Jet 1642-2 lathe versus Grizzly G0733 lathe?

[Jay Yoder]

Good morning all. I know that this has probably already been questioned before, but thought I would throw it out there. I am currently considering replacing my Delta 1440 lathe with an upgrade in capacity, power and not to mention get rid of the goofy Reeves drive speed adjustment. I have been warned that Delta parts for it are extremely tough to get. It still works fine, but don’t want to be stuck with a boat anchor. I am considering either the Jet 1642-2 (2 hp model) or the Grizzly G0733. The Jet right now is on sale for about $2250 on various sites online. I haven’t seen anything used and if I decide Jet, I don’t want to miss out on the sale which is until March 10th. Anyone out there have experience/recommendations? I have mostly Jet/PM in my shop now and am very happy with their products. Thanks for your input…

[Fred Belknap]

Jay as a previous owner of two Grizzly lathes I'm not a big fan. When they upgraded to the G0733 about all they did was redo the paint. From what I have heard they still have the same issues. The spindle is designed to take only Grizzly chucks, the tool rest won't take aftermarket toolrests. These are rather minor issues but still something that you will have to deal with. The Jet would be my choice even at a few dollars more.

[Dennis Ford]

It is not likely anyone has both machines in their shop (I have neither). If money is tight and this will be your last lathe, give serious consideration to the Grizzly, reviews are good. If you decide to upgrade in a few years; the difference between the initial cost and resale will likely make the Jet LESS expensive.

[Dale Miner]

I have demo'ed on a 1.5 hp Jet many times. For me, the lathe is a good machine with a good reputation. I have a 3520B, but if I had a 1642 with 2 hp, it is doubful that I would feel much envy for 3520B owners.

There are two items that struck me when turning on the 1.5 hp machine.

Since used to 2 hp and taking LARGE roughing cuts, the 1.5 hp was a little anemic. Most people don't take as heavy a cut though and the power isn't an issue for them.

The other issue is the length of the banjo. The banjo is about two inches too short for the swing of the lathe. Sometimes it is nice to work on the side of the blank closest to the chuck, and a little more length on the banjo would be handy when working on near capacity bowls.

I have never turned on a Grizzly, although a friend has an 18" swing Grizzly that is reportedly 2 hp, and anything other than a light cut makes it trip out and need reset. He has gone round and round with Grizzly without any satisfaction. He generally does his medium to large rough outs on friends lathes and his finish work on his own machine.

[Roger Chandler]

I have turned on 8 different 3520b Powermatics.........they are the gold standard pretty much in an imported lathe.......that being said........it is my opinion that the Grizzly G0733 will hold its own in performance with the Jet and the Powermatic. While it is true that the G0733 has been machined to metric dimensions [except the spindle threads, they are 1-1/4" x 8tpi, standard]........very simple efforts by the turner will get it into tip top shape for receiving aftermarket accessories made in the USA.

On my G0698 18/47 [the predecessor to the G0733] I took a file and turned the lathe on to about 600 rpm, held the file against the spindle shoulder where the chuck insert mates and took a smidgen off.........no problem! Neither is the 25mm hole in the banjo for the tool rest.....one pass with a 1" drill bit took care of that! The Supernova2 chucks ran true without me doing that, but it was just my preference.........the lathe is a very good lathe! NO issues at all for the 4-1/2 years I have used it [heavily]

I have turned on the Jet 1642 evs..........performance is like my G0698 Grizz. One of our club members lives just down the street and has a Jet 1642 evs......we are over at each others place a good bit........he likes my lathe, and I like his......performance........not a whit of difference. The Jet does have a little more refined machining, but that makes no difference in performance.......it does in the price tag, however!

Here is a link to a video about comparrison between the two lathes.......the guy has both and likes the refinement of the Jet, but is going to sell the Jet and keep the Grizzly..........he mentions the shoulder of the spindle.......he mentions it runs true, and it does not make any difference! He mentions the spindle lock and the pin for the Grizz........it works well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gtgKssFdE4

You get a bigger lathe with the same features [except cage, which most turners take off anyway, and a handwheel, but it is not needed and there are instructions out there for adding one yourself on the Grizzly Green Monster Group, under the Community tab of this forum] After doing much research back in 2009, I decided to go with the Grizzly.........I have not regretted it, never at any time.........my Grizzly 18/47 G0698 has been a stellar performer.

True, a few Grizzly's have had an issue.......Grizzly worked hard to correct them, for the most part. It is also true that some Jets and Powermatics have had some issues.........I have heard about some Oneway's having an issue, and Generals as well, so don't think Grizzly is a pig in a poke.........their lower end lathes are not what you probably want, but the G0632 Jet clone is a good lathe and so is the G0733.

I have no affiliations or connections with Grizzly.........just a satisfied customer. Now.....all that being said, if money were no issue, my dream lathe at this point is a Robust American Beauty.........that will come later, but for now......my Grizzly 18/47 is doing great. I said this back in 2010........the Grizzly is not a Cadillac, but I liken it to a good Buick.......it may not have the high end refinements, but it will certainly get you where you are going!!!

[Brian Myers]

If you haven't seen it there is a side by side comparison of the two on YouTube from the owner of Harrison Specialties. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gtgKssFdE4

[Duane Meadows]

When they upgraded to the G0733 about all they did was redo the paint.

A little research(very little, just read the description of the G0733!) show that not to be accurate. The biggest difference is Griz went to a 3ph induction motor with VFD as opposed to a PM Dc motor that the G0698 had.

One thing about Grizzly that I like is they have never locked me into Griz accessories. As Roger noted, both the G0698 and G0733 are machined to metric specs(something I think we may as well get used to). Also as Roger pointed out, it takes what, 5 minutes to "fix" both "issues". For about a $1000.00 less, you can by many accessories, and perhaps a little wood!

I also have no connection to Grizzly, except being a very satisfied customer.

Oh, and just for balance, I also own a Jet planer. I am also very happy with it. When I bought it, the Jet and the nearly identical Grizzly were the same price and I got the Jet locally. Now in my opinion Jet is just overpriced.. my $0.02(more or less) worth.

