BANDSAW: Grizzly 17" G0630x or 24" G0568 ??? Advice needed!

[Bill Space]

Hello.

I have always dreamed of having a nice bandsaw, but never made the move to get one. I have had an 18” old style Grizzly for probably more than 20 years. Just not a great saw. Rarely use it. But I think if I had a good bandsaw, it would see a lot more use.

I have found Grizzly tools to be very satisfactory for my needs. Cost effective and good quality. I don't need the high end products but understand how nice they may be.

So now the question:

I actually decided that the 17” Grizzly G0630x Ultimate bandsaw at $2,650 was what I should buy.

Then recently I received the new Grizzly catalog, and while dreaming through it I noticed the 24” G0568 at $2,995.

So which should I buy?

The smaller saw attracted me because it looked like it was made to be capable of properly tensioning large blades. But the 24” saw appears to be equally competent in that regard.

The larger saw has greater throat depth naturally, and a large work table. The table does only tilt in one direction, where the smaller saw has a 5 degree reverse tilt. I am not sure that would make a difference to me.

Resaw height is about the same. Weight is proportionally roughly the same for the different inch capacities. Larger saw weighs about 200 pounds more.

I can fit the large saw in my shop without a problem and access is easy, direct entry from ground level.

I really need some help with this decision. I cannot see why the smaller saw should win the decision. It looks like the 17” saw was made to compete with import saws that are great products. Perhaps aimed at those who only have space for a smaller saw. But IF one has the room and ability to get the larger saw into his shop, the larger saw seems to give a bigger bang for the buck, even if it costs about $350 more.

Am I missing something here? (Except for finding a 10% off coupon, which will be what triggers my purchase…)

Please let me know your thoughts on this. I really value the experience and input of members here!

Bill

[Bryan Lisowski]

You have a Grizzly and rarely use because it isn't a good saw, but want to buy another, this is kinda confusing. I would take a look at Rikon or try to find a used European saw.

[Will Boulware]

You mention a lot of one versus the other comparisons, but you didn't say what you want to do with this saw. You're not using the one you have now, so do you have a need for a bandsaw in your shop? Do you need the extra throat depth you mention, or the 5* tilt in the other direction? Either of those models would be a very capable machine, but may or may not fit your needs depending on what you're looking to do.

And what's your budget? Are you bargain shopping for the sake of bargain shopping with that 10% off coupon? If you're looking for a great saw at a lower price, buy a used one.

[Bill Space]

A cheap 20 plus year old Grizzly in no way compares to what is available today. Sorry, end of story.

But if you have some specifics to share that would be great. A name alone is not enough...

Used could be an option...but I don't have a lifetime to wait to find that great deal anymore.

My question is an sincere one.

Bill

[Bill Space]

Of course I am a bargain shopper since I am willing to spend $3K on a saw. It will be the most expensive tool in my shop.

I really only asked for some advice between these two saws. I realize that the used market is always out there but at this point have not seen anything nearby that is appealing.

The above two posts are giving me negative vibes! Sorry I said the "G" word, but I have been very satisfied with my Grizzly purchases over the years. Otherwise I would not have specifically called them out in this post.

Did I make a mistake asking for advice here? So far this does not feel like SMC usually does...

Bill

Edit: Will, use your imagination. It is a bandsaw. I would use it for what band saws are used for. I have several bandsaws, they are all smaller though.

[Cary Falk]

Bill,
I have the 513X2 and love it but If I had the funds at the time I would have purchased the 514X2 just because. If your are already thinking about the larger saw, go for it. I don't see a down side if you have the space and money.

[John TenEyck]

You said G0630X but I don't see that as a model in Grizzly's catalog. If you meant the G0636X then I can speak with first hand knowledge that it is a terrific, no regrets, bandsaw. The larger G0568 looks to be just about the same as the G0636X, just larger. Which you should buy depends upon how valuable width is to you. I had to get my saw down into my basement workshop so anything larger than the G0636X was not going to happen. But I wanted a Euro competitive saw with plenty of power and resaw height and the G0636X met those requirements. I've had it about 6 months now and have nothing but good things to say about it. It was as perfect as I could measure straight out of the crate and with a good blade on it it cuts beautifully. I use it for ripping thick stock, resawing, and slicing shop sawn veneer. I have a Lennox 1" x 1.3 tpi Woodmaster CT and it cuts wood as fast as I can feed it and gives a very smooth finish.

