Considering a Band Saw Change

[Rich Aldrich]

My Uncle is getting rid of his woodworking equipment. He has a Grizzly G0555 that I helped him buy several years ago (he doesnt have a credit card - he gave me the cash and I ordered it).

My present bandsaw is a Shopfox W1706 with the 6" riser block kit. I bought it because it has cast wheels where the Grizzly has aluminum. Somewhere I read that the cast are better. I like the way the Grizzly feels during a cut more than the Shopfox, but both seem decent. They seem to be the same bandsaw.

I was thinking about selling the Shopfox and buying the Grizzly from him. Any thougths or recommendations?

[John Schweikert]

Looking at the Grizzly G0555 parts list on their website, the upper and lower wheels can be purchased individually $57 and $60. If the Shop Fox has the same shafts as the Grizzly for proper fit, that would seem as a reasonable cost over buying a new bandsaw and selling the Shop Fox at maybe half what you paid originally.

I have the G0555LX and for the price is an excellent bandsaw, smooth and quiet, resaws very well. No complaints. If you think the wheels are the major difference, then just replace those.

[Rich Aldrich]

John, I was thinking I should be able to sell the Shopfox for around the same price (+/-) that I can buy the Grizzly from my Uncle, so it would be close to a wash.

[Gary Pennington]

Why not swap the iron wheels off the Shop Fox to the Griz, then sell the Shop Fox?

g

[Myk Rian]

Considering service, if you call Shop Fox for help, they refer you to Grizzly.
Sell the Shop Fox.

[Jim Andrew]

I think there is a little confusion about selling used power tools. Selling for half price, what you paid vs the current price. When I am considering selling, I look for the new price for the equipment I'm selling and advertise for 60% of that. If somebody offers me half price of new, I take it. Often this equipment has doubled over the last several years, so you nearly get the same amount of dollars you paid, even though they are worth half as much.

[Rich Aldrich]

Considering service, if you call Shop Fox for help, they refer you to Grizzly.
Sell the Shop Fox.

I didnt know that. Thanks for the information. I am leaning toward buying the grizzly from him and selling the shopfox.

[Rich Aldrich]

I think there is a little confusion about selling used power tools. Selling for half price, what you paid vs the current price. When I am considering selling, I look for the new price for the equipment I'm selling and advertise for 60% of that. If somebody offers me half price of new, I take it. Often this equipment has doubled over the last several years, so you nearly get the same amount of dollars you paid, even though they are worth half as much.

In this case, the grizzly is 4 years old and the shopfox is 2 years old. The prices havent gone up that much. Actually, I paid more for the shopfox than the grizzly was at the time.

[Gus Dundon]

The band saws of the two mentioned brand names look the same. I think they have like identical features. So, if it is
just the wheels that's bothering you , buy and exchange the wheels and sell the shopfox.

[Tai Fu]

If the other bandsaw is cutting better it could just be the setup. Changing wheels won't help you (and you need to redo the setup too).

It's not worth it IMHO unless you can get way more selling your shop fox than what you would pay to buy the grizzly. Especially when they are essentially the same saw.