Choosing lathe - Grizzly question

[David Pichevin]

Hello,

I am new here, an experienced woodworker, but beginner turner. I have been using a tiny variable speed lathe from Harbor Freight for several years, doing just a few things here and there, but now working on a budget for a large lathe. I will be looking at a budget of around 2000-2500 for the machine itself. I have spent the past few weeks watching *many* wood turning videos, to learn about technique, but also to check out various lathes. I've also spent time reading forums and reviews. I realize this kind of question has been asked many times, but I have a specific one at the end :)

For a while, the Nova Galaxi DVR was at the top of my list. That's really the one I was most interested in, especially since I'd like that drill press too, having been disappointed by my Powermatic, but that one bad review that is floating around out there (and the response to my direct question to the manufacturer on that subject) has completely cooled me in terms of quality of support. I looked at the Laguna Revo 18/36, but it's too far up there in terms of cost, and seems to have dubious support as well.

So I keep coming back to Jet and my current thinking is that when the time comes, I will be going for either the 1640EVS or the 1840EVS (I am equipped with 220V and already running machines on that). They seem like excellent lathes, with good standard accessories, and good support from Jet. I have been burned before by receiving lemons or machines that don't perform as expected so I don't want to be on my own for something of that price. I'm pretty unlucky with that on average so I won't leave it up to chance.

The specific questions: Grizzly just popped up recently for me as an alternative. I looked at the G0766 for a larger, future proof, powerful lathe at a similar cost to the Jet 1640 (too bad I didn't decide this a couple years ago). What bugs me is this: I have watched videos from 3, maybe 4 turners with that lathe (including Stephen Ogle), turning several projects, and what jumps out at me every single time is that they are unbalanced, out of round, have too much run out, whatever it might be called, it seems that no matter how long they true up their bowls or their spindles, I can still see and hear the wobble, tchak-tchak-tchak. Even during sanding. And I'm not seeing the same thing with other lathes, Jet, Laguna, PM etc. etc.

I see a bunch of satisfied owners on this forum, so I want to ask...am I seeing/hearing things? Any points of view?

Thanks,
David

[Chris A Lawrence]

I have had my G0766 for a little over a year now. I am very happy with my decision to go with that over a smaller more expensive lathe. I have no noticeable wobble in my lathe. Even when turning heavy out of balance blanks my lathe does not bounce around just a little shaking until i get it close to round. In my opinion if you are ok with making your own repairs there is no reason to not consider a grizzly. Some of the extra cost for the more expensive brands is for the convenience of them supplying a repair man to make the occasional warranty repair.

[Roger Chandler]

I was probably one of the first 3 people who got the G0766 when it first came out. I have been very happy with my lathe. It is likely the best bang for the buck for a large lathe out there. Its features rival the PM3520b, which is called the gold standard, I suppose because of the paint color. I've turned on many 3520b's that belong to friends and clubs I've done demos for. My G0766 will run with the PM3520b all day long!

I've also turned on a number of Jet 1642 evs units. Same deal. Performance of the G0766 is as good as any lathe from Tiawan or China, in my opinion. 3 hp motor, premium Delta Electronics "M" series inverter which is more advanced than the Delta S-1 inverter on the Powermatic lathes and Laguna lathes. 22" swing, and they have pretty much ironed out any bugs the G0766 had with a small handful of units when they first came out.

I had a previous model G0698 18/47 lathe, which I sold to one of our turning clubs, and after 13 years, being used regularly, it has been a reliable workhorse without any issues. I also have a Grizzly G0800 in my shop. It is a beast for sure, and high performance. I have turned on the Robust American Beauty, and the Serious SL2542 lathes........my experience is not just with one or two lathes.......I have broad experience, and sell my turnings at galleries. I put my machines through their paces with heavy wood, and the G0766 will certainly hold its own with many much higher priced machines.

Any lathe will have vibrations or walk with heavy unbalanced wood mounted, so its best to try to cut out your blank to be as balanced as you can. Weight can be added for additional ballast with some boards on the leg castings, and some sand bags. One of our clubs uses two 5 gal buckets with sand on the 3520b for ballast on a wooden shelf in the leg castings.

Given the choice of a Jet 18" lathe and a 22" Grizzly, I'd take the Grizzly any day.......all three of my Grizzly lathes have been winners, had lots of wood put on them, and performance has been great.........plus I've had the added perk of getting the most lathe for the best value of lathes made overseas. I know what great lathe performance is, and I'm really happy with both my G0766 and my G0800.

Good luck with your choice!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

If I read your post correct, and you think you're unlucky not getting a lemon, you may have answered your own question about paying for customer service. Me, I have a Jet 1642 2hp, well over 5 years, I can't exactly remember. My Tachometer died (early), and it took a phone call and they sent me a new one. Easy to change. Other than that I've had no problems. I'd expect the same for new models. Good luck in your search. I know its a hard choice. I had the same concerns.

[David Pichevin]

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate it. I've read your posts before, and while it definitely looks good to me on paper, I'm having trouble dispelling the worry over what I've seen on video unfortunately. Not so worried about the weight of the lathe or having it walk around. It's unlikely I would actually turn a lot of big unbalanced blanks, as I'm more interested in segmented turning, but what I see on those videos seems to me like additional runout at the head compared to others I've seen on bowls or spindles that are already trued up. I have no way to try one out in person. I'll continue to watch as more videos become available.

[David Pichevin]

Basically I don't want to get a lathe that is out of whack and be left with a boat anchor because of poor customer service or have to return a 500 pound machine. I also don't want something that doesn't run quite true and always be annoyed when I run it, and told that it's "within spec", which is the worry I get when I actually see those G0766 run (not in person, granted).