[Jon Nuckles]

I owned the G0698 for a brief time. It had problems starting, which Grizzly could not fix. Grizzly sent a new headstock, but it had the same issues. Grizzly's customer service was good and, when they couldn't fix the problem (which they acknowledged was occurring with other owners), they offered me the option to return it. I did and bought a PM3520b.

I offer this only as one experience, and not a knock against Grizzly or their lathes. I don't know what Grizzly changed between the 698 and 733, but I do know that my 698 did have a VFD.

[Jay Yoder]

Thanks for all the comments. I am sure that regardless of manufacturer, they all have their bad apples, eh? The "fixes" mentioned seem to be fairly easy to execute. Another question that comes to mind, is, what brand of motor and inverter does grizzly use? I think I saw that Jet uses Delta inverters which I have heard of. Any idea about the grizzly? Does anyone have a coupon for grizzly? I appreciate your patience with all of the questions!

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks for all the comments. I am sure that regardless of manufacturer, they all have their bad apples, eh? The "fixes" mentioned seem to be fairly easy to execute. Another question that comes to mind, is, what brand of motor and inverter does grizzly use? I think I saw that Jet uses Delta inverters which I have heard of. Any idea about the grizzly? Does anyone have a coupon for grizzly? I appreciate your patience with all of the questions!


Jay.......a call to Grizzly Tech support could answer your specific question on inverters on the G0733. I heard that they went to a Delta inverter, but I cannot confirm that as reliable info! They have a cover box it looks like in the picture, but I am not sure whether or not that is like on my G0698 which also serves as a dust cover. They did go to an A/C motor and would have had to change the inverter from the ones they used with the D/C brushless motors.

A lot of the lathes you see on the market are indeed manufactured in the same plants and use interchangable parts.......including the PM's and Jet's ........some of the same parts are on some Grizzly lathes as well as Busy Bee in Canada and the Hare & Forbes Woodmaster 18/47 in Australia. Now Baliegh also carries this lathe in a blue/white paint scheme.......Laguna had it in black/white.

Each vendor has some requirements in their individual specs.......depends on what they contract with the manufacturer to do, and the price points they want to market the lathe at.........Grizzly tech support can give you the reliable info on this.

[Duane Meadows]

According to their parts list, the G0733 has a Delta inverter.


P0733045 (http://www.grizzly.com/parts/P0733045)
INVERTER DELTA VFD015M21A)


. Subject to change I suppose. Don't know about the motor.

[Jay Yoder]

Jay.......a call to Grizzly Tech support could answer your specific question on inverters on the G0733. I heard that they went to a Delta inverter, but I cannot confirm that as reliable info! They have a cover box it looks like in the picture, but I am not sure whether or not that is like on my G0698 which also serves as a dust cover. They did go to an A/C motor and would have had to change the inverter from the ones they used with the D/C brushless motors.

A lot of the lathes you see on the market are indeed manufactured in the same plants and use interchangable parts.......including the PM's and Jet's ........some of the same parts are on some Grizzly lathes as well as Busy Bee in Canada and the Hare & Forbes Woodmaster 18/47 in Australia. Now Baliegh also carries this lathe in a blue/white paint scheme.......Laguna had it in black/white.

Each vendor has some requirements in their individual specs.......depends on what they contract with the manufacturer to do, and the price points they want to market the lathe at.........Grizzly tech support can give you the reliable info on this.

Sounds like the old stories about bananas...they all came off of the same tree, but had different badges. I do have some more research to do as the clock is ticking on the Jet. What are the benefits of AC motor instead of DC? Just curious.

[Jay Yoder]

According to their parts list, the G0733 has a Delta inverter.


P0733045 (http://www.grizzly.com/parts/P0733045)
INVERTER DELTA VFD015M21A)


. Subject to change I suppose. Don't know about the motor.

Sure hope that I never have to replace that inverter! It came up at $700+!!! Yikes...thanks for the info tho

[Duane Meadows]

Sure hope that I never have to replace that inverter! It came up at $700+!!! Yikes...thanks for the info tho

Yeah, I wouldn't by a replacement from Griz... they are available a lot cheaper elsewhere. Not always the case, but on these it really is! Downside? You would likely have to program it yourself.

[Roger Chandler]

This is a quote directly from their webpage about the motor change.......

We changed from a (brushless) DC motor to a 3-phase AC motor for several reasons. It's quieter, electrically more efficient, and provides smoother power output - especially at slower speeds. The DC motor design can be a bit choppy at slower speeds, and while most users wouldn't notice this, we decided it was worth the upgrade. Also, 3-phase AC motors are the most reliable motor design that there is. So the change improves both the performance and reliability of an already outstanding heavy-duty wood lathe.

So there you go! One of the complaints about the original G0698 was that it had a little "hunt" when at low rpm, meaning it would be a little choppy, but this was never an issue for me.........my lathe has actually gotten a little better than when new..........I can turn fairly smooth at 60 rpm on the low belt setting. I know the PM 3520b's have a low rpm of 50 and they cut off at that point.

Most people would not turn at that low of an rpm, but a few sand at a really slow speed..........I never felt like there was much difference in being able to sand at 50 rpm or 100 rpm...........

[Jay Yoder]

This whole world of 3 phase is well beyond my experience level. Is the invertor the worst thing that could go wrong with it? I guess the thing I struggle with is lack of experience with Grizzly. I have seen the Jet in person but have never seen a Grizzly lathe. I keep coming back to the Jet's 5 year warranty. On paper the Grizzly has greater capacity (18" versus 16). Does anyone know how often Grizzly has coupons/codes available?

[Duane Meadows]

Yes ,Jay. The inverter is about the most expensive part to replace. The motor isn't cheap either, but they don't fail often. One of the best things to do for the inverter is to unplug the lathe when not in use. Power surges(ie lightning strikes and such) are their worst enemies. That said, I have a lathe with an DC, not 3ph, electronic controller that is about 15 years old. Have not had any problems with it(wish I could say the same for the rest of the lathe!), and it is plugged in all the time! Guess I really should follow my own advice!

