More G0766's On The Way!

[Walter Mooney]

My wife got a notification last Thursday (7/2) that our credit card had been charged for my new G0766. Didn't get the email from customer service until Sunday 7/5, saying my lathe had shipped from Springfield MO on Saturday 7/4. Should be here in Houston any day now! Can't wait! :)

[Randy Red Bemont]

Awesome Walter. Sounds like they're finally catching up. Enjoy your new lathe.

Red

[daryl moses]

Great news!! The wait is almost over.

[Brian Kent]

I am really curious how many will sell (and ship of course) in the first year.

[Roger Chandler]

We had a member of our club order one last week........I don't think his is going to be delayed as the Grizzly website said they had them in stock in the Bellingham and Missouri distribution centers.

[Roger Chandler]

I am really curious how many will sell (and ship of course) in the first year.

I don't know how many actually will, Brian, but there has been a lot of interest in this new G0766! I can say this after having mine for just a little over a month now, and having done 4 projects so far.......this 0766 is a real performer!

I am really glad I got this lathe, even though my former G0698 was a great lathe as well.........I like the additional horsepower, the handwheel they added and the premium inverter, not to mention the big 22" swing on this monster.......;) The more I use it, the smoother it runs and as it has settled in, it has gotten even quieter than when I first turned it on.

No better value on the market for a large lathe that I have found!

[Brian Kent]

Fantastic. Looking forward to one in the future.

[James Conrad]

My replacement is scheduled for Monday delivery, came from MO. Funny, it was suppose to ship from PA, I was told last Tuesday the truck was in VA, had to stop in Baltimore then wiould arrive in PA. Guess that truck full of lathes is MIA.

[Mark Greenbaum]

I fired off an email to Grizzly Customer Service, asking if mine is still scheduled to arrive in the warehouse on July 10th, and that I have put a hold on delivery until the new address is confirmed. No answer, yet. It's been taking them a couple of days to reply to emails. I also asked if the 5.5" diameter chuck kit will be available as promised on August 7th. I play the guinea pig on that device, since no one has one yet.

[Scott Brandstetter]

Brian, I have to agree with Roger that this lathe is an excellent piece of equipment. I try to be honest when reviewing items and admit when something doesn't meet my expectations. The only issue I had with this lathe is the following....
bolt holding motor came loose - I removed, put on threadlocker, and not a problem since
speed control knob needed to be tightened down - I tightened and not a problem since

I realize non of us have had it for long but, so far, I simply can't imagine what else I would want or need in a lathe.

[Roger Chandler]

Brian, I have to agree with Roger that this lathe is an excellent piece of equipment. I try to be honest when reviewing items and admit when something doesn't meet my expectations. The only issue I had with this lathe is the following....
bolt holding motor came loose - I removed, put on threadlocker, and not a problem since
speed control knob needed to be tightened down - I tightened and not a problem since

I realize non of us have had it for long but, so far, I simply can't imagine what else I would want or need in a lathe.

My only issue was that relatively small kerfluffle with the toolrest.........I fixed that to my liking of course, but I still am of the opinion that either the specs were off on this, or the factory got the height wrong somehow...........I am dissappointed in Grizzly saying it is within specs and they are not going to do anything about it.......at least that is the last report I heard on this forum.

At times I wonder why we get different answers from different CS reps..............I wonder if the matter is settled, for sure? :confused:

[Mark Greenbaum]

I just received word that my unit is in place to be shipped as per our agreement on July 24th. I fired back a reply as follows: (I hope this will help our cause, and future purchasers of this lathe.)

1) A few of the Sawmill Creek Woodworkers Forum members have received their lathes in damaged condition due to poor hold downs inside the crates, which caused paint damages and bed ways to be scuffed. Since you are going to have plenty of time to inspect my unit, I would greatly appreciate it if the crate and packaging are inspected and secured properly.


2) All of the members who have received their lathes have complained that the provided tool rest has a shaft that is too short to allow the proper bowl turning. Apparently the lowest the the tool rest can go is only 1/4" below center of the spindle, which does not allow for the use of larger bowl gouges. Many have had to either take the tool rest to a machine shop to have 3/4" more milled off the underside of the rest allowing the shaft to be proper length. Others have complained and been provided with an improper shorter tool rest from smaller Grizzly lathe models. Neither of these solutions is adequate or what I would deem appropriate for a customer who is purchasing what is presumed to be a properly designed wood working machine. I would hope my tool rest will be the required length to allow bowl turning. I have used Powermatic 3520B's and Jet 1642-EVS2 lathes and the tool rests on these have been properly designed to allow any type of lathe work one would wish to do. I hope this issue to present itself in my personal lathe.


All of this aside: I am very anxious to receive what should be a very fine and long lasting powerhouse of a lathe. It should allow me to proceed in my craft, and become a better woodturner. Thank you.

[Dok Yager]

Congrats Walter! Mark I hope you get yours in good condition. Mine had very minor scuff marks on the legs and the tool rest is Still and issue. Other than that after Finally getting my dedicated 220v line and drop box wired she is singing sweetly. First piece I have attempted is a 20" tazmanian blackwood platter.

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[Roger Chandler]

Nice platter Dok! Where did you pick up tazmanian blackwood?

[Mike haines]

Just ordered mine today they already ran my credit card

[Scott Brandstetter]

Roger, thanks for the update on the tool rest, I did forget to add that to my review or experience. That is an issue with me as well and I agree, should be fixed by Grizzly. I haven't fixed mine yet but do plan to buy an aftermarket tool rest, probably more than one.

