"Jack Stein" wrote in message
...
woodstuff wrote:

I guess it is personal preference for me to not like Grizzly, and I am
probably unjustified in saying anything bad. I have a friend who has a
couple of their shapers and a bandsaw and he says that they do ok. So I
hereby backpetal on any comments about Grizzly.

Your comments are just as valuable as anyone else's, particularly after
you elaborated a bit. I've been thinking of buying some Grizzly
products myself, specifically a planer, and some shaper bits. Your
comments on both are much appreciated.

--
Jack
A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
http://jbstein.com

As an aside about the Grizzly GO454, I found 9 (or 11, can't remember) other
companies with this same planer on the net. The main "body" is the same in
all, except for the colors and maybe some switching and HP. Some have
3-knife cutterheads, others 4. Some have byrd-style heads.

Going only from memory, I think there was Powermatic, Sunhill, (memory
escapes me), and of course Grizzly (which has a 4-knife cutterhead). One
thing I have a problem with is the design of the table where there is a
recess on both sides, and no built-in guide to keep the workpiece from under
the cutters. This applies mostly to wider pieces which might turn slightly
(as can happen on most any planer). I cut some thin sticks to go into the
little recess on each side of the table and clamped them on with C-clamps;
it worked ok.

Mostly, I use the planer to thin door panels to 11/16 before going to the
wide belt (which takes them to 5/8). Occasionally, I will use it for other
tasks, like surfacing rough sawn lumber. It does OK for what I use it for.
Still, I wish I had spent some more and gotten an industrial machine. For a
hobby shop or light use, the Grizzly might be fine.

If one puts a digital depth gauge on it, it would be nice; I have to measure
the pieces comming out when they start getting close.

have a good day, woodstuff