Review for New Style 2018 Grizzly 8 Jointer
Grizzly G0490X 8" Jointer w/Spiral Cutterhead Review
Pro Tool Reviews
Features
Design
Build Quality
Ability
Value
Performance
Final Thoughts
I couldn't be happier with my purchase. For some, Grizzly may be synonymous with budget or low-cost, only for me that speaks simply of toll, not tool performance or quality. All of my woodworking buddies are very impressed with this new car and afterward calculating the premiums they paid for their Powermatic machines, retrieve Grizzly greenish takes on a whole new significant.
Overall Score 4.8
Pro Review
The outset jointer I ever purchased was a 4" demote top model from Delta. I used it for a handful of projects, including my commencement foray into furniture making. After starting a furniture company a couple of years ago, I quickly outgrew the Delta and upgraded to a six" Ridgid from my local Habitation Depot. I've found the Ridgid does fine on smaller boards and with light use, but information technology easily overheats when used at its capacity for any length of time. Until recently, when I've needed larger boards milled, I'd have my local supplier surface the wood. But when I received a sizable order for some large maple pieces this past fall, I realized it was time to invest in my store's ability to handle large, crude stock.
My (re)search began with my local mill's recommendations, followed by the Internet. Based on the lumber I typically work with, I determined I'd need an 8" jointer. And I knew I'd desire to find i with a spiral cutterhead for cleaner results. I narrowed the list downwardly to three models, but didn't take deep plenty pockets to pay the premium for Powermatic, then it was Jet versus Grizzly. Since I'd recently had a satisfying feel with a Jet bandsaw, I was a little partial towards Jet, but a recommendation from my local lumber mill (based on his 10-twelvemonth experience with a Grizzly viii" jointer) and the significant cost savings (about $700) forced Grizzly to the lead.
Grizzly has a much broader selection of models and features than Jet, so I called them directly to go some guidance. I spent some time on the phone with a sales rep who was very knowledgeable and put admittedly no pressure level on me to purchase. He directed me towards a less expensive model than the one I'd been considering (information technology happened to exist on sale). He explained the benefits of a parallelogram beds versus a traditional dovetail beds, making the conclusion to lodge the Grizzly G0490X an easy 1. After hanging up with Grizzly, I went right to the website and ordered the jointer. I too added the Grizzly spiral cutterhead replacement for my twenty" planer. Overall, I really like Grizzly'south no-nonsense approach to pricing: listed directly on their website, their prices are the best you'll find. With Jet, you lot take to practice some searching to detect the vendor with the best price/purchase options.
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The Arrival, the Un-boxing, and the Setup
I beloved freight trucks that bring me big tools and give me a reason to drive my forklift! After placing my social club online, I had my new jointer inside of a week, which is dandy in my book. I hate dropping some serious money on a new toy (ahem… TOOL!) and having to wait a month to receive it.
The packaging held well and all the parts arrived in splendid condition. Un-boxing and setting up is definitely a two-person chore, only information technology only takes a couple of hours from start to completely dialed in. The out-feed bed was dead on with the spiral cutter head from every angle: I couldn't fifty-fifty squeeze a .0015" feeler gauge anywhere. The in-feed table was very close and probably would have been fine every bit it came from the manufactory, but I took the opportunity to piece of work with the bed adjustments and become information technology even closer. This was very elementary to do; past post-obit the instructions, I was able to become the in-feed bed ready as precisely as the out-feed bed arrived from the manufacturing plant, within about 10 minutes. To accurately dial in the beds, it is of import to have a very straight, long straightedge.
Pro Tip: for an affordable and accurate straightedge, head to your local big box tool store and hold a couple of straight edges (or levels) up confronting each other, and facing a light. Pick the i where little to no light comes through on both sides.
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The Grizzly G0490X besides comes with this badass belt buckle; all you lot have to practice is unbolt information technology and effigy out how to attach information technology to your favorite leather tool belt.
