Can't decide between the JET and Grizzly 12" jp combo units

[Mike Dowell]

I know there are a number of threads about this topic but they are years old, and manufacturers change designs over time. Considering that, what may have been a "con" before, could possibly have been updated out of these machines in the last couple years.

Well, I had originally ordered a Grizzly jointer and planer separately, but both are on intergalactic backorder so I'm rethinking. My shop is pretty small to boot (25x25) so footprint is a big deal. I started looking at combo units last night and while I would like a Hammer A3 31, it's $5k, and the two units I'm seriously considering are closer to the $3k mark. I'm not a hobbyist, I'm a business and cash flow is key, provided that either of these machines can do a decent job at planing and jointing, which I think they can.

So I find myself tossing around the JET JJP-12HH and the Grizzly G0634X. Both similar price points, and as far as I know, comparable in quality. I like the pork chop blade guard better on the Grizzly, but somewhere I read that the JET has a higher cutter count. The JET has a 3HP motor, where the Grizzly has a 5hp. Beyond this, never having owned either a jointer or a planer, I'm not well enough experienced to grade the other differences in these machines.

I'm going to be placing an order for one of these machines in the next 24-48 hours. Which should I get and why?

Thanks!


***UPDATE*** Hold the phone. I'm seeing some striking similarities between the JJP-12HH and RIKON 25-210H (https://www.rikontools.com/product/25-210h)

coincidence?

[Frederick Skelly]

Mike, I can't weigh in on one vs the other of these. But there have been threads lately about delays in getting certain models from Grizzly. If getting something quickly affects your decision you might want to check availability of the machine in question (from either company). I'd do that over the phone myself, rather than relying on the website order page.

Hope it helps.
Fred

[Mike Dowell]

Mike, I can't weigh in on one vs the other of these. But there have been threads lately about delays in getting certain models from Grizzly. If getting something quickly affects your decision you might want to check availability of the machine in question (from either company). I'd do that over the phone myself, rather than relying on the website order page.

Hope it helps.
Fred

Yeah, I did that, and both are available. That's why I'm ready to pull the trigger right away. Man, when grizzly runs a free shipping promo, folks jump!

[Jim Becker]

Mike, I'm not familiar with either of the units you ask about. But I did pick up on the fact that you state you are a business user. Do keep that in mind when you are acquiring machinery relative to duty cycle and also look around for pre-owned Felder/Hammer, MiniMax, etc., industrial machines.

[Mike Shields]

I'm not a hobbyist, I'm a business and cash flow is key...

I am a hobbyist with a 12" J/P combo. Every time I have to change modes, it's a pain. I don't think I would ever consider a combo if I had a business; time is money, and you will spend a lot of time converting back and forth.

my .02

[Mike Dowell]

I was looking at the minimax(huge price though) but it has straight knives. I've been told by nearly everyone that I want helical heads. Your business/finance advice is spot on and what my sister tells me(MBA).

[Mike Dowell]

I am a hobbyist with a 12" J/P combo. Every time I have to change modes, it's a pain. I don't think I would ever consider a combo if I had a business; time is money, and you will spend a lot of time converting back and forth.

my .02

Main problem with me is space restrictions. I'm in a 25x25. Not a lot of room for a large foot print here.

[glenn bradley]

Remembering that the good thing about forums is we all get to give our opinions . . . I don't recall any one praising either of these machines overall. I'm pretty sure that's why we don't see many posts about them. Some folks took one for the team and reported back. Others learned from those reports although I'm sure there are some satisfied users out there.

Unless they are really poorly designed the change over shouldn't take all that long and the alignment should remain reliably consistent. I see a lot of reports that the alignment is the issue. If you are fiddling with alignment every time you convert you will be losing money fast. I would want to see at least a half a dozen reviews that state that the machine is "great". Maybe a thread to "Owners of the Jet 'XYZ' - Your Experiences?" would get you more surgical responses.