One more thing I will mention. I have bought a lot of tools from a lot of different manufacturers and rarely do I not have to tighten a bolt, realign, or make a minor adjustment. Before I bought my first Grizzly tool, and I was a new member on this forum, I asked a question about what I had heard about Grizzly and the quality of their tools. I was quickly contacted by the mod's that my line of question wouldn't be tolerated (and they were 100% correct, I didn't ask the question the correct way) Since that time I have purchased a table saw, jointer, and now the lathe. I have also ordered clamps, a couple of vise, various misc tools. I have been 100% satisfied with every single purchase. I am looking to upgrade my floor drill press, band saw, dust collector, and add an air filtration for the smaller particles. I absolutely will go to Grizzly immediately to compare to other brands. Just can't imagine paying more for the quality and functionality of the tools I have from them.

[Roger Chandler]

Scott........just to be clear, the last I heard anything about the toolrest was on the former thread I began about the fix. I have not heard anything from Grizzly about the issue, after they called me and offered a replacement off the G0632 16" swing lathe.

I declined that, and thought that they were going to continue to look at the problem and come up with some sort of solution [what that may have been was not indicated] but now we have forum members saying they were told that the original is within specs and nothing will be done. Others indicate that Grizzly is still looking into the matter, and leave the impression that Grizzly is working on something........

I just wish all the CS reps and tech guys would get on the same page with this..........it is confusing! This toolrest sitting too high to get a bowl gouge at the correct angle is the only thing that I have to complain about......otherwise the G0766 lathe I have is one SWEET machine!

Of course aftermarket rests can solve the issue, but it should be made right in my opinion. But when you have either denial that there is a problem, or inadequate replacement from a lathe with 6" less swing, then that leaves the customer holding a badly machined or spec'd critical part of the lathe.

[Dok Yager]

Roger my neighbor and fellow turner took a vacation trip to the Napa area in Cali. He picked up some of this and some madrone burl for me as well. He got it from a genteleman with a small shop and turning business. I will ask him about his name and let you know.

[hu lowery]

Scott........just to be clear, the last I heard anything about the toolrest was on the former thread I began about the fix. I have not heard anything from Grizzly about the issue, after they called me and offered a replacement off the G0632 16" swing lathe.

I declined that, and thought that they were going to continue to look at the problem and come up with some sort of solution [what that may have been was not indicated] but now we have forum members saying they were told that the original is within specs and nothing will be done. Others indicate that Grizzly is still looking into the matter, and leave the impression that Grizzly is working on something........

I just wish all the CS reps and tech guys would get on the same page with this..........it is confusing! This toolrest sitting too high to get a bowl gouge at the correct angle is the only thing that I have to complain about......otherwise the G0766 lathe I have is one SWEET machine!

Of course aftermarket rests can solve the issue, but it should be made right in my opinion. But when you have either denial that there is a problem, or inadequate replacement from a lathe with 6" less swing, then that leaves the customer holding a badly machined or spec'd critical part of the lathe.



Roger,

The banjo severely limits the swing on the lathe if turning a bowl or hollow vessel. My opinion, it would be more accurate to describe the 766 as having a sixteen inch swing since that is the swing with factory equipment. Considering that, it is probably reasonable to replace the tool rest with the tool rest from another 16" machine as far as strength concerns.

A handful of reasons why my particular 766 went back to the factory but one of the major reasons is that while the height from bed to spindle might be eleven inches indicating a 22" swing, the factory banjo on the 766 will only come out far enough to turn a sixteen inch bowl. Did they ship the wrong banjo with mine? If not, why did they restrict the machine to turning sixteen inch or smaller bowls or hollow vessels? The height of the spindle above the bed seems to indicate this machine was originally designed to be able to turn nearly 22" bowls and hollow vessels. With the demand for big bowl lathes it seems that a longer banjo would ship with this machine if there was no compelling reason for it not to.

I really liked my 766. Looks like I am going to pay over twice the price for a 20" lathe, still from the Burt Group. However I already have a 15" lathe so paying $1600 to buy what is functionally a 16" lathe didn't seem like a good move for me.

Hu

[Bob Bergstrom]

Oh my that banjo may be a bigger problem than the tool rest. I know my old 3520 went a least 10" and probably more because of the extension allowed bigger than 20". I turn 26" on the extension but the was no way one could place the tool rest parallel to the ways. Here is a picture on the Robust AB. 14" parallel to the wave. I know the Jet 16 x 42 banjo could be a little longer also.
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[Roger Chandler]

Hu........it is not accurate that the toolrest on the 0766 limits to 16" bowls. On my former 0698 18/47 (tel:0698 18/47), I turned bigger bowls than that, and it has the identical banjo. One bowl was almost 18" and with the banjo positioned correctly, you still have the far side of the rest outboard of the post that will support the tool.

I have stated on several occasions that the banjo on the 3520b is a better design as it is longer at the base, but the rest on the 0733 and 0766 is fully functional, when positioned correctly. I may actually upgrade to a Oneway rest or perhaps get one from powermatic.......I have considered it a few times, but have not had anything to date on my former G0698 or this 0766 that I could not manage with the stock banjo/rest.

I am quite confident that we have a good deal more swing than 16 inches!

[hu lowery]

Oh my that banjo may be a bigger problem than the tool rest. I know my old 3520 went a least 10" and probably more because of the extension allowed bigger than 20". I turn 26" on the extension but the was no way one could place the tool rest parallel to the ways. Here is a picture on the Robust AB. 14" parallel to the wave. I know the Jet 16 x 42 banjo could be a little longer also.
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Bob,

I have heard the Robust banjos are the best out there, haven't tried to price one. At Oneway a twenty inch swing or twenty-four inch swing banjo is the same price and they push them for third party use. A banjo for a twenty-four inch swing would make things nicer because I wouldn't always be trying to squeeze the last little bit out of the banjo at the worst time, when I am roughing out of round pieces. Total would still be under $2000, safety is the question that nags at me. Not knowing why Grizzly didn't ship the 766 with a banjo to allow turning 22" bowls is a head scratcher.