[Roger Chandler]

I have no idea where you got an idea that the runout with a G0766 is worse than any PM lathe or Jet lathe. My G0766 spindle runs true, and there are other causes of runout......likely a chuck insert that was not seated correctly. I have had Nova chuck inserts that had to be replaced because of runout, and there are to my belief a set of tolerances that some chuck manufacturers deem as "acceptable" and it is not necessarily the spindle on the lathe. I will say that there are a couple of videos online where a woman beats the dickens out of her G0766, and if that is the video you are relying upon, then I would highly encourage you to not take her word for the issues she claims......she calls herself an "expert by now" but in my opinion has no qualifications at all when it comes to lathes........she got a Laguna after she got the G0766, and out of the box started tearing it down. I think her setup of the lathe was not correct in either situation, and she doesn't know what she is doing :eek:.........take things like that with a grain of salt, and an aspirin!

You will not find the Grizzly lathes to have any more problems than other makes, and perhaps less! I've seen Jets and Powermatics that had to have inverters and motors replaced, lots of switch problems, and on I could go, but they are fine lathes, and so is the Grizzly! Some things are normal wear and tear, and some people use the "herc and jerk, and bam and slam" techniques with their equipment..........use proper techniques, set up your machine correctly, and you likely will find any make will serve you well!

[David Pichevin]

I haven't seen the video you mention but now I think I want to! :)

[Roger Chandler]

David, please know that I'm not trying to sell you on a Grizzly lathe. I have no affiliation with Grizzly other that having a good experience with them and my Grizzly lathes and bandsaw. I know this however, there are plenty of folks who for one reason or another seem to not give Grizzly a fair shake. Many years ago, the Grizzly lathes were not near what they are now days, and the upper end machines are state of the art. ......made by some of the same manufacturers that make the Jets and Powermatics and Lagunas. Being fairly new to turning, you would not know that, but the manufacturers make for different vendors like PM, Laguna and Grizzly Industrial.

Many of the same parts can be found on all makes.........just so you know. Good luck with your research!

By the way.........where are you located. There might just be a G0766 owner within a reasonable distance from you who would allow you to personally see the lathe, take it for a spin, and see for yourself what a fine machine it is! ;)

[David Pichevin]

Thanks. I haven't really paid attention to a "bad" review of the lathe. I have only watched experienced turners make things, because I'm learning with every video I watch, and found that on those videos the lathe doesn't seem to be running as smooth as what I've seen on other vids, which is why I'm asking, because I want the lathe to actually be a good deal even at its current price, as it gives me a good alternative at a good price, especially with a 10% code. Perhaps those turners have a less than perfect chuck, or they didn't level it properly, or perhaps what I'm seeing is normal. I'm well used to clones. I'm getting towards 50 and have been around :) I do have a Grizzly machine, a jointer, and it's been working as well as anything else, while I have never really been happy with my expensive Powermatic drill press. My Harbor Freight metal bandsaw has been working well too! My bandsaw is a Rikon, and my table saw a Ridgid, so I'm all over and not a "brand" person. I am also very mechanically oriented. I can pull an engine out of a car and rebuild it, and build electronic circuits as well (I'm a web developer).

I'm in Tucson, AZ. Not the easiest place for wood unfortunately. Not much around here and everything on Craig's list is old rusted, overpriced junk.

[Roger Chandler]

Maybe a turner in Arizona will see your post and invite you to kick the tires for yourself........hopefully anyway!

[Brice Rogers]

David, I think that you may have jumped to a wrong conclusion regarding Steve Ogle's video. When a person is turning a piece of wood that is not oriented like a spindle with end-grain running lengthwise, there will be parts of the wood that are soft and hard, side grain followed by end grain. That is what you heard. There was also a recent series of three videos by a younger woman who thought that she had a bad spindle in a Powermatic, a Jet (?) and a Grizzly. Yes, she thought that she had three consecutive bad spindles in high end lathes. It was pretty clear that she didn't (in my opinion) know what she was doing and how to measure the runout of the spindle. In one of the videos, her poor technique of putting in the new bearings likely damaged the bearing. So, don't put a lot of confidence in some of these videos. Remember the old adage: "a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing".

When you think of it, even if a spindle or chuck has a bunch of run out, like a jaw way out of position, after you have turned a cylinder, the surface of the chunk of wood will be running "on axis".

I have measured the runout on my spindle (I own a G0766) using a dial indicator and it is basically immeasurable (meaning essentially zero).

I recall that there is a Woodcraft store in Tucson, perhaps they'll let you try out some of their lathes. Bring your dial indicator and magnetic base to measure the runout.

[Alex Zeller]

I've had my G0766 for over a year now and it's done everything I've wanted. The only problem I had was one one of the pulleys there's 3 magnets for the tachometer. They look to be cemented in place. One was loose. I noticed it because there's a nut that holds the pulley in place that was loose. The nut has a keeper so it wouldn't come loose so I'm guessing the pulley wasn't completely in place when the keeper was bent over to lock the nut in place. While adjusting the nut I noticed the magnet and pushed on it. As I did it slid deeper into the pulley and too deep for the tach pickup to read it so the display was reading 1/3 low. Grizzly promptly sent me a new one.

One thing about Grizzle (and a few other brands) is that if you have a problem they will work with you but it helps if you're handy and don't mind doing the repair. Grizzly customer support was fine to deal with. I like Laguna but their customer service seamed to be questionable.

As for out of balanced work I've always just set the speed just under the point where it starts to vibrate the lathe. As the work starts to take shape it wont be as out of balanced. One thing you have to remember is that you will most likely be turning greed wood. Even if you rough a bowl so it's symmetrical it could still be out of balance because of the moisture in the bowl. In fact, while turning green wood, the centrifugal force from the spinning of the lathe will drive the water from the work. I've had water on my lathe bed, the wall behind it, the ceiling above it and me.

