Resawing on a Griz 0513

[Jim Kountz]

Im looking into the Grizzly G0513 or 0513x to replace my old bandsaw and Im particularly interested in its resaw ability or lack of IF that be the case. To the owners of this or any other saw you would like to recommend Id love to hear your comments and suggestions and your success stories on resawing. This saw will of course be used for the many other bandsaw tasks in a typical shop.
Thanks!

Jim

[Dave Avery]

Hi Jim,

Have the X2 with a 3/4" Lenox Trimaster blade and it resaws easily. Best. Dave.

[Michael N Taylor]

I just purchased the 0513x2 and I am very pleased with the machine, plenty of power when resawing.

[Greg Cole]

Hi Jim,
I'm on my second 17 Grizzly BS with the 0513X2 version now. It's a great machine for the price range. I've never had an issue with resawing and I've pushed some 10" + wide maple and walnut through it. I haven't bitten the Trimaster bullet, but I've had good results with the Woodslicers from Highland Hardware.

[jerry nazard]

Grizzly 17" + Woodslicer 1/2 - 3 tpi = happy woodworker!

[Marcus Ward]

I've got a 513x2 with a 3/4" woodslicer (iturra bladerunner) and resaw on mine a LOT. I have a 6" wide sheet of 1mm cherry veneer I made with it here at my desk, amazing finish. I got rid of my table saw and this is all I use now. I wholeheartedly recommend this saw.

[glenn bradley]

I was having a bit of blade-wander on my G0513X the other day. I got out my magnifying glass and looked at the teeth on my TW 3/4" 2-3 blade. As suspected it was looking a little 'used'.

I thought back to how much material I had sawn on this particular blade and sure enough, it was overdue. Kind of impressive how these blades hang on till the last gasp and then pretty much just "go". Kinda like Lithium batteries . .. .but, I wander off. . . .

I popped on new 3/4" TW and set the guides and tension. I then took after 8" of maple; ran through it like butter. Same result with some 6" ash, and 9" mahogany. If I had to look for a problem with this particular saw at this price it would be dust control; no worse than any other unmodified BS I've seen but, no better either ;-)

[Marcus Ward]

The dust is horrible if I leave the dust collector off, manageable with it on. On that veneer I mention above, that was cut between the fence and the blade, not an outside cut. I was a little nervous at first but that 3/4 blade is solid as a rock.

[Russ Massery]

No problem here with dust collection. I find the dust collection superior to old bandsaw. I feel it might the dust collector not the saw. I've had gate mine down. I have had thought of adding holes at the top of the bottom half. Next to the trunnion assembly to assist the air flow.

[Jim Kountz]

I appreciate all the comments guys, thanks! I pulled the trigger on one earlier today!!

[Marcus Ward]

Did you get the 513 or 513x2?

[Jim Kountz]

Did you get the 513 or 513x2?

The G0513X2. I wanted this to be the last one I bought for a few years!

[alex grams]

Congrats. Another owner here, great saw.

For what its worth, when I got mine I called grizzly and asked the reasoning on the cast iron trunnion. The tech was very helpful and basically said the upgrade was a sales point. Very few people had a problem with the old aluminum trunnion, and those who did were putting some hefty logs on their saw.

You will like it. Definitely get some woodslicers from highland when you can.

[Jim Kountz]

Getting ready to order some of those blades and now Im curious as to why everyone uses the 3/4" when the saw is supposed to handle a 1" blade. Is it just for less strain on the motor or does the 1" just simply not perform as well??

[Marcus Ward]

I don't think they make a woodslicer in 1". Also, a few years ago (According to Louis at Iturra) the thicker blades the 1"ers are made from couldn't handle the turn around the 17" wheel without cracking. Lenox has reformulated the band metal and do that fine now but I think the caveat persists. The internet has a way of keeping ideas afloat long after they've died in reality. Also, and this may just be me - the 3/4" blade resaws just fine, no reason to put a 1" on there and stress the saw fram any more than it is by tensioning one so thick.

[Greg Cole]

Agreed on the extra strain needed to properly tension the 1" blade. If you try a 3/4 and like it, why bust the saws cojohones?;)
Some say the same thing in regards to a 3/4 blade versus 1/2 as well... but the majority is in the 3/4 camp.
"One of these days" I'll bite the bullet for a Trimaster, but I want to wait and pick up a small 2nd hand 14" BS before then so I can dedicate the 0513X2 to resaw only and use the smaller one for everything else. I just hate taking a band out of mine when I've got it dailed in for a perfect no drift resaw.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jim,

Congrats and I suspect you'll be more than happy with it's performance. Too many satisfied users here for it not to be a good saw.

[Guy Germaine]

Looks like I'm a little late, but I'll post anyway. I have the 513X and love it. This piece was cut with the stock blade, just as the saw came out of the crate. No adjusting at all.
I have since upgraded to Timberwolf blades, and the results are better now.

http://www.fototime.com/6B6A5C3E7EA364D/standard.jpg

[Marcus Ward]

Just a caveat, I got a 1" timberwolf blade and it wasn't welded coplanar to itself and had to return it. I'd recommend a woodslicer ($39.99 from highland) or same blade ($26.40) from Iturra called Bladerunner.

[glenn bradley]

[quote=alex grams;965614]The tech was very helpful and basically said the upgrade was a sales point. Very few people had a problem with the old aluminum trunnion[quote]

Just a point of interest. I have the "tweener" G0513X; not a 513 and not a 513X2. It has hardened steel teeth attached to steel trunnions. The 513X2 trunnions are a direct replacement for about $90 or so. I think it is a good thing that Grizzly focused on an area that reviewers took exception with (despite good functionality) and gave consumers what they wanted ;-)

[glenn bradley]

Getting ready to order some of those blades and now Im curious as to why everyone uses the 3/4" when the saw is supposed to handle a 1" blade. Is it just for less strain on the motor or does the 1" just simply not perform as well??

I actually am fine with 1/2" blade but the 3/4" seems to run a bit longer . . . probably just perception as I have not kept that close of records on it. I just go by "such and such an amount of time" has gone by and it "seems" about right. ;-)

[Pat Germain]

I think you'll be very happy with the X2. I've had mine a few months. I haven't used it a whole lot, but what I've done worked well. The saw's first job was resawing some maple and oak cutting boards for a friend's mobile home sinks. These cutting boards were 12" wide and the saw didn't even work hard. I used a very large Timberwolf blade; 1" as I recall.

[Jeremy Leasure]

I've got a 513x2 with a 3/4" woodslicer (iturra bladerunner) and resaw on mine a LOT. I have a 6" wide sheet of 1mm cherry veneer I made with it here at my desk, amazing finish. I got rid of my table saw and this is all I use now. I wholeheartedly recommend this saw.

I've looked at those Woodslicers at Highland. Everytime I do I'm reminded why I haven't tried one- it says allow six to eight weeks for delivery. Of course by now I could have allowed six to eight weeks 5 or six times :D but there you go.

Does it really take that long to get a blade in for the 513x series?

[Marcus Ward]

No, call Iturra Design and order a 'Bladerunner' blade. It's made from the same stock, he just can't call it woodslicer because Highland has the name trademarked. It'll cost you $27.40 (+ $9 shipping) and it'll be at your house in a week. 1-866-883-8064

Also get one of his catalogs, it's like the holy bible of bandsaw.