Hu

[Mark Greenbaum]

Well, this revelation is another cause for concern (not much yet, but when I get to turn a larger bowl to the supposed capacity of this lathe, I will wish it was more thought out by Grizzly & Burt). The Oneway 24" Banjo sells for about $290, an expense I feel is wholly unnecessary if Grizzly touts this lathe as a 22" swing capacity. I don't foresee that I will be turning a lot of 22" diameter pieces, but if I had the opportunity to do so, I would expect this lathe to be able to handle the task. Frustrating.


Bob,

I have heard the Robust banjos are the best out there, haven't tried to price one. At Oneway a twenty inch swing or twenty-four inch swing banjo is the same price and they push them for third party use. A banjo for a twenty-four inch swing would make things nicer because I wouldn't always be trying to squeeze the last little bit out of the banjo at the worst time, when I am roughing out of round pieces. Total would still be under $2000, safety is the question that nags at me. Not knowing why Grizzly didn't ship the 766 with a banjo to allow turning 22" bowls is a head scratcher.

Hu

[Robert Henrickson]

Oh my that banjo may be a bigger problem than the tool rest. I know my old 3520 went a least 10" and probably more because of the extension allowed bigger than 20". I turn 26" on the extension but the was no way one could place the tool rest parallel to the ways. Here is a picture on the Robust AB. 14" parallel to the wave. I know the Jet 16 x 42 banjo could be a little longer also.

FWIW, made the same measurement on my Jet 1642 -- over 8".

[Roger Chandler]

Robust AB - 25" swing with banjo maxed out at 14 inches, but will turn very large bowls, 24 +inches. When doing a large bowl on the 0766, there is a proper sequence........lets just say a 21 inch bowl. One needs to have the blank mounted, and as long as it does not hit the bed ways, it does not matter.

The rest should be behind the blank and in front of the tailstock with quill extended to support blank. Set the rest at an angle to turn the tenon........work from the corner of the blank down to final tenon size, and shape bottom of bowl Then reverse bowl, and hollow out center.

The limits you guys are talking about here is if you want to make a complete cylinder first, which is not needed with a bowl blank. Follow what I mentioned above and you will be able to turn large bowls. You might have to reposition the banjo/rest when refining the outside once it is reversed, but you can turn a 21 +" bowl with the way the 0766 came from the factory!

Not to say that an extra long banjo might not be nice, but the factory banjo will work for bowls. A 16" hollowform is a whopper.........hollowing that out will be a chore for sure! If a turner wants to do very large hollowforms [over 16" diameter] on a consistent basis, then a longer banjo would be a real plus, and worth the investment, simply because of needing to turn it to a cylinder first.

[Mark Greenbaum]

OK, Roger, I see what you're saying. I am sure whatever this machine has to offer, I will enjoy it. It's just such a big step in my progression as a woodturner. Going from the Hopsmith to this will be like a kid's Christmas morning every time I use it.

[Roger Chandler]

OK, Roger, I see what you're saying. I am sure whatever this machine has to offer, I will enjoy it. It's just such a big step in my progression as a woodturner. Going from the Hopsmith to this will be like a kid's Christmas morning every time I use it.

Mark........having been around a number of turners, and a member of two clubs with a total membersip that exceeds 170 turners, I have seen a lot of tweaks and upgrades they have made to stock setups. You will find as you go along that you will make additions to your basic setup.......just the nature of things in the turner's world!

If you were to go into the shops of most advanced turners, you will see all sorts of things, jigs, and tools you would wonder about.......they would tell you that they use this tool to accomplish this cut, and made that jig to allow them to make this part of a particular form.

Just be aware that where you start is not where you will end up! There is not a single lathe that has every concieveable thing a turner will discover that they need as they explore new forms and techniques........as your skills grow, so will your acquisition of new accessories and tools for turning. ;)

[James Conrad]

Looks like tomorrow is delivery day instead of Monday. Fingers crossed for a good one this time!

[Randy Red Bemont]

Looks like tomorrow is delivery day instead of Monday. Fingers crossed for a good one this time!

Can you plug it in before you get it all uncrated? I hope you get a good one. You deserve it after all this.

Red

[James Conrad]

Can you plug it in before you get it all uncrated? I hope you get a good one. You deserve it after all this.

Red

Thanks Red, I will definitely be doing that!

[Roger Chandler]

Looks like tomorrow is delivery day instead of Monday. Fingers crossed for a good one this time!

Here's hoping for the best outcome for you James. I hope they inspected it and tested it before sending it out to you........if they did, you will have a good performer on your hands! I know the toolrest issue is annoying, and Grizzly and I certainly have different opinions on it, but see where you are with it, and give it a good run with a project or two, and allow yourself to experience the operation of the lathe in a real time project. I think you will find it does a great job!

[Dok Yager]

James, here`s to a good outcome and a Superb lathe! I had my doubts after all the "small" problems everyone has voiced. However after having started a couple of completely different sized projects and turned on this monster for quite a few hours now I can say she is Really sweet! Tool rest issue aside this baby can do everything well. I have turned on a few different lathes form my old Nova Comet II and my current Nova 1624-44 and a Jet 1642 as well as a 3520B and a sweet 16. I don`t think this lathe is at fault as far as performance is concerned. I am Very happy I listened to all the great folks here and stepped up to buy one!