[David Pichevin]

Thanks Brice. Yes, there's a Woodcraft. I've checked out the lathes on their site and it doesn't seem like they have anything on display! Maybe I'll drop by if I'm in the area.

[David Pichevin]

Alex, thanks for the feedback.

[Keith Buxton]

I have had my G0766 sense 2015 and turn on it almost every weekend about 95% of my stuff Is segmented turning. I have not had any problems with my lathe. I was the 2nd person in or wood turning club to buy one and now I think there is 9 of us that own one and the only problem so far out of all of them is one speed pot has had to be replaced. Sorry you don't live near by you would be welcome to come by and try it out yourself. as for run out I have not had a problem only time I get a wobble is when I turn green wood and it starts to dry while I am turning it

[Greg Parrish]

I had run out problems with my laguna 18/36 but solved them by tossing the nova chuck thread adapter and switching to vicmarc chucks with direct thread feature. Made a huge difference in my case and it runs perfectly true now. I was never able to get an adapter to thread into a nova chuck that would run without any wobble even though I know plenty of people use them without any issues. Only point I make is the run out I experienced was chuck related.

On a separate note the one time I did call laguna customer service they were just fine to work with. Very pleasant and very responsive. And grizzly customer service has always been the same. One positive for grizzly is they have a highly stocked, online inventory of parts. One of the only companies I’ve seen that puts their parts inventory online for customer search and purchase with very accurate inventory specs.

[David Pichevin]

Thanks. The G0766 is back at the top of my list for now along with the Jets. A shame we're not dealing with the same price of a couple years ago. Now around 2300 once you add a good live center. But still a lot of machine for the price.

[Steve Doerr]

David, I just checked out one of the Stephen Ogle videos. In the video that I saw, he is using a Grizzly G0462. When I first started turning about 12 years ago, that was the lathe I had. It was a terrible lathe! (IMHO) It has a reeves drive which is not an acceptable drive system because of its lack of a low speed range. This lathe does have a problems of not being able to line up the head stock and tail stock. To be fair to Grizzly, this was one of their first ventures into lathes and the quality was not there. I got rid of that lathe and purchased a Jet 1642 EVS (220 volt). What a difference in quality between the two lathes. My wife is using the Jet now and I'm using a Robust AB. That being said, I know that Grizzly has made some huge improvements with their lathes. I have read many of Roger's, and others, comment on the quality of the newer lathes and believe there is a significant difference between the Grizzly lathe that I first had and the ones they are making now. I can tell you that I have two Grizzly machines (table saw and bandsaw) in my shop that I can highly recommend. I can also talk about the customer service that Grizzly offers and say that it is one of the best that I have had the privilege of working with. The only one better in my opinion is Robust, but you also pay for that up front in the cost of the machine. If I was looking for a new lathe today, I would definitely be considering one of the new Grizzly lathes.

[Roger Chandler]

Steven Ogle did replace his old 0462 with the G0766, and from what I can tell in his video that I watched a few months ago, he highly recommends it. A new turner may not have the full scope of understanding on wood density, lathe harmonics, lathe setup, floor types and such that produce harmonics, and balance issues with mounting the wood to the lathe to fully comprehend the true nature of turning related matters.

I think anyone who has turned on a PM3520b or Jet, will find the G0766 will perform on a level with them.

[Ralph Lindberg]

David, we own a G0766 and a DVR-XP... I'm also the "mod" for the Teknatool owners forum on Facebook.

So I stand over two fences...

Comparing the two is interesting, I don't think the -average- runout is worse on the 766 then the DVR (I have one of the first DVRs made in China)

Teknatool has had some QC issues since they moved production to China a decade ago. Examples would be the first batch of SN2 chucks was so bad that LeeValley dropped them and the first batch of their modular chucks (now discontinued due to poor sales) had a bad heat-treat and had to be recalled.

Honestly there are features I like about both lathes, if I had to recommend one, I honestly would want to know more about what the user expected.

[David Pichevin]

Ralph, thanks for your feedback.

To be honest, the Nova lathe is out of the running, even though I found that DVR tech awesome. There is one person out there who is an experienced (it seems) turner who has documented a serious issue with clear videos and is left out in the dust by a company that could simply have made their client whole by sending her a new headstock, but just won't do it. Even if they think they are right, the fact that they prefer to leave such a negative review out there on the interwebs, costing them sales, it's puzzling. Also another example in the Nova forums themselves. I have actually contacted them via Facebook to ask about it, and they repeated the platitudes to me (blaming the client), so it's out of the question at this point. I don't care if I have to do the work myself, but I won't be shipping heavy things back and forth at my expense for sure. Grizzly seems to have good support, per what I've read recently. I have one of the Grizzly jointers but haven't had to use their support so far.

[Ralph Lindberg]

David, besides the G0766 I also own a (junk) small lathe from Grizzly, a table-saw and a band-saw.

My honest call is Grizzly support is about the same as Teknatool... usually good, but not always.

I think you are talking about Dianna (sp?) I've worked with he myself and I dono, She was having troubles doing exactly the same kind of thing I do with my DVR.

[Brice Rogers]

David,
Do a google search on Tucson woodturning club. You'll find the Southern Arizona Woodturners Association. It meets on the second Saturday of the month in Tuscon (which is where I thought you said that you were located). Perhaps there are members who will invite you to try out their lathe if you ask?

[Jack Lilley]

Hi David, I would suggest you take a hands on look at the Grizzly vs the other lathes you are interested in if that is an option for you. You will find the castings, ergonomics and fit/finish to be much nicer on the Jet/Powermatic/Laguna vs the Grizzly. I owned the 0766 for about 1-1/2 years before selling it and purchasing an 1836. The 0766 I had worked good, I didn't have to be the mechanic more than the woodturner. The 1836 is the 2hp version and has performed flawlessly. I did purchase the 20" extension for the 1836 and the tool post extender broke the first time I used it, Laguna wanted a photo and still after a week had heard nothing, called again and the replacement was shipped right away.

