Grizzly Goes POP

[Mark Lincoln]

Well I got my G0513X2b Friday. After heaving it into my garage, I took two days getting it set up between chasing kids around the house.

Plugged it in last night and got a loud pop. A little smoke, and a silent machine. Panic set in and I double checked my wiring, yup I wired it right.

This morning I went through the machine and found when they screwed a grounding wire down in the magnetic switch they trapped and shorted a wire carrying 110.

So now I await grizzly to send me a new switch assembly so I can fire it up.

I must say, I am pleased with customer service interaction so far.

I am not pleased repairing my new machine already.

I also must say the manual for the band saw leaves something to be desired as does the manual for the G0586.

I haven't fired up the G0586. That will be this evenings agenda.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...when they screwed a grounding wire down in the magnetic switch they trapped and shorted a wire carrying 110..."

Oooo. That will let the smoke out every time!

[Neil Brooks]

Yikes!!

All I can say about Grizzly, so far, is that -- in my very limited experience (band saw and mortiser) -- they have never failed to ... eventually ... get my new machines working.

In other words, I'm 2/2 for inoperative machines, on arrival, but have had good experience, with customer service, in getting them to work.

I'm not ready to call that a good thing ....

YMMV.

Good luck!! Sounds like it could have been worse.

[Eric Gustafson]

2 for 2. Both bandsaw and table. Both worked without any problems. Still do. :D

[Neil Brooks]

Eric,

My situation seems to be a really rare exception.

I've talked to LOTS of people whose experience matches yours, and NOT mine.

I certainly won't bad-mouth Grizzly, generally. I simply don't have enough data.

But ... I wasn't happy to have my experience, twice.

[Eric Gustafson]

I wouldn't have been happy to have had your experience, either. :( I just wanted to add the balance of my experience. In addtion, I am very happy with the features, value and performance of the tools I bought, so far.

[glenn bradley]

2 for 2 both good from Griz. But, my Delta DP required service twice before it was 6 months old. My Orion/C-man saw required a couple tries to get the wings right. I guess every maker and every customer gets the chance for a blooper. Two in a row from the same folks would be disappointing. As to manuals . . . ever seen a DeWalt manual? Their tech-writers must laugh themselves silly at the idea of anyone trying to use them for anything other than starting the BBQ. ;=))

[Mark Lincoln]

Well the Jointer G0586 fired up with no incident so far. I still have to adjust the tables and check the blades. Of course glad I check all the screws , the wires that Grizzly installed on the motor were never tightened down.

I do like the extra size. I had a 6" Jointer and it is so much nicer to have the longer tables. 12" On each end makes a huge difference trying to feed a 4' board through it.

[Peter Quinn]

Man that would irk me. Buy a new machine, it doesn't work, they want to send you parts. How about SEND ME A DAMN MACHINE THAT WORKS FOR THE MONEY I HAVE PAID AND COME GET THIS JUNK OUT OF MY SHOP. I don't mind assembling a new tool but I'll be bleep bleeping bleeped if I'm going to repair new machinery. I had to do this with a purchase from Laguna, and I'll be dead before I do it again. Demand more. Funny thing is I love working on old machinery, new ones not so much.

Woodworkers must be a self loathing bunch, so many thinking they deserve this abuse. Or maybe that is the price of going green....You may be the QA department and the final repair tech? I wonder how many Felder owners would be willing to rewire a brand new tool that fried when started?

[Harold Burrell]

Man that would irk me. Buy a new machine, it doesn't work, they want to send you parts. How about SEND ME A DAMN MACHINE THAT WORKS FOR THE MONEY I HAVE PAID AND COME GET THIS JUNK OUT OF MY SHOP. I don't mind assembling a new tool but I'll be bleep bleeping bleeped if I'm going to repair new machinery. I had to do this with a purchase from Laguna, and I'll be dead before I do it again. Demand more. Funny thing is I love working on old machinery, new ones not so much.

Woodworkers must be a self loathing bunch, so many thinking they deserve this abuse. Or maybe that is the price of going green....You may be the QA department and the final repair tech? I wonder how many Felder owners would be willing to rewire a brand new tool that fried when started?