[James Conrad]

Thanks guys. They were suppose to inspect and test before shipping, so we shall see.

[hu lowery]

There are always work arounds, however the 766 is the only lathe I know of that claims a swing bigger than a cylinder it can turn. Bowls often have vertical sections, particularly ornamental bowls. The 766 can't turn these out to close to twenty-two inches, can't turn them beyond sixteen inches.

Likewise, the 766 can't turn a bowl with a recurved lip which I am particularly fond of, bigger than sixteen inches without jumping through hoops. Can't turn another recurved form I need to turn either. While it can be debated what the inboard swing of the 766 is by using pretty contorted reasoning, what can't be debated is the outboard swing. Grizzly plainly states on page thirty of the manual that the outboard swing is 17" diameter. How many lathes have smaller outboard swings than inboard swings? Note that Grizzly also says that turning outboard allows larger turning capacities than the swing specification of the lathe.

Hu

(grizzly manual, page 30)
Outboard turning is a variation of faceplate
turning and is accomplished with the headstock
positioned so the faceplate is not directly over the
bed, allowing a larger turning capacity than the
swing specification of the lathe. On the G0766,
the maximum workpiece diameter that can safely
be outboard-turned is limited to 17".

[Roger Chandler]

There are always work arounds, however the 766 is the only lathe I know of that claims a swing bigger than a cylinder it can turn. Bowls often have vertical sections, particularly ornamental bowls. The 766 can't turn these out to close to twenty-two inches, can't turn them beyond sixteen inches.

Likewise, the 766 can't turn a bowl with a recurved lip which I am particularly fond of, bigger than sixteen inches without jumping through hoops. Can't turn another recurved form I need to turn either. While it can be debated what the inboard swing of the 766 is by using pretty contorted reasoning, what can't be debated is the outboard swing. Grizzly plainly states on page thirty of the manual that the outboard swing is 17" diameter. How many lathes have smaller outboard swings than inboard swings? Note that Grizzly also says that turning outboard allows larger turning capacities than the swing specification of the lathe.

Hu

(grizzly manual, page 30)
Outboard turning is a variation of faceplate
turning and is accomplished with the headstock
positioned so the faceplate is not directly over the
bed, allowing a larger turning capacity than the
swing specification of the lathe. On the G0766,
the maximum workpiece diameter that can safely
be outboard-turned is limited to 17".


Hu.......you and I are more together than we are apart on this 0766. Two main issues are in play. The toorest is too high from the factory, and the banjo should have not been taken fron the 0733, which has 4" less swing and just stuck on this 0766! The banjo should have been extended another 4 inches in length, and the toolrest should have been 7/8" below the centerline for bowl turning, as this lathe is advertised to be made for.

I suspect had they done these things, the lathe would be more expensive than it was, but adding another $100 to the price and have gotten these things right would have made for an intoduction of this unit to the market that would have had much celebration, instead of all the threads that point out the deficiencies.

They basically took the leg and bed castings of the 0733 and added a larger headstock, tailstock, 3 hp motor, delta inverter, and handwheel to the same frame of the 0733, which is fine, as the legs and bed are plenty stout to support that additional swing, but they did not bring out a longer banjo on it to support the added swing..........that does not render the lathe incapable of most large turnings, but it is not what it should have been either!

I would really like to see Grizzly take these issues to heart, and begin putting a longer banjo on these 0766 units, and make that small adjustment to the toolrest height, then they would likely have threads singing their praises for such a fine and powerful lathe that this unit has the full potential of being if these two changes were made.

[James Conrad]

This might be a case of cut and paste error, see page 30 of the g0733 manual, same wording except the g0766.

[hu lowery]

Hu.......you and I are more together than we are apart on this 0766. Two main issues are in play. The toorest is too high from the factory, and the banjo should have not been taken fron the 0733, which has 4" less swing and just stuck on this 0766! The banjo should have been extended another 4 inches in length, and the toolrest should have been 7/8" below the centerline for bowl turning, as this lathe is advertised to be made for.

I suspect had they done these things, the lathe would be more expensive than it was, but adding another $100 to the price and have gotten these things right would have made for an intoduction of this unit to the market that would have had much celebration, instead of all the threads that point out the deficiencies.

They basically took the leg and bed castings of the 0733 and added a larger headstock, tailstock, 3 hp motor, delta inverter, and handwheel to the same frame of the 0733, which is fine, as the legs and bed are plenty stout to support that additional swing, but they did not bring out a longer banjo on it to support the added swing..........that does not render the lathe incapable of most large turnings, but it is not what it should have been either!

I would really like to see Grizzly take these issues to heart, and begin putting a longer banjo on these 0766 units, and make that small adjustment to the toolrest height, then they would likely have threads singing their praises for such a fine and powerful lathe that this unit has the full potential of being if these two changes were made.



Roger,

As you know, I bought the 766. I still want one if it can safely turn what I need to turn. I would buy the Oneway banjo if Grizzly indicated this was safe. That puts the 766 plus banjo several hundred dollars higher than the 733. I think they could have easily marketed it at a hundred above the 733 with a longer banjo and the toolrest issue corrected. The toolrest height is easily taken care of although there might be a few months production lag time. Telling owners a new toolrest was on the way would address that issue nicely without it being a big deal.

Where we differ is if the banjo was an oversight or not. Several things I have read after my purchase indicate that Grizzly knew exactly what they were doing. Leads me to believe that the banjo is a deliberate bottleneck to protect other components. If true, I strongly believe that the lathe should have been marketed as a 16" swing lathe, not as having a 22" swing.

