New jointer....maybe?

Rennie Heuer

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I'm itching to upgrade from my current delta 6" jointer to an 8" model. The problem I'm facing is that there are too many choices!:eek:

I've looked at the Grizzly's and there are a couple I like - all under $1,300 delivered and I can go either with parallelogram tables or spiral cutter heads. I looked at these machines when I was in PA and they were impressive. The spiral head facinates me but there have been mixed reviews on the surface it produces.

For a little bit more I can move to a Steel City machine. Right now Woodcraft is giving 15% off on all Powermatic and Jet tools. The Powermatic would still be out of reach, but a couple of the Jet machines would fall into my affordability range.

Lastly, there is the used market and right now there are two used DJ-20's for sale in Sparks, NV - about an 8 1/2 hour drive. It would cost me around $300 to go pick one up. They're up for $1,000 even plus my transportation costs. Unfortunately, there's no telling what condition they're in till I get there.:(

I've given some thought to the combination machines but the length of the bed worries me. One reason to go to the 8" model is to move up to a 72' - 80" bed.

I know there are some die hard Grizzly people here and some DJ-20 devotees. No problem, I'd like to hear your opinions even though you may have a bias. Also, is there some machine I have not considered that you believe to be a major player?:dunno:
 
I bought a used DJ-20 for $300. I had to spend $80 to replace the power switch and get the blades sharpened. Fettling the machine out took another 3 hours.

It has worked well for me. I have jointed oak, maple and douglas fir up to 8" wide and never has it stumbled.

I think the Grizzlies would provide the best value for the dollar for new machinery. The DJ-20 is made offshore just like the Grizzlies.

The 1.5 HP 220 volt motor runs a lot smoother and stronger than the 1 HP 120 volt motor on my old 6" jointer.

Good luck.
 
Rennie, I don't know if your remember my aircraft carrier. An older PM 8". If you can wait a bit, you might come across a used one, like I did. Like Clint Eastwood said - "do you feel lucky?"
 
Lastly, there is the used market and right now there are two used DJ-20's for sale in Sparks, NV - about an 8 1/2 hour drive. It would cost me around $300 to go pick one up. They're up for $1,000 even plus my transportation costs. Unfortunately, there's no telling what condition they're in till I get there.:(

I could always go look for you and take pictures, if you are interested. Sparks is 20 minutes from my little ole ranch! :thumb:

Just let me know. :rofl:
 
I've got an 8" Griz I bought used for $300. It came complete with provenance - it was owned by my across-the-road neighbor who used it to flatten one side of the logs he built his house with... twenty-five years earlier... and the knives were still all sharp when I bought it. It took a little cleaning up, and a new Griz-Green paint job. That's a good machine, if you don't look closely at the rough castings. Everything WORKS just fine & dandy.

Me, I don't think I want indexable carbide cutters on a jointer or planer. I'm fine with HSS, which is a whole whirled world less expensive. I also don't think I want granite. Indexable cutters have a place - on metal lathes and in indexable end mills, both for high production work. Granite's place is in surface plates, babied forever.
 
Hi Rennie, I was looking around a couple of years ago for an 8 inch Jointer and was thinking the way that you were. There was a great review on Jointers at the time in FWW ( I think) and this model came out as the best machine in the review.

http://grizzly.com/outlet/8-Jointer-w-2-HP-Motor/G0586

It has a good sized infeed and outfeed table 75 inches total. 2hp and reasonably price too. even with paying duty for mer and the cost of a ferry back and forth from the island it was still a huge savings. I had never seen the spiral cutter heads before and the carbides were just coming out. I went with the regular blades and I am really happy that I did. Easy to sharpen and hone and in the end I still have sanding to do. So why go that extra cost when there is still lots of work to do after the jointing ( at least that was my reasoning). Jointing is the beginning and I have found all kinds of things burried in the wood that I have jointed. Thankfully before that hit the thickness planer. One was a nail that the tree had grown around. No sign of it anywhere on the outside of the lumber. Just can't imagine the damage that would have done to a carbide blade. Anyways I am really happy with my choice.
 
I have run the first face of my 4 sided carbide inserts since May 2008. I just face jointed some curly maple without a bit of tear out. My 6" knives would have been sharpened and re-setup (groan) 3 times by now.

I was cash poor so I researched 8" machines for about 18 months while I saved my pennies and used a planer sled in the meantime. During my research which primarily dealt with owners and their experiences I decided that, for me, the priorities in order of importance were:

- indexed carbide head
- p-beds
- long tables
- tall fence
- mobility

Other folks will obviously have other priorities. As we all see time and again; what is very important to one person may only be of passing interest to another.

