My new Griz progress report

Frank...
Indeed the lathe is packaged to withstand shipping halfway around the world. I was impressed with the specially welded-up brackets (4, at least) to hold everything in place. Took a while to get it out of its nest, but since it was well-done I didn't mind.

I figured the "box on the back" was factory set, since the motor is 3-phase and so requires an inverter for single phase. I wouldn't mind taking it on a European vacation, but it would have to go on a diet first.

The advice about preparing the shelf prior to assembly was a little late, but actually not. I used some plywood, nylon webbing and drywall screws to secure attachment points to the overhead (screwed into ceiling joists) for a couple of rope hoists that I have. With those I was able to lift the bed assembly high enough to get the legs attached. So I'll just leave those in place, and when I get the shelf ready I'll hoist it up, take off a leg set, put the shelf in place and reattach the leg. And now that you've made me think about it I'll just leave those buggers up there in case I ever need them again...I was going to uninstall them.

Tomorrow I'll go over to the bob and get a couple of circuit breakers so I can give it it's very own dedicated 220v service...that way I can leave the breakers off when I'm not using it. Someone mentioned the susceptability of the inverter to power surges, and in thunderstorm season around here I get those bigtime. I was surprised to see the 220v molded plug on the power cord...that's probably the only 220v machine I've bought from Grizzly that came with a plug (you know, now that I think about it, I've not purchased a 220v machine from anyone BUT Grizzly).

I did nick the paint in a couple of places (my bad), so I'll take your advice and get some touch-up from Grizzly.

Frank, I just want to say that the info you provided on this thread went a long way toward convincing me to go once again with a Grizzly machine (instead of the Jet lathe in this case), and I'm pleased with the decision.

Vaughn...
Didn't mean it as a back-door brag, although maybe it does sound like I can actually afford these tools. Here's what I do ...I get all these offers (continuously) for credit cards with 0% APR for 12-18 months. When I decide I want a new machine I sign up for one, and usually the credit limit is enough to cover the tool cost. Figure a $1300 lathe for 12 months no interest is roughly $110/month. It's important to be diligent about keeping yourself on track, but 12 months later make the final payment and cancel the card (and you maintain a sterling credit score so you can do it again later). I get the tool now on somebody else's nickel, and pay them back interest-free. With my limited skill-set it will take me 12 months to get good at using this tool anyway, so it's not like I have to be doing this every few weeks or so. Now, though, I'm basically done, since with my small shop size if I get another major machine it's going to have to go out back...this system has worked for me.

Okay, nuffa that. I think I've figured out how to post photos, so maybe I'll give that a rip. They won't be photos of my work since there isn't any of that photo-worthy...maybe someday before I croak...but I can at least provide photos of the shop where I to try to make something photo-worthy.

Ed, I think you read me wrong. Stealth gloats are a good thing around here. I did one a couple years ago on another forum where I showed off a backyard arbor I had built...the stealth gloat was pictures of the bride that married me under the arbor a day or so before.

Sounds like you've got a good way to get free financing, and the self control to make it work in your favor. Congrats on the new addition to the shop, and it'll be fun watching you and Frank swap notes about your new lathes.

Vaughn, I guess I did read you wrong. Thanks for the steerage correction. BTW, I visited your site...you have some beautiful work displayed there. Good job repairing the damaged edge of the box.

Ed Gerhard said:

Vaughn, I guess I did read you wrong. Thanks for the steerage correction. BTW, I visited your site...you have some beautiful work displayed there. Good job repairing the damaged edge of the box.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the compliments, and no worries on the reading.

I suspect the term "gloat" might have thrown you off. I've learned over the past couple or three years of hanging around woodworking forums that an Internet "gloat" isn't meant with the selfish spirit that the term usually implies. It's more a way of telling your buddies when you've got something new or something you're proud of. A gloat can be a new chisel or renovated bandsaw or a new son-in-law. It's just sharing good news...never intended as a "beating the chest" thing.