[David Pichevin]

Thank you. Unfortunately hands-on isn't much of a possibility out here. I will look into the club, but to be honest meetings and gatherings aren't my thing :) The Laguna and especially Powermatic lathes are just not in my price range. I do not have to make a decision right away though.

[Alex Zeller]

Here's my story and hopefully it'll give you an idea as to how much experience I have. Decades ago back in middle school I got to use a lathe in woodworking class to make some legs for a small stool. I enjoyed it but never did any turning until about a year and a half ago when I started making buttons for my wife and sister to use on scarfs. Between using a drill press/ table saw and on occasion a small pen size lathe I decided that I would get my own. The idea was learn now as I have time and when I retire I'll have all the equipment and I can really focus on becoming accomplished.

I looked around and it became clear that a VFD was a lot better than a reeves drive. There wasn't much used so I began looking at new. Turning spindles seamed ok but not really what I wanted to do so that lead me to search for a lathe with enough swing to handle medium size bowls. I was kind of leaning towards the Laguna 1836 (but also as low down as the Grizzly G0632). Then another member here posted a coupon code for the G0766 (it was just over $1500 with shipping) so I jumped on it. The price has jumped since then.

I can't tell you that it's as good as any other lathe as I don't have any experience on other lathes. The local club has a One-Way but they meet on days I work so I've only been able to go to one meeting. I have turned some very heavy blanks that were out of balance. Some that anything over about 300 rpm would make the lathe jump like crazy and it's handled them just fine. These were ones that I used my chainsaw to true up the best I could. I have added a 19" Grizzly bandsaw so the blanks are not as out of balance. I didn't add any weight to the base of the lathe to help steady it.

I'm sure that the lathe isn't as polished as some of the top end machines. The paint has a few chips from shipping and assembly. The tool rest is ok at best (my personal feeling is that the cast rests just aren't as good as a welded one with a harden steel rod where the tool rests). But over all I'm extremely satisfied with it. I have no plans on replacing it. I would recommend to anyone to seriously think about it unless they have a huge budget and want the best. It is a full size budget lathe that offers variable drive, a large swing, and lots of HP. I believe that it will be an extremely hard lathe to grow out of for me. Maybe I'll add a second lathe, like an American Beauty if I feel rich but the only way I could see selling it is if I stop turning. Like you, I didn't have a chance to see one before mine arrived so it was a leap of faith. Others may feel differently, maybe I would too if I had more experience. As of now, with what I know, I'm very happy with my G0766.

[tom lucas]

I'm also a G0766 owner. While I've only had it since March, it has performed flawlessly so far. There is no perceptible run out in the spindle. Perhaps what you are seeing is green wood moving, or improper mounting of the work piece, or chuck run out. I don't think any of us would accept a visibly perceptible run out much less run out that affects the cut.

From what I've read, it seems the only "maintenance" items are the speed potentiometer and F/R switch. Mine are still going strong. The F/R switch handle does appear to be a bit "weak", but that could just be me. If and when these fail, it's a simple fix using better quality parts.

I did have to lightly file the spindle boss so my Vimarc chuck would seat all the way down. This was a simple 1 minute process.

I own several grizzly tools and have gotten outstanding service out of all of them. By far the best bang for the buck.

[David Pichevin]

Thanks all for the responses!

[Randy Hogan]

I have a G0766. I'm not happy with the tool rest/ banjo design. And I'm quite positive I get vibration from it when I don't think I would with a tool rest that's designed correctly, in my opinion. I've debated on buying a different banjo but I haven't done so yet.

[Roger Chandler]

I have a G0766. I'm not happy with the tool rest/ banjo design. And I'm quite positive I get vibration from it when I don't think I would with a tool rest that's designed correctly, in my opinion. I've debated on buying a different banjo but I haven't done so yet.

The banjo/toolrest design that is used on the Grizzly G0766 is an old standard tried and tru type design. Many of the old Delta lathes used the same style rest, and the banjo on the G0766 is solid, beefy in its construction and does a fine job. The rest has a shoulder that sits on the top of the banjo neck......there are better designs out there now, especially the Robust rests, which numbers of us 0766 owners have upgraded to.

For the price point, the large and feature filled G0766 comes in at, I think one cannot expect premium features that come on some much higher priced machines. I knew going in to my G0766 purchase, that I would likely upgrade the toolrests, as I had done on earlier lathes. Even with upgrading with the six Robust rests I have and use for my G0766, and G0800, I still have a fine lathe with less invested than some others have paid for their more expensive models, yet I have as good performance as any Powermatic I have ever turned on, and that is quite a few of them.

Wouldn't it be great if we all could get absolutely premium features, build and quality for dirt cheap prices? I get it......I really do, but on the lathe market the G0766 is the best bang for the buck out there, and can be tweaked with a couple of upgrades, like the tool rests, and get premium performance.

[Mikey Green]

I decided to chime in on this one, just for the fun of it. I can second what Roger Chandler told you. I bought a Jet 1642 2hp several years ago. Being the tight individual I am, I ordered a couple of what I'd call middle-of-the-road chucks, and tried them on the lathe. I noticed runout while turning and wondered what I was doing wrong. I carried the head of my lathe to a repair shop to have them check it for runout and it showed it as running true.

