choose one over the other due to space restriction, available power supply, cost, etc.

I am guilty of recruiting a few people to the "mustard club"...just ask Billy LOL.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Mar 21, 2008)

Excellent Post and Excellent Advice Roger.

Thanks


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## Rifleman1776 (Mar 21, 2008)

I congratulated Roger also on a fine post with a private e-mail.
This time, I mean it, for me. FINI!


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## 1JaredSchmidt (Apr 12, 2008)

Now we are thinking about getting a this lathe. Dad likes it as good as the Grizzly one like it but he rather go with a Jet. Don't ask me why. Here is the link: http://woodworking.jettools.com/Products.aspx?nav=ByPart&ClassID=333132&Part=708360


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