Grizzly 1014Z feedback?

[John Miliunas]

I'm getting ready to take the plunge on this one. This "one" is the 6x48 belt, 9" disc combo sander by Grizz. I know there have been some pretty favorable reviews by a WW mag or two, but I'm looking for some hands-on feedback from folks who I trust completely. Likes? Dislikes?

Also, I'm a bit confused as per the pictures in the main Grizz catalog. The specs say there's a 2" DC hookup, as in singular. Yet, one of the pictures clearly shows a hookup at the end of the belt, while another shot shows one planted on the cover of the disc. BUT, the one on the disc cover does NOT appear in all the pics. Huh?! If someone actually has this unit, would you be so kind as to clarify this for me? I'd greatly appreciate it. And, does either/both do a decent job of dust pickup? I'd be piping it down from a 4" feed to my DC system. Thanks for any info! :cool:

[Diane Maluso]

Hi, John. I've got the 1014Z sander. Mine's got both dust collection ports and they work quite well. The sander is ok. Sanders don't inspire me so I'm not very picky about them, I guess. This one had some fit and finish problems out of the box, specifically a bolt that, if left as long as provided, would have torn up the disk in about two rotations. Tracking and tensioning on the belt is fine once set but setting after a belt change is a pain in the neck. It meets my needs the price is right but you can't dance to it. I'd give it a 6 out of 10.

Diane

[Jim Becker]

John, I recently opted for the G1276 6"/12" low speed combo for a little more money. It's one excellent sander and the lower speed helps reduce burning, etc. Yes, you do need to make a stand for it, but it's a brute! I looked at the unit you're considering and also a similar ShopFox offering, but decided the tables and table adjustments just were not beefy enough for my concerns. The G1276 has two cast iron tables that lock solidly to whatever appropriate angle you need them.

[John Miliunas]

Originally posted by Jim Becker
John, I recently opted for the G1276 6"/12" low speed combo for a little more money. It's one excellent sander and the lower speed helps reduce burning, etc.

Yeah, the 1276...slobber, slobber....wipe....slobber! I looked at that one, too! But hey, "looking" is free.:D Right now, that particular unit is more than twice the price of its little brother. Unfortunately, for me, that constitutes more than just "...a little more money." PLUS, I have a dream! With my recent realty setbacks, it looks like I'm destined to stay in the "small shop mode" for a while longer, so I'm gearing up for making smaller items. (Makes sense, no?) I'm thinking the balance of my mad-$$ may be going toward the Grizz G1071, OSS!!! LOML has given me the "thumbs up" for it, too, but I first need to see how much #2 daughter's braces are going to set me back. That's the primo concern. If there's enough left, it's a new OSS for moi!:D :cool:

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by John Miliunas
With my recent realty setbacks, it looks like I'm destined to stay in the "small shop mode" for a while longer, so I'm gearing up for making smaller items.

Ya know...there is a fellow that is one of the hosts on that other woodworking forum site that I help moderate who has what he bills as the world's smallest shop. He happens to make "big stuff" in that tiny shop. It's challenging, but doable. When I was working on our kitchen island simultaniously with the bedroom furniture I was building for my nieces, things were really, really tight as most of the work went on prior to my getting the shop expanded from it's original 17' x 21' to it's present 21" x 30' (minus the stairwell).

The point of all this is...don't let your shop limit your projects!

[John Miliunas]

Originally posted by Jim Becker
it's original 17' x 21' to it's present 21" x 30' (minus the stairwell).

The point of all this is...don't let your shop limit your projects!

17x21!!! Hey, now wait a minute! That's BIGGER than my present shop. Mine's only 17x20 and is a main throughfare from the basement to the outside! :D

Seriously, I know where you're coming from with this. I guess I shoulda' qualified my previous statements by saying that the *bulk* of my predicted work would most probably be on the smaller scale. I am, by no means, ruling out some bigger stuff! Worst case, although it would be a PITA, I could cut, mill, prep in the shop and haul the parts to the adjacent utility area in the basement, where I would have some room for assembly. (I'd have to banish LOML from hanging laundry there for a while, but.... :D ). All in all, Jim, point taken! Thanks for the encouragement! :cool:

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by John Miliunas
I could cut, mill, prep in the shop and haul the parts to the adjacent utility area in the basement, where I would have some room for assembly. (I'd have to banish LOML from hanging laundry there for a while, but....

No but about it. If the project is "for her", she'll be less likely to complain. Why do you think that most of my projects are for the house and the LOML? There is never any question about the time, materials and...new tools...necessary to enjoy my avocation. Of course, almost everything I make for "her' is also for "me"... :D

[Curt Harms]

HI John

I have an older 1014. Like Diane, I'd give it a 6 out of 10. The table attachment is pretty poor if you're concerned about table squareness to the belt. The newer ones have a duct port on the disk; I added a dust port to my disk. I also added a 4" HVAC boot (?) to the bottom of the belt to enhance dust collection. The table can be moved from the disk to the belt but using the table on the belt, stock cannot be slid across the belt very far because it hits the housing of the disk. To slide stock across the belt I have to use another smaller less substantial support mounted higher on the belt.

To summarize, it does what it's intended to do but it's a bit crude. It's also fairly loud.

Curt

[John Miliunas]

Now you guys have got me wondering! 6 outta' 10 is OK, I guess, but just barely. I might have to reconsider the "brute" Jim talks about or take another look at the Wilke machine. That one looks quite stout, but I just don't know if I'm willing to part with that much cha-ching, while my sights are set on an additional piece. May take a bit more research, saving or both. Unless, of course, I brush the cobwebs off the old plastic....:D Nah, better not. If anyone else out there has a different flavor machine, which they're happy with, I'd love to hear about it. :cool:

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by John Miliunas
I might have to reconsider the "brute" Jim talks about or take another look at the Wilke machine.