Both of these seem more like hobbyist level machines but, I get the cash flow thing. In a business situation I would consider either a 'tweener' machine that will either die on the line or just get replaced. Given that perspective I would pick the one people dislike the least and squeeze every dime out of it I could while saving for a more appropriate machine.

[Mike Dowell]

Remembering that the good thing about forums is we all get to give our opinions . . . I don't recall any one praising either of these machines overall. I'm pretty sure that's why we don't see many posts about them. Some folks took one for the team and reported back. Others learned from those reports although I'm sure there are some satisfied users out there.

Unless they are really poorly designed the change over shouldn't take all that long and the alignment should remain reliably consistent. I see a lot of reports that the alignment is the issue. If you are fiddling with alignment every time you convert you will be losing money fast. I would want to see at least a half a dozen reviews that state that the machine is "great". Maybe a thread to "Owners of the Jet 'XYZ' - Your Experiences?" would get you more surgical responses.

Both of these seem more like hobbyist level machines but, I get the cash flow thing. In a business situation I would consider either a 'tweener' machine that will either die on the line or just get replaced. Given that perspective I would pick the one people dislike the least and squeeze every dime out of it I could while saving for a more appropriate machine.

Well that's pretty solid advice. Either way, the purchase is going on a credit card. The Hammer a3 31 is about $5k(and out of stock to boot).

[Mike Shields]

Main problem with me is space restrictions. I'm in a 25x25. Not a lot of room for a large foot print here.

The Dewalt 735 is an extremely capable 12.5" planer. Do you have a cart or table that 735 can sit under, and thus not take up it's own footprint? Then buy a dedicated jointer.

If you can find a way to makes separates work, you should try; swapping modes will frustrate you to no end.

[larry senen]

The Dewalt 735 is an extremely capable 12.5" planer. Do you have a cart or table that 735 can sit under, and thus not take up it's own footprint? Then buy a dedicated jointer.

If you can find a way to makes separates work, you should try; swapping modes will frustrate you to no end.


having had a small shop and now moving to a smaller one, i would still get two machines.

[Jim Becker]

I was looking at the minimax(huge price though) but it has straight knives. I've been told by nearly everyone that I want helical heads. Your business/finance advice is spot on and what my sister tells me(MBA).
The finish off the Tersa knives in my FS350 is really good. I've never wanted a helical for cutting, although it does often help with noise level.

As to the changeover time...IMHO, it's a none issue for a small shop situation, especially if milling work is planned. It takes me about a minute total to change mine over in either direction and is "zero pain". But the changeover on the machines you are considering might be different.

Your sister is a smart cookie...listen to her. Even before I decided to monetize my shop and start a business (recently), I always tried to consider a potential business situation when I was making buying decisions. While investing a little more can "hurt" initially, the total cost of ownership and return on investment can be better. And as a business, you also need to consider any tax benefits available to you for machinery, too. I'm not saying that to push you to any specific brand...it's a universal business decision thing.

[marty fretheim]

I read your concerns on cost and delivery timeline and understand. I just wanted to say the Hammer unit in my opinion would be worth the extra money. Those silent power cutter heads are awesome. Don't think I've ever heard a bad review on the A3-31. Can't say the same for the other brands.

Dont know if you called Felder to verify the timeline on getting the Hammer but their website isn't always accurate. They may be able to put you in touch with a used one as well. Plus it's fun spending other people's money, huh?

Good luck whatever you choose Mike!

[John TenEyck]

From where I sit Mike I would not buy either of those machines. If you've never owned a jointer or planer you clearly don't need one immediately, so I would wait on a good USED MiniMax or Hammer machine, or a new lunch box planer and a new or used 8" jointer. You should be do either option for less than your 3K budget. Spiral cutter head is nice but not necessary unless you plan to use mostly highly figured wood and don't have a drum sander.

Used machines are out there. I got a 14" MiniMax J/P about 3 years ago for just over $2K. Patience is rewarded. Used has so many advantages and few disadvantages. Cheaper, no shipping damage issues, you can see, inspect, and run it prior to purchase, etc.

