Another Jointer advice question

[lou Brava]

Buying an 8" Jointer & have a $1500 budget which puts me pretty much in the used market. I found a brand new Jet JWJ-8CS for $1100 & a 3 year old Grizzly G0490 in almost new condition for $1200. The Griz a parallelogram and has 4 knifes, Jet wedge style 3 knifes. To me new sounds better than used but is having 4 knifes vs Jet 3 & is the parallelogram design a better way to go ? I'm a hobby WW & will not be using it a lot but I'm sick & tired of using my straight line TS jig & planer wedge type sled. I'm sure both will produce a nice accurate surface so all things equal I would choose the machine for ease of adjustment and set up.
Thanks

[Tom M King]

Flip a coin.

[Aaron Inami]

My understanding is that the Jet dovetail wedge type jointer is a somewhat of a pain to get aligned. Once aligned, it shouldn't be a problem. The parallelogram jointers are much better for alignment. Fit and finish on the Grizzly tools are usually not as nice a something like the Jet. Grizzly machine is 4" longer, but that's likely not enough to make a huge difference.

The Grizzly being a 3HP machine with 4 knives will enable you to run material over the cutter-head faster, but you can get a very nice finish with the Jet if you just slow down.

[Andrew Hughes]

I would choose the four knife.
I’ve never had a jointer with four knives.
Use the advantage you have to inspect the machine before buying it.
My suggestion is check the beds that they are flat. With a flash light look at the gib bolts make sure they are not rounded over. You don’t want a fence twisted or badly warped.
Run the machine check for vibration

Good Luck

[lou Brava]

Thanks for the feedback ! From that I will pursue the Grizz, and defiantly do a inspection & run test on it.
For flat all I have is a 2' framing sq. and a 6' level which is straight, maybe I'll see if I can get a longer straight edge. Wish I knew a bit more on jointer set up, last time I put knifes in one was about 40 years ago and It was an old Delta 4" jointer. And besides a lathe it's a tool I have the least amount of use on.
Thanks again

[Andrew Hughes]

I thought of one more thing that I think it’s important to say.
Never lift a jointer from the ends of the table Or the middle. Find a way to move it without putting any stress on the tables up or down.
Good Luck

[lou Brava]

I thought of one more thing that I think it’s important to say.
Never lift a jointer from the ends of the table Or the middle. Find a way to move it without putting any stress on the tables up or down.
Good Luck

Good to know ! And lesson learned don't wait on CL ads for decent priced tools ! The Grizz. sold about 2 hrs ago ! At least now I know what to buy so there will be no hesitation next time !

[Tom M King]

I came on to ask if they were still available.

[Warren Lake]

manuals will show you lift points and some show slings around the tables where they meet the base. To move I chain to the base and lift from there but in the shop I lifted my jointer from the end of the tables for a friend to put blocks under it. Not ideal but did zero to the machine but not smart for an old guy weight wise.

[Tom M King]

My old 8" Delta jointer was lifted any kind of way by a few strong guys, in and out of the back of a pickup, at least 30 times back when I was building new houses. I bought it at a school auction in 1975. I'm not suggesting anyone else do it, but mine still works great.

It had been stored in a building for a couple of decades until about a year ago. I picked up one end of it, with the other end on the floor while my Wife slid the mobile base under it. It still works fine.

Again, I'm not saying try this at home. I just need to get work done.

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[Kent A Bathurst]

The Grizzly being a 3HP machine with 4 knives will enable you to run material over the cutter-head faster, but you can get a very nice finish with the Jet if you just slow down.

Correct me if I'm wide of the mark - the finish quality versus # of knives is dependent on cutterhead diameter and rotation speed, no? Meaning cuts per minute, translating to cuts per inch based on run speed over the head. Not arguing, just fired up spare brain cells.

I didn't research those two, so maybe the answer is baked in those details.

[Aaron Inami]

Correct me if I'm wide of the mark - the finish quality versus # of knives is dependent on cutterhead diameter and rotation speed, no? Meaning cuts per minute, translating to cuts per inch based on run speed over the head. Not arguing, just fired up spare brain cells.

You are correct. I'm going to assume these two jointers have similar cutter head diameters (Jet diameter is not published). The JET cutter head speed is a bit more than the Grizzly (5500 rpm vs 4800 rpm). However, the Grizzly's fourth knife will still give you about 15% more "cuts per inch" if your run speed over the head is the same.

[Kent A Bathurst]

You are correct. I'm going to assume these two jointers have similar cutter head diameters (Jet diameter is not published). The JET cutter head speed is a bit more than the Grizzly (5500 rpm vs 4800 rpm). However, the Grizzly's fourth knife will still give you about 15% more "cuts per inch" if your run speed over the head is the same.


OK - we're square. Just checking what remains of my math skills. Plus - the 33% increase in cuts creates a need for the extra HP at speed. The Jet's wheelhouse would be shallower cuts with the 2hp and higher rim speed.

Thanks

[Bill Dufour]

I lifted mine by loosening the three bolts that hold the machine to the base. Then I slipped two load straps in between from front to back. used a load leveler spreader bar to lift both straps at once. The motor made one end slightly heavier.
I was not sure about just strapping under the tables. It would probably have been fine. my method gave me great tie down points for the trailer.
Bill D

[Warren Lake]

for the general I always took the base off so the motor was part of that then we just lifted from the table ends. I likely moved it a few times by myself that way but not sure how I lifted it I lifted too heavy stuff when young. No issues machine worked great. The SCM stuff came apart tables off and was chained Photo from the girggio manual them telling uis how to lift. My way was to chain so lifting came from the base Ive drilled a number of machines be nice to change to straps and do the same as the chains are heavy to move and uise, Forklift truck lifted it up and I put clamps on the forks so the chains could not slide off bit of overkill but wanted to be sure in case forks tilted or.

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