Hu

[Roger Chandler]

Roger,

As you know, I bought the 766. I still want one if it can safely turn what I need to turn. I would buy the Oneway banjo if Grizzly indicated this was safe. That puts the 766 plus banjo several hundred dollars higher than the 733. I think they could have easily marketed it at a hundred above the 733 with a longer banjo and the toolrest issue corrected. The toolrest height is easily taken care of although there might be a few months production lag time. Telling owners a new toolrest was on the way would address that issue nicely without it being a big deal.

Where we differ is if the banjo was an oversight or not. Several things I have read after my purchase indicate that Grizzly knew exactly what they were doing. Leads me to believe that the banjo is a deliberate bottleneck to protect other components. If true, I strongly believe that the lathe should have been marketed as a 16" swing lathe, not as having a 22" swing.

Hu

That certainly is an interesting perspective, Hu! A couple of things that I know are these......one the bearings on this G0766 are bigger than on my G0698 18/47........it handled everything I ever threw at it.......of course most of my turnings were under 18", over the 5 + years I turned on that lathe. There were numerous times when I put out of balance blanks that were fairly large on that lathe........it handled them fine, but I had to find the sweet spot as far as rpm's go to get the harmonics as manegable as I could. Those original bearings are still in that lathe and still run like new, although I did purchase an extra set just to have them on hand in case I ever needed them.

Second, the added weight of this 0766, and the bigger and heavier headstock and tailstock......they lend themselves to handling bigger blanks than I put on my former 0698.

Third......a bigger 3-phase A/C motor with premium inverter.........that combination has more low end torque than my 2 hp brushless D/C motor, which had a controller, on the G0698............all that lends itself to slower speed, additional torque, and smoother operation for roughing out big blanks.

Fourth.........adding ballast to the bottom of the lathe with a shelf and sand, bags of lead shot, or whatever means [tractor weights?] will be sufficient I believe to make this G0766 a stable platform for most turnings in the 20-22 inch range.

I guess I have a degree of trust here that you do not have, Hu, because of my positive experience with my former G0698, and this is a beefed up version with many improvements..........notwithstanding the toolrest/banjo combination could be better! ;)

Many 3520b owners turn large turnings and this unit will stand its own with those minor issues addressed, I believe. I have turned on 9 different 3520b units to date, some multiple times, and I think by and large they are great.........I think the performance of this G0766 is equal to them in many ways, just the undersized banjo and too tall rest needs some tweaking.....other than that, no issue. The performance is there in my opinion, which is based on my actual experience and not speculation.

[Mark Greenbaum]

All G0766 buyers and users:

I just got off the phone with Joe at Springfield Grizzly Customer Service, and he read a memorandum to me that states the tool rest height issue has been addressed on a woodturner's forum. Grizzly has deemed the tool rest to be safe and within specifications, and no "Grizzly in-house" modifications to the tool rest can be made. I have registered my complaints, and have an activity number that Joe's supervisor will call me to go over what can or cannot be done for the tool rest issue. I also mentioned the banjo length issue, but not in depth. I told Joe, I was not personally experience with this lathe yet, but I wanted to circumvent, and be pro-active on the tool rest issue, so I don't have to spend more $$$ after the receipt of my machine. He understood, but was unable to have the tool rest modified by Grizzly. I will continue to plead for a remedy, for myself, and future buyers. Wish me luck.

I also asked if there was any future plans to have an extension corded control station (for emergency stop, on/off, and speed control) from the tailstock end. He had no knowledge of such an accessory. I will mention it to the Supervisor when and if he calls me.

[James Conrad]

The delivery truck pulled in as I typed my last. Should have asked him to stay while I checked it out.

The crate was never opened and therefor the machine never inspected. The sides of the crate were never nailed to the bottom, the tail stock was loose and bouncing around inside as well as the legs. The motor has a significant whine. It was loose on the housing, the thumb screw holding the belt door closed was missing its retainer for the washers so they fell inside the housing. And, the ways were scratched up and of course paint damage.

So, I'm done with Grizzly and have learned a lesson. This was my first piece of machinery from them and my last, and stand by my statement and experience here that they will only do what benefits them and are not a customer centric company.

Now, let's talk other lathes...

[Mark Greenbaum]

James:So sorry to read this. My confidence is waning in what Grizzly has to offer. I will give them the benefit of the doubt, but I will make the delivery man wait as I inspect the crate & contents. I specifically have asked for my machine to opened and inspected prior to shipment to me. I don't have time to fiddle-f@rt with this sort of inconvenience, as I am sure none of us do. When we spend good hard earned dollars, we expect that quality will be forthcoming. Contact Grizzly and photograph the damages, and make them do right.

[Roger Chandler]

All G0766 buyers and users:

I just got off the phone with Joe at Springfield Grizzly Customer Service, and he read a memorandum to me that states the tool rest height issue has been addressed on a woodturner's forum. Grizzly has deemed the tool rest to be safe and within specifications, and no "Grizzly in-house" modifications to the tool rest can be made. I have registered my complaints, and have an activity number that Joe's supervisor will call me to go over what can or cannot be done for the tool rest issue. I also mentioned the banjo length issue, but not in depth. I told Joe, I was not personally experience with this lathe yet, but I wanted to circumvent, and be pro-active on the tool rest issue, so I don't have to spend more $$$ after the receipt of my machine. He understood, but was unable to have the tool rest modified by Grizzly. I will continue to plead for a remedy, for myself, and future buyers. Wish me luck.

