Ronald Blue
06-12-2023, 9:54 PM
A few weeks ago I picked up a Delta DJ-20 8" jointer at an auction with full intention of adding a helical head. I shopped around and while a vendor or two had a lower price for the Byrd Shelix head they weren't in stock. Projected 6 week delivery. Grizzly had it in stock and now has free shipping. I ordered and it was here in one day. I ordered bearings as well of Amazon and waited a couple days for them. (They weren't in stock locally). When I went to install the larger drive end bearing it wouldn't even begin to start on the bearing journal. I removed the old bearing from the straight knife cutterhead and it would have tapped on it with no issues. I grabbed a micrometer and found the issue. The bearing journal was supposed to be 25 mm (.098425) and it was 25.5 mm (1.004). I called Grizzly technical support and explained the issue to the gentleman and he understood my dilemma completely. They issued a return label and RA number and I sent it back. I waited for it to reach them in Springfield and called that afternoon. I reached a customer service person and he informed me they couldn't guarantee it would fit a non Grizzly brand. This after I had explained the issue. He transferred me to tech support again. (Over his pay grade obviously) The new tech guy was just as competent and after leaving me for a few minutes returned to tell me he had sent an email to them in Springfield and copied a supervisor in as well explaining the steps that they needed to take. That they needed to verify what I was saying, check another one from inventory and if it was correct ship it to me. Apparently the first slipped through quality control at Byrd. The head had the blackened finish everywhere so it appeared to be "finished". The replacement cutterhead showed signs a bearing had been applied. Bearing tapped right on as expected. This wasn't their product but they handled it like champs for the most part. The returned head wasn't going to fit any brand of jointer. While there are so many threads about no or poor customer service this had a happy ending. It's not a Grizzly branded item but they still made it right.