Help me decide: Grizzly jointer

[Rick Cicciarelli]

I'm planning my shop purchases with my limited budget. I've got the 17" bandsaw picked out and initially I was going to purchase a planer and jointer with spiral cutter heads but I really can't swing the extra $1000. So I'm just going with the Grizzly G0453W and an 8" jointer. I'm trying to decide between the G0656W and the G0490W. I appreciate opinions.

[Mike Kees]

Hi Rick,there are lots of threads and people on this forum that really like the Go490. i own a delta Dj-20 which is the design that grizzly bases the 490 on. The bed design is easier to adjust if things are not aligned properly to begin with. So I would vote for the 490. Mike.

[Cary Falk]

I would pick the 490. I have the Shop Fox 1741.

[andy bessette]

I bought my used Powermatic 8" jointer with mobile base for $700. Way better machine.

[glenn bradley]

I also went with the G0490X after a lot of research. Parallelogram beds, a tall fence and a long infeed table were a few of the things on my 'gotta-have' list. The current version has addressed things that the original design required you to address like the open top chute.

It would also serve you to look into some of the articles (http://www.finewoodworking.com/2011/10/27/bottom-line-on-segmented-cutterhead-cost) that layout how index heads are actually less expensive over time. There's price and then there's cost. A good price on a car isn't all that good if the maintenance and operational costs are high.

[mor zaiderman]

Consider the spiral head, G0490X, which already includes freight, so it's just another $220 over the G0490W. With the better finish, lower noise and 4 sided carbide blade it's a no brainer for me. Four sets of straight blades and you've already broken even.

I have a tiny nick on one of my planer blades, and it annoys me every time I use the thing.

Feel the pinch once, or feel the pinch every time you use the tool. My $.02

[Cary Falk]

I have a tiny nick on one of my planer blades, and it annoys me every time I use the thing.



I just had to look at my blades and they would get a nick. I put a Byrd head in my jointer 4 or 5 years ago. I haven't had to rotate the knives yet and don't have a single knick.

[Robert Engel]

Not many people will have both jointers.

I can only comment I have the 0490 long bed and am perfectly happy with it.

BTW for those who prefer certain brands, in many cases they are all made in the same factory.

For example, take a look at a 20" PM, Jet and Grizzly planer. They are all from the same factory with identical casting. Only the electrics are different.

[Rick Cicciarelli]

Yeah I'll likely go for the spiral cutterhead on the jointer. I'm still going to have to stick with standard blades on the planer though. I simply don't have the funds for it now. It looks like I could always add a spiral cutter to the planer though if I really wanted too.

[Matt Day]

I'd put the $220 toward the spiral head in the planer.

That being said, if you're on a budget you can save big by buying used. Jointers and planers are pretty simple machines.

[Jeff Goldsmith]

I received the G0656 about a month ago, the carton looked like it was dragged half way across the country, thing got beat up pretty bad. Everything was perfect after set up, very nice cast iron bed, infeed and outfeed as well as fence are all flat, true and ready to roll. I will add the spiral cutters later but for now I am very happy, especially for the money. I went with the CUTech 4200HC-CT planer.

Good Luck

[Keith Hankins]

Ok, I've got a lot of green in my shop, and griz is a very good value proposition. I have the 12" griz jointer with HSS knives. At the time and still today, it costs no diff, if you get the hss knives and then add the byrd head afterwords. I did mine in 2008, and have yet to upgrade, just don't need to, and I've run a lot of lumber through it.

My motto is get the biggest jointer you can afford. I'd go look at CL for an old piece of American Iron. If not, griz would be fine. Jointers are simple tools. I invested in the parallelogram design .vs. dovetail to keep the infeed table as close to the head as possible. To be honest, once set it rarely moves. Only time I adjust mine, is for figured wood.

Good luck and post pic's of what ever you get.

We all love new toys even if they are someone else's Cheers :)