shop fox W1707 bandsaw owners

[John Pohja]

Am looking at this bandsaw as the Grizzly G0513x2 is on backorder until Jan. 2011.

Was wondering if the Shop Fox has the new style, 2 postion deluxe fence that flips up for resaw and down for regular use as seen on the Grizzy model? Thanks, John

[david brum]

Hi John

I have that saw. Unless they have changed, it has a completely different fence, kind of like a T square tablesaw fence. It is around 4" tall and made of an aluminum box section. I Usually use it by itself for resawing, although I have clamped a taller sub fence to it for really tall resaw. With some care, the fence can be set up so the cursor tape reads accurately (like a table saw fence) and doesn't have to be skewed.

These are really great saws. I have sawed at the max capacity many times with no trouble. I recently used it to break up a quartered walnut log which I could barely lift onto the table.

Note that these are not the same 17" saw sold by Grizzly. I specifically asked when I bought mine. They come from a different factory and use all different components. At this price range there is going to be some compromise, but I thought the Shop Fox had more of the really important features (for me) covered.

If you get one, PM me and I'll share some pointers for getting it tuned.

[Van Huskey]

Note that these are not the same 17" saw sold by Grizzly. I specifically asked when I bought mine. They come from a different factory and use all different components.



Interesting, I had always assumed they were basically the same saw though I had noticed looking that the fence was different but taking a closer look at the specs and pictures it does seem they are far more different than I thought.

[John Pohja]

Hi David, I'm very curious about the differences but don't see much in the spec sheets of the two. Any differences that you could expound on? Thank, John

[david brum]

Hi John

I have to reach back a a couple of years, but here's what I remember:

The Shop Fox has really heavy cast iron wheels. To me, this is the single most important feature on a bandsaw, as the wheel's weight allows the blade to cut more consistently and without bogging. I don't recall the exact weights but the Shop Fox was the heaviest.

The blade guides are large, single, bearings. They are sealed on both sides so you don't have to worry about contamination. There were complaints (at the time) about the double bearings in Grizzlys loading up and seizing, as they were open on one side.

The fence was another big issue. I'm not sure if it's still the case, but there were complaints about the Grizz fence's locking handle being impossible to operate while wood is on the table. That's to say, you have to move what you're cutting to adjust the fence because the locking handle is under what you're cutting. The Shop Fox handle is in line with the fence and can be operated with stock on the table.

As I mentioned before, there are going to be compromises in this price range. I don't want to disparage the Grizz in any way. The quantity sold and the excellent reviews demonstrate that they are fine saws. On balance though, I thought that the Shop Fox had more of the important features for similar money.

A word of warning. These come in a really tippy crate which makes shipping to residential locations a bit of a gamble. My first saw was crushed from falling over in the truck. If you can pick one up at a retailer or shipping depot, you can save yourself some hassle. They easily disassemble for a ride home in a pickup.

[Van Huskey]

One other thing that looks completly different is the trunnion assembly.

[david brum]

That's right Van. The trunnion uses a large rack and pinion system but made of steel instead of cast iron. I haven't used the Grizzly to compare, but I know for a fact that you can put a 100lb slab onto the Shop Fox table without slippage. Good enough for me!

[david brum]

New update. I just got the FWW Workshops annual issue. They compare 17" and 19" bandsaws. They liked the newest Grizzly 0513X2b better than the Shop Fox, Jet, Steel City, etc. It has an added motor brake which quickly stops the blade. They also said that the Shop Fox trunnion slipped when they hit the table with a heavy board:confused: