Grizzly bandsaw choice: 636xb vs 514x2

[Jim Barstow]

I'm having a hard discerning the real difference between these 2 besides price/weight/horsepower. From the chart at grizzly, they are very similar. They differ a little in capacity and size but they have a huge difference in weight, price, and horsepower.

What does this extra price / weight get you? (Horsepower, I understand.) Just beefier construction, less vibration, etc. or is there a real difference in the mechanics and engineering?

[Josh Rudolph]

I'm having a hard discerning the real difference between these 2 besides price/weight/horsepower. From the chart at grizzly, they are very similar. They differ a little in capacity and size but they have a huge difference in weight, price, and horsepower.

What does this extra price / weight get you? (Horsepower, I understand.) Just beefier construction, less vibration, etc. or is there a real difference in the mechanics and engineering?

Jim,

I had been wondering the same when I was looking. What I learned was the 636 was designed to compete with the higher priced "Italian/European" band saws.

I bought the 514 and have had zero regrets. Had I been running a full time shop, I would have likely looked at the 636.

Josh

[Van Huskey]

I spent a lot of time playing with a friends new G0636X a couple of months ago and it is a fine saw. I will say this though the Go636X guides are built on the heavy side and the lower guides are a significant distance from the top of the table. My conclusion after inspection and some run time were that the 636 is an admiral attempt at the Italian saw dominance of the high end bandsaw market and is a good value alternative to them but lacks some of the finesse that the really good saws have. As shipped it is a fine saw for ripping and resawing but the guides need some help when it comes to running thinner blades, this could probably be overcome with a Carter stabilzer but isn't quite the jack of all trades the 514 series is. Both are fine saws especially when price is considered, if one plans to use the saw as a dedicated resaw machine or need the extra resaw height and power I would get the 636, if however you are looking for one saw to do everything from 1/8" blade scrolling to 12" resaw cuts I think I would saw the money and get one of the 514 series.