I never wanted to set knives again although I can do it quite quickly. The spiral head is spooky-quiet and smooth while cutting. I love the consistent gap at the cutterhead that the parallelogram design allows. A nice long infeed is a joy and a tall fence is great for edge jointing (especially on angles).

Boy, I'm sure chatty this afternoon. I'll pipe down and let someone else talk ;-)
 
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Get the Griz G0490. Just drive over to Bellingham, and save the shipping, too.
It would actually cost less to have it shipped. Bellingham is a 950 mile round trip. At 15 MPG you're looking at almost $200 in gas, plus meals, plus an overnight stay!:eek: Plus I loose two days!

But I'll look at it.;)
 
Not contesting, just stating my experience; I have run the first face of my 4 sided carbide inserts since May 2008. I just face jointed some curly maple without a bit of tear out. My 6" knives would have been sharpened and re-setup (groan) 3 times by now.

I was cash poor so I researched 8" machines for about 18 months and used a planer sled in the meantime. During my research which primarily dealt with owners and their experiences I decided that, for me, the priorities in order of importance were:

- indexed carbide head
- p-beds
- long tables
- tall fence
- mobility

Other folks will obviously have other priorities. As we all see time and again; what is very important to one person may only be of passing interest to another.

I never wanted to set knives again although I can do it quite quickly. The spiral head is spooky-quiet and smooth while cutting. I love the consistent gap at the cutterhead that the parallelogram design allows. A nice long infeed is a joy and a tall fence is great for edge jointing (especially on angles).

Boy, I'm sure chatty this afternoon. I'll pipe down and let someone else talk ;-)

Now that is the kind of real world experience and review that helps out.

:thumb:
 
I've given some thought to the combination machines but the length of the bed worries me. One reason to go to the 8" model is to move up to a 72' - 80" bed.

I, too, would love to put a byrd shelix head in my jointer and/or my planer... (Hmm, we need a "drool" icon...)

Not so much here, but over on SMC there has been several discussions on combo machines over the last 3-4 years that I've been hanging around. The bed length always comes up, and the people who have them seem to find them just fine. They sure do like the 10-12" width also.

ttfn
...art
 
Ditto = So, Glenn, what did you buy?:dunno:

I am such a dork! After hearing testimony from satisfied customers of the Grizzly products plus some hands on with the G0593 (8" spiral head, DT beds and 2HP) I went with the G0490X (8" spiral head, p-beds and 3HP). I found it hard to find someone who had anything negative to say about theirs.

I vacillated for quite awhile at the end of the process over the Byrd vs. Griz spiral heads. Found one guy who had the G0490X and a PM with a Byrd; claimed the cuts were indistinguishable. I counted myself lucky to hear from a guy who worked with them side by side so I went with the Griz head. Another contributing factor on the head is that the Griz head would arrive installed (after 18 months of saving, I wanted to get going).
 
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I am such a dork! After hearing testimony from satisfied customers of the Grizzly products plus some hands on with the G0593 (8" spiral head, DT beds and 2HP) I went with the G0490X (8" spiral head, p-beds and 3HP). I found it hard to find someone who had anything negative to say about theirs.

I vacillated for quite awhile at the end of the process over the Byrd vs. Griz spiral heads. Found one guy who had the G0490X and a PM with a Byrd; claimed the cuts were indistinguishable. I counted myself lucky to hear from a guy who worked with them side by side so I went with the Griz head. Another contributing factor on the head is that the Griz head would arrive installed (after 18 months of saving, I wanted to get going).
Thanks - this is one of the units on my short list. Your review was great!:thumb:
 
... Bellingham is a 950 mile round trip. At 15 MPG you're looking at almost $200 in gas, plus meals, plus an overnight stay!:eek: Plus I loose two days!

But I'll look at it.;)

Oh yeah, I forgot you'd have to go to Seattle first, then North to Bellingham. No straight routes to Bellingham from anywhere except Seattle and Vancouver, eh?
 
rennie,, i might be speaking out turn here but i will bet yu that billsatko would be glad to put you up for a overnight stay,, and he is in bellingham..and glenns report is very clear..i havnt seen a griz head in action but i have seen the byrd on a dj20..and the combo machines are just that yu get two things and loose alittle in each to get the other on one. and like someone mentioned..you arent done after the jointer its in the begining stages that they are used..sanding and scraping and handwork is where it stops.. but tearout on figured woods is gonna cause you more grief if its there in the beginning.
 
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