Then, I bought a dial indicator gauge after continuing to notice runout while turning. I checked the spindle on the head of the lathe again and the gauge indicated it was running true. I then placed one of my chucks on the lathe and tested it with the indicator gauge. I don't know what's considered acceptable runout, but there was what I'd consider a fairly significant variance or runout on the chuck jaws while it was seated on the spindle of the lathe. I initially wrote down the amount of runout on each jaw of the chucks, but don't know where I put it. I think I do remember the runout being in the hundredths of an inch, which probably isn't considered an acceptable tolerance.

By the time I got around to this, my warranty had expired on the chucks, so I just put them aside and purchased a Vicmarc chuck instead. No more runout.

The moral of my story: What you may be seeing as runout on videos might NOT be the manufacturer of the lathe's fault. I don't know which specific video(s) you're seeing, but if the turnings are mounted on anything other than the spindle itself, the runout could be with the chuck, faceplate, etc.

A second moral to my story: Trying to save money on the front end sounds great, but doesn't always work in the long run. I'm all for saving a buck where I can, and more power to all of you guys (and girls) who are able to turn successfully on the less expensive lathes and with less expensive chucks. BUT, spending a little more money on the lathes and/or accessories will work to your benefit if you think you're getting into this for the long haul. My first lathe, a Harbor Freight, was purchased with the permission of my boss so I could have a hobby. After turning on it for a couple of years, I received permission from the boss to purchase a larger, more sturdy lathe, so I could increase the size of my turnings. My boss likes large bowls and vases.

If you're just considering dabbling into this hobby of turning, I can understand and encourage you to consider the financial aspect of purchases, but if you think you're serious about turning, accessories are worth considering.

If you read this forum or others long enough, you'll find reviews and posts that will both encourage and discourage you to purchase a certain piece of equipment (including most of the more well-known lathes) for the most part. I can tell you, for what it's worth, that if I were starting over again today, knowing and reading what I've known and read over the years, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase certain Grizzly lathes or the Laguna lathes. Back when I purchased my Jet, Grizzly wasn't known for their lathes and Laguna wasn't even making them, if I remember correctly. My Jet has served my needs well. I can't knock it, even though they no longer make that specific model anymore. I've abused it and it's still running. I haven't hesitated to put out-of-round chunks of logs on it and turn them into bowls and vases, although I do it at a low speed. I learned that after chasing my Harbor Freight around the garage trying to turn a chunk of wood into a bowl. I wore out doing that.

In summary, I'd encourage you to read, watch videos, but do it with the understanding that what you're seeing might not indicate what your actual experience will be if you try the same thing with your lathe, chuck, etc. Best of luck to you, whatever you decide to do!!

[David Pichevin]

Thanks for this, Mikey.

I always do a lot of research on anything that I'm interested in, and in this case I wanted to hear from actual owners directly. Like anything I do, I don't intend to just dabble, and in this case, generate some side business, but we'll see. Max budget remains the same though, for now. As for accessories, I've already planned for that. For a chuck, I'll probably go for a Oneway Talon. I have a Barracuda 2 for my small HF lathe, and I absolutely hate the double bar system to tighten/loosen.

[Alex Zeller]

The simple fact is that if you want the best of everything you are going to spend 3 to 4 times the cost of the G0766. The question is do you need the best or are you willing to buy the best? If not then Grizzly is one of several options. I've replaced the tool rest on mine because I wanted better. If I felt the banjo wasn't good enough for my needs (and I have looked) I would replace it with one from Oneway. But I can do it at my pace. The "problem" with turning is the never ending desire to spend money on things you will want so you can expand what you can achieve. Most of us have a limited budget or impose limits to our spending. The G0766 fits in nicely if your desire is a lathe with a large swing. Is the tool rest or banjo on a Laguna, Jet, or Nova (or even the powermatic) any better?

[Roger Chandler]

Alex makes a good point. The G0766 has the major components covered for high end....the 3 hp motor, the advanced inverter, the ways are polished nicely, beefy tailstock and quill....on par with the Powermatics and Jets. The banjo is very good and really well built. I have a Oneway banjo and the large Grizzly that was made and shipped to us. If that second banjo had been the first to come with the units, when they came on the market, then I would never have ordered the Oneway. The Grizz banjo locks down just as solid, and the only advantage of my Oneway banjo is the post locking mechanism. Instead of the end of a hardened screw pressing against the toolrest post, the Oneway has a machined tip that wraps the post as it presses against the post, and thus will not mar the post.

The G0766 comes with the major things needed in a lathe well covered. One might argue finish on the leg castings and bed are better on some higher end lathes, but those refinements have nothing to do with function. Unless one is festidious about how their lathe looks, and never finishes projects on the lathe, etc, then the lathe will get dirty for sure! I keep mine pretty nice, but it gets drips of finish on it, has to be cleaned after roughing out wet wood, and looses that brand new appearance in short order, so really how much value is the extra refinement on leg castings, etc anyway?

Coming from someone who has turned on many powermatics, Jets, and the Robust American Beauty and the Serious SL2542, numerous midi lathes, I can tell you the major things are covered with the G0766, with the exception of a swing away tail stock, but the bed ways are long enough that for most things, push it to the end, and it will be out of the way, and taking the tailstock off is easy peasy, albeit, a little heavy.

[David Pichevin]

I do not need, and cannot afford "the best". As of now, it will still be between the Grizzly and one of the Jets, most likely the 1840. I will not need the 22 inch capacity of the Grizzly, but it doesn't hurt to have it. So I have time to make a decision when I get close to having my budget lined up. Thanks for all the feedback.

[tom lucas]

David,
Keep in mind that you lose some swing when you need to get the banjo under the turning. This typically costs you about 2" in swing. That was the final deciding factor for me to get the G0766. I was leaning toward the Laguna until I considered this inherent limitation in all lathes.