FWIW, change over time is well less than a minute. Also, my MiniMax has a pork chop guard and I much prefer it over the Euro guard on my prior machine. YMMV. Oh yeah, if you get really lucky, as I did, the machine you find will have a slot mortiser on it. So now you have 3 machines in 1.

John

[Mike Dowell]

The finish off the Tersa knives in my FS350 is really good. I've never wanted a helical for cutting, although it does often help with noise level.

As to the changeover time...IMHO, it's a none issue for a small shop situation, especially if milling work is planned. It takes me about a minute total to change mine over in either direction and is "zero pain". But the changeover on the machines you are considering might be different.

Your sister is a smart cookie...listen to her. Even before I decided to monetize my shop and start a business (recently), I always tried to consider a potential business situation when I was making buying decisions. While investing a little more can "hurt" initially, the total cost of ownership and return on investment can be better. And as a business, you also need to consider any tax benefits available to you for machinery, too. I'm not saying that to push you to any specific brand...it's a universal business decision thing.

As far as changeover, how do you get your planer table exactly where you left it in the event you realize you forgot to joint one more of those boards?

[Mike Dowell]

From where I sit Mike I would not buy either of those machines. If you've never owned a jointer or planer you clearly don't need one immediately, so I would wait on a good USED MiniMax or Hammer machine, or a new lunch box planer and a new or used 8" jointer. You should be do either option for less than your 3K budget. Spiral cutter head is nice but not necessary unless you plan to use mostly highly figured wood and don't have a drum sander.

Used machines are out there. I got a 14" MiniMax J/P about 3 years ago for just over $2K. Patience is rewarded. Used has so many advantages and few disadvantages. Cheaper, no shipping damage issues, you can see, inspect, and run it prior to purchase, etc.

FWIW, change over time is well less than a minute. Also, my MiniMax has a pork chop guard and I much prefer it over the Euro guard on my prior machine. YMMV. Oh yeah, if you get really lucky, as I did, the machine you find will have a slot mortiser on it. So now you have 3 machines in 1.

John

Yes John, I'm actually leaning more toward a high end combo unit such as the FS30 or A31. I should look used - I agree, and I will do just that.

[Sebastien La Madeleine]

Hi Mike,

I have very specific info regarding the Jet unit. I purchased one, sort of like you, when I started out. I was planning on converting a hobby to a business, in the end it's back to a hobby. My shop is 20x24 and cramped.

Long story short, the Jet unit was very good for the price, but was not quite large enough for my needs, so I "upgraded" to an A3-41.

I had good results with the helical head on the Jet. It was a bit tricky to get the adjustments to repeat every change over, but once you got the hang of it, it was great.

The machine never lacked power, in hard maple, full width, 1/16 pass, barely any change in noise/speed. Very quiet machine.

I would say, looking back, that double the price for the A3-41 is just too much. If it wasn't for the increase in capacity, the increase in quality and performance is not double, more like 10% better.

With the planer table well locked on the Jet, I got no snipe, none.

The jointer part worked great once you got it dialed in. I had the machine on casters and moving it proved to be a mistake as the frame would rack ever so slightly causing the tables to need an adjustment (also true of the A3-41 though, keep in mind that my floor has very pronounced slopes and unevenness).

Change over time is negligible (under a minute).

The euro guard fits my work method perfectly, I always was nervous with the blade exposed before the guard, on the old Rockwell, came back when jointing wide boards. To me it's a bonus but take that with a grain of salt.

Looking at the Rikon unit, it looks like they are exactly the same! I would not hesitate on purchasing either...

Hope this helps!

[rudy de haas]

I looked closely at these machines a few years ago. At that time the Hammer was by far the best across the board but between two and three times the cost of the grizzly (In Canada). I did not get hands-on time with the grizzly but a wood working specialty store in Calgary had the rikon/jet version and was staffed by people to whom those unblessed with knowledge of the secret handshake were invisible - so I pretty much took the thing apart on the shop floor (and left it better by tightening the main belt). I thought it very poor quality - plastic bits where hammer has steel, weak platform support, not enough weight, etc.