I have several Grizzly machines Most are about 19 years old. They have been great, no complaints. The couple of small issues I'v had, Grizzly's support has taken care of quickly with no hassle.

Our local equipment dealer used to handle a lot of Jet equipment(Got my planer from them). Now they carry mostly Shopfox, which as I understand is also Grizzly. They like it a lot, and it is considerably less expensive than Jet. I was in the other day looking at machines. They seem well built, the finish is probably not quite as good as Jet, but still nice machines.

I think you would be very happy with the Griz G0733, Also remember all variable speed lathe have some form of electronic control or a Reeves drive. The Reeves drive has it's own issues, and generally doesn't have a slow enough speed for large bowls. Many tend to got through belts quickly, and if not kept lubed properly, they can be very fussy and even seize up completely.

Best of luck with your decision, Jay. Actually, I am also in the same situation, looking for a replacement for my old Craftsman lathe! The G0733 is at the top of my short list. Now if I can scrape together $1800...:rolleyes:

PS Waranty has never wound up being an issue on any machine I have purchased... Jet, Grizzly, Delta, Craftsman, Dewalt, Porter Cable, etc. All have managed to last much longer than the warranty period, and remember that warranty is costing you... it's built into the price!

[David C. Roseman]

Jay, you’re getting some thoughtful advice in this thread. After much research two years ago considering all the full-sized lathes, I went with the Grizzly G0733. I’m very happy with it. A number of my turning friends have the Jet 1642EVS, also a very good lathe, especially with the 2 hp motor. I recently watched Kerry Harrison’s (owner of Harrison Specialties) YouTube video mentioned above by others, comparing the two machines. Here are a few thoughts based on my experience.

Chuck fit:
The G0733 and Jet 1642 both have 1-1/4” x 8 spindle threads, so will accept all chucks with inserts machined to that size. However, the G0733 has a boss machined to a metric dimension on the inboard side of the spindle’s shoulder that is a few thousandths too large for some chuck inserts to seat fully against the shoulder. Some fit just fine, but Vicmarcs, Oneways, and possibly some others, are too tight. The Jet lathe does not have this boss (as Kerry Harrison notes in his video), and one isn’t really needed. It’s my understanding that a boss on a shaft is typically to help register a fitting when it’s being threaded on, and to add some reinforcement, and that’s not necessary on these lathes.

Kerry says in the video that he can still use his Vicmarc chuck on his G0733 without it seating squarely against the shoulder while he considers another solution. This is a bad idea, IMO, as it can lead to major seizing of the chuck insert on the boss (a big problem), and also can cause runout.

But there is a very easy fix for this on the G0733. As Roger Chandler describes above in his post, just take a mill file and hold it against the spindle boss with the lathe on low speed until it’s turned down a few thousandths of an inch. It takes about 15 minutes, if you work carefully. The final diameter of the boss is not critical, so long as it’s not too tight, of course. Voila, all the 1-1/4” x 8 chucks seat flush to the spindle shoulder, no problem. Grizzly should get on the stick and fix this issue with some instructions to the Asian factory.

Fit and finish:
I’m quite pleased with the fit and finish on my G0733. Before I bought it, I looked at one pretty carefully on the showroom floor at Grizzly in Muncy, PA , and the lathe I unpacked was just as nice. Is it as good as the finish on a Jet 1642? I think so, but that’s just my subjective impression.

Kerry Harrison in his video mentioned that the inside edges of the cast iron bed ways on the G0733 are not chamfered. I checked mine out of curiosity, and they, too, are not. But they are nicely radiused, and smooth. If there were any roughness, I would just dress it off lightly with a fine mill file. The top surfaces of the bed ways are nicely machined and very smooth.

Kerry also noted in video that the spindle pulley access door on the Jet 1642 uses thumb knob, while the G0733 has a machine screw. I like a knob, so just made my own by imbedding the head of the screw in a small piece of maple with five-minute epoxy. I slipped a piece of 1/8” vinyl tubing over the threads, chucked it into a drill chuck, and turned a custom knob in a few minutes. I actually prefer it to a plastic knob.

Lack of a Hand Wheel on the G0733:
The lack of an outboard hand wheel on the G0733 was actually a pretty big negative for me when shopping for a lathe. The hand wheel on the Jet is more of a narrow cylinder than what I would call a hand wheel, but it’s nice and certainly does the job. I only went ahead with the Grizzly after determining that I could make my own, and integrate it with a shop-made vacuum adapter for vacuum chucking. That’s worked out very well, so I now have a combination hand wheel/integrated vacuum adapter that stays on the lathe and still lets me use the knockout bar. It uses the two threaded holes in the spindle pulley that are designed to receive a pulley puller. Last July I wrote up a tutorial on doing this for owners of G0733s and other similar Asian-made 18-47 lathes. If you end up with the G0733, I’d be happy to send you a copy if you’d like to do that.

The Variable Frequency Drive (Inverter):
There is another difference in the G0733 and the Jet 1642VS that hasn’t been mentioned. It’s the way the variable frequency drive (VFD) is set up. The G0733 uses a Delta Electronics VFD-M series drive, enclosed by a nice steel cover. But it does not come standard with a braking resistor. The last time I checked, the 1642VS,as well as Jet’s PM 3520B, uses the slightly less expensive Delta Electronics VFD-S-1 drive, with no protective cover, but adds a braking resistor. While a braking resistor is not at all necessary to full performance of the G0733, it’s a nice feature to have when swinging large bowls, etc. It harnesses electromagnetic energy to bring the lathe to a stop more quickly at shut down. So you can work a bit quicker, especially if you’re in production (which I’m not!). I’m also told by electrical engineers who know these things that it can extend motor life over a long period of service.

I added a braking resistor to our G0733 for about $30 all in, but that required making up a special wiring interface, unlocking the VFD through its communications port with a laptop (adjustment of the drive parameters is locked out at the lathe factory), and getting help from a couple of buddies who have the electronics savvy to do it. I doubt most owners would want to bother with this for the relatively small benefit. BTW, Grizzly could easily add an OEM braking resistor as a standard item for a small increase in cost if they wished. In the meantime, Jet/Powermatic have the slight advantage here, IMO.

