Grizzly tent sale

[Paul Sikorski]

Has anyone been to one of the grizzly tent sales? The reason I ask is I m looking to buy the G0453z planer but was thinking of waiting for the tent sale in case they have one there and it saves me some money. But not having been to one wasn't sure if it's worth the wait or I should just drive down and get it.

[J.R. Rutter]

Lots of broken stuff at the tent sales - freight damage, returns, etc. On a big machine, I would rather buy new. They usually have a winter sale around Christmas if you want to wait a bit.

[Don Selke]

I think they are in the fall, never been to one,do not need someone elses problems. I always buy new.

[Steven Hsieh]

I am curious how are the machines priced?
Are most machines dented

[Ira Matheny]

There are many values in the used machine market at this time. I would never consider a new Griz when there are so many fine lightly used machines privately available. Many are priced from 20% to 50% of new prices, sans taxes.

[Derek Burlingame]

I go to the Bellinghan Tent Sale every year. I don't buy machines but find lots of small items. Like was previously stated, most of the machines are scratch and dent and not every machine is available. Personally, I buy most all of my machines from them. I find the service (when you go to the counter) to be exceptional.

[Paul Sikorski]

Thanks for the replies sounds like alot of returned and damaged equipment. But also a chance of finding a scratch and dent item at a savings. I think my curiousity is gonna get the best of me. The planer is on sale till 9/24 and the tent sale is 9/23 so I wont lose out if I wait. Not sure if I can wait till Christmas is the Christmas Sale pretty significant?

[Richard Coers]

Based on the quality of the band saw I had to return, I would definitely not buy at the tent sale.

[Paul Sikorski]

How so? Was it just damaged or was it like a 2nd quality saw?

[Richard Coers]

How so? Was it just damaged or was it like a 2nd quality saw?

It was a mess. The wheels were horrible castings. There was not enough material to machine all around the lower wheel, so they added 4 weights on one side and around 10 balance holes on the other side. The thing was so far out of balance that nothing would stay on the table when it was running. They sent another wheel with no bearings or tire. It was from another model, and had the wrong pulley on it. Waited for new bearings to arrive. Installed everything, then found the top wheel was almost as bad. That was when I sent it back. I had a engineer friend come over that works with harmonics and vibration. We found that the saw was welded to the center of the base pan, and was flexing and amplifying the out of balance condition. We braced the top of the saw to a ceiling joist, and the vibration was cut in half. We took off that brace, and braced from the table trunion to the floor. It cut the vibration further. So if they had welded structure under the base pan, or used thicker steel, they could handle more some imbalance. Not as much as I had, but it could be improved. I don't know if they put these types of machines in the tent sale, sure hope they don't.

[Jim Andrew]

There are not a lot of used machines in my location, so unless I buy from online auctions, market for used is pretty small. So I tend to buy Grizzly. Was going to say, the summer sale is still in effect, if you get the GO453 please put a review up for the rest of us.

[Ralph Butts]

Like others have said there are a lot of scratch and dents available at the tent sale. I have been the the one in Bellingham the past three years. I went last year looking for a G0623X and found one that looked like a floor model. (can't confirm that). It had scratches, paint removed or missing but the sliding table would bind when moving it. I found a used version of the same saw about 5 hours away that was in almost new condition and it was cheaper. Not knocking the Grizz Tent sale experience. I have found a slew of items personally. I have just never found a large machine that was worth the price considering the condition at the 3 sales I have attended. Now on another note every machines has been sold at the sales I have attended. So there are a lot more folks who deem the deals good enough to make the purchases.