If you plan on doing production work and can afford the initial hit, the Hammer is a no brainer - otherwise get hands on time with the two machines you're left with before choosing. My bet? you'll pick the Grizzly.

[marty fretheim]

As far as changeover, how do you get your planer table exactly where you left it in the event you realize you forgot to joint one more of those boards?
Mike, that's an excellent question. The hammer has an optional dial gauge on the crank handle. Can't speak to its accuracy, but I've heard it's very good. I don't think they offer the motorized/digital option on the Hammer. Maybe someone else will comment on that.

Marty

[Mike Dowell]

The finish off the Tersa knives in my FS350 is really good. I've never wanted a helical for cutting, although it does often help with noise level.

As to the changeover time...IMHO, it's a none issue for a small shop situation, especially if milling work is planned. It takes me about a minute total to change mine over in either direction and is "zero pain". But the changeover on the machines you are considering might be different.

Your sister is a smart cookie...listen to her. Even before I decided to monetize my shop and start a business (recently), I always tried to consider a potential business situation when I was making buying decisions. While investing a little more can "hurt" initially, the total cost of ownership and return on investment can be better. And as a business, you also need to consider any tax benefits available to you for machinery, too. I'm not saying that to push you to any specific brand...it's a universal business decision thing.


Hey Jim, since you have an SCM machine, why do you suppose that they don't make these combo units with helical heads? Seems like that's what everyone wants. I don't have a single "perfect" choice in this conundrum. I hate shopping for equipment because of this analysis paralysis. I Called the place I purchased my PM2000 from (elitemetaltools.com) and spoke to one of the sales reps there. He said he was going to put me in touch with some folks who have purchased the FS30 and FS41 from him so I can ask how they are liking them.

The Hammer machines have an excellent reputation as do the SCM machines. The Hammer offers a helical head option, where the SCM -best that I can tell- does not.

In short: should a helical head be a deal breaker? If I spend this much money, I'm seriously considering taking the plunge on one of the Hammer or SCM 16" models. What's another $1500 right? I'm in debt up to my ears anyway due to us opening a retail store. If I take the plunge and "buy once, cry once", I want to feel like this machine is a lifetime machine like my PM2000. That's the mindset I got myself into prior to purchasing that little gem.

[Jim Becker]

As far as changeover, how do you get your planer table exactly where you left it in the event you realize you forgot to joint one more of those boards?
I haven't really had difficulty in setting the thicknessing table to the same setting as a previous run visually on the scale. There's likely a very, very slight variance each time I shoot for 19mm slash 3/4", but it would be measured in thousandths probably. Not enough to matter in woodworking, in other words. You can always throw a DRO on a machine to get "repeatable" results, at least within whatever the error of margin would be.

I tend to break components down roughly by marking and doing a quick cross cut on the CMS. I then face joint them as a batch to get flat lumber and it's rare I need to return to the jointer function. (Because I have a slider, I rarely ever edge joint since a straight line rip with the material on the wagon after flattening and thicknessing accomplishes edges perfectly perpendicular to the faces) Once the material is flat, I changeover and everything from there is just thickness. Unless, as you mention, I make a mental mistake. Stuff happens... ;) But that minute to switch back isn't too painful...especially compared to the personal chastising for screwing up in the first place. :D

BTW, I much, much prefer the Euro/Bridge guard over the "pork chop" type for these wider jointing surfaces, especially after breaking two of the "pork chops" that originally graced my J/P.

[Frank Martin]

I had the Grizzly unit over 10 years ago only because that was the only one that came with the spiral cutter head. I now have a Minimax CU300 5-function combo which has a 12" jointer/planer. I would only say that these two machines are not in the same league. Especially if you are going to be using it to make money (i.e., reliability matters a lot), like others, I highly recommend looking for a used Euro combo, or go for a new one if you can pull it off.

