Opinion on Jointer Purchase wanted

[Larry Wilson]

There is a jointer for sale in my area for $625 Canadian ($500 USD). It is a Delta 37-866X. It is in an unopened box and comes with a mobile base. It works for my budget. Any thoughts on this particular model and the deal in general? Thanks in advance.

[Bill Adamsen]

Price seems ok for that a new machine, though likely any warranty would be suspect. In my opinion, the 6" jointers of that style tend to be underpowered, are hard to use (tippy) without a mobile base, and adding the mobile base would not be likely to improve their stability. The 8" Powermatic (model 60) is a nice tool that in a used version might hit that price-point depending where you are.

[mike sato]

There is a jointer for sale in my area for $625 Canadian ($500 USD). It is a Delta 37-866X. It is in an unopened box and comes with a mobile base. It works for my budget. Any thoughts on this particular model and the deal in general? Thanks in advance.

Thoughts on deal in general:
Suggest bringing a straight edge with you. Insure that both infeed and outfeed tables are perfectly parallel. Don't know if the model you're looking at has provisions for adjusting parallelism of both tables (or whether any jointer has that adjustment).

I got a free small jointer when we bought our home (many years ago). The tables were not perfectly parallel and there was no way to adjust the parallelism. That jointer was effectively useless. I bought a larger used jointer and did the parallelism verification when I checked it out. I'm still using that jointer until today and it has served me well.

[Peter Christensen]

The equivalent from Busy Bee or KMS Tools is $900Can or more, so getting a new/old stock one in a box for $625.00 isn't a bad deal if the boxes haven't been smacked around. If there is a little negotiating room and you can get it for less even better. Waiting around for any kind of 8" machine may take years so get the 6" and if you can ever score a good 8" or bigger, do so, then sell the 6".

[Bill Graham]

First of all, if you think you're going to continue woodworking as a hobby then you'll eventually want an 8" jointer. Besides being able to surface the majority of hardwood stock you'll buy at a lumber yard, the beds on most 6" jointers are relatively short so it takes a more time to straighten a face or edge on lumber of usable length. Unless you're devoted to building small boxes exclusively you'll find the 6" doesn't cut the mustard.

Secondly, that tool was produced in Stage III of the Delta "Chineseum Junk" period. A once respectable company, the Delta name has been sold multiple times and each time to a company that only wanted to extract maximum profit from the name. The tools get cheaper and cheaper and quality takes a nosedive every time the name changes hands.

Thirdly, if something breaks other than a screw or spring, forget about getting parts.

If you're dead set on getting a new-in-box jointer in that price range, go to the nearest Princess Auto and help yourself. At least you'll be able to return it when it turns out to be a POS.

[Ray Newman]

Agree with Mike Sato's and Bill Graham's posts, especially the advice about an 8" jointer.

[Peter Christensen]

We don't have the population you guy's have so the options for used machinery is limited and new machines cost much higher than you would expect. A new 6" jointer starts at $900Can to as much as $1800Can. The 8" jointers start at about $1500Can. And those machines are all made in China and can be pretty junky too. If we live outside the few big cities in the east or west we pay extra just because of the shipping. The OP can decide if he wants the 6" for the one in the box, or pay at least a third more for a new one, or wait for a very very long time for an 8" bargain to come along. If I had the bucks for an 8", 10", or 12" jointer I'd pop for one in a heartbeat. I don't so I work with my Hitachi planer-jointer(12" & 6") that I bought in the early eighties.

Princess Auto doesn't sell jointers or any other large woodworking machines. Maybe someday but not at the moment.

[Mike Kees]

Hi Larry. You have not told us where you are located. I live in southern Alberta and find most of my machines on Kijiji. Usually end up driving to Calgary. I am working on a possible deal for some equipment from a friend and if it goes through I will have at least one 8 inch jointer for sale (old good Delta).PM me if you are interested. Mike.

[Larry Wilson]

I live in Victoria, BC. I was also thinking of maybe getting an 8" jointer from Grizzly. The G0490. In the budget but barely. I think it is a clone of the famous DJ20.

[glenn bradley]

I live in Victoria, BC. I was also thinking of maybe getting an 8" jointer from Grizzly. The G0490. In the budget but barely. I think it is a clone of the famous DJ20.

It is indeed. The question is do you pay for the helical head now or pay for it over the next couple of years in sharpening and knife replacements and still not have it? You'll lay out the money either way. The difference is that the insert head is cheaper over time. You can find articles from Fine Woodworking (among others) that lay out the math for you.

[Chris Hachet]

I would wait tables, sell plasma, or put a kidney on eBay to have an eight inch jointer vs a six.

[Mike Kees]

Larry , Busy Bee tools sells the same jointer. Not sure how it works out price wise compared to grizzly. probably depends on if you ship it or bring it across the line yourself. I bought a dust collector from Grizzly and had it shipped to the border and brought it in personally, it was quite a bit cheaper than shipping it. Mike.

[Bill Dufour]

That delta jointer is no better then any other made in Taiwan jointer. Since Delta no longer supports it pay no more then you would for a similar no name version in your region. Not much to wear on a jointer except knives, bearings and belts.
Bill
Modesto, Ca USA

[Dave McKeithan]

I live in Victoria, BC. I was also thinking of maybe getting an 8" jointer from Grizzly. The G0490. In the budget but barely. I think it is a clone of the famous DJ20.

Better check to see if the one you want is in stock. I ordered a G0490XW last July and it was back-ordered. Checking over time I was told it would be in stock on Sept 21, then Oct 7, then Nov 17 and now they say in January. So I called to cancel my order today. I even offered to buy the somewhat more expensive G0495X if they would give me a discount of some sort, but they were not interested in doing that. I find that odd since they sent me a 10% discount coupon a month of so ago, but they couldn't do anything now.

Anyway I would caution about buying anything from Grizzly that is back-ordered as there guidance on delivery is unreliable.

[Don Bullock]

I live in Victoria, BC. I was also thinking of maybe getting an 8" jointer from Grizzly. The G0490. In the budget but barely. I think it is a clone of the famous DJ20.

Hi Larry, I faced a similar decision several years ago. I am so happy that I decided on the G0490 instead of a 6” jointer. While it’s not the best on the market the G0490 does everything I need it to do and does everythinh well.

As others have said the G0490 seems to be a very popular Grizzly machine. As a result I’ve heard several complain about them being backordered. Mine was as well. Considering the price and what this machine does it was worth the wait.

If you do decide to get the Grizzly pay the extra for liftgate delivery unless you have some way to get it off the truck. When mine was dilivered the driver used his pallet jack to wheel the crate up my druveway and into my garage. Your driver may not be so kind or may not be able to move it where you want it. The driver may just leave the machine at the street. You’ll need to plan for that possibility.