I also asked if there was any future plans to have an extension corded control station (for emergency stop, on/off, and speed control) from the tailstock end. He had no knowledge of such an accessory. I will mention it to the Supervisor when and if he calls me.
All these are laudable additions to this lathe,and make sense, Mark.........however, I do think that if we want Grizzly to provide an absolutely Cadillac lathe will all possible bells and whistles, then we should be prepared to expect a much higher pricetag than we have paid!

The rest issue is a difference of opinion that they have with us end users........I personally believe they are in the wrong, but they seem to insisting at least that this is the specs that are correct, and I do not think they have approached this in the best way..........I am still looking at the other makes of lathes by this same manufacturer who did make their posts sit lower, and the other brand name lathes like Oneway who have the same 7/8" lower dimension on their rests that have been attested to by owners of those units...........Grizzly seems content to ignore those compelling testimonies in favor of some supposed specifications that they have........where they got them, I do not know! If from the manufacturer, then why did they make the Powermatic and Jet rests lower? Why does the higher end Oneways have the same 7/8" below center dimension if they are wrong? Good question that Grizzly has no good answer for!

Most of the corded extensions with emergency shutoff are from the higher end units like Robust and Oneway. Most of the ones I have seen on the 3520b Powermatics were made by the owner as a modification. This will add some substantial cost if they were to offer one.

The banjo.........they put a banjo for an 18" swing lathe on this 22" swing model........plain and simple. Perhaps they believe this to be fine.......it was at best a cost consideration as a longer banjo would have meant a new casting, and added expense to the manufacturing of this 0766 unit. Not ideal for the purchaser/user, but all of this can be worked around with aftermarket accessories...........ideal for us, no! Good for Grizzly's bottom line.........I am not sure, as this might affect the number of purchasers in the future.......we shall see.

My personal bottom line is this..................I LIKE this lathe! I think it is a good performer from a motor/inverter standpoint and the size of this thing. Are the issues outlined above a deal breaker for me..............NO, because the value and performance is still there, and I am able to tweak things with the aforementioned aftermarket accessories, which just means that this lathe has increased in price for me, but is still the best value on the market for a large lathe with the 3-phase motor and premium inverter combo.

Your mileage may vary..............and to state my final opinion, again- Grizzly could and should have made a longer banjo for the swing of this lathe, and the toolrest should sit 7/8" below the centerline, which is what other makes made by the Burt Group have in this size class and the Oneways, etc!

[James Conrad]

Thanks Mark. I already have the return in swing and should have the bill of lading probably Tuesday based on my last return. I will secure the crate to the bottom, and that's it, they get it back in the same way I got it. Hey, I take some blame here too on wanting this to be a good deal and holding out for 6 months and the returned lathe. I'm sure most people will get a completly adequate lathe, but for me, the experiment is over.

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks Mark. I already have the return in swing and should have the bill of lading probably Tuesday based on my last return. I will secure the crate to the bottom, and that's it, they get it back in the same way I got it. Hey, I take some blame here too on wanting this to be a good deal and holding out for 6 months and the returned lathe. I'm sure most people will get a completly adequate lathe, but for me, the experiment is over. Wow! I am so sorry to hear this for you James.........I do not blame you one bit.......had this occurred to me, I would be done also!

I am not sure what you are referring to as "motor whine" ......mine has gotten quieter as I have used it, and it was never an unacceptable noise, and was comparable to the Powermatics and Jets I have used over the last few years. I think some of that is normal and that perhaps there is some adjustment the inverter makes as it operates over time adjusting to electronic input from the motor and even the actual power coming into the lathe........call it a settling in, or whatever, but I wonder about your assessment of these, unless you have specific expertise in this area of motors/inverters.

All the other stuff........well that is for the birds! I still wonder about vibration and such on the trip across the ocean, and the failure of the factory to address these, and the failure to inspect before shipping from the distribution center! You have now been burned twice.......I cannot say I would feel any different than you!

Of course your situation, nor anyone else's is any business of mine, but we are an online community that gathers around the common interest of wood turning and related things.............I do care about the rest of this community, and desire the best for them, although each person has to make their own choices about machines, techniques and such, but we do all learn from one another!

Best of luck to you as you pursue a lathe from another manufacturer.

[Izzy Camire]

Gee sorry to hear this James I don't blame you for being done with them.

I had been considering this as the lathe to get later in the year but it seems Grizzly sometimes has these problems of not getting things right. Now I am just not sure what I will buy in the fall.

[Matt Schrum]

Thanks Mark. I already have the return in swing and should have the bill of lading probably Tuesday based on my last return. I will secure the crate to the bottom, and that's it, they get it back in the same way I got it. .

I don't blame you, that sounds like a mess. That's pretty irksome that they said they'd give it a once over at the factory before it was shipped to you and they definitely did not. What a pain.

[Roger Chandler]

...I had been considering this as the lathe to get later in the year but it seems Grizzly sometimes has these problems of not getting things right. Now I am just not sure what I will buy in the fall.
Izzy, your statement points to my reply to Hu's post above "Good for Grizzly's bottom line.........I am not sure, as this might affect the number of purchasers in the future.......we shall see."

While I have no personal interest in what lathe you purchase, nor any in Grizzly, just a customer........I would encourage you to take the experience of all the owners into consideration as well as the value.

You may find that a different make with a longer warranty is the best course of action for you. Not everyone likes to tweak things, but want a purchase, whether automobile or woodworking machine to be all they ever wanted, but most find out that with a lathe, they end up acquiring accessories anyway, because each of us realizes that no lathe comes with all the things we find we eventually need.

I would encourage you to not write off what might be a great match for you because of 1 persons disappointing experience. To my knowledge so far, with the exception of the tool rest,[which Grizzly says is fine and within specs] and the banjo being the same one from their 18" swing unit, most all of the posters who have the 0766 give it high marks.