[Art Mann]

I own the Jet JJP-HH and it is a good machine. It works just like it ought to and the finish needs very little sanding. The construction is very heavy and strong. I think it is a better value than the European machines for most hobbyists because it does the same job and costs less money. I had a little trouble with it when I first got it. The table surfaces have a texture to them by design. It is supposed to prevent the "suction" type resistance when you are planing surfaces that are already very smooth. I thought the surface was too rough and used sand paper to smooth them out some. I am the only one I have ever heard of who had this problem so I am inclined to think it was a manufacturing defect.

Changeover takes about 40 seconds including switching sides of the dust collection hose. It takes longer than that just to adjust the thickness of this or any other planer. I use the Wixey digital readout to set planer cut thickness and I can get within 0.005" of the target. That is close enough for any woodworking requirements I know of. You will get more variation than that due to humidity changes over time.

[tom lucas]

For space savings, I love the combo idea. And you get a wide jointer too. However, you lose table length on the jointer and that would be a deal breaker for me......unless there is no way I could fit two machines.

[Jim Becker]

Tom, how often are you milling something that you really, really need to keep a board at a very long length? I suspect that unless you are making really large/huge projects, it's going to be rare that any component is longer than 5-6' most of the time. That's been my experience and the slightly shorter bed length of my J/P has been inconsequential.

[Art Mann]

I am with Jim on this one. I learned 40 years ago to cut my rough lumber nearly to size before jointing and planing it. I would do that even if the bed of my planer were 8 feet long.

[J. Greg Jones]

First let me mention that I have a hobby shop, so my equipment has not seen the same use hours that would be normal in a commercial shop. I have owned the Jet since it was first released, before the helical head version from Jet was even an option. I later converted it to a Byrd head and changed the internal parts (planer feed rate) to make it identical to Jet's JJP-12HH. I've been nothing but happy with the machine.

The cut quality is excellent, the 3 HP motor does a good job, but with the reduced feed rate on the helical head version I can see where this may be a concern for a commercial shop. I have never had alignment issues with mine, but then it has remained stationary for the entire life of the machine. I have often wondered if there might be a connection between alignment problems and mobile base use. Changeover time and trouble is totally a non-issue for me. I've never timed the changeover, but it cannot take longer than 30 seconds.

I have logged enough hours on Felder equipment to know that there is no comparison between it and the Grizzly/Jet/Rikon class machines. It's a night and day difference, and if my budget has allowed I would have purchased an A3-31. However, if I were buying again today (same budget considerations) I would go with the Rikon. The Rikon appears to be identical to the Jet, but Rikon appears to be very serious about the business with new offerings coming out on a regular basis. Jet, not so much and the recent ownership changes give me pause, wondering if the brand may be headed the same direction as Delta. Grizzly is a nice option, but as mentioned you may need to wait months and months to get one.

[Curt Harms]

As far as changeover, how do you get your planer table exactly where you left it in the event you realize you forgot to joint one more of those boards?

A DRO will get you very close, Here's how I mounted mine:
383793
The trick to managing changeover time is try to do things in batches. I have a Jet JJP-12 straight knife - spirals were just becoming available when I bought mine and there was a considerable cost difference. One thing about the Jet in a high use environment is that some have reported the motor is prone to overheating when run continuously for an hour or more. One person put a small fan in the access panel in order to get some airflow around the motor. I can believe the overheating, that motor is pretty small for 3 h.p. Overheating has never been an issue for me, I'm a hobbyist and the machine seldom runs under load for more than a couple minutes at a time. I've never found power an issue but I don't try to take much of a cut per pass, probably < 1/16" most times. Getting and keeping Jet JJP jointer beds coplanar was a hot topic for a while. Maybe I'm just not that fussy but as long as I can joint 2 edges and they can be glued up with moderate clamping pressure, what more do I need? I'm not building turbine engine components where 0.0001" matters.

[tom lucas]

Tom, how often are you milling something that you really, really need to keep a board at a very long length? I suspect that unless you are making really large/huge projects, it's going to be rare that any component is longer than 5-6' most of the time. That's been my experience and the slightly shorter bed length of my J/P has been inconsequential.