As for chucks, I also bought the barracuda as a starter to be sure I wanted to do more turning before buying a better chuck. My barracuda has been pretty good. It runs true and I thought it had good gripping power.....until I bought my vicmarc 120. That chuck gets a death grip on the turning. I also like how it seats very short on the drive mandrel. If you have a 1" barracuda, you'll need an adapter for the 1 1/4" bigger mandrels and that puts a lot more length on the drive mandrel. I recently picked up a Nova Titan chuck, and that too is a real nice chuck. I will keep my barracuda for pens and other small stuff. I do plan to add a super nova chuck to the stable at some point. From what I've read, the one-way is also a nice chuck. If you get a lathe with 1 1/4" drive mandrel, I highly recommend the direct threaded chucks (as opposed to an insert adapter) because of the closer fit and truer spin.

[David Pichevin]

Yes, I thought about the extra clearance for the banjo, and that's a good point and one of the reasons to go for a higher capacity. I'm not keeping the Barracuda chuck, I've actually put it up for sale along with my HF lathe and its accessories. Have to make more money for my purchase, and more room...

[Alex Zeller]

A 22" blank is really big. Chances are you'll rarely ever do a bowl that big, maybe a platter. But, in my limited time, I've found that a 20" blank will likely be closer to 16" when finished. It always seams like I remove about an inch all the way around it to true it up (I can minimize it if I'm careful with the bandsaw) so now you are down to 18". Most likely it'll be wet so when it dries you'll loose another inch or two. Mind you that even a 16" piece of work is still large. That being said having the extra swing doesn't hurt in any way. I do believe the Jet does have the capability to do outboard turning so if you do find yourself needing more capacity you'll have the option to so with a little bit of work with the Jet. Before the tariffs the Grizzly was an easy choice. Now the prices are much closer. Honestly I think you would be very happy with the Grizzly, the Jet, or the Laguna. Even the Nova would serve you well.

[Rod Sheridan]

Have you considered a Oneway lathe?

Made in Canada, it will be what I upgrade to..........Rod.

[David Pichevin]

Nope, no Oneway, I won't have that kind of money to spend :)

The swing is not that much of an issue to me. It's likely I will never turn a large blank or log. I don't have a lot of interest for that kind of turning, or using green wood, and I don't live where that kind of thing is plentiful anyway. So ultimately, even if higher capacity is nice to have and practical, it's not a priority. And as you say, outboard turning can help if higher capacity is needed from time to time.

[John Keeton]

David,
Keep in mind that you lose some swing when you need to get the banjo under the turning. This typically costs you about 2" in swing. That was the final deciding factor for me to get the G0766. I was leaning toward the Laguna until I considered this inherent limitation in all lathes.
Maybe it is the way I turn, but I have never understood this supposed limitation. Yes, there are times I need to access the "back" side of a turning that is close to the max swing, but I just take chuck and all off the spindle, slide the banjo and rest back, remount the chuck/turning and proceed. I admit it is easier with the conical headstock design of the Laguna, but I did this with my Jet 1642, as well.

[Brice Rogers]

John, in regards to your comment about supposed limitation of the banjo.

I bought a early G0766 lathe and it came with a short banjo. A few months later Grizzly provided (gratis) an upgrade kit that required me to move some of the parts from the old banjo to the new (longer) banjo. For about 20 or 30 bucks, I purchased a set of those parts so that I ended up with TWO complete banjos. So I keep one banjo next to the headstock and the other towards the tailstock. So, on those rare occasions when I'm turning something really large, I turn one side with one banjo and the other side with the other banjo rather than take the chuck and piece off of the spindle. If the two banjos interfere with each other (not very often) I just loosen the bolt at the bottom and pull one off.

[Charles Grauer]

One thing to consider is the size of the spindle, the Gris GO766 is 1 1/4” and I think the powermatic is 1 1/2”. Also the swing is more on the powermatic. I think this correct. I have the Grizzle and have been very satisfied.

I added a tray (box) on the on the bottom and and filled it with sand. Also a cabinet with 6 drawers in the space below the ways.

one thing all of these lathes are quite tall and i’m 6’ and it is too tall for me. Some people add a round ack to stand on.

[Roger Chandler]

One thing to consider is the size of the spindle, the Gris GO766 is 1 1/4” and I think the powermatic is 1 1/2”. Also the swing is more on the powermatic. I think this correct. I have the Grizzle and have been very satisfied.

I added a tray (box) on the on the bottom and and filled it with sand. Also a cabinet with 6 drawers in the space below the ways.

one thing all of these lathes are quite tall and i’m 6’ and it is too tall for me. Some people add a round ack to stand on.

Powermatic spindle is the same size as the Grizzly, Robust, and others.......1-1/4" x 8 tpi. The 3520b and 3520c Powermatics have a 20" swing......the G0766 has 22" swing and more horsepower and more advanced inverter than the S-1 Delta that PM uses.

[Brice Rogers]

Perhaps this will be the last or second-to-the-last post on this thread.

To the OP: you have a good amount of feedback. You know your options.

Someone once attributed to Harry Truman the 49-51 % dilemma. What do you choose? His comment was that if both choices are roughly the same, just choose one. It doesn't really matter. If the information is such that the two choices are roughly the same, then it really doesn't matter all that much which one you choose. Both are reasonable choices. So -- it boils down to it being time to either "Fish or cut bait".

Let us know what you choose.

[David Pichevin]

Will do :) Thanks all.

[Charles Grauer]

One thing that could make a difference is the spindle size and swing. Gris is 1 1/4” and I think the PM is 1 1/2”. Swing I think is a couple more inches for the PM . Not sure but you can check it out. I have the G0 0766 and like it. No beef here with it.

