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Thread: G0675 10" Combo J/P long term reliability/usability

  1. #1

    G0675 10" Combo J/P long term reliability/usability

    Hey fellas. I have the opportunity to purchase the aforementioned 10" J/P combo. Im hoping to get a couple specific pieces of feedback:
    1. How reliable is this machine over time? Its been on the market for 8-9 years +/- so for owners that have had it, is it holding up? Specifically how well do the tables all stay aligned both over time and after repeated task-switching, etc.?
    2. If you have a 10" (this one or otherwise) what are your feelings about it over time? Preferred to have dedicated units but it works well? Only works marginally well? Works extremely well and would do it again? Really missing a bigger planer?


    I know the general consensus is probably: buy dedicated machines and buy them big and buy them once, but Im just not in a position to do that with either space or capital. As with anything its a value proposition and if it does the job its supposed to do and does it well, I think this combo machine could fit the bill really well. But if you guys are not in love with your machines over time I think I'll also regret it if I take the plunge.

    Anyway, and long-term experience with this machine? Others comparable? And no, a Hammer A3-41 is neither comparable or up for consideration (even though Id love it if it were!) Invariably these threads drift in that direction so I thought Id just throw that out there from the get go.

    Thanks!

  2. #2
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    Hi Christopher, I'll only comment on should you buy a jointer/planer and for me the decision was yes.

    I went from an 8" jointer and a 14" planer to a 12" J/P and couldn't be happier with the decision.

    It gave me shop space back, an increase in capacity and a machine that produced a better surface finish than the General machinery it replaced 11 years ago.

    Buy big and separate isn't always a good solution at all. It's like saying buy a highway tractor when you really need a minivan, not only will the tractor not do what the minivan will, it costs a lot more.

    I have no experience with Grizzly machinery.............Regards, Rod.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan View Post
    Hi Christopher, I'll only comment on should you buy a jointer/planer and for me the decision was yes.

    I went from an 8" jointer and a 14" planer to a 12" J/P and couldn't be happier with the decision.

    It gave me shop space back, an increase in capacity and a machine that produced a better surface finish than the General machinery it replaced 11 years ago.

    Buy big and separate isn't always a good solution at all. It's like saying buy a highway tractor when you really need a minivan, not only will the tractor not do what the minivan will, it costs a lot more.

    I have no experience with Grizzly machinery.............Regards, Rod.
    Thanks very much for the feedback Rod, I appreciate it. I agree, there could be some very nice perks with a combo, not least of which is 10" of jointing capacity. Who makes your machine?

  4. #4
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    No experience with the Grizzly, but I suspect it must be OK if it's been on the market for 8 or 9 years. I can relate that I really liked my Inca 10" J/P, which is a much smaller overall machine than the Grizzly. I had it for about 25 years and built all kinds of projects with it, including some pretty large ones with 8 - 10' long pieces. Even ran a 16' handrail through it. I sometimes felt limited by the planer width, but not very often in truth. I eventually upgraded to a 14" MM J/P, and like it lot more due it's longer tables and, yes, increased width.

    For $1500 you could buy some pretty nice separate used machines, if you have the space. If not, used Incas typically run half of that. If you are on the fence about the Grizzly, there are alternatives besides Hammer. Buy used, use them until you decide what you really want and can afford, then sell them and move up.

    John

  5. #5
    I have had the G0634XP with spiral insert head for about 2-3 years. Works well. Fairly light use by most standards, but planed a fair amount of Cypress, B.Walnut, and Beech and have not had need to even rotate the inserts. Much quieter than 12" straight-knife Belsaw it replaced. Table alignment has help up. Function change over is quick (30-45 sec.).

    I was nervous about flex in the end-mount jointer fence, but really liked the space savings. Flex has bee a non-issue; it will move in/out, but no 'twist' that would impact 90deg edges.

    Only complaint is the pork-chop guard. Non-issue on a 6", but on 12" jointer, this just feels flat out awkward to me. It swings out into my hip, then clears and clangs back into the fence. If the mood strikes me, I may look for euro-style guard to retro-fit.

    Good value. I'd do it again.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post
    No experience with the Grizzly, but I suspect it must be OK if it's been on the market for 8 or 9 years. I can relate that I really liked my Inca 10" J/P, which is a much smaller overall machine than the Grizzly. I had it for about 25 years and built all kinds of projects with it, including some pretty large ones with 8 - 10' long pieces. Even ran a 16' handrail through it. I sometimes felt limited by the planer width, but not very often in truth. I eventually upgraded to a 14" MM J/P, and like it lot more due it's longer tables and, yes, increased width.

    For $1500 you could buy some pretty nice separate used machines, if you have the space. If not, used Incas typically run half of that. If you are on the fence about the Grizzly, there are alternatives besides Hammer. Buy used, use them until you decide what you really want and can afford, then sell them and move up.