Each to their own. Even at 6' I want it supported coming out of the jointer. Sometimes you want to work longer boards to minimize waste, to work around knots, checks, and so forth. I am always working with 8 - 10' rough cut lumber and seldom just shorten it to suit a project. I try to harvest the longest, widest pieces I can.

And why not just make the outfeed on the combos another foot longer? You've already saved the space of a whole machine. Why "short change" the jointer?

[Derek Cohen]

Mike, that's an excellent question. The hammer has an optional dial gauge on the crank handle. Can't speak to its accuracy, but I've heard it's very good. I don't think they offer the motorized/digital option on the Hammer. Maybe someone else will comment on that.

Marty

Marty, I have the A3-31with the digital gauge. It is very easy to dial in any thickness. It is very precise, which makes it possible to return to a measurement at a later time if you need to do so.


In short: should a helical head be a deal breaker?

Mike, no doubt there are those who find an advantage in the straight blades, but I like the ease of changing faces, the longevity of the carbide edges, and the silence of the helical head. The latter may not be important to a professional working in an industrial setting, but it makes working from home a stress-free operation.





.. the slightly shorter bed length of my J/P has been inconsequential.

That's how I feel, Jim. A big reason for getting the A3-31 for me was the width of the jointer. The reduction in length over my old 8" Delta has not been an issue, ever. The Hammers are also available with an accessory, add-on bench top. I have one, but rarely use it.

For a pro, however, the negative with the A3-31 - or any combo machine - will be the need to change over from jointer to thicknesser/planer, and vice versa. This takes about 1 minute on the A3-31, but might drive a more impatient man to drink .... well, some would see that as another positive :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[mark mcfarlane]

Mike, here are a few thoughts:

As several have said, a digital read out (DRO) makes it easier to reset the thicknesser to the same setting. I use a Wixey DRO (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054RJ7AS/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) $70 on my Minimax combo J/P/Saw/Shaper. I don't get perfect repeatable results yet, I think because one of the brackets flexes a little, so I need to fabricate a new bracket out of some stiffer steel and see if that helps.

Re planing long boards: I tend to loose yield due to warping/cupping if I try to surface a really long board. I'm with Jim and others in that I prefer to cut my boards to ~ project size before surfacing them. That way any warp/cup is localized and I don't have to remove as much material to get a stable rectangle. If you start with very straight flat stock this isn't as important.

It is also difficult for me to manage pushing a 10' long 6/4 or 8/4 piece of white oak over the jointer,... The flip side to this - each project piece I make is cut a little long and trimmed to final dimension at the end, so there is possibly more wastage with this 'project sized pieces' approach, assuming you are starting with relatively flat stock.

Minimax (SCM) sells a spiral head called the Xylent. I suspect this is a special order item, I special ordered my entire machine and it took 3 months to build in Italy and ship. There are also third party spiral heads, but that adds to the cost since you would be wasting the Tersa head. I do get some minor scalloping from the Tersa blades but some 80 grit sandpaper on a Rotex makes them disappear pretty quickly. Also, the process of changing Tersa blades is amazingly fast and simple. I can swap out the 3 blades on my Tersa head in under 5 minutes, all perfectly aligned.

[Phil Mueller]

Certainly none of my business, but a credit card is an expensive way to finance a “largish” purchase. I’d look into a HELOC, or small business line of credit, if that’s available to you while the rates are still pretty low. But maybe, your sister has already advised you in this department.

[tom lucas]

Mike, here are a few thoughts:

Re planing long boards: I tend to loose yield due to warping/cupping if I try to surface a really long board. I'm with Jim and others in that I prefer to cut my boards to ~ project size before surfacing them. That way any warp/cup is localized and I don't have to remove as much material to get a stable rectangle. If you start with very straight flat stock this isn't as important.