[Roger Chandler]

One thing that could make a difference is the spindle size and swing. Gris is 1 1/4” and I think the PM is 1 1/2”. Swing I think is a couple more inches for the PM . Not sure but you can check it out. I have the G0 0766 and like it. No beef here with it.The Powematic lathes have 1-1/4” x8 tpi spindle....same as the G0766! The only PM lathe that has larger swing is the PM4224b....their largest lathe with 24” swing. Both the 3520b and 3520c have 20” swing.

[David Delo]

The older PM 90 is the only 1 1/2" spindle nose thread I'm aware of that PM ever made.

[David Pichevin]

Went to Woodcraft today to see if I could put my hands on something and the only large lathe on display was the Powermatic 3520C. Definitely nice, but 2000 dollars too high for me.

[David C. Roseman]

Perhaps this will be the last or second-to-the-last post on this thread.
[snip]


Brice, with this thread title? Not a chance! ;) I've yet to meet a fellow woodturner who isn't happy to help out with friendly advice.

OP, here's another idea. Grizzly has a local referral program. Give them a call with the item number. They may be able to put you in touch with other G0766 owners in your zip code. For privacy reasons, they don't give out phone numbers and full names, and they used to limit it to folks who've purchased the item within the past year. I suspect you're not the only turner in Tucson who's gone through this process.

[David C. Roseman]

[snip]You will find the castings, ergonomics and fit/finish to be much nicer on the Jet/Powermatic/Laguna vs the Grizzly.[snip]

Well, I'm pretty much a stickler when it comes to production quality. I've kicked the tires on them all, and I couldn't disagree more with this. :)

[tom lucas]

Well, I'm pretty much a stickler when it comes to production quality. I've kicked the tires on them all, and I couldn't disagree more with this. :)

I love comments like this without any specifics. I don't get the emphasis on finish. Who cares? I wouldn't care if they didn't even paint the things. After all it's going to be dirty in about 5 minutes.

As for fit. What is that exactly in a lathe? And what specific fit issues are there with the lathe of the post? I understand fit when there are a lot of faying surfaces. But a lathe has few of these features.

From what I've seen, all powermatic equipment have a better pain job than most others. I believe powermatic switches are of better quality than most too. Does that make them worth $2K more? Not to me. The rest of the powermatic doesn't standout significantly above the rest.

On the Lagunas. These are very new designs. I've seen far too many instances of problems with them, and very spotty customer service. Perhaps the former is a consequence of new design kinks. They do have a nice paint job (so what) and steel beds (don't get it's advantage). Time will tell about the controls; stylish yes, but will they be that in 10 years of use? Will they hold up? I was about to buy a Laguna. Then I read too many things not good. Decided to go with the Griz instead.

Jet. Please. No better fit or finish than any Grizzly machine I've seen. I own 2 jet tools. They are about the same as Grizzly, at best.

If you are going to claim others are better, then you should be prepared to back that up with specifics about THIS lathe. What's wrong with it? How's it less in anyway? What lathe at this price point is better, and how?

[David Pichevin]

I love comments like this without any specifics. I don't get the emphasis on finish. Who cares? I wouldn't care if they didn't even paint the things. After all it's going to be dirty in about 5 minutes.

As for fit. What is that exactly in a lathe? And what specific fit issues are there with the lathe of the post? I understand fit when there are a lot of faying surfaces. But a lathe has few of these features.

From what I've seen, all powermatic equipment have a better pain job than most others. I believe powermatic switches are of better quality than most too. Does that make them worth $2K more? Not to me. The rest of the powermatic doesn't standout significantly above the rest.

On the Lagunas. These are very new designs. I've seen far too many instances of problems with them, and very spotty customer service. Perhaps the former is a consequence of new design kinks. They do have a nice paint job (so what) and steel beds (don't get it's advantage). Time will tell about the controls; stylish yes, but will they be that in 10 years of use? Will they hold up? I was about to buy a Laguna. Then I read too many things not good. Decided to go with the Griz instead.

Jet. Please. No better fit or finish than any Grizzly machine I've seen. I own 2 jet tools. They are about the same as Grizzly, at best.

If you are going to claim others are better, then you should be prepared to back that up with specifics about THIS lathe. What's wrong with it? How's it less in anyway? What lathe at this price point is better, and how?

Not wanting to speak for David, but I think you took his comment the other way around :)

[tom lucas]

Not wanting to speak for David, but I think you took his comment the other way around :)

Oops!. I meant to respond to Jack's comment.

[Jack Lilley]

[QUOTE=tom lucas;2943302]I love comments like this without any specifics. I don't get the emphasis on finish. Who cares? I wouldn't care if they didn't even paint the things. After all it's going to be dirty in about 5 minutes.

As for fit. What is that exactly in a lathe? And what specific fit issues are there with the lathe of the post? I understand fit when there are a lot of faying surfaces. But a lathe has few of these features.

Okay here are some specifics for you:
1. The indexing on the 0766 sucks, has like 12 or maybe 24 stops and you have to screw a stud into a hole for each stop, poorly designed.
2. Same for a spindle lock, screw the stud into the hole. There had been 2 or 3 guys that broke the headstock casting doing this.
3. Get your file out and file the spindle on your brand new lathe so the chucks will seat properly.
4. When you want to change the belts screw the little stud in and out to open the door, inconvenient when compared to many other lathes.
5. No accessories such as a vacuum adaptor fit this spindle so you get to make mostly all your own things, no bed extensions, no tool rests unless you drill the hole to fit and then the original tool rest won't work.
6. Knock out bar, spur drive and live center supplied are poor quality when other lathe manufacturers are supplying higher end equipment.
7. How many pots do you keep in the toolbox for replacements?
8. The banjo on the G0766 I had did not set flat on the bed ways, the bed ways were not parallel with each other, when locking the banjo I had to really lock it down before it would stay in place.
9. Do you do much hollowing? I do. After drilling hollow forms a few times it became difficult to screw the quill in and out of the tailstock. Finally I discovered the groove that keeps the quill straight had a large burr on it, after filling it off the quill worked fine. Well wouldn't you know every time I would drill a few hollowforms I would have to take the quill apart and file it to get it working properly again.
10. How about the cheap plastic handle on to run the quill in and out.
11. Again while hollowing I would take the tailstock off and on allot to use the hollowing rig. The tailstock never goes back on easily, always have to get everything just so before it would slide into place.
12. How about the lathe being about 6 or 8" taller than it should be. I'm 6'-1 and I put down a 1" thick pad to stand on to be comfortable.
13. The width of the legs are to narrow making the lathe unstable with large unbalanced pieces.

So here are a few reasons, I could list more. I'm not looking for an argument with anyone, if your happy with your Grizzly thats great, everyone is not happy with them. I simple suggested to the OP he check them out, hands on, for himself if he was able to. If the G0766 lathes are so wonderful why do you guys get so defensive about them? They should speak for themselves if the quality is so great. So it doesn't matter to me what the OP buys for a lathe. I hope he finds one that he is comfortable with and that meets his needs. Also I hope you G0766 owners are happy with you lathes and enjoy turning on them. Some people do care about convenience of use, the ability to add accessories if desired, one lathe doesn't fit all.

[tom lucas]

You must have had an older model. It is my understanding there were some issues with the early models. But much of what you claim is not true for new G0766. And what is true is nit-picking. You can do that with just about all of them at this price point.

You don't have to screw anything in to use the spindle lock. Stick it in the hole and it stays. Primitive, yes. But simple is often best. Look at what Laguna users are doing to make their locks work "acceptably". Fancier is not always better.
There are vacuum chucks that work with this lathe.
Banjo has been redesigned. Mine works great and uses standard 1" tool rests. No drilling or modifying necessary.
No issues with my tailstock of any kind. moves nicely, locks great, on/off easily.
Metal handles/cranks on my tailstock. There are no plastic components beyond the control panel, anywhere.
I believe the legs were redesigned too. I'm 5'8". Lathes not too high for me. I've had some crazy out of balance loads and the lathe is stable, and that's on a wooden floor with a basement under it at the edge of a stairwell (weakest point on the floor).
If you are a heavy user of indexing, it might not be the best choice. I doubt I'll ever use that feature myself. And 24 settings is every 15 degrees. I can't imagine I'd need finer. I guess there are some that might.
If closing a door with a thumbscrew is something to complain about.....well. How often do you change belts? Me, twice in 6 months, mainly just testing it out. Some might view the setscrew as better than a magnet. I thought I cared, but now realize I don't.
Filing the head spindle is not necessary for all chucks. I did have to do it for my Vicmarc chuck. I think it took about 30 seconds and left no signs of alteration. Likely a consequence of metric vs. imperial units.
I've never cored, but I've hollowed some big bowls. I've never felt the need to remove the tailstock for this. And I have the head in from the end about 12". So I'm not even using the whole bed.
I haven't found an occasion that would put such pressure on the tailstock that it would damage the quill.


[QUOTE=tom lucas;2943302]I love comments like this without any specifics. I don't get the emphasis on finish. Who cares? I wouldn't care if they didn't even paint the things. After all it's going to be dirty in about 5 minutes.

As for fit. What is that exactly in a lathe? And what specific fit issues are there with the lathe of the post? I understand fit when there are a lot of faying surfaces. But a lathe has few of these features.

Okay here are some specifics for you:
1. The indexing on the 0766 sucks, has like 12 or maybe 24 stops and you have to screw a stud into a hole for each stop, poorly designed.
2. Same for a spindle lock, screw the stud into the hole. There had been 2 or 3 guys that broke the headstock casting doing this.
3. Get your file out and file the spindle on your brand new lathe so the chucks will seat properly.
4. When you want to change the belts screw the little stud in and out to open the door, inconvenient when compared to many other lathes.
5. No accessories such as a vacuum adaptor fit this spindle so you get to make mostly all your own things, no bed extensions, no tool rests unless you drill the hole to fit and then the original tool rest won't work.
6. Knock out bar, spur drive and live center supplied are poor quality when other lathe manufacturers are supplying higher end equipment.
7. How many pots do you keep in the toolbox for replacements?
8. The banjo on the G0766 I had did not set flat on the bed ways, the bed ways were not parallel with each other, when locking the banjo I had to really lock it down before it would stay in place.
9. Do you do much hollowing? I do. After drilling hollow forms a few times it became difficult to screw the quill in and out of the tailstock. Finally I discovered the groove that keeps the quill straight had a large burr on it, after filling it off the quill worked fine. Well wouldn't you know every time I would drill a few hollowforms I would have to take the quill apart and file it to get it working properly again.
10. How about the cheap plastic handle on to run the quill in and out.
11. Again while hollowing I would take the tailstock off and on allot to use the hollowing rig. The tailstock never goes back on easily, always have to get everything just so before it would slide into place.
12. How about the lathe being about 6 or 8" taller than it should be. I'm 6'-1 and I put down a 1" thick pad to stand on to be comfortable.
13. The width of the legs are to narrow making the lathe unstable with large unbalanced pieces.

So here are a few reasons, I could list more. I'm not looking for an argument with anyone, if your happy with your Grizzly thats great, everyone is not happy with them. I simple suggested to the OP he check them out, hands on, for himself if he was able to. If the G0766 lathes are so wonderful why do you guys get so defensive about them? They should speak for themselves if the quality is so great. So it doesn't matter to me what the OP buys for a lathe. I hope he finds one that he is comfortable with and that meets his needs. Also I hope you G0766 owners are happy with you lathes and enjoy turning on them. Some people do care about convenience of use, the ability to add accessories if desired, one lathe doesn't fit all.