I know it's the principle of the thing and all, but...

Do you really think that assembling and setting up a whole new machine would be easier than hooking up a new switch???

[Scott T Smith]

In the last seven years I have purchased over 70K worth of Grizzly equipment and supplies.

The only problem that I recall was that a polisher had some crossed threads on one nut. A replacement was sent as soon as I called, and that was about four months after purchasing the polisher.

I have the same bandsaw (G0513XB2 - used it today as a matter of fact), and I have been very pleased with it. Cuts straight, and the brake is a nice feature.

[johnny means]

Man that would irk me. Buy a new machine, it doesn't work, they want to send you parts. How about SEND ME A DAMN MACHINE THAT WORKS FOR THE MONEY I HAVE PAID AND COME GET THIS JUNK OUT OF MY SHOP. I don't mind assembling a new tool but I'll be bleep bleeping bleeped if I'm going to repair new machinery. I had to do this with a purchase from Laguna, and I'll be dead before I do it again. Demand more. Funny thing is I love working on old machinery, new ones not so much.

Woodworkers must be a self loathing bunch, so many thinking they deserve this abuse. Or maybe that is the price of going green....You may be the QA department and the final repair tech? I wonder how many Felder owners would be willing to rewire a brand new tool that fried when started?

That is exactly what I have seen Felder do. BTW I live within 5 minutes of the Felder dealer. Oh, and don't even think you'll get a free part from them.

[David Schmaus]

I wonder how many Felder owners would be willing to rewire a brand new tool that fried when started?

Probably not many. I wouldn't want to if I paid Felder money. Thats why I own Grizzly...

[Ernie Nyvall]

Well the Jointer G0586 fired up with no incident so far. I still have to adjust the tables and check the blades. Of course glad I check all the screws , the wires that Grizzly installed on the motor were never tightened down.

I do like the extra size. I had a 6" Jointer and it is so much nicer to have the longer tables. 12" On each end makes a huge difference trying to feed a 4' board through it.

Speaking of G0586s, I got one at the Springfield tent sale. It had a couple of dents in the cabinet, but nothing that changed the foot print. There were quite a few parts missing though ie the cutter head and blades, fence parts, belt, and switch, but I only paid $300 for it. Got it home, and opened the dust port just checking for obstructions and whatnot, and low and behold all the missing parts came tumbling out. It runs great and the price got even better.:p

[Mark Lincoln]

Missing Parts.

Don't get me started about the quest to find parts. Bolts for the table on the band saw were wrapped up inside one of the two wheel/handles that turns the throat. You couldn't see them, you couldn't hear them. I like to assemble things by the book in order, and one at a time so I don't loose parts. That drove me nuts. Course the rest of the nuts were in a nice little baggy.

The G0586 Instructions tell you to take a Bolt, washer and nut to attach the mag switch to the cabinet. Of course there is no nut as it threads into the cabinet. This one was obvious, but still I find it agitating that they fail at directions.

I know I often slip up when typing here and am often borderline incoherent. But then, I don't get paid for my product or services here.

As far as Grizzly is concerned. I am not repair tech. I already spent an hour figuring out their screw up. Replacing the switch looks to be another 30 minutes to an hour. I will deal with them as time goes on. I pace my complaint methods. I don't like to hammer people up front. Work with them early on, and get a relationship built. Then work them. As purchasing manager for a contractor that has been my approach for years and always seems to work better than when I get pissed as hell early on and create a world antipathy.

[Mark Lincoln]

Well it has been 4 Days since I contact Grizzly. The part should be here today based on the UPS tracking info that Grizzly sent me last night.

Thats Monday I called.
Part was out of stock, but they would get it here ASAP.
Thursday its scheduled to be delivered.

I am not happy that I had this problem.
But, I am very pleased with the service so far.

[Dave Lehnert]

When making a tool purchase I would hate to have the hassle of fixing a new unit BUT.. I would much rather have them send me a new part over packing up the defective bandsaw, wait and wait for a truck to pick up etc....

If such a problem is a big issue for you one should look at buying from a local dealer over mail order.