I'm not talking about face planing. I edge plane one side. Then rip on table saw to maximize board length, working around defects. Then leave this way until ready for a project. At that point, I pick the smallest pieces that will work for the job, cutting out defects, and then edge and surface plane. Of course, one doesn't need a long out feed table. I just prefer it. And if I were doing it as a business, I probably wouldn't even consider a combination tool. But, then I consider 25 x 25 shop too small for a commercial shop. This comes from my shop being 20 x 25 and almost too small for my wood hobbies. The challenge comes during assembly. That takes up a lot of space, or slows you down as you plan out the builds to fit the space. I can only build one large item at a time in my space. Something like 4 dining chairs would make it really crowded. No matter, these are just my choices. No offense to the OP. I'm sure one can make many situations work. And with space being a premium, perhaps the combo is the best choice. If I ever have to move to a smaller shop, I might do the same. At some point space is more important.

[Ben Rivel]

Certainly none of my business, but a credit card is an expensive way to finance a “largish” purchase. I’d look into a HELOC, or small business line of credit, if that’s available to you while the rates are still pretty low. But maybe, your sister has already advised you in this department.
Depends on the credit card I suppose. I have a couple Platinum cards that are 7.9% fixed APR with very high limits. Are HELOC, or small business line of credit percentages lower than that?

[David Kumm]

HELOC interest is no longer deductible after 2017. Dave

[Jim Becker]

And why not just make the outfeed on the combos another foot longer? You've already saved the space of a whole machine. Why "short change" the jointer?
The answer is likely because of weight...humans need to be able to lift the tables for changeover and even with the spring assist, there's still a reasonable limit.

I can appreciate that you prefer to mill longer stock and there's nothing wrong with that nor is there anything wrong with preferring a longer jointer. I was only pointing out that for many of us, the shorter table really isn't a limitation.

[Jim Becker]

Are HELOC, or small business line of credit percentages lower than that?
Ours is prime less 1/2%...

[Charlton Wang]

I've got the g0634xp. The quality of the machine in general seems pretty high. That said, the two weaknesses are the porkchop guard which seems like it was just put there without consideration towards whether it actually covers the cutterhead entirely (which it doesn't) and also the fact that the cutterhead has too few inserts compared to other helicals.

Charlton

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, the Hammer digital gauge is accurate to a few thousandths of an inch.

I have one, it works great. I also have a 16 and 32 inch table extension which are almost never used, except for one of the 16 inch extensions which is always on the planer outfeed. It keeps short pieces from falling on the floor before I grab them..........Rod.

[Matthew Curtis]

What ever happened to paying with cash? I am currently saving to pay cash for a clear vue cyclone. It is taking a while,. But well worth the wait.

[Curt Harms]

.................................................. ..
The cut quality is excellent, the 3 HP motor does a good job, but with the reduced feed rate on the helical head version I can see where this may be a concern for a commercial shop. I have never had alignment issues with mine, but then it has remained stationary for the entire life of the machine. I have often wondered if there might be a connection between alignment problems and mobile base use. Changeover time and trouble is totally a non-issue for me. I've never timed the changeover, but it cannot take longer than 30 seconds.
.........................................

That's a thought. I made my own mobile base so the machine is supported the same as if it were on the floor. That frame is pretty stout - it looks like about 5/16" thick steel and but I suppose it could distort over time.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Mike, what are you building?

[David M Peters]

I've had the Rikon 25-210H (same machine as the Jet), and could not recommend it for a business where the machine is involved in a critical workflow because it does not retain its jointing calibration. As others have said it truly does excel at planing, and mode changeovers are really not a big deal as long as you plan your workflow. Its biggest failing is that the jointing surfaces continually come out of calibration, especially the outfeed table. I wrote an article (https://tracezero.net/2017/01/12/hitting-the-reset-button-on-my-jointerplaner/) about my experiences with calibrating the machine; hope it sheds some light on what it's like to own one of these units.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

I got an eMail this morning about SCM 4.99% financing.

[Art Mann]

I won't say anything about a Rikon, which I have never used, but my JJP-12HH was adjusted correctly from the manufacturer and hasn't been altered in a year of use. Maybe the two machine aren't as similar as you think.