I don't think you can go wrong with either machine.

John

[Randy Henry]

I have owned the 513X2BF for about 5 years now and have never been disappointed. I believe the upper tire slipped within the first year, but Grizzly support sent me 2 upgraded replacements under warranty, so that is a non-issue. The only issue with Grizzly bandsaws are not the saws themselves, but it seems when you start your journey of picking one, the small price jumps between models gets to be overwhelming trying to sort it all out. But for the saw itself, no problems. Would buy it again.

[Van Huskey]

The 636 and 701 are a weight class above the 531 and 568, a 24" saw built like a 636 or 701 will be over 1000 pounds.

IMO for resawing I would pick the 636 or 701 for a general purpose saw with less emphasis on resawing the 531 or 568 make more sense. Don't fool yourself into thinking you get something you don't pay for especially within a single companies product line just be realistic about your actual use and one will likely float to the top as the best choice.

[Larry Frank]

So many times on this forum and others, people ask what (fill in the blank) should I buy. I think the first answer to that is... what are you going to use it for. If you have other band saws, and want a big one to do large resaw, then I would buy a large one capable of tensioning a carbide blade.

Before making a recommendation on a tool, knowing the application is critical. Before buyi new tool for myself, I ask myself the same question. I am sorry that you are getting bad vibes but to help you best, it is really helpful.

[john lawson]

I think you are comparing apples to oranges on more than one level.

If you are willing to spend $3000 on a bandsaw, and you are a bargain shopper then I would recommend a 24" used Minimax, Laguna or Agazzani made in Italy. End of story.

I won't comment on why you want one or what you will do with it. But, if you are concerned about not using the older Grizzly you have now then you would be well advised to change directions.

[Chris Hachet]

Either saw will work well, check height going into a garage work shop or weight going into a basement workshop. I brought home a Powermatic 87 20 inch band saw and it just cleared the top of the garage door coming in.

I would buy the G603x. Right now I have a Walker Turner 14, a Jet 14 inch and the Powermatic in my shop. I still lust after the G603x in the worst sort of way. It is a very good choice.

[Bill Space]

OK, lets start over

For me spending $3K for a bandsaw is not bargain shopping. More power to anyone who thinks this is pocket change.

It may be a bit naive to expect a person to know today what he will need a bandsaw for tomorrow. So let's not worry about that.

I was simply trying to ask why the 24" saw was almost the same price as the 17" saw.

The 17" g0636x (mistake previously) weighs 620 lbs. The G0568 weighs 836 lbs. I know it is not all about weight, since it depends where the weight is used. A heavy noodle has little value, so to speak.

We we can all dream about that great deal that may come along tomorrow on a good used quality saw. At my age I do not have time to wait.

I get get the impression from Van's reply that if I want a general purpose saw, the larger one may be for me. If I wanted to resaw 16" wood all the time the 17" may be the better saw. But I do not expect to want to resaw 16" stuff all the time. Actually, I have a small bandsaw mill that can do 20"... but that is a different story.

I see see no reason to avoid green machines. I love my G1023RLWX Table saw and my G0490 jointer. My Grizzly 15" planer has also served me well.

I am am just trying to understand the differences between these two machines. I see a hint that the larger one will not tension a blade as well as the smaller one. Is this true for a 1" blade? Is there a reason why the larger one would not resaw as well as the smaller one?

Specifically, why would the larger saw be inferior to the smaller One? Or the other way around. I am unlikely to move on this tomorrow (especially since a spark plug blew out on my van's engine this morning. Another story $$).

Bill

[Wade Lippman]

First time you try to cut something that won't fit in the 17" saw, you would feel like a complete moron.

My question is why, if you rarely use a BS, you would drop $3,000 on one. Your old one can't be that ​bad. What don't you like about it?

[Bill Space]

Wade,

It is an old Grizzly 18" that never felt right to me. Hard to explain. I don't think it can tension a blade wider than a half inch properly, if that.

I think one moves towards tools that he enjoys using most. I think I rarely use this saw because it just does not feel good using it, for lack of a better answer.

Good tools are a pleasure to use. I guess that is my motivation.