Hope this is helpful with your shopping decision. I don’t think you’ll go wrong with either lathe.

David

[Brian Kent]

I find these specifics very helpful. Thank you very much everyone.

[Jay Yoder]

Yes ,Jay. The inverter is about the most expensive part to replace. The motor isn't cheap either, but they don't fail often. One of the best things to do for the inverter is to unplug the lathe when not in use. Power surges(ie lightning strikes and such) are their worst enemies. That said, I have a lathe with an DC, not 3ph, electronic controller that is about 15 years old. Have not had any problems with it(wish I could say the same for the rest of the lathe!), and it is plugged in all the time! Guess I really should follow my own advice!

I have several Grizzly machines Most are about 19 years old. They have been great, no complaints. The couple of small issues I'v had, Grizzly's support has taken care of quickly with no hassle.

Our local equipment dealer used to handle a lot of Jet equipment(Got my planer from them). Now they carry mostly Shopfox, which as I understand is also Grizzly. They like it a lot, and it is considerably less expensive than Jet. I was in the other day looking at machines. They seem well built, the finish is probably not quite as good as Jet, but still nice machines.

I think you would be very happy with the Griz G0733, Also remember all variable speed lathe have some form of electronic control or a Reeves drive. The Reeves drive has it's own issues, and generally doesn't have a slow enough speed for large bowls. Many tend to got through belts quickly, and if not kept lubed properly, they can be very fussy and even seize up completely.

Best of luck with your decision, Jay. Actually, I am also in the same situation, looking for a replacement for my old Craftsman lathe! The G0733 is at the top of my short list. Now if I can scrape together $1800...:rolleyes:

PS Waranty has never wound up being an issue on any machine I have purchased... Jet, Grizzly, Delta, Craftsman, Dewalt, Porter Cable, etc. All have managed to last much longer than the warranty period, and remember that warranty is costing you... it's built into the price!

I started with Delta, but their quality never got close to the Delta products that my G'pa had. Now I understand that they are having serious problems delivering on replacement parts and my fear is that I am left without a lathe because of that. I had a real bad experience with a bandsaw and started swapping to Jet as I replaced them. Thus my search...

I have always thought that Jet products I have (table saw, band saw, belt sander, drill press) they were well made and customer support was ok, but not stellar. Everyone seems to have good experiences with Grizzly's customer support. I called them today and they were unable to tell me how far the tailstock advances. The tech guy thought it was a strange question, but I explained that it helps when drilling holes. Can anyone with a G0733 tell me how far it an be advanced? As for warranty goes, the Jet is a 5 year and Grizzly is only 1 year. That is one thing that makes me kind of nervous. I am still torn and have until Monday to make the decision. Interestingly enough, I just got a 10% off coupon for Grizzly...go figure...It is tough thinking about buying a lathe that I have never seen in person. I want this to be my final lathe (unless I come into $$ for a OneWay) so that is why I am agonizing over the decision.

[Jay Yoder]

Jay, you’re getting some thoughtful advice in this thread. After much research two years ago considering all the full-sized lathes, I went with the Grizzly G0733. I’m very happy with it. A number of my turning friends have the Jet 1642EVS, also a very good lathe, especially with the 2 hp motor. I recently watched Kerry Harrison’s (owner of Harrison Specialties) YouTube video mentioned above by others, comparing the two machines. Here are a few thoughts based on my experience.

Chuck fit:
The G0733 and Jet 1642 both have 1-1/4” x 8 spindle threads, so will accept all chucks with inserts machined to that size. However, the G0733 has a boss machined to a metric dimension on the inboard side of the spindle’s shoulder that is a few thousandths too large for some chuck inserts to seat fully against the shoulder. Some fit just fine, but Vicmarcs, Oneways, and possibly some others, are too tight. The Jet lathe does not have this boss (as Kerry Harrison notes in his video), and one isn’t really needed. It’s my understanding that a boss on a shaft is typically to help register a fitting when it’s being threaded on, and to add some reinforcement, and that’s not necessary on these lathes.

Kerry says in the video that he can still use his Vicmarc chuck on his G0733 without it seating squarely against the shoulder while he considers another solution. This is a bad idea, IMO, as it can lead to major seizing of the chuck insert on the boss (a big problem), and also can cause runout.

But there is a very easy fix for this on the G0733. As Roger Chandler describes above in his post, just take a mill file and hold it against the spindle boss with the lathe on low speed until it’s turned down a few thousandths of an inch. It takes about 15 minutes, if you work carefully. The final diameter of the boss is not critical, so long as it’s not too tight, of course. Voila, all the 1-1/4” x 8 chucks seat flush to the spindle shoulder, no problem. Grizzly should get on the stick and fix this issue with some instructions to the Asian factory.

Fit and finish:
I’m quite pleased with the fit and finish on my G0733. Before I bought it, I looked at one pretty carefully on the showroom floor at Grizzly in Muncy, PA , and the lathe I unpacked was just as nice. Is it as good as the finish on a Jet 1642? I think so, but that’s just my subjective impression.

Kerry Harrison in his video mentioned that the inside edges of the cast iron bed ways on the G0733 are not chamfered. I checked mine out of curiosity, and they, too, are not. But they are nicely radiused, and smooth. If there were any roughness, I would just dress it off lightly with a fine mill file. The top surfaces of the bed ways are nicely machined and very smooth.

Kerry also noted in video that the spindle pulley access door on the Jet 1642 uses thumb knob, while the G0733 has a machine screw. I like a knob, so just made my own by imbedding the head of the screw in a small piece of maple with five-minute epoxy. I slipped a piece of 1/8” vinyl tubing over the threads, chucked it into a drill chuck, and turned a custom knob in a few minutes. I actually prefer it to a plastic knob.

