Anyone have experience with Shop Fox jointers

[Jon Grider]

I'm in need of a jointer upgrade,and I'm trying to get the most bang for my buck. These look much like Grizzly products with white paint instead of green, perhaps they're made in the same Chinese factory. Anyway, has anyone used or bought one of the 8 or 12 inch models and what is your feeling about them?

[scott spencer]

Shiraz Balolia owns Grizzly and Shop Fox. The tools come from the same factory, and are nearly identical in many cases. SF has dealer support and a two year warranty vs 1 year, so when price is close, SF has some advantage.

[glenn bradley]

This should get a lot of responses. There were quite a few folks that run the SF version of the Griz G0490 around here. All seemed pleased with it when responding to an earlier inquiry of mine. I got the G0490X as it was less money (but half the warranty) than the SF for me. Many folks get the SF as it is less $$ where they are geographically. I am very happy with the X.

[Mike Heidrick]

The SF W1744 and Griz G0609 may be the two best new 12" jointer deals out there. I would not hesitate in the least to buy one of those. In fact I had planned too when teh amazon deal on the Delta 12" came around.

I scoped out the W1744 at Berlands one time (Joliet, IL - that place is like christmas for a woodworker). The 4 knife head and the smoothness of the bed lowering and raising was awesome. I took a straightedge and those tables were all but perfect.

GREAT machines. Papa Griz's group did a nice job spec out those machines.

[Gregory Stahl]

I highly recommend the G0609--it has been great to use. I was a little skeptical at first because it is manufactured in China, but it has proven itself in my shop time and time again.

Good luck!
Greg Stahl

[Jim Fox]

I have the Shop Fox 8", and though I haven't had much shop time or shop money......what little I've use it, I love it. Only knock for me is the belt slap when it first turns on. I want to upgrade all my machines with the link belts someday and hope that will help.

I did want any Grizzly products cause there is no local (or close by) support for it. I own Shop Fox's 2hp Dust Collector and 10" Cabinet Saw too.

[Jon Grider]

Thank you gents for the feedback. The extra year of warranty would be a deal maker for me if the prices of the Grizz and SF are close. Now comes the hard part of selling the idea to the better half.

[Gregory Stahl]

Jim, did you check to see if you can tighten the motor to adjust for this? A few cranks took care of the belt slap on my G0609--the belts are nice and tight now.

-Greg



Only knock for me is the belt slap when it first turns on. I want to upgrade all my machines with the link belts someday and hope that will help.

[Craig Nickles]

I have the Grizzly G0452 Jointer and couldnt be happier with it. For the $400 delivered, new to the door you cant beat it. Unless that is, you could afford a nice big "aircraft carrier"!

[John Bush]

I have the 0609X(0609 with spiral head) and have been very happy with it's performance. I had a big pile of rough stock with crazy grain and there was virtually no tearout. I live close enough to a showroom to pet all the machines in person and I trailered mine home and saved shipping. I am sure the SF is is the same machine so $$$ and convenience would be the deciding factors for you.

Greg seems to have had the same problem I had with belt slap. I bought the link belts(you need three) and the problem was solved. I didn't think to simply tighten the existing belts. OOps. another excuse to go to the showroom!!

[scott spencer]

Thank you gents for the feedback. The extra year of warranty would be a deal maker for me if the prices of the Grizz and SF are close. Now comes the hard part of selling the idea to the better half.


Through the MS Live.com Cashback promo, you can buy a Shop Fox 1741 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Shop-Fox-W1741-8-Parallelogram-Jointer_W0QQitemZ360063873967QQcmdZViewItem?_trksi d=p3286.m20.l1116)for $732 shipped to your door after the $200 Cashback discount.

[Jon Grider]

I have the Shop Fox 8", and though I haven't had much shop time or shop money......what little I've use it, I love it. Only knock for me is the belt slap when it first turns on. I want to upgrade all my machines with the link belts someday and hope that will help.