Edit: I did not mean to say I do not use bandsaws much, but rather that I do not use the 18" Grizzly much. I have a couple smaller ones that I use more often.

Bill

[john lawson]

Okay, in a bandsaw, weight is good, very good. Size is good, size can be great. Vibration is not good, it is very bad. Buy a bandsaw that is heavy, big and has little vibration. If all other things are equal, changing blades, guide system etc, always buy bigger. You can keep a cheap 14" bandsaw with a 18" blade on it for "scroll work"

While Grizzly makes many great machines, and I have owned some of them, most of the Chinese made bandsaws don't hold up in comparison to the Italian made machines. But to each his own. Buying any machine is a trade off in the value equation of what am I willing to pay and what do I expect out of it.

But I will add this. I drug a 25 year old Centauro out of a barn that I paid little to get, de-rusted it, painted it and put a VFD on it (3 phase). The machine runs like a watch. I put a Lenox Trimaster on and use it for joinery cuts. A great bandsaw with a great blade will change your woodworking life. But if you have not experienced using a great machine you won't know what your missing. Before you buy new go try some machines.

[Bryan Lisowski]

Bill,
My comment wasn't meant to be snippy, but after reading it again I could see where it came off that way. I own a Grizzly bandsaw, 14" with riser, due to ceiling constants I really can't go biggerand it has served me well. Since the resaw heights are similar, I would probably look for which has the bigger table since ripping is one thing you mentioned.

[Van Huskey]

Bill, I know you want some definitive answers but they may be hard to find, IME the 568 is a fairly rare bird in the wild and I have never had a chance to test tension and deflection on one, the only ones I have touched have been in Grizzly showrooms.

You are quite correct about weight not necessarily being an indicator of "spinal rigidity". That said most modern manufacturers almost surely use FEA in order to optimize their machines, while the raw materials may not be a big cost burden the cost of shipping the extra weight half way around the world and on to the final destination means on this scale of machine you won't see an extra 100 pounds of weight where less weight using the same materials (not talking about shifting to titanium or carbon fiber) could do the same job.

The 636 like basically every saw under 20" is going to be a little short of full tension on a 1" .035" carbide blade BUT high enough for it to be near optimum. My GUESS (based on similar weight modern steel saws) the 568 will be a little lower in tension but probably within most people's idea of near enough to optimum that they would still choose a 1" carbide blade over a 3/4".

Hobby users have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to bandsaw capacity, how did our forebears ever get buy with 14" throats and 6" of resaw? In all honestly the number of times I have used over 12-13" of resaw or more than 16 or so inches of throat are extremely low, the thing I like most about bigger saws is bigger tables which I find more useful day to day than anything else, something old cast saws are usually blessed with.

I think you want the bigger saw, get it, if you don't you will regret it at some point. If you do get the 568 pick up the resaw fence attachment when you order it.

EDIT: make sure you have the access height for the 24", it will not fit under the average 7' garage door even off the pallet, it can be tipped in using a appliance trucks with enough help though.

[Van Huskey]

While Grizzly makes many great machines, and I have owned some of them, most of the Chinese made bandsaws don't hold up in comparison to the Italian made machines.



For the sake of accuracy all Grizzly bandsaws (save maybe the benchtop baby saw) are built in Taiwan. It is up to the individual whetherer this means anything or not.

[Mike Cutler]

What are you going to do with the saw is the big question.
For me, re-saw is the primary purpose of a band saw, and I don't just mean book matching boards. The band saw is part of my milling process.
It appears that the G0636X might come with a few more polished feature. Fence and trunnion, but I would hope there would be more in the frame also.
In the end though, I'd go with the G0548. 500 more FPM of blade speed, more weight, and a larger rotational mass, is pretty darn attractive. I'm confident that with some tuning and playing around with the guides, the G0568 would be a fully capable re-saw machine. ( I would machine a different style of guides for either machine, but that is a personal preference. )
It looks like the G0636X may come more re-saw ready, but I'm in the bigger is "usually" better camp.

