On Mon, 05 Feb 2007 06:53:45 -0800, WD wrote:

On Sun, 04 Feb 2007 17:38:53 -0600, Prometheus
wrote:

You mean 14" bandsaws?

Especially since you mention resawing, take a hard look at Grizzly and
Delta- Grizzly sells a riser block kit that will give you some extra
cutting depth, and as far as I'm aware, it is 100% compatable with a
Delta (except for color, of course)

Those Grizzly bandsaws are really worth a look. I've had the pleasure
of using and looking over several, and they're a lot of tool for the
money.

(a bit long...)

Sold my 3-1/2 yrs Grizzly G0555 for $350 at craigslist complete with 14" riser,
cool block/ball bearing guide and several blades before I moved. I patiently
waited at craigslist. Three weeks ago I bought a used Delta 28-262 platinum
edition (made in USA) complete with mobile base and Carter ball-bearing guides
for $275 (the guide and mobile base cost more than $200). Drove about 90 miles
to pick up from a cabinet maker who gave up. After clean it up, the bandsaw
almost unused, except the tires with slight score marks. I presume the cabinet
maker does not know how to use a bandsaw as the adjustment/alignment were
completely screw up.

You really cannot compare a Grizzly or Delta unless you have use and own both
bandsaw. For a start, the guide rod, blade guards, bearings or cool block's
setup in the Grizzly is flimsy, while the Delta's Carter guides are solid as a
rock. Both bandsaw's are 1HP, but the Grizzly motor start clicking after the
warranty expired. The motor cannot be upgrade as Grizzly doesn't have 1-1/2 or 2
hp motor available (check with them). The Grizzly motor's shaft is longer than
the aftermarket motor. Therefore, forgets increasing the motor size. Delta has
been around for ages and you can get almost any replacement parts including the
motor. If you are serious in cutting precision tenon joints, don't even
consideration Grizzly attractive looking the fence. Delta comes without a fence
and I make my own fence after watching Mark Duginske's video. Both dust vacuum
connectors are useless, but Delta have an edge. Delta finishing is better.
Grizzly's cast iron table warped after a few months, while the Delta's cast-iron
still maintains its flatness after spending a few lonely years in the cabinet
maker workshop. I believe the cast aluminum wheels on the Delta (1-3/16") are
wider I cannot be sure. Grizzly do have a quick blade tension release, while
Delta doesn't. Adjustment on the Grizzly guide is faster and it takes longer
with Carter ball-bearing guides. Lastly, I like Delta's lower square enclosure,
seem more rigid and sound absorbing. Overall, Delta is a far better machine for
a miserable $275 or even at $800.

Thanks for the review- I'm going to be upgrading soon, and I had the
Delta in mind, but this re-enforces that. Most of the folks I've met
with Grizzlys were very happy with them, and they appeared to be very
solid machines- but all of them I've encountered were pretty new and
not heavily used, so there wasn't much information on how they hold up
on a longer time scale.

OTHO, you're right about the Deltas- at least the older models. I had
the priviledge of using one that was about 50 years old to cut rafter
beams for a curved roof a couple of years ago, and after I cleaned it
up a little (and knocked the rust off,) it still worked like new.
Here's to hoping the newer models are still at that level of quality!