How is the grizzly g0766 holding up?

[David C. Roseman]

I am considering the G0766, but I notice in a comparison between it and the G0733 which is a little smaller, the G0766 is stated as having a "cast iron bed" while the G0733 and G0694 are stated as a "precision ground cast iron bed". Any input on the difference in quality between the beds of these?

Dustin, I've had a G0733 for five years and a G0766 for two. Both have "precision ground cast iron beds". Headstock and tailstock alignment on both has been spot-on from day of set up. Both are fine machines. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to buy them again.

I agree with Brice's and Roger's other comments, as well, including on the banjo bar. Not an issue.

[Mark Greenbaum]

The Lathe is solid, but the speed potentiometer is crap. Now I am on my 3rd, and I hope that's the end of that! A simple $2 part lays the machine down. Luckily, or not, I have been too busy to turn right now. But the Holidays are coming, and gifts must be made - Santa's ordered all the elves to get busy.

[dustin wassner]

Hey everyone, after a lot of consideration I decided to move forward with the G0766. Looks like the timing was perfect as the price just went up $100...

For those of you using the grizzly banjo with other tool posts, did you drill or ream out the post hole? And if you did, were you able to still use the grizzly tool post that came with the machine?

Also, can someone comment on the spindle shoulder issue I have read about? Is it just a matter of filing down the corner of it?

I am really excited for it to arrive.

DW

[Roger Chandler]

Hey everyone, after a lot of consideration I decided to move forward with the G0766. Looks like the timing was perfect as the price just went up $100...

For those of you using the grizzly banjo with other tool posts, did you drill or ream out the post hole? And if you did, were you able to still use the grizzly tool post that came with the machine?



Also, can someone comment on the spindle shoulder issue I have read about? Is it just a matter of filing down the corner of it?

I am really excited for it to arrive.

DW

Dustin, the best thing to do is to enlarge the banjo hole to 1" diameter with a twist bit and a little oil to lubricate the cut. You are only taking off about 1/64th from the 25mm. The original tool rest will do fine in that 1" hole, and if you go with the Robust rests, get the custom rests [same price as the long posts] made to 8-3/4" total height [ bottom of the post to top rail] and you will be a happy camper. The enlarged hole will allow you to get aftermarket accessories that use the standard 1" post like coring rigs, threading jigs, and other aftermarket rests with 1" post.

The spindle shoulder is machined to 1.260" and most after market chucks are 1.250" which is a .0010 difference, and the Grizzly chucks fit right with no mods. Some other chucks need a little taken off the spindle boss - super easy mod, ..... so just take a flat file and hold it flat against that area just behind the gap in back of the threads, with the lathe running at about 500 rpm, take a smidgen off, check your fit, repeat, test fit, and when you get it where your chuck insert will seat all the way back to the spindle shoulder you are good to go. Polish it up with some 400, then 600 grit at the same rpm, and it will look new. Go easy, as you do not want to take too much off, so test the fit of your chucks a few times during the process...again, this is super easy!

[Brice Rogers]

<p>
On November 7th, 2017, Mark Greenbaum wrote: The Lathe is solid, but the speed potentiometer is crap. Now I am on my 3rd, and I hope that&#39;s the end of that! A simple $2 part lays the machine down.</p>
<p>
Today I was final turning a 16 inch platter and I do not typically run it at 1100 rpms for something that large. I thought that I had turned the knob way too far.&nbsp; I tried turning it down and it either wanted to run below a couple hundred rpm or 1100. Then I realized that my 2nd potentiometer died. I had a spare and the replacement job only took about 20 minutes. Not hard at all. I did a post-mortem of the pot and confirmed that the very fine wound wire had broken where the wiper was rubbing on it. The wire is very fine. I think that I am going to order a couple more from Griz to have on hand as well as buy a couple on eBay that in not wire-wound. They are inexpensive.&nbsp; I thought that I read somewhere that Griz was sending replacement pots for free upon request, but I cannot find that post and perhaps it was just a dream on my part. Other than the pot, I still like the lathe.</p>

[Mark Greenbaum]

I have received both of my Grizzly replacement pots from them free of charge (one-time exception to warranty for the 2nd), and the USA made spare from a dealer in Miami, that was shipped new from Venezeula, to Panama, to Puerto Rico, to Miami to me all for $7. I have not done much turning on the 2nd replacement pot yet (maybe 10 hrs.) but knock on wood, it seems to wo

[Brice Rogers]

Thanks for the info. It looks like a "jump ball" on getting a 3rd free pot. Also they don't cost that much. Cheaper than a package of sand paper.

I wish when I had it apart that I had taken some voltage measurements across the pot and done some additional diagnostics. If the circuit could support a lower resistance pot like a 2.5K or 1K wirewound, the thicker wire size may increase its life.

Allen Bradley used to make a good wire wound pot. But they merged or something with Honeywell and then Clarostat. Somewhere along the way I think that they replaced the wirewound with a carbon film. I suspect that the new-old stock AB pots are perhaps 20 years old.

I looked at a carbon film pot and its stated life was 25,000 operations. That seems like a lot, but I don't think that it is if you figure how many times you adjust the pot.

So maybe I'll buy a handful and be prepared to toss them when they go. I wonder what pots (value, type and manufacturer) the Robust and PM lathes use?

[Chris Hachet]

Dustin, I've had a G0733 for five years and a G0766 for two. Both have "precision ground cast iron beds". Headstock and tailstock alignment on both has been spot-on from day of set up. Both are fine machines. I wouldn't hesitate for a moment to buy them again.

I agree with Brice's and Roger's other comments, as well, including on the banjo bar. Not an issue.

Thank you for your endorsement.

Think I will buy one this coming summer with summer overtime.

[Jeff Walters]

I’ve seen comments in this thread that you may want to drill out the banjo to accept a 1” tool rest. I thought they fixed that with the new banjo and they now come with a 1” hole. Also, can you slide the tailstock off the end of the bed? I had a GO632 and had to unscrew the nut on the bottom to remove the tailstock which was a royal pain.
Jeff Walters

[Richard Coers]

I’ve seen comments in this thread that you may want to drill out the banjo to accept a 1” tool rest. I thought they fixed that with the new banjo and they now come with a 1” hole. Also, can you slide the tailstock off the end of the bed? I had a GO632 and had to unscrew the nut on the bottom to remove the tailstock which was a royal pain.
Jeff Walters

You are reading a post that started over 5 years ago and the last post was almost 4 years ago.

[Chris A Lawrence]

I’ve seen comments in this thread that you may want to drill out the banjo to accept a 1” tool rest. I thought they fixed that with the new banjo and they now come with a 1” hole. Also, can you slide the tailstock off the end of the bed? I had a GO632 and had to unscrew the nut on the bottom to remove the tailstock which was a royal pain.
Jeff Walters

Yes the hole in the banjo is now 1" not a metric size. You can slide the headstock off the ways. It has a screw post between the ways at each end. You just remove that post.