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Grizzly lathes and Mills

huntgrouse

Plastic
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Location
New York State
I am a new member so this has probably been hased out before but here goes.
Has anyone had any experience with Grizzly machines?
Specifically the G0554 14" x 40" Lathe and the G9902 9" x 49" Vertical Mill w/ Power Feed & Single-Phase

looking at adding soem equipment and these seem to be pretty well set up. I would add DRO to both.
I have a Clausing 12x36 and Clausing mill but they are getting on in years.
I am a gunsmith 25+ years) and use these two machines regularly.
Thoughts, experiences???
 
They do look nice but I think if I had been running the same machines for 25 years I would just do them the honor of a rebiuld. Thats just a thought I have no experience.
Good luck however it goes. clint
 
I have owned a Grizzly 9249 lathe for about 9 months now. I am very happy with it. Barrel blanks through the spindle are no problem for it. Yes it looks cheap in places but it has precision where it counts. Grizzly also has an excellent reputation customer service wise.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/G9249
 
Jet makes the same 14x40 machine but it has better quality switches, motor and wiring. I have the Griz and am happy with it BUT I've repalced all the switches and motor already, Still tighter then a worn-out iron,
 
I have a 9" Grizzly Lathe and it is worth much more to me than what I paid for it. It has made back what I paid for it many times over. It is far from perfect but that will make you that much better a lathe hand as you compensate for it's shortcomings. Would I buy another one...Yes.
 
Look what people did in spite of shortcomings hundreds of years ago.I measured the barrel body of an 18th.C. microscope that was turned freehand,using calipers,and feel.It was not out .001" over its 6" length.It depended upon this accuracy for a snug sliding fit in the focus tube.Friction only.A better question might be,how much more MONEY could you make with a better machine?It might not matter for a hobby,but it does for me.Actually,a person might become more skillful if he has to be creative.I used to really have to nurse my lathe along,mill too.
 
In the early 90's I sometimes had to work on a Hardinge TBF that was leased in 58 (a fact the company found out when they tried to find an asset number,they had "automatic payment" software. Real shock.)

Then I did some work on a new TBF and when you are boring a .033 hole +.0000/-.0003, the tightness is more than nice.

If I was making one, creative is nice, but to make 100 or more in a preproduction run, it could be done on the old TBF but it would be a lot more work. Its the consistancy.

I can make good parts on a bad lathe and a bad machinist can make a lot of expensive junk on a new Hardinge HLV.

My last post meant to say:If you are going to buy a scalpel to do surgery and you are posting about a choise, buy the sharp high quality one.

My point was to buy the best you can justify, that was the topic of the thread, quality.

Some things I but are make do, but if I am buying for long term. I don't want to comprimise if I am going to use it a great deal.
 
jabezkin,you are really saying the same thing as I.If it's a hobby,it's one thing.If it's making money,it's another.I don't regret the early days i spent having to make inadequate machines do decent work.It added to my skill and learning.Now,though,if I'm making money,of course I need a machine to do the work asap.If Lathefan is happy with his 9"Grizzly,I guess it's fine for his needs.Personaly,I played with one,and wouldn't want one for myself.If I recall correctly,you have to switch around the gears a lot to do different threads-seen larger lathes like that,too,such as the Kent,just to cut English threads,on,i think,their 12" model.No thanks.Of course,also,aren't the Grizzly's gears plastic?In a few years you probably won't be able to buy replacements.Not lathes for serious use.
 
gwilson: I have an Graziano sag 12 and I forget when I would have killed for an old wood lathe.

As I get older This old dog wants to quit the long learning curve.

I see what you mean, I just hate for others to learn the way I did, the hard way.

When you get old you learn:

The best is the cheapest.(twist it any way you want)
 
Looking at those Grizzly machines they are the Exact same ones Warco / axminster and many others sell over here just rebadged.The first semi decent size machine I ever had was a CT918 from Warco and that is the EXACT same model Grizzly advertise.
All chinese made but hey apart from chocolate hex screws and spanners that "nearly fit everything" they are great.Even now at home I use far eastern (YingPong) lathes and mills simply down to cost.

best wishes

Dave
 
Jabezkin,how am I "twisting" anything?I don't want a bad machine either.I depend upon them to make money now.When I was young,and not making money with lathes it was different.I do not regret having learned to cope with things if I have to,that's all,it's been part of my education.If that's twisting things,I don't see how.I,too,am too old,and creaky,to want to put up with poor performance anymore.I agree with you.I am not a hobbiest.
 
gwilso;
The twisting was meant as a joke. My last post I ment I was agreeing with you.

The "twist" was a joke to say -buy the best-, or as a rationalization to get more than your wife thinks(sometimes rightly) you need, or to shake your head when some ivory tower jerk thinks it means to get something cheap.

No offence meant.

Pax. The twist wasn't meant to you.
 
I have both a Grizzly G9902 9 x 42 knee mill and G9732 z series toolroom lathe. The knee mill has performed flawlessly. I have also added a 3 axis grizzly DRO (highly suggest you get a DRO with any milling machine). It repeats within .0005" or better. Spindle runoout is a measured .00019". My only regret about the knee mill is that I should have got the variable speed head (mine is 8 speed belt). So far I have build a tubing bender (most notably), along with other projects and have saved about $1000 so far. I have seen/ran $8000 Taiwan made machines that run the same. The castings look better on the Taiwan machines, but the chinese machines have accuracy where it counts (finish is very good on my machine). I have been to the muncy pa showroom many times and there is a VERY clear difference between the chinese made lathes and taiwan lathes (z-series). The quality of the chinese mills seems much better than the lathes. Why? Not really sure.
On to the lathe: Man I am glad I sprung for the more expensive lathe (I paid 8795 last year for it)..worth EVERY penny. This is a top tier machine that is as good of quality as anything you will find. I turned a piece of 4340 cromo (really tough stuff) from 1.75" to ~1.40" in 2 passes (18" long) and it was only out .0002 at one end. This is with the FACTORY tailstock setting.
Bottom line: I have well over 15k invested in my 2 machines (not bragging). My point is that to get good machines you have to spend some cash.
Grizzly does certainly sell some junk, but they sell top tier machines also if you're willing to pay for it.
Hope my comments help. Need more info? let me know
GL
 








 
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