I guess it could be likened to a car that came with lower end tires, versus a premium tires like Michelin's. In some sense, we get what we pay for and if we want Michelin's we probably ought to purchase a Robust or Oneway, but the 0766 unit I got rolls pretty sweet! I liken it to Goodyear's! :D

Your preferences and perspective might be totally different! ;)

[James Conrad]

Wow! I am so sorry to hear this for you James.........I do not blame you one bit.......had this occurred to me, I would be done also!

I am not sure what you are referring to as "motor whine" ......mine has gotten quieter as I have used it, and it was never an unacceptable noise, and was comparable to the Powermatics and Jets I have used over the last few years. I think some of that is normal and that perhaps there is some adjustment the inverter makes as it operates over time adjusting to electronic input from the motor and even the actual power coming into the lathe........call it a settling in, or whatever, but I wonder about your assessment of these, unless you have specific expertise in this area of motors/inverters.

The motor whine was quieter, but still very much there and at a level that is unacceptable. I was over at a club members shop not too long ago who has a PM and there was no sounds like this coming from it. No, I am no expert in these things, but my father who pioneered HP's ultrasound technology and is now a sought after consultant in medical electronics, including writing standards for the FDA in this field is my authority on all things electronic, I'll go with his expertise here.

[hu lowery]

I tried very hard to talk myself into this machine. I talked myself into accepting all of the dings and shipping damage from poor packaging. Then just running the machine a few minutes with the faceplate only had what appeared to be oil leaking out by the front of the spindle. Crawling underneath, more oil seemed to be leaking from somewhere unknown inside the spindle and running out the hole in the center of the spindle housing where it mounts to the bed. Didn't think the headstock had any oil in it. Neither did the person at Grizzly I talked to which led to a sharp exchange for a minute or two. He wanted photographs, I sent them. Even before the photographs we agreed that the machine needed to go back though. Four days of very hard work getting the old lathe out, the new lathe in, the new lathe out, the old lathe in. Not something I did lightly.

I may have to wait six months to buy the 3520 plus the two thousand dollar saving could have been used in a lot of other places. Too many questions that end users don't have answers to though. I'll keep on looking at the 766. If Grizzly goes to a full length banjo and talks Burt into packaging them, then I'll buy one if I haven't already purchased something else. The packaging is whatever the customer, Grizzly in this case, demands. Powermatic and Jet get nicely packaged units from Burt, why not Grizzly? I doubt any of us care about the few dollars per unit better packaging or a different banjo and toolrest would cost. Package the unit to survive the trip and go to a four inch longer banjo and I'll happily pay another $200 for the unit.

Hu

[James Conrad]

Wow Hu, wasn't aware of your issues with the lathe. Is that what you are going with now, the PM?

All Grizzly had to do was deliver on their promise to me: open the crate, check the machine out and put it on my door step in one piece. They failed.

[Roger Chandler]

The motor whine was quieter, but still very much there and at a level that is unacceptable. I was over at a club members shop not too long ago who has a PM and there was no sounds like this coming from it. No, I am no expert in these things, but my father who pioneered HP's ultrasound technology and is now a sought after consultant in medical electronics, including writing standards for the FDA in this field is my authority on all things electronic, I'll go with his expertise here.
Just to followup on this "motor whine" thing.........of the 9 different 3520b lathes I have turned on, 2 of them were considerably more noisy than my G0733....one of them actually made me do a double take, as I was to do a finial demo on it, and I looked to see if everything was okay!....most were about the same, and one I turned on, was whisper quiet. It belongs to local psychiatrist who is a member of our club.........I believe it was one of the first 3520b units that came out before they moved the manufacturing over to Taiwan.

I am not sure why those were the way they were.......I do know that the 3520b Powermatics use the S-1 Delta inverter, and the G0766 uses a Delta M series vectorless micro inverter, which is supposed to be an upgrade from all things I have read. That change in inverters may have to do with some of the "whine" we hear, vs. the 3520b units, and may very well be normal. I also know that the 3520b units are 2 hp motors, unless specially ordered with a 3 hp option, and the 0766 has a 3 hp, 3 phase motor, which again may contribute to the perception of whine........

I know that my unit runs very smooth and with very little of the whine, as it has broken in with the 4 projects I have done to date. The biggest noise I hear is the fan on the motor, and believe me, since this motor whine has been spoken to, I have paid a lot of attention to it. I still think it is normal.

Long term performance will give the true story on this unit. I wish the issues with loose parts in the crates would have been addressed and inspections were better.......those things are preventable in my mind.

[daryl moses]

Every lathe that I have seen [or heard] that uses a VFD has a "whine". It's normal!! My G0733 makes a "high frequency noise" call it a whine or whatever. I knew when I purchased it that this "noise" was normal so I don't pay any attention to it.

[Dok Yager]

Wow James and Hu, sorry to hear about all your troubles with this lathe! I hope you both get something else that does Not have any issues.

AS for myself as I previously stated this lathe has nothing to complain about performance wise. Just a few minor issues that surely if enough folks complain and post enough bad press on grizzly`s site and other media they will pay attention and fix these issues! IF and at this point it`s a Big if, Grizzly fixes the tool rest and banjo issues as well as poor crating I think they have a 1st class lathe on their hands. JMHO.

[James Conrad]

Yes, yes, yes, some level of whine is expected with this type of motor/VFD setup, but not one that drowns out the fan noise or as high pitched as a dog whistle. Both of mine were unacceptable, YOURS, may be fine, MINE, we're not. Not to mention the bearing rattle in the first motor.