The Wilke (Bridgewood 6"/12" ) machine is "very similar" to the Grizzly G1276 but includes the stand. I considered it as my cabinetmaker neighbor has a ton of Bridgewood tools and is very pleased with them. But I also wanted to try a Grizzly tool, so I went with that. After shipping and tax (being in PA is a bad thing in that respect for both vendors) the Grizzly was about the same price as if I drove out to York to pick up the Bridgewood. The Grizzly was delivered to my door...well...to across the street where I took it off the back of the trailer with my loader... :D

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I don't like to be the first response when I have NOTHING good to say about a tool...but we've completely stopped using the 1014 sander. In fact, we may not even have it anymore for all I know. As mentioned by others, the belt tracking/tensioning is OK once set, but a miserable experience getting it there. The table is probably fine for extremely light work, but something with any heft at all will defeat the locking mechanism. It's hard to sand a straight edge on something longer than the disc is wide (true with any disc sander), but the disc on our 1014 was especially bad. And the shroud was always in the way. And the switch is in an unsafe location, in my opinion.

As always when I comment on this unit, I'll say that the stand it came with is top notch, and probably worth $50 by itself.

KC

[Peter Lyon]

but you live kind of far away. This thing sits in the corner of my shop and just gathers dust. Personally, I'd rate it about a 3 out of 10.

My advice is save your $$ and buy a larger (and better built) unit.

[John Miliunas]

Whew...Am I really, REALLY glad I ran this thread! Two bills is certainly much cheaper than the other options mentioned, but if the thing ends up in the corner gathering dust, rather than *making* dust, it's not worth the lower price. I was kind of hoping that the lesser $$ would be due to a slightly smaller unit (as compared to their 6" belt/12" disc), not because it was a lesser unit in most respects. Bummed! :( I work way too hard for my money and a new shop tool is an absolute treat for me. Gads, I was also considering the big Grizz OSS. Maybe I should reconsider it, too!

I know that at some point, I'll probably end up with, at least, one Grizz tool, but at this rate, it might just be the little 6" jointer (which I also still need).

OK, as long as I have your attention, anybody have the Delta version of the 6"/9" belt/disc job? Never seen up close and personal and it too, looks kinda' skimpy. Keep those suggestions coming before I loose it and end up buying a RAND off of eBay!:D :D :cool:

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by John Miliunas
Whew...Am I really, REALLY glad I ran this thread! Two bills is certainly much cheaper than the other options mentioned, but if the thing ends up in the corner gathering dust, rather than *making* dust, it's not worth the lower price. I was kind of hoping that the lesser $$ would be due to a slightly smaller unit (as compared to their 6" belt/12" disc), not because it was a lesser unit in most respects. Bummed! :( I work way too hard for my money and a new shop tool is an absolute treat for me. Gads, I was also considering the big Grizz OSS. Maybe I should reconsider it, too!

John, the problem is not that the tool is a Grizzly...it just so happens that that particular tool, in that size, has a number of compromises that could affect your "pleasure", depending on your projects and how important the tool is to completing them. I seriously looked at that class of tool from a whole bunch of manufacturers and they ALL had similar characteristics: chincy tables, chincy table supports and locking and various other features that would make them less enjoyable to use. I looked at Grizzly, ShopFox, Delta, Jet and several other "house brands" and just couldn't bring myself to buy any of them. But I needed a combo sander in my shop for several projects in progress and planned.

My philosophy is that the most expensive tool is the one you need to replace prematurely and often. All of us, regardless of our station in life work hard for our money, so investing it wisely in a tool, even if it takes an extra month or three to save the money is worth it.

BTW, the Grizzly floor model oscillating spindle sander is a pretty nice tool, especially at the price they are selling it for.

[John Miliunas]

No, my conclusion is by no means a slam on Grizzly. I concur that probably most OEM's in that price bracket will come up with similar results. Like yourself, I have a number of uses for such a tool, but I already made one "mistake": I bought the Rigid combo belt/OSS. Don't get me wrong. I use the term "mistake" in that it just isn't quite big enough, nor does it have quite enough "ooomph" for some of the things I expect of it. For what it is designed to do, it does a nice job. That said, whichever belt/disc machine I purchase, needs to do more (no, not the OSS part, of course!) than my present one and I just can't see myself replacing THAT one a year or two down the road. Hence, I would like to make a reasonably good choice the first time around.

In doing some more looking, I note that the combo 6"belt/9"disc Jet unit appears to be relatively stout, PLUS, it has a 4" dust hookup. Seems to be above and beyond most others out there. One of my biggest problems is that I don't have a lot of choices out here that I can get a 1st hand look at. Makes it a bit harder to do comparisons, so I really need to rely heavily on user experiences throughout forums and user opinion/review pages.

For instance, you folks right here at SMC, have been a treasure trove of information. Hey, maybe Keith really should start that "Tool Review" forum! :D Thanks for all your valuable input! :cool:

[Matt Meiser]

I recently got the new Jet 9" disc/48" belt combo. Unfortunately since I've been out of town 5 of the last 6 weeks I haven't used it much but it seems to be a very nice machine. It is close in price to the Grizzly. I got it locally, for about $240 I believe, without the stand. I have plywood in my garage to build a stand, but no time to build it.:(