The Disclaimer: I do not own, nor have I ever operated any Grizzly Equipment.
Random notes:
I do enjoy the Grizzly ads as a yardstick for machine costs in general. I notice that over the years, the prices increase, but then the machines are stepping up in quality. It is a competitive world, and they have found that "entry level" and bargain equipment is just the tip of the market.
270,000 professional woodworkers in the US. 5.5 million amateur woodworkers in the US.
Laguna has been successful at at targeting the 'post grizzly' people that are moving up to a more professional level shop. They had terrible service problems when they began. When I had a problem with a bandsaw - a resistor that stayed hot [literally and figuratively] almost started a fire in the shop, the salesman admitted there was no parts manager or parts department, but he would be glad to sell me a new saw, that would work just fine. Eventually, I got a replacement motor and they made good on the whole, but it took several calls and months before it was resolved. In a commercial environment, I think of in-operational equipment in terms of hours, maybe days. This was months.
I do recall reading about lawsuits arising from the fact that one of the first Chinese knock-offs of the Delta 14"bandsaw had the Delta logo in their castings, thereby proving they used the Delta product to develop their 14" band saw that was selling for two-thirds of what the Delta sold for.
Finally, if you have never operated a Martin joiner or planer, or an Altendorf panel saw, or Butfering sander, you will never know what that experience is like. If you have never driven a Rolls or a Ferrari, you can't know the experience. Likewise, if all you know is Delta, Grizzly and Shopfox, you don't know what you are missing. You don't know what you don't know. Some people would say the experience is the same. I would argue that over time, the better equipment ages better, repairs more easily, sets up better and holds settings better than the lower cost machines. Yes, you do get what you pay for.
I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.
- Kurt Vonnegut