    John
    Thats good to know about your Inca. I can get the Grizz at about half retail, so I do feel its good value at that price ... if it works like its supposed to

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Malcolm McLeod View Post
    I have had the G0634XP with spiral insert head for about 2-3 years. Works well. Fairly light use by most standards, but planed a fair amount of Cypress, B.Walnut, and Beech and have not had need to even rotate the inserts. Much quieter than 12" straight-knife Belsaw it replaced. Table alignment has help up. Function change over is quick (30-45 sec.).

    I was nervous about flex in the end-mount jointer fence, but really liked the space savings. Flex has bee a non-issue; it will move in/out, but no 'twist' that would impact 90deg edges.

    Only complaint is the pork-chop guard. Non-issue on a 6", but on 12" jointer, this just feels flat out awkward to me. It swings out into my hip, then clears and clangs back into the fence. If the mood strikes me, I may look for euro-style guard to retro-fit.

    Good value. I'd do it again.
    Truthfully the fence is one of the bigger issues I want to make sure works well. The G0675 doesn't have an end mounted fence but you have to remove the fence every time you do a change-over. I just doubt you could engineer the product so that it goes back on at 90° every time with that kind of manhandling. Operationally I suppose you learn to accommodate the quirks/nuances and adapt your workflow, and Im OK with that sacrifice, but within reason.

    Thanks!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Christopher Juncosa View Post
    Thanks very much for the feedback Rod, I appreciate it. I agree, there could be some very nice perks with a combo, not least of which is 10" of jointing capacity. Who makes your machine?
    Hi, I have the Hammer A3-31. Actually I'm on my second one as I gave the first one to my brother as a thank you gift, he loves it.

    End mount fences are a non issue, they work fine.

    The Hammer doesn't require that you remove the fence for changeover, and the bridge guard is so much better than the pork chop style.

    I also have the digital height gauge and a couple of extension tables for mine, one always stays on the planer outfeed.

    The Hammer cartridge knives are fantastic, 5 minutes with no adjustment to change the blades, or you can buy it with the Silent Power carbide head. Both are MAN rated for reduced kickback hazard.

    Regards, Rod.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Christopher Juncosa View Post
    Truthfully the fence is one of the bigger issues I want to make sure works well. The G0675 doesn't have an end mounted fence but you have to remove the fence every time you do a change-over. I just doubt you could engineer the product so that it goes back on at 90° every time with that kind of manhandling. Operationally I suppose you learn to accommodate the quirks/nuances and adapt your workflow, and Im OK with that sacrifice, but within reason.

    Thanks!
    My MM J/P has a massive cast iron fence, mounted on the back of the infeed table. I can leave it on when planing, but often remove it to make it easier to lift the table. It almost always drifts out of square when I do that, but it takes about 10 seconds to hold a square against it and tap the back with a plastic mallet to square it up again. It's not a big deal, and I doubt it would be on the Grizzly either.

    Many would consider MM a pro-sumer grade machine, yet it's not perfect. No machine is. No matter what you buy you will find issues you have to accommodate.

    A comment on guards. My Inca had a Euro style guard on it. It was the first jointer I owned. I liked some of it's features, disliked others. My MM has a pork chop style guard. Overall, for my way of working I like it better as it never requires you to make an adjustment to it; it just works, and is in the way far less often than the Euro guard. That may be a minority opinion these days, but it comes from the experience of 25+ years with the Inca and now about 3 years with the MM.

    John

  10. #10
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    A member of the LumberJocks forum did a review of this machine back in 2012. Not a whole lot of data on it otherwise.
    Code:
    http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/2989

  11. #11
    Hi Christopher, I've had the Rikon 210-12H for about four years now so I can share some experience with a cheaper combo machine. Power and cut quality are great, and it produces very little planer snipe. Changeover is quick and easy.

    My only real struggle has been keeping the jointer tables calibrated. There are four stop bolts that the tables close down on and those little bastards, despite an application of blue Loctite, really enjoy working their way downwards. But alas, I don't have the space for separate machines.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by David M Peters View Post
    Hi Christopher, I've had the Rikon 210-12H for about four years now so I can share some experience with a cheaper combo machine. Power and cut quality are great, and it produces very little planer snipe. Changeover is quick and easy.

    My only real struggle has been keeping the jointer tables calibrated. There are four stop bolts that the tables close down on and those little bastards, despite an application of blue Loctite, really enjoy working their way downwards. But alas, I don't have the space for separate machines.
    Do you have room for a jamb nut under those stop bolts? If so, they should solve the problem.

    John

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Peter Kelly View Post
    A member of the LumberJocks forum did a review of this machine back in 2012. Not a whole lot of data on it otherwise.
    Code:
    http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/2989
    Ugh, I did see that review ... not a glowing endorsement. Im sort of hoping they got some quirks ironed out but realize they probably didnt re-design the whole table-alignment process.

    Edit: "They" being Grizzly over the subsequent 5-6 years its been on the market since that review.
    Last edited by Christopher Juncosa; 03-07-2018 at 3:54 PM.

  14. #14
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    What's your budget range? The Rojek MSP 310M J/P gets pretty decent reviews and i think goes for around $2,500. http://www.rojekusa.com/PHP/msp310m.php

    Could always look around for a used Inca 510 or 570 too.

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