[Adam Merritt]

Bill,
I'm not sure if you'd be willing to consider it, but have you thought about a trip to visit one of the Grizzly showrooms? It looks like a Saturday flight from Pittsburg to Springfield can be had for <$300 (10% of the bandsaw, so you have to weigh that), but that would let you look and see both of those machines (as well as many others you may like) to make a final decision. If you have a pickup, you could potentially make a road-trip to inspect and buy one on-site to save shipping. That would recoup some of your travel cost as well (but might check on tax implications). I detoured on a trip from Ohio back to Texas a few weeks ago and was really impressed looking at all the equipment in the Springfield showroom. This may not be feasible for you, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

[Prashun Patel]

What do you want to do with this saw? Resaw wide, heavy boards, cutting veneer, cutting green logs for turning, clean ripping to rival a tablesaw?

Ask yourself how large you really plan to work. Mine has about 12" resaw capacity. For me, I almost never go that high. If I need to go wider, I have other ways that I prefer to employ; my preference.

For me, mass and power and a big, heavy table are more important than having a taller saw - which is something I didn't anticipate when I was originally considering.

Knowing your priorities will determine how to deploy your $$ @ Grizzly.

[Frank Drew]

I can't keep up with this blizzard of Grizzly machine numbers (548 568 636 513 514 701) and don't have any thoughts on their pricing, but if a 24" bandsaw is of equal or greater quality to a 17" model, and if I could afford it and fit it into my workspace, then getting the larger saw would be an easy decision. In general, assuming a well-made machine, you can put more tension on a blade (band) running over larger wheels because the band is stressed less as it passes over the larger diameter curves. The bigger table and deeper throat would also be in the plus column for me. And this is from someone not particularly interested in resawing my own veneers.

IMO, 24" is an ideal size bandsaw for a small to medium size shop.

[Chris Hachet]

IMO, 24" is an ideal size bandsaw for a small to medium size shop.Indeed, I would like to own a larger machine than my 20 inch at some point.

[Shiraz Balolia]

I know this might be slightly smaller than what you want, but this is the saw I would pick:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/19-Ultimate-Bandsaw/G0701?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com

I have one in my own shop and actually went down from an older 24" model. Basically I can have any saw in our line-up at a "deeply discounted" rate, but chose this one. Quality and build are fantastic.

[Van Huskey]

I know this might be slightly smaller than what you want, but this is the saw I would pick:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/19-Ultimate-Bandsaw/G0701?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com

I have one in my own shop and actually went down from an older 24" model. Basically I can have any saw in our line-up at a "deeply discounted" rate, but chose this one. Quality and build are fantastic.

With the obligatory, and totally understandable and logical, upsell out of the way between the two bandsaws mentioned by the OP (636 and 568) why would you pick and most importantly why?

[Mike Cutler]

I know this might be slightly smaller than what you want, but this is the saw I would pick:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/19-Ultimate-Bandsaw/G0701?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com

I have one in my own shop and actually went down from an older 24" model. Basically I can have any saw in our line-up at a "deeply discounted" rate, but chose this one. Quality and build are fantastic.


I bet you can get the "family discount".;)

Bill
In looking at reviews for these saws, because you got me interested, I found a 9 year old post by Shiraz comparing these machines, or their predecessors. At that time he recommended the 17", over the 24", fwiw.

[Tom Trees]

Have you never heard about the bandsaw rule :confused:
If the 24" is as beefy as the one Shiraz showed on that thread ...no contest

:cool::cool::cool: " Never come down! " :cool::cool::cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3i30km1s4w

[Wade Lippman]

I know this might be slightly smaller than what you want, but this is the saw I would pick:

http://www.grizzly.com/products/19-Ultimate-Bandsaw/G0701?utm_campaign=zPage&utm_source=grizzly.com

I have one in my own shop and actually went down from an older 24" model. Basically I can have any saw in our line-up at a "deeply discounted" rate, but chose this one. Quality and build are fantastic.

It is smaller and nearly 20% more expensive. What makes it worth that?

[Van Huskey]

It is smaller and nearly 20% more expensive. What makes it worth that?


The short answer is the 636 is a better and heavier built saw. They are simply different weight classes of saws.

[Bill Space]

Thanks to all for the input. Really helps me with respect to what I may end up doing.

One thing I found very interesting is the question: "What are you going to use this bandsaw for?"

Perhaps I am different than most, but I like to have tools available and tend to figure out the best way to accomplish what I need to do with what I have. In other words, I do not buy tools to accomplish projects, but rather I let my projects define which of the tools that I have will be most useful in accomplishing what I need to do.

