Rikon jointer

[Mark Rainey]

Thinking of a jointer, the 8 inch Grizzly models look like a good deal, BUT I have a shop in my daylight basement and from the road there is a pretty good grass hill going down. My door is at level in the back. While looking at jointers a year ago Hermance machine company looked at my terrain via google and said forget about it, they would not deliver any machinery to my backyard basement door. And my wife frowns at white collar husband messing around with a 500 pound machine. Looking at the Rikon 10 inch combo with helical head at Lee Valley. Read some bad reviews about Rikon combo jointers in past. Perhaps this is an improved version. Usually Lee Valley does not sell junk. If it is I will return it. Thoughts?

[Matt Day]

Where there’s a will there’s a way. Hard to understand exactly what the grass slope is like, but I’ve got steps to deal with and have 5 tools over 500 pounds in my shop, 2 over 1000. Consider taking it apart to lighten it up, or share some pictures to help us better analyze your situation.

I supposed I’m white collar as well, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get my hands dirty.

[Alex Zeller]

I'm currently in my basement. It's a walkout basement with about 10' worth of flat ground before the grass drops off pretty steep. What I do is secure the tool to a small 4x6 trailer (from Lowes) and use my side by side. I just put it in 4wd and back the trailer up the hill. As long as there's good tongue weight it's not a problem. I can back right up to the door. From there I put down some boards and use an engine lift to lift it off the trailer and slide it through the door. I've done it enough so I can do it in minutes. I did make a lifting jig that helps. The only tool that was an issue was the bandsaw because of how tall it is. When I move into my shop it'll all have to come back out but I suspect it's not going to be hard. The only issue is winter when we have a couple feet of snow.

[Ron Selzer]

Thinking of a jointer, the 8 inch Grizzly models look like a good deal, BUT I have a shop in my daylight basement and from the road there is a pretty good grass hill going down. My door is at level in the back. While looking at jointers a year ago Hermance machine company looked at my terrain via google and said forget about it, they would not deliver any machinery to my backyard basement door. And my wife frowns at white collar husband messing around with a 500 pound machine. Looking at the Rikon 10 inch combo with helical head at Lee Valley. Read some bad reviews about Rikon combo jointers in past. Perhaps this is an improved version. Usually Lee Valley does not sell junk. If it is I will return it. Thoughts?

Have a talk with a local Landscaping company about having them receive the crate and then deliver it to you using a Compact Track Loader (skid steer will do more damage to your lawn). They could bring it from the road, across the lawn and set it inside your basement door for you. Then you only have to move it inside to where you want or possibly have them bring a pallet jack and set right where you want it in your shop. Then you unpack and set it up.

I brought home a used 15" wide belt sander in my pickup a few years back when I was on a knee scooter and not able to do much. My wife had to drive the truck for me. Talked to a local landscaper who lives in my development, he sent out 2 guys with a CTL, they removed the sander from my truck and set it in the garage for $75. I later hired a local mover to move it down in my basement, out of the garage around to the front door, across the living room down the steps and into the shop. 3 guys for $300 set it right where I wanted it. It weighs in at approx 990 lbs. If I would have been off of the knee scooter I probably would have disassembled it and tried to move it myself. As it was I am glad to pay the money and will hire the same guys again to move tools down into the basement instead of disassembling the tool and then reassembling the tool in the shop.

Ron

[Ron Selzer]

Hoping someone replies with real first hand information as this Rikon unit might be what works for me.
I want to upgrade from a 6" jointer, would love to have a 16"/410mm unit however don't have the space for it.
Just won't work out. Same reason for the 15" wide belt sander would like to have a 36" no room , 15" is tight but doable with the outfeed over the main workbench
thanks
Ron

[Robert London]

I looked on YouTube and read a few Amazon reviews. I would pass on this machine based on what I see. You have to take the out feed table off just to put it in planer mode. It has a very short fence. It’s a lightweight portable unit on the plus side with a decent cutterhead. But seems a challenge trying to keep this machine calibrated and kinda pricey for what you get.

I would rather have a portable 13 inch lunch box planer with an upgraded Spiral head and bench top 8 inch to pair it with over this. I’d make my own space saving cart on wheels and you’d still have money left over.

[Ben Helmich]

I think those jointers come it at least a couple of boxes. Find out from Grizzly how they ship. It might not be a big of a deal as you think if it comes in two or three pieces.

[Robert London]

+1 on what Ben said and I was going to mention the same thing. Most of the 8 inch jointers come in 2 separate boxes and could carried by 2 people. Grizzly has the specs on their website on each machine and you can see the weight of the top and bottom box is.