Lack of a Hand Wheel on the G0733:
The lack of an outboard hand wheel on the G0733 was actually a pretty big negative for me when shopping for a lathe. The hand wheel on the Jet is more of a narrow cylinder than what I would call a hand wheel, but it’s nice and certainly does the job. I only went ahead with the Grizzly after determining that I could make my own, and integrate it with a shop-made vacuum adapter for vacuum chucking. That’s worked out very well, so I now have a combination hand wheel/integrated vacuum adapter that stays on the lathe and still lets me use the knockout bar. It uses the two threaded holes in the spindle pulley that are designed to receive a pulley puller. Last July I wrote up a tutorial on doing this for owners of G0733s and other similar Asian-made 18-47 lathes. If you end up with the G0733, I’d be happy to send you a copy if you’d like to do that.

The Variable Frequency Drive (Inverter):
There is another difference in the G0733 and the Jet 1642VS that hasn’t been mentioned. It’s the way the variable frequency drive (VFD) is set up. The G0733 uses a Delta Electronics VFD-M series drive, enclosed by a nice steel cover. But it does not come standard with a braking resistor. The last time I checked, the 1642VS,as well as Jet’s PM 3520B, uses the slightly less expensive Delta Electronics VFD-S-1 drive, with no protective cover, but adds a braking resistor. While a braking resistor is not at all necessary to full performance of the G0733, it’s a nice feature to have when swinging large bowls, etc. It harnesses electromagnetic energy to bring the lathe to a stop more quickly at shut down. So you can work a bit quicker, especially if you’re in production (which I’m not!). I’m also told by electrical engineers who know these things that it can extend motor life over a long period of service.

I added a braking resistor to our G0733 for about $30 all in, but that required making up a special wiring interface, unlocking the VFD through its communications port with a laptop (adjustment of the drive parameters is locked out at the lathe factory), and getting help from a couple of buddies who have the electronics savvy to do it. I doubt most owners would want to bother with this for the relatively small benefit. BTW, Grizzly could easily add an OEM braking resistor as a standard item for a small increase in cost if they wished. In the meantime, Jet/Powermatic have the slight advantage here, IMO.

Hope this is helpful with your shopping decision. I don’t think you’ll go wrong with either lathe.

David

Great feedback from everyone! It is just kind of tough going against Jet bc of my personal experience but the Grizz does add 2" in swing and 5" in length between centers. They both seem fairly evenly matched feature wise, and the Grizz just got more appealing with a 10% off coupon in my email.

[Brian Kent]

I agree about the additional 10% off. Kind of pushes the equation to one side.

[David C. Roseman]

Great feedback from everyone! It is just kind of tough going against Jet bc of my personal experience but the Grizz does add 2" in swing and 5" in length between centers. They both seem fairly evenly matched feature wise, and the Grizz just got more appealing with a 10% off coupon in my email.

Jay, your dilemma is a nice one to have. You asked earlier about quill travel on the G0733. I've checked, and it is 4-1/4".

Unless you're planning some large spindle work, the extra 5" on the Grizzly won't be much of a factor, and it does require more shop space. But the added 2" of swing is nice for turning large bowls. You can move the headstock to the far end of the ways on both lathes to go much larger, but that requires having an outboard tool rest of some sort. Busy Bee Tools in Canada sells an outboard turning extension with bango and 14" tool rest for around $100, including shipping to the U.S. It's for their Craftex CX802 lathe, but fits the Grizzly G0733. Don't know if it would fit the Jet 1642EVS, but it well might. It allows a swing of 30", but I haven't tried anything that large on mine, and probably would limit it to platters or very shallow bowls.

The 10% coupon from Grizzly is a nice coincidence, indeed. If you end up not using it, please give me a shout, as I've been planning to add another G0733 to my shop to replace a much older 14" lathe.

David

[Fred Belknap]

I didn't mean to come across as bitter against Grizzly lathe. The G0698 did a good job and was reliable. The issues it has are rather minor but in my book they should have been addressed when they changed the paint. Mine didn't say anything about being a DC motor and the motor did a remarkable job. In fact it would go to a slower speed than my PM3520B. The speed control knob is very easy to adjust as like when you turn it off/on and brush against the knob you could very easily increase the speed, not something I cared for. I would recommend it but also think the buyer should be aware of some of the negatives.

[Jay Yoder]

Jay, you’re getting some thoughtful advice in this thread. After much research two years ago considering all the full-sized lathes, I went with the Grizzly G0733. I’m very happy with it. A number of my turning friends have the Jet 1642EVS, also a very good lathe, especially with the 2 hp motor. I recently watched Kerry Harrison’s (owner of Harrison Specialties) YouTube video mentioned above by others, comparing the two machines. Here are a few thoughts based on my experience.

Chuck fit:
The G0733 and Jet 1642 both have 1-1/4” x 8 spindle threads, so will accept all chucks with inserts machined to that size. However, the G0733 has a boss machined to a metric dimension on the inboard side of the spindle’s shoulder that is a few thousandths too large for some chuck inserts to seat fully against the shoulder. Some fit just fine, but Vicmarcs, Oneways, and possibly some others, are too tight. The Jet lathe does not have this boss (as Kerry Harrison notes in his video), and one isn’t really needed. It’s my understanding that a boss on a shaft is typically to help register a fitting when it’s being threaded on, and to add some reinforcement, and that’s not necessary on these lathes.

Kerry says in the video that he can still use his Vicmarc chuck on his G0733 without it seating squarely against the shoulder while he considers another solution. This is a bad idea, IMO, as it can lead to major seizing of the chuck insert on the boss (a big problem), and also can cause runout.

But there is a very easy fix for this on the G0733. As Roger Chandler describes above in his post, just take a mill file and hold it against the spindle boss with the lathe on low speed until it’s turned down a few thousandths of an inch. It takes about 15 minutes, if you work carefully. The final diameter of the boss is not critical, so long as it’s not too tight, of course. Voila, all the 1-1/4” x 8 chucks seat flush to the spindle shoulder, no problem. Grizzly should get on the stick and fix this issue with some instructions to the Asian factory.

Fit and finish:
I’m quite pleased with the fit and finish on my G0733. Before I bought it, I looked at one pretty carefully on the showroom floor at Grizzly in Muncy, PA , and the lathe I unpacked was just as nice. Is it as good as the finish on a Jet 1642? I think so, but that’s just my subjective impression.

Kerry Harrison in his video mentioned that the inside edges of the cast iron bed ways on the G0733 are not chamfered. I checked mine out of curiosity, and they, too, are not. But they are nicely radiused, and smooth. If there were any roughness, I would just dress it off lightly with a fine mill file. The top surfaces of the bed ways are nicely machined and very smooth.

Kerry also noted in video that the spindle pulley access door on the Jet 1642 uses thumb knob, while the G0733 has a machine screw. I like a knob, so just made my own by imbedding the head of the screw in a small piece of maple with five-minute epoxy. I slipped a piece of 1/8” vinyl tubing over the threads, chucked it into a drill chuck, and turned a custom knob in a few minutes. I actually prefer it to a plastic knob.

Lack of a Hand Wheel on the G0733:
The lack of an outboard hand wheel on the G0733 was actually a pretty big negative for me when shopping for a lathe. The hand wheel on the Jet is more of a narrow cylinder than what I would call a hand wheel, but it’s nice and certainly does the job. I only went ahead with the Grizzly after determining that I could make my own, and integrate it with a shop-made vacuum adapter for vacuum chucking. That’s worked out very well, so I now have a combination hand wheel/integrated vacuum adapter that stays on the lathe and still lets me use the knockout bar. It uses the two threaded holes in the spindle pulley that are designed to receive a pulley puller. Last July I wrote up a tutorial on doing this for owners of G0733s and other similar Asian-made 18-47 lathes. If you end up with the G0733, I’d be happy to send you a copy if you’d like to do that.

The Variable Frequency Drive (Inverter):
There is another difference in the G0733 and the Jet 1642VS that hasn’t been mentioned. It’s the way the variable frequency drive (VFD) is set up. The G0733 uses a Delta Electronics VFD-M series drive, enclosed by a nice steel cover. But it does not come standard with a braking resistor. The last time I checked, the 1642VS,as well as Jet’s PM 3520B, uses the slightly less expensive Delta Electronics VFD-S-1 drive, with no protective cover, but adds a braking resistor. While a braking resistor is not at all necessary to full performance of the G0733, it’s a nice feature to have when swinging large bowls, etc. It harnesses electromagnetic energy to bring the lathe to a stop more quickly at shut down. So you can work a bit quicker, especially if you’re in production (which I’m not!). I’m also told by electrical engineers who know these things that it can extend motor life over a long period of service.

I added a braking resistor to our G0733 for about $30 all in, but that required making up a special wiring interface, unlocking the VFD through its communications port with a laptop (adjustment of the drive parameters is locked out at the lathe factory), and getting help from a couple of buddies who have the electronics savvy to do it. I doubt most owners would want to bother with this for the relatively small benefit. BTW, Grizzly could easily add an OEM braking resistor as a standard item for a small increase in cost if they wished. In the meantime, Jet/Powermatic have the slight advantage here, IMO.

Hope this is helpful with your shopping decision. I don’t think you’ll go wrong with either lathe.

David

I forgot to ask, how difficult was ti to add the braking resister? I am fairly good with electrical wiring, but not necessarily electronics. Would you say that your total cost was $30 or was there additional expense beyond that? What software did you use to program? I agree, it would be nice if Grizz added it standard. If they did my decision would probably be made. Thanks for your response.

[David C. Roseman]

I forgot to ask, how difficult was ti to add the braking resister? I am fairly good with electrical wiring, but not necessarily electronics. Would you say that your total cost was $30 or was there additional expense beyond that? What software did you use to program? I agree, it would be nice if Grizz added it standard. If they did my decision would probably be made. Thanks for your response.

Jay, there is a thread with more on this in the SMC Grizzly Green Monster Group:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/group.php?discussionid=38&pp=10&page=1&do=discuss
The thread's title is on adding a remote emergency stop switch, but if you scroll down, adding a braking resistor is discussed.

David

[Hardy Hobbs]

Jay, you’re getting some thoughtful advice in this thread. After much research two years ago considering all the full-sized lathes, I went with the Grizzly G0733. I’m very happy with it. A number of my turning friends have the Jet 1642EVS, also a very good lathe, especially with the 2 hp motor. I recently watched Kerry Harrison’s (owner of Harrison Specialties) YouTube video mentioned above by others, comparing the two machines. Here are a few thoughts based on my experience.

Chuck fit:
The G0733 and Jet 1642 both have 1-1/4” x 8 spindle threads, so will accept all chucks with inserts machined to that size. However, the G0733 has a boss machined to a metric dimension on the inboard side of the spindle’s shoulder that is a few thousandths too large for some chuck inserts to seat fully against the shoulder. Some fit just fine, but Vicmarcs, Oneways, and possibly some others, are too tight. The Jet lathe does not have this boss (as Kerry Harrison notes in his video), and one isn’t really needed. It’s my understanding that a boss on a shaft is typically to help register a fitting when it’s being threaded on, and to add some reinforcement, and that’s not necessary on these lathes.

Kerry says in the video that he can still use his Vicmarc chuck on his G0733 without it seating squarely against the shoulder while he considers another solution. This is a bad idea, IMO, as it can lead to major seizing of the chuck insert on the boss (a big problem), and also can cause runout.

But there is a very easy fix for this on the G0733. As Roger Chandler describes above in his post, just take a mill file and hold it against the spindle boss with the lathe on low speed until it’s turned down a few thousandths of an inch. It takes about 15 minutes, if you work carefully. The final diameter of the boss is not critical, so long as it’s not too tight, of course. Voila, all the 1-1/4” x 8 chucks seat flush to the spindle shoulder, no problem. Grizzly should get on the stick and fix this issue with some instructions to the Asian factory.

Fit and finish:
I’m quite pleased with the fit and finish on my G0733. Before I bought it, I looked at one pretty carefully on the showroom floor at Grizzly in Muncy, PA , and the lathe I unpacked was just as nice. Is it as good as the finish on a Jet 1642? I think so, but that’s just my subjective impression.

Kerry Harrison in his video mentioned that the inside edges of the cast iron bed ways on the G0733 are not chamfered. I checked mine out of curiosity, and they, too, are not. But they are nicely radiused, and smooth. If there were any roughness, I would just dress it off lightly with a fine mill file. The top surfaces of the bed ways are nicely machined and very smooth.