Yes, we all knew that there would be small tweaks that would need to be made. However, providing a banjo and tool rest that does not meet the turning needs of the user and specs of the machine is outside the "small tweaks." Cadillac or Hyundai both will get you from point A to B, but not if you spec it as 22" of swing and it only is intended for 17", or put another way, advertise a 5 speed trani and you get a 3. I doubt anyone expected to weave straw into gold here, I certainly didn't, just for them to deliver what they promote. Church it up however you want, there is no denying there are issues with the product, ones we knew about and those we/you have just begun to discover.

[david privett]

my g0766 machine developed a bearing noise after about 10 hrs. of running, called griz. they sent two new bearings reassembled and all is well . I already had gotten from woodcraft a modular system tool rest which I had to modify the post by 2.5 inches making it longer and hoggin the tool rest out a few thousanths. But for what I got in this lathe these little problems which I knew existed in engineering does not keep it from being a great buy compared to a 8500 dollar machine that I could not justify.

[Mark Greenbaum]

my g0766 machine developed a bearing noise after about 10 hrs. of running, called griz. they sent two new bearings reassembled and all is well . I already had gotten from woodcraft a modular system tool rest which I had to modify the post by 2.5 inches making it longer and hoggin the tool rest out a few thousanths. But for what I got in this lathe these little problems which I knew existed in engineering does not keep it from being a great buy compared to a 8500 dollar machine that I could not justify.
Which tool rest system did you get? I'd be very interested to know, because I may be in the market to upgrade soon.

[hu lowery]

Yes, yes, yes, some level of whine is expected with this type of motor/VFD setup, but not one that drowns out the fan noise or as high pitched as a dog whistle. Both of mine were unacceptable, YOURS, may be fine, MINE, we're not. Not to mention the bearing rattle in the first motor.

Yes, we all knew that there would be small tweaks that would need to be made. However, providing a banjo and tool rest that does not meet the turning needs of the user and specs of the machine is outside the "small tweaks." Cadillac or Hyundai both will get you from point A to B, but not if you spec it as 22" of swing and it only is intended for 17", or put another way, advertise a 5 speed trani and you get a 3. I doubt anyone expected to weave straw into gold here, I certainly didn't, just for them to deliver what they promote. Church it up however you want, there is no denying there are issues with the product, ones we knew about and those we/you have just begun to discover.




My high frequency hearing is shot to hell but my lathe seemed eerily quiet below 700. Slight whine from there up, increasing with speed as expected. Never got past break-in so probably some belt noise but regardless of where from, absolutely no noise complaints. Just a crapshoot if you get a quiet one or not I guess.

I have to agree, not what was advertised. I didn't want to get into that can of worms with Grizzly, I just wanted out from under being stuck $1700. I had enough else wrong with my machine to warrant sending it back. I had a similar deal with Ford Motor Company over a radiator that comes with the tow package Roger talks about and I ordered with my new truck. As well as towing, I do some occasional mountain driving, another need for the big radiator. My SuperCrew came with the small radiator. Turned out that all SuperCrews came with the small radiator regardless of ordering the tow package or not.

I raised more hell than a pig stuck under a fence and eventually a representative of Ford met with me and the dealer's service manager. This guy was the customer service person that interacted between the dealer and Ford, not my customer service rep as the name seemed to imply. He told me flat out they could do what they wanted because they were big enough to get away with it! The service manager pointed out that the source book clearly stated that the larger radiator was part of the tow package. Didn't matter the small radiator was adequate. I pointed out that the standard motor and rear end were adequate too but I had paid for and received upgrades. "Tough patootie, you get what we give you" or words to that effect.

The dealer realized I was getting a raw deal and with the specified radiator not being available at the moment put a still larger radiator in. About a year later Ford offered the choice between the proper radiator, a hundred dollar check, or a deep discount on a new truck. They enclosed the check, were pushing it hard! I framed it and hung it on the wall. Turned out Ford wasn't as big as they thought. If enough people raise hell I suspect Grizzly may find out the same thing. I need to turn wood though, not spend the kind of time I spent fighting Ford again.

Edit: James, I am planning on the PM 3520 now. Gonna take awhile to free up the additional coin so plans can change but the 3520 is a pretty major step up from the 766 justifying some of the money. I would still jump on the 766 if they decided to change the banjo and correct packaging issues before then. I believe at least half the price difference is going through dealers instead of just the importer which is what Grizzly is.

Hu

[david privett]

ok from wood craft the 5 inch post which I lengthened by 2.5 inches (could go 3) # is 123583 a large bowl rest is 140457 and a 6 inch tool rest is 123581 there is more stuff for it also . But that will get you started.

[Klaus Waldeck]

It turns!

317942

I was stubborn and did all of the work of setting it up myself. It took some time, and it is very heavy, but I did it. Now I need some turning tools. I was going to try to make a carbide tool. There are plenty of instructions on how to do those.

[Roger Chandler]

It turns!

317942

I was stubborn and did all of the work of setting it up myself. It took some time, and it is very heavy, but I did it. Now I need some turning tools. I was going to try to make a carbide tool. There are plenty of instructions on how to do those.
Not that it matters, Klaus, but it seems you have the bed turned with the labels to the wall......I think the right way is to have the labels and face of the headstock on the same side, but as I said, it really does not matter! Glad to see you got it set up!

[Randy Red Bemont]

Klaus, I'm like you and did it all myself since I had no help around. And yes, it is a heavy beast! Glad to see you're ready to go when you get some turning tools. Enjoy.

Red

[Klaus Waldeck]

I noticed that after I had the bed up on the legs. I had no intention of turning it around. The bed is symmetrical, only the labels are not.