"Lucy, you've got some planin' to do…" (Read with the best Ricky Ricardo you can muster)
With a mount of rough sawn maple in front of me, and a brand new toy [tool] to play with, my piece of work morn was off to a great showtime. I had iii" thick, v-8" wide planks in 9' lengths to surface, and so although the in/out beds on the Grizzly G0490X are very long, I set up some additional in/out roller stands to help me get as flat of a board face up as possible. The showtime matter I noticed was how quiet the Grizzly G0490X is, compared to my Ridgid. I recall it's primarily the spiral cutter head that's responsible for the racket reduction. Next I noticed just how hard it was to push such heavy boards across the beds, so I stopped to wax them. Big improvement. However, I anticipate I'll invest in a power feeder down the road. After surfacing a few boards, I stopped to check over the machine. I found that everything had stayed tight and well aligned, and that my forest faces were coming out incredibly flat and directly; even the planks that began with a lot of twist. The spiral cutterhead was awesome! Although the wood is non 100% automobile-mark free, the markings are significantly lighter and end upwards being much easier to sand out than straight blade churr.
After planing the reverse side of the newly flattened surface, it was time to straight-line mill 1 edge to a perfect 90º bending. At first I was having a hell of a fourth dimension keeping the fence at 90º: it seemed to fall out of alignment after every pass. I was, of course, pushing a fairly heavy slab of lumber against information technology, but I thought it should have been holding but fine. It took me re-tightening the setup adjustments a few times with no luck, before I realized that the ii factory installed bolts at the summit of the circular bar and fence were loose. I should have checked these from the beginning, my fault. With the fence then locked into position at 90º and staying there, I was getting unbelievable (in my book) results! Getting an border like this made my mucilage seams all only completely disappear. Wow, I feel like a real woodworker now!
I besides really capeesh the design of the safety switch on the Grizzly G0490X. The Stop switch glows ruddy and has to be twisted into position to enable the apply of the Start button. The twisting function seems inherently safer to me than the traditional yellowish condom key used by most power tools, because unlike safety keys, which are unremarkably left in-place, you tin can't bypass this additional step.
I wish Grizzly had designed a hook or slots for storing the push pads. My shop tends to eat parts like this if they don't take a designated home. I did, however, find a pretty proficient hanging spot (see photo).
Grizzly G0490X eight" Jointer westward/Spiral Cutterhead Specifications
- Motor: iii HP, 240V, single-phase, 15A, TEFC, 3450 RPM
- Total tabular array size: eight″ x 76-3/8″
- In-feed table size: viii″ x 43-iii/8″
- Cutter head: Spiral with xl index-able carbide inserts
- Cutter caput speed: 4800 RPM
- Cutter head bore: 3-iii/16″
- Max cut depth: ane/eight″
- Max rabbeting depth: 1/2″
- Cuts per minute: 21,400
- Deluxe bandage iron contend size: 36″ Fifty x ane-1/4″ W x five″ H
- Gauge aircraft weight: 556 lbs.
- Price: $1,325.00
Grizzly G0490X 8" Jointer w/Spiral Cutterhead Features
- Shielded and lubricated bearings
- Precision-footing cast-fe tables
- Fully adjustable tables
- Serpentine belt and pulleys
- Easy-access lever-adjusted tables with height gauge
- Heavy-duty middle-mounted argue with bending gauge
- Built-in dust chute with 4″ port
- Powder-coated paint
About The Author
Main designer & fabricator of Seventeen20, Jonathan is a professional person musician turned piece of furniture-maker. He'southward spent the last 17 years twirling drumsticks for multiple bands including Copeland, States, and Anchor & Braille. His affinity for industrial modern design has been inspired in-part by his travels, though his current inspiration comes from his biggest project in recent years: the total rehab of a 1970s split-level suburban home in Key Florida.
emersonhorlsonflon.blogspot.com
Source: https://shoptoolreviews.com/woodworking/jointers/grizzly-g0490x-review/13039/
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