Kerry also noted in video that the spindle pulley access door on the Jet 1642 uses thumb knob, while the G0733 has a machine screw. I like a knob, so just made my own by imbedding the head of the screw in a small piece of maple with five-minute epoxy. I slipped a piece of 1/8” vinyl tubing over the threads, chucked it into a drill chuck, and turned a custom knob in a few minutes. I actually prefer it to a plastic knob.

Lack of a Hand Wheel on the G0733:
The lack of an outboard hand wheel on the G0733 was actually a pretty big negative for me when shopping for a lathe. The hand wheel on the Jet is more of a narrow cylinder than what I would call a hand wheel, but it’s nice and certainly does the job. I only went ahead with the Grizzly after determining that I could make my own, and integrate it with a shop-made vacuum adapter for vacuum chucking. That’s worked out very well, so I now have a combination hand wheel/integrated vacuum adapter that stays on the lathe and still lets me use the knockout bar. It uses the two threaded holes in the spindle pulley that are designed to receive a pulley puller. Last July I wrote up a tutorial on doing this for owners of G0733s and other similar Asian-made 18-47 lathes. If you end up with the G0733, I’d be happy to send you a copy if you’d like to do that.

The Variable Frequency Drive (Inverter):
There is another difference in the G0733 and the Jet 1642VS that hasn’t been mentioned. It’s the way the variable frequency drive (VFD) is set up. The G0733 uses a Delta Electronics VFD-M series drive, enclosed by a nice steel cover. But it does not come standard with a braking resistor. The last time I checked, the 1642VS,as well as Jet’s PM 3520B, uses the slightly less expensive Delta Electronics VFD-S-1 drive, with no protective cover, but adds a braking resistor. While a braking resistor is not at all necessary to full performance of the G0733, it’s a nice feature to have when swinging large bowls, etc. It harnesses electromagnetic energy to bring the lathe to a stop more quickly at shut down. So you can work a bit quicker, especially if you’re in production (which I’m not!). I’m also told by electrical engineers who know these things that it can extend motor life over a long period of service.

I added a braking resistor to our G0733 for about $30 all in, but that required making up a special wiring interface, unlocking the VFD through its communications port with a laptop (adjustment of the drive parameters is locked out at the lathe factory), and getting help from a couple of buddies who have the electronics savvy to do it. I doubt most owners would want to bother with this for the relatively small benefit. BTW, Grizzly could easily add an OEM braking resistor as a standard item for a small increase in cost if they wished. In the meantime, Jet/Powermatic have the slight advantage here, IMO.

Hope this is helpful with your shopping decision. I don’t think you’ll go wrong with either lathe.

David

I am thinking about trying to fabricate a hand wheel for my G07033. Can I get a copy of the tutorial?

[Roger Chandler]

I am thinking about trying to fabricate a hand wheel for my G07033. Can I get a copy of the tutorial?. The newer G0733 lathes now have a handwheel as of 2019 if I recall correctly.

https://sawmillcreek.org/group.php?discussionid=389&do=discuss

[bob pfohler]

I’ve owned a shop full of woodworking machines over the years including Jet, Grizzly, Delta and PM.
I’ve had good luck with some Grizzly products, others I’ve felt so so about.
For me it all boils down to this. If I look at it every day and I’m happy and I say, “wow I made a great choice”. Then I don’t care what anyone else thinks!
I owned a Grizzly TS and sold it and bought a PM because it was more HP.
I owned a Grizzly jointer and upgraded to a PM because it was wider with more HP. I’ve never been disappointed with a Grizzly purchase.
That said, my first lathe is a Jet 1242. For me the choices of my next lathe will be. Jet 1840 or Laguna 1836.
At this point in my life I appreciate more the fit and finish of a tool I will be working with daily.
If I could afford it I would buy a Robust and not think twice about the money. It’s like a Honda vs. BMW, both will get you there it just depends on how much you want to pay for the ride.

[tom lucas]

Good morning all. I know that this has probably already been questioned before, but thought I would throw it out there. I am currently considering replacing my Delta 1440 lathe with an upgrade in capacity, power and not to mention get rid of the goofy Reeves drive speed adjustment. I have been warned that Delta parts for it are extremely tough to get. It still works fine, but don’t want to be stuck with a boat anchor. I am considering either the Jet 1642-2 (2 hp model) or the Grizzly G0733. The Jet right now is on sale for about $2250 on various sites online. I haven’t seen anything used and if I decide Jet, I don’t want to miss out on the sale which is until March 10th. Anyone out there have experience/recommendations? I have mostly Jet/PM in my shop now and am very happy with their products. Thanks for your input…





If you are ready to spend $2250 for the Jet, then why not consider the G0766. A lot more lathe. I have it and love it so far ( a little over one year). I have 7 grizzly big machines. Love every one of them. I have a couple of Jet tools. From my limited experience with Jet, I don't see much difference in them.

[Alex Zeller]

Does anyone know if the G0733 wasn't upgraded when Grizzly upgraded the G0766? The G0766 also had the 25mm rest and the issue with some chucks not being able to be tightened correctly. By the time I got mine (just before the tariffs hit, Grizzly had the factory make changes. I would have assumed they would have done the same to the G0733.

[David C. Roseman]

I am thinking about trying to fabricate a hand wheel for my G07033. Can I get a copy of the tutorial?


Hardy, shoot me a PM with your email address, and I'll send it to you. It's not a huge file, but is still too large to post on this forum.

For others reading and commenting on this thread, keep in mind that it is six years old. :) It was bumped when Hardy asked about the handwheel for his older G0733. As Roger notes, the new G0733s come with a factory handwheel. They also have the 1" bore in the banjo for the tool rest post, rather than 25mm (although drilling out to 1" only took a few minutes with the original banjo).

Also, since the spindle had to be redesigned to accommodate a factory handwheel, I'm virtually certain that there is no longer any need to file the spindle boss to fit some of the aftermarket chuck inserts. In fact, I think the newer G0733s use the same spindle as the G0766.