And since i do I do not know what I may undertake tomorrow, with respect to buying a new bandsaw, I should buy what has the greatest probability of satisfying such unknown future needs.

Most people come in through the front door. Perhaps I am one who gravitates to the back door... 😀

Again, thanks for the advice! Mike Cutler gave me an idea to search for previous posts specific to one or the other of the saws I mentioned, and this has turned up a ton of useful info.

Great site, great people. Thanks again... Bill

[Chris Hachet]

Have you never heard about the bandsaw rule :confused:
If the 24" is as beefy as the one Shiraz showed on that thread ...no contest

:cool::cool::cool: " Never come down! " :cool::cool::cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3i30km1s4wLove the music, humor and link. However, I think one needs to be careful about assuming bigger is better when it comes to band saws. There are real space, power, and cost disadvantages to larger band saws.

That being said, I own a 20 inch Powermatic 87 and am in love with the vintage 30 inch Tannewitz the gentleman had in his shop when we hauled home the Powermatic.

[Chris Hachet]

Thanks to all for the input. Really helps me with respect to what I may end up doing.

One thing I found very interesting is the question: "What are you going to use this bandsaw for?"

Perhaps I am different than most, but I like to have tools available and tend to figure out the best way to accomplish what I need to do with what I have. In other words, I do not buy tools to accomplish projects, but rather I let my projects define which of the tools that I have will be most useful in accomplishing what I need to do.

And since i do I do not know what I may undertake tomorrow, with respect to buying a new bandsaw, I should buy what has the greatest probability of satisfying such unknown future needs.

Most people come in through the front door. Perhaps I am one who gravitates to the back door... 

Again, thanks for the advice! Mike Cutler gave me an idea to search for previous posts specific to one or the other of the saws I mentioned, and this has turned up a ton of useful info.

Great site, great people. Thanks again... BillAnd also thank you for your interest in band saws. I think they are an astonishingly under rated tool. I see lots of them come up for sale with really short hours.

Mine are in use every time I or my shop mate are in the shop.

[Bill Space]

The short answer is the 636 is a better and heavier built saw. They are simply different weight classes of saws.

Like to follow up on Van's comment.

According to the comparison chart in the 2017 Grizzly catalog:

The 17" 636 weighs 620 pounds.

The 24" 568 weighs 836 pounds.

The 568 is therefore 1.35 times heavier.

Scaling up from 17", 17" x 1.35 = 22.92".

So proportionately, if the 17 inch saw was scaled up to a proportionately weighted larger size, it would turn into a 23" saw.

So by weight there is about a 4% difference in weight per inch of throat. Is this significant? I think not. GRANTED it is impossible as the consumer to determine where the steel was placed.

While Van is technically correct (4% relatively lighter is 4% lighter) I am not sure this is a significant difference.

Seems to me me it would be a fairer assessment to conclude that these two saws are in the same weight class when weight and throats size are considered.

Now the 701 at 717 lbs would probably be the winner.

Lets see:

The 19" 701 weighs 717 lbs.

The 24" 568 weighs 836 lbs.

The 568 is therefore 1.166 times heavier

Scaling up from 19", 19" x 1.166 = 22.15"

So the 24" 568 is about 8% lighter than a scaled up 24" 701 would weigh. Is 8% significant? I don't have a clue.

For PRACTICAL purposes wouldn't this put these three saws in "about" the same weight class? More or less?. Granted there may be features that make the 636 & 701 more desirable, such as table tilt +/- and perhaps blade guides.

The 636 & 701 would certainly 4% to 8% heavier than the 568 if each were scaled up to 24". Is this difference enough to put them in different weight classes? I do not know, but my get is saying "probably not."

Bill

[John C Bush]

Not trying to complicate your decision making process -- I have the 21" G0531B and it has been a great saw for my needs. I visited the showroom and couldn't identify a big difference in most of the models. Structural enhancements are well hidden. They didn't have many of the "ultimate models" then and the 531 has 14 1/4" resaw capacity-- I have only needed more a couple of times--so if you aren't sure what capacity you may need and you want to save 1K take a look a the 531. I usually keep a 1" Lenox woodmaster CT on It and use it frequently. Good luck.