Taking a break for lunch. Wife has been hinting, very strongly, for a rolling pin. Time I took hint. Put a bowl from a piece of wood Vaughn sent me and a vase on back burner for a while. The rolling pin is going to be from a hunk of Bradford Pear cut July '06. I should have turned a year ago, very hard.
OK, still learning the new Griz. I changed the belt speed for first time. (went to high range) Instructions say to loosen the motor mount screw. They give a hex wrench for that and procedure makes sense. But motor wouldn't move. What instructions don't say, is there is a second screw in back that needs loosening also. Not difficult to figure out but instructions should be more complete. Changing takes more than seconds. I'd say it is a two minute procedure.
I'm still reaching for controls on old machine. Finding that the on/off switch is a teenie bit closer to speed control dial than I like. Too easy to bump and change speeds. Avoiding that will be part of the getting acquainted process.
The power on this thing is amazing. Using a spindle gouge, I can remove wood deeply and quickly and the machine doesn't breath hard. Love it.

Glad to hear you still like your lathe Frank...I'm in need of some positive reinforcement. Had a major bummer yesterday. Got 220v service to my lathe and the bloody thing was doa...well, almost...the speed leds lit up showing 0 rpm. But it wouldn't spin...serious issue, since it's a lathe. I called Grizzly, and after conversations with 3 service techs it was decided that I needed to talk to the electrical guy...who would have to call me back. So today I was working in the shop on other stuff waiting for that to happen, when on impulse I decided to take out the 4 screws that hold the control panel in place...that revealed some electricals...the E-stop, wiring to the speed control, some other stuff. The wiring was done with those crimped slide-on connectors (I use them myself), so I slid them on/off looking for something amiss. Didn't see anything so I re-attached the control panel...waddayaknow the thing ran, and still runs. I guess something came loose during the trip from China to PA. I suppose for awhile I'm going to approach it wondering if it's still going to spin, but so far everything seems copasetic. I chucked up a small piece of maple and turned it round with a roughing gouge, then put it in my SuperNova2 chuck and made it a little smaller...not much of a stress test, but no problems. It appears that I'm the emotional victim of a loose connection, but it still may take awhile to get over it. You know, I'm such a big fan of Grizzly that when this thing began to spin I was nearly as relieved that I didn't have to get in the ring with Grizzly as I was that the lathe was working ((I have 14 stationary tools in my shop if you count the grinders/sanders, and 9 of them (all the major ones) are Grizzly...and no regrets)). I know Grizzly would make it right, no matter what, but still................
Keep the happy faces coming.

Sorry to see you ran into some initial trouble, Ed. I'm betting your assessment about connections coming loose between Asia and your shop is correct. I'm also betting that you've got it fixed now.

Ed, too bad about the initial dissapointment. But glad it is working now. Enjoy. I'm obviously a Grizzly fan also. But only because the company and tools deliver at a good price. Does your speed contril dial seem very-very sensitive to you? Mine is, I need to be careful dialing up. Makes the soft start feature even more important from a safety standpoint.

Thanks for the positive reinforcement Vaughn. Happened again, though, but this time I knew what to do about it. I spent some time on the phone today with a senior tech from Grizzly, and I told him about the wiring connectors but also said that I suspected the E-stop and he concurred...he's sending me a new one with permission to install it without voiding the warranty. My speed control is very sensitive, Frank, but only on the low end. That bugger isn't linear...at the high end (1200-1400 rpm range is where my belt is) it's not as sensitive...behaves better. I mentioned that to the tech as well, and he thought that that shouldn't be so. He's also sending me another control to see if it changes anything...it's a pot, I think, so if I can tell what the value is I may substitute somebody else's if it doesn't make a difference. It turns too easily as well as being sensitive (or maybe that's the reason)...I'd almost like to try a wire-wound if it seems possible to make a substitution, since they offer a slight amount of physical turning resistance. But we'll see. That would void the warranty I think. Anyway it's beginning to look like I could be keeping this one...wouldn't have said that yesterday. I told Grizzly customer service in an email that if we couldn't get this machine working satisfactorily soon I'd be requesting an rma. And of course Grizzly being Grizzly I got no static about that, just guys wanting to help. I used it a little more today, just futzing...kind of grows on you. Compared to the Fisch that I've been using for small stuff it actually feels like a real lathe. I'll let you know how it goes.

Hey Ed

How'd you make out?