[tom lucas]

Hardy, shoot me a PM with your email address, and I'll send it to you. It's not a huge file, but is still too large to post on this forum.

For others reading and commenting on this thread, keep in mind that it is six years old. :) It was bumped when Hardy asked about the handwheel for his older G0733. As Roger notes, the new G0733s come with a factory handwheel. They also have the 1" bore in the banjo for the tool rest post, rather than 25mm (although drilling out to 1" only took a few minutes with the original banjo).

Also, since the spindle had to be redesigned to accommodate a factory handwheel, I'm virtually certain that there is no longer any need to file the spindle boss to fit some of the aftermarket chuck inserts. In fact, I think the newer G0733s use the same spindle as the G0766.

I bought my G0766 about a year ago. I had to file the spindle for my direct threaded vicmarc chuck, but only a tiny bit. No big deal.

[Bill Bukovec]

I would go with the Jet. The last time I bought a lathe (and saved some money) I ended up with the same Delta 1440 with the crappy Reeves drive. My gut feeling is you get what you pay for.

[Roger Chandler]

I would go with the Jet. The last time I bought a lathe (and saved some money) I ended up with the same Delta 1440 with the crappy Reeves drive. My gut feeling is you get what you pay for.


I've turned on numerous Jet lathes...........trust me, with the G0766 or the G0733, he won't be giving up anything compared to a Jet!!!

[jeff oldham]

I have the 1642 jet lathe and the one reason I bought it was because of the 5 yr warranty...so far I havent had any trouble out of it...I cant speak about the other lathes...I'm sure grizzly makes a good one but I bought mine at woodcraft...and I'm not a big fan of ordering something like that and having it shipped to me...I perfer to be able to go to a dealer rather than deal with someone thru the mail if I have trouble or need parts...

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Asking for comparisons and impressions of lathes is akin to trying to make a decision on a new car by checking with owners. We all want to justify our own decisions. That said, buying a new lathe is a wholly personal experience. What fits me and suits the way I turn won’t necessarily translate to your situation. In my opinion, the only way to make such a decision is to spend some time with the the candidates. The showroom floor isn’t necessarily the best place to get unbiased information.
Luckily, turners are by and large a cooperative and helpful bunch of people, and we’ve got the means of communicating easily via the several forums that serve our community. We love to show off our tools and, simply by asking you’ll often be rewarded with an invitation to visit and experience for yourself. When I was trying to decide between several options a few years ago a few conversations with the manufacturers/reps, questions at the club followed up by a few emails got me enough time on all my candidates to make an informed decision on my ‘last’ lathe. I also crossed a few off my list that others swear by but just didn’t fit.
In addition, I learned a few things about other approaches and techniques, saw many shop solutions and made several new friends in the process. If you’re in a hurry, this approach won’t work, but if you want to make a decision informed by your own real world experience, its the best way to go IMHO.

[Hardy Hobbs]

. The newer G0733 lathes now have a handwheel as of 2019 if I recall correctly.

https://sawmillcreek.org/group.php?discussionid=389&do=discuss


Checked on the Grizzly site and the new G0733 does have a handwheel. I emailed them and they stated I would have to change the spindle in order to install the new hand wheel.
David Boseman stated that he used the 2 screws that are used to attach a puller to attach a homemade hand wheel. I would love to see his .pdf file to see how he does that. He said to PM him with an email and he would send it if anyone wanted it but I'm new to this forum and can't figure out how to message him.

[Roger Chandler]

David Roseman stated that he used the 2 screws that are used to attach a puller to attach a homemade hand wheel. I would love to see his .pdf file to see how he does that. He said to PM him with an email and he would send it if anyone wanted it but I'm new to this forum and can't figure out how to message him.click on his name, you will go to his profile page, then click "send private message"

here is a link for the post about the handwheel modification David made.....it is in the Grizzly Green Monster Group community pages...
https://sawmillcreek.org/group.php?discussionid=389&do=discuss

[Hardy Hobbs]

David, I followed the directions and clicked on your name and went to your profile but could not find " send a PM"

Hardy
Thanks for your help!

[Keith Outten]

Hardy,

Click on Davids name in any post then select Private Message from the menu.

427353

[David C. Roseman]

Hardy, due to a forum policy change last year, unless something has changed again recently, I think you need to be a Contributor, rather than simply a free Member, to have private messaging (and photo viewing) privileges. Well worth the minimum contribution of $6/yr, even without my modest write-up on the handwheel-vacuum adapter. :)

[Patrick Morris IV]

Hardy, I added a hand wheel to my 733. If you look at the end of the spindle, you will find two screws. I made a disk for an adapter ( scrap sheet aluminium steel, what ever) drilled holes to match spacing on spindle. Drilled another set of holes offset approx 90*. Mount adapter to hand wheel (turned from wood of your choice) with center drilled and access holes to reach spindle screws. Think in terms of an adapter plate that might be used to adapt autoparts, face mount motors etc. Hopefully this help with the thought processes in your design phase. Have fun.

Pat

[Hardy Hobbs]

Pat, I made one out of a piece of cherry I had for a bowl. I turned it down 3 1/2inces for i inch to bring it out from the pulley. Then I turned the wheel and drilled a 3/8 inch hole for the drawbar. to get the placement for the holes to get to the pulley screw holes i cut the head off 2 5/16 in x 24 bolts and sharpened them to a point. Then I put the wheel over the 3/8 drawbar and tapped it to get the impression for the bolt holes. I was very nervous about not being centered and having the hand wheel wobbly too much. However it turned out with very little wobble. I would have liked a larger wheel but the motor wont permit that. I really like the solution you used to attach to the pulley. I wish I had done that. Sounds like that would have centered it much better. I took the 2 small screws out and did not replace them. Now i'm thinking I might need the put them back in and drill a relief for them in the wood. I really appreciate your input on this. I may work on using that method. Thanks!!

[Jack Lilley]

I've turned on numerous Jet lathes...........trust me, with the G0766 or the G0733, he won't be giving up anything compared to a Jet!!!

I did this when I purchased a G0766 a few years ago...never again!