Page 1 of 9 12345 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 122

Thread: 8" Jointer Options

  1. #1

    8" Jointer Options

    So I have scoured thread after thread regarding 8" jointers. Right now I am landing with the Grizzly G0858 Parallelogram Helical head. Is there anything else in that price range that far surpasses the grizzly unit? And yes I am shopping new as to have a warranty with it unless it was some amazing deal on something newer, but nothing great local to me yet. For example grizzly has a 1 year warranty, where as for roughly $2000 I could have a 'wedge' dovetail Jet helical 8" and they have a 5 year warranty.

    Any thoughts here? I would like to be at $2k or under for the most part and the only thing on sale right now is the Laguna's on woodcraft's site.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,527
    Man, $2k for an 8” jointer. My $.02, if you have even a little mechanical ability, try to find a used jointer for less than half that. Jointers don’t have many things to go wrong.

    And unless you have money to spend, a helical head in a jointer doesn’t make a lot of sense. That jointed board will be planed, so if you’re going to helical route the planer is much more important.

    Where are you located?

    But... shiny new toys can be fun, I get it. I prefer dirty old toys that I can fix it up and save money.

  3. #3
    Hey matt,

    So i have a cutech helical benchtop planer as well as a jet 1836 drumsander. I am just sick of my benchtop 6" jointer, doing any long board is an absolute pain.

    And its funny about the helical head in the jointer because so many people say you have to have them, but I guess you bring up a good point, I could get by with a knife blade model because its going to be followed up in the planer any how for the faces.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Stone Mountain, GA
    Posts
    749
    I like the G0857 I bought a few months ago. It's the straight knife version of the one you mentioned. It seemed like the best deal for a new 8" jointer. I wanted to buy used, but nothing appealing came up for 6 months so I just bought new. I don't see a 5 year warranty as being a big deal on this sort of machine- if it's good out of the box then it's most likely gonna stay that way. If there are problems with it when it arrives, Grizzly is reputed to be good at dealing with it. I had no issues with mine.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    345
    I have a Grizzly G0500 I bought new in 2005. Not a current model, but it is a 4-knife cutterhead, long bed, standard dovetail style bed. Has done everything I could ask of it, paid about $800. I would not bother with a helical head unless you were doing a lot of difficult woods like curly or birdseye maple, or exotics. If buying new today, I would consider the G0855. Have thought about wider beds, but with the right technique there's no need for a wider bed.
    Jon Endres
    Killing Trees Since 1983

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Hazelwood View Post
    I like the G0857 I bought a few months ago. It's the straight knife version of the one you mentioned. It seemed like the best deal for a new 8" jointer. I wanted to buy used, but nothing appealing came up for 6 months so I just bought new. I don't see a 5 year warranty as being a big deal on this sort of machine- if it's good out of the box then it's most likely gonna stay that way. If there are problems with it when it arrives, Grizzly is reputed to be good at dealing with it. I had no issues with mine.
    Have you tried any figured stuff? That really could be the only caveat.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,638
    Chris, consider something wider if you can find one used within your budget. Flattening boards is the most important use for a jointer prior to thicknessing and 8" can be limiting.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Chris, consider something wider if you can find one used within your budget. Flattening boards is the most important use for a jointer prior to thicknessing and 8" can be limiting.
    Hey Jim,

    I wish I could, my new shop which is almost done, only has room for an 8". Grizzly had that 1 day flash sale for the G0651 table saw and the side feed and rear feed tables take up so much room. Most of my work is with 8" and narrower anyhow.

  9. #9
    But with the 0855 vs 0857, you are talking $125 and gaining 4 inches and parallelogram bed. Thoughts there?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,810
    The Italians make some very good jointers. Since they are local to you I would start there.
    Bill D

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Stone Mountain, GA
    Posts
    749
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Kalnasy View Post
    Have you tried any figured stuff? That really could be the only caveat.
    Haven't yet, I don't use much of it. It's handled grain reversals (like you'd have around knots) pretty well, and sometimes those areas are more liable to tear out than figured grain. I've ran stuff like curly maple and crotch figure through my straight knife lunchbox planer and it was fine, so I felt like I'd be ok with straight knives on the jointer. I suppose the real test would be something like birdseye figure, which I've never used.

  12. #12
    I got an Oliver about 8 years ago. It does have the byrd head and I don't think I could go back. I don't just do edges on my 8 inch - I often flatten the face especially on rails and styles and find the helical a god-send for that. Those blades last a LONG time. Absolutely a great buy for me and the Oliver was competitively priced as a IWF end of show deal.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Stone Mountain, GA
    Posts
    749
    I will say that the straight knife cutterhead is quite loud. I'm not talking about the noise during cutting, I'm talking about the air-raid siren effect from the knives beating the air. It's noticeable while the machine is idling but when you run the dust collector it gets much louder. It is as loud or even a little louder than the lunchbox planer, according to my wife, though I think it's a bit less obnoxious. Still, you absolutely need hearing protection. I assumed the jointer would be relatively quiet compared to the lunchbox planer.

    If this is typical of the straight knife model, and if the spiral head mitigates it, then that would justify the upgrade more than anything.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Dufour View Post
    The Italians make some very good jointers. Since they are local to you I would start there.
    Bill D
    The Italians also make some very good operas and pasta fagioli, but I'd go with the Grizzly 858.

    If you've got the money, the space, and that's what you want, get it. You'll have a nice tool that's new, well-made, and ready to go delivered to your shop.

    I understand those who say buy used, but you may be inheriting someone's problems and almost assuredly you will spend time and money bringing it up to snuff.

    Getting the helical cutter is a big plus and having it installed by the manufacturer instead of later getting a helical cutter installed is also a major consideration.

    The 8" size should suffice just fine for you.

    I think you already know you want the Grizzly so get it. Otherwise, you'll have buyer's remorse and still want the Grizzly.
    "If only those heathen atheists hadn't taken God, Jesus, and the Bible out of schools, God and Jesus could have thrown a Bible at the shooter."

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    West Lafayette, IN
    Posts
    6,527
    My 12” jointer takes up basically the same amount of room as my old 8” did. The very minor amount more room it occupies is well worth the 4” more jointing width.

    You’re going to want to upgrade one day anyway, just like you want to upgrade from your 6”.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •