Rockwell or Grizzly

[Ted Jay]

if you had your choice of a 6" Planer:
A 35 year old Rockwell or a new Grizzly GO452? Price comes out to almost even.
I'm going to the woodworking show next weekend, hopefully there will be a Grizzly dealer there.

[Ben Roman]

Grizzly does not have dealers. I would go with the Grizzly... I love Grizzly !!

[Vaughn McMillan]

Ted, I can't help you with the jointer comparison, but I did want to mention that you won't find a Grizzly dealer at the woodworking show. Griz is only sold direct from the manufacturer...they don't have any dealers. Grizzly's kissing cousin, Shop Fox, is sold through dealers. The Shop Fox stuff is very similar, but typically has a few upgrades or bells and whistles the comparable Grizzly tool doesn't have. Depending on the item and the individual dealer, sometimes you can get Shop Fox tools locally for about the same price you can get the equivalent Grizz tool. (That was my experience buying my bandsaw...I got the Shop Fox W1706 locally for just slightly more than the Grizzly G0555 would have cost after shipping.)

And for the record, I have a 6" Grizzly G1182 jointer that I've been very happy with. It's a bit older model than the G0452 you are looking at, but it's similar.

Have fun at the show...

- Vaughn

[Ted Jay]

Grizzly does not have dealers. I would go with the Grizzly... I love Grizzly !!

You are right, I forgot... what I meant to say, hopefully Grizzly wil be there with some "stuff"!!!

[tod evans]

my vote goes to rockwell....02 tod

[CPeter James]

I used to have an 8" Rockwell before I went to a DJ20, and it was one nice machine. Solid cast iron top and base. Smooth as a Rolls Royce when running and the fit and finish is unequaled by any non European manufacturer today, better then General or Powermatic. Parts should still be available and knives are no problem. I guess you know what my choice would be.

The only reason I went to the DJ20 was for the 16" longer bed. The fit and finish is nowhere near as good as my old Rockwell and it is not as smooth either.

CPeter

[Jim Hager]

Hands down the Rockwell would be my pick. A 35 year old rockwell planer should be better any day. I have worked with lots of delta and rockwell machinery over the last 27 years as a teacher in an agri mechanics shop. We have a 30 year old rockwell planer right now that will outweigh 3 of the knock offs. Parts are available and they are made stout as a bull.

[Jim Becker]

You are right, I forgot... what I meant to say, hopefully Grizzly wil be there with some "stuff"!!!

Very rare day you will find them at a show. I've only ever seen them at IWF which is an industrial show this August in Atlanta.

Do consider a larger jointer, however. It's not just about edges...it's also about flattening lumber prior to thicknessing and there are way too many very lovely boards that are wider than 6", but will fit on an 8" jointer.