I've had the Rikon 25-210H (same machine as the Jet), and could not recommend it for a business where the machine is involved in a critical workflow because it does not retain its jointing calibration. As others have said it truly does excel at planing, and mode changeovers are really not a big deal as long as you plan your workflow. Its biggest failing is that the jointing surfaces continually come out of calibration, especially the outfeed table. I wrote an article (https://tracezero.net/2017/01/12/hitting-the-reset-button-on-my-jointerplaner/) about my experiences with calibrating the machine; hope it sheds some light on what it's like to own one of these units.

[marty fretheim]

What ever happened to paying with cash? I am currently saving to pay cash for a clear vue cyclone. It is taking a while,. But well worth the wait.
So you have no mortgage or car payments? Good for you. Are you using Fedex or UPS to send all those rolls of pennies to Clearvue? Just messing with ya dude :).

Marty

[Matthew Curtis]

So you have no mortgage or car payments? Good for you. Are you using Fedex or UPS to send all those rolls of pennies to Clearvue? Just messing with ya dude :).

Marty

Marty,
Actually you are correct. With hard work, lots of overtime, dedication and little woodworking I now own my home, cars, and have ZERO debt. ( Thanks Mr. Ramsey)

I would use UPS to ship the payment to Clearvue but it is far quicker to use my debit card and pay for overnight shipping so I can enjoy it sooner.

[Mike Dowell]

Mike, what are you building?

Many things. I'm in the middle of three custom table orders right now.

[Mike Dowell]

I got an eMail this morning about SCM 4.99% financing.

WHOA! That's not bad. I'm going to be on the horn with them anyway. I'm really sure I'm going to pull the trigger on the FS41 classic.

[Phil Mueller]

My HELOC is 3%, but that was locked in about 2 years ago. Regarding credit cards, I was thinking those that are in the high teens.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Many things. I'm in the middle of three custom table orders right now.

The reason I asked was to see what kind of stock you work with. Table bases can use pretty beefy stock (as you well know). I'd personally be shopping for a robust machine, something with a proven history of holding settings regardless of how many times the tables have been thumped by 30# boards, and the power to handle the occasional unexpected hard to mill board. Good call on the FS41 classic. I have a Felder 741, you won't regret a good euro machine.

[Mike Dowell]

So they don't do 4.99% for "purchases this small". Instead, SCM does a 48 month lease to own. The unit is "on sale" for nearly a grand off right now(fs41) but they provide "white glove" shipping which is $750 bucks. So is it one sale, or isn't it? I feel like that's a bit much for freight, but I'm not in the freight business. Anyway, I'm not sure whether to buy from them, or from elitemtaltools.com where I purchased my PM2000. The gentleman from SCM was sort of selling me on why it's best to buy direct from them, but in the end, he IS a salesperson.

What do you think?

[Jim Becker]

Mike, that's what the freight and crating cost for my CNC machine without "white glove service"...also shipping from Georgia.

[Mike Dowell]

Mike, that's what the freight and crating cost for my CNC machine without "white glove service"...also shipping from Georgia.


I guess it's just the distrusting person I am. THe cynical side of me wants to believe that a company will "knock off a grand" then add it back in secretly, like cars salespeople do.

[Jim Becker]

I don't think that they are inflating the shipping cost on you, Mike. You can probably prove that out with a little research, but be sure to include the "white glove" piece as that's something that does raise the cost quite a bit. To do that, you'll need the approximate crate size and total weight including the crate. I'll also speculate that given some recent sensitivities around shipping and "who's responsible for what and when", that this "white glove service" is to help reduce damage and increase customer satisfaction.

[Mike Heidrick]

It cost me $300 to freight ship a 700lb 48x48 pallet 6.5' tall and a 580lb 4' tall 48x48 skid from california with business pickup to a local terminal. Would have been another $260 to do the residential delivery the last 5 miles and I own forks and would have pulled them off the semi myself - thats no liftgate. Where applicable you might save considerably picking your freight up from a terminal yourself. Also always inquire for freight quotes yourself when getting quotes on it. Folks can easily get the freight class wrong. You have to be able to deal with freight though yourself to make it possible. Also freight companies settle with the shipper if there is damage so protect yourself if you take the risk. Understand what you are covered for.