I did want any Grizzly products cause there is no local (or close by) support for it. I own Shop Fox's 2hp Dust Collector and 10" Cabinet Saw too.


I just noticed your location,Jim. I lived in Kzoo for 33 years before moving to Portage two years ago. Did you get your SF in Michigan?

[Jon Grider]

Through the MS Live.com Cashback promo, you can buy a Shop Fox 1741 (http://cgi.ebay.com/Shop-Fox-W1741-8-Parallelogram-Jointer_W0QQitemZ360063873967QQcmdZViewItem?_trksi d=p3286.m20.l1116)for $732 shipped to your door after the $200 Cashback discount.


Thanks for the ammo Scott. I'm working on my closing arguments for the presentation to the judge.:)

[Rod Sheridan]

Now comes the hard part of selling the idea to the better half.

Sometimes you never know which direction the conversation is going to take.

Last year when I was considering purchasing the Hammer A3-31, Diann was with me at the Felder dealership.

Her comment was "Are you sure you don't need the larger one (A3-41)? You're replacing the General now because it's too small".

So I purchased the 31, I couldn't justify spending another $3,000 to go from a 310mm jointer to a 410mm jointer.

Good luck Jon, your wife may surprise you.......Rod.

[Pat Germain]

I'm another happy owner of a Shop Fox 8" jointer. I've had it about 15 months. I don't use it a lot, but when I do, I dog it pretty hard. The toughest job I've thrown at it was probably face-jointing hickory just under 8" wide. And I machined a bunch of it. The jointer did it without a problem.

The beds are nice and long. It has built-in mobility. The dust port works very well. My jointer has parallelogram beds, but not a shelix head. The cuts are very smooth as long as I go slowly. I can get some ripples if I go too fast, but it's minimal.

I am very glad I went with an 8". Almost every piece of stock I go to face-joint is 8" or just under 8". If I had a 6", I'd be doing a lot of extra ripping just for face jointing. Of course, a 12" would be even better!

I also have the problem with belt slap. I've tried tightening the belt, but it didn't help. I too plan to install a link belt eventually.

I ordered my Shop Fox jointer from Bibb Tool in Georgia. I got free shipping to a local depot where I picked it up.

[Brad Ridgway]

I also have the shop fox 8"...

I have not had much time to use it... My technique sucks so i'm sure it's me that can't get a flat edge without ripples on the wide side of a board (non-edge)

However, on the belt slap, i am curious because i get a really loud bang (can't remmeber if it's startup or shutdown), but it's annoying. Sounds more like a metal clang than a belt noise though - are we talking the same thing...

One gripe i have... The on off switch is such that you can't really use the jointer for side roller support for the table saw (ref Tolpin's book - i had it in same location even before i read it and frequently had to move it out of the way for cross cuts or wide ripping). I've toyed with the idea of trying to flip it around or something..


BTW - Are link belts ok in the heavy duty apps? I put one on my GI saw, but am wondering if i shoudl put them on the jointer, bandsaw and pm66... I think the pulleys on the jointer and my steelcty bandsaw are very "V'd" / grooved not sure they'd fit right?

[Don Bullock]

...Now comes the hard part of selling the idea to the better half.


Thanks for the ammo Scott. I'm working on my closing arguments for the presentation to the judge.:)

Jon, good luck with SWMBO. A couple of years ago I was in a similar situation. I just explained that a jointer was a tool that I needed to make furniture along with a planer. My options were to by a combination machine or separate machines at different times. I opted, with her blessing to buy the G 0490 and a DeWalt 735. I've been very pleased with both.

[scott spencer]

Thanks for the ammo Scott. I'm working on my closing arguments for the presentation to the judge.:)

Hhhhmmm....it might have been better to seek forgiveness, as the discount dropped from 30% to 20% last night. :rolleyes: (still beats a stick in the eye! ;))