Grizzly G0555 The Ultimate 14" Bandsaw
by Grizzly
 |
Our Price: $525.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Tools See more product details |
Product Details
Manufacturer: GrizzlyAccessories:
- Grizzly G5152 93-1/2" x 1/8" x .025" x 14 TPI Raker Bandsaw Blade
- Grizzly G5153 93-1/2" x 1/8" x .025" x 18 TPI Raker Bandsaw Blade
- Grizzly G5154 93-1/2" x 3/16" x .025" x 4 TPI Skip Bandsaw Blade
- Grizzly G5155 93-1/2" x 3/16" x .025" x 10 TPI Raker Bandsaw Blade
- Grizzly G5156 93-1/2" x 3/16" x .025" x 14 TPI Raker Bandsaw Blade
Tools and Hardware Reviews of Grizzly G0555 The Ultimate 14" Bandsaw
Customer Review: Great saw with some quality control issues
Summary: 3 Stars
Key Points:
+ Hard to beat this deal - best mix of price and features for 14" bandsaws
+ Quiet, smooth running
+ Good quality of cut after tuning
- Quality control issues at factory - wheels were ¼" out of plane
- Hit or miss customer service / tech support
- Tires were far from smooth and caused vibration
- Should include block guides in addition to roller guides for smaller blades
Significant research led me to purchase this saw and the 6" riser block in early January of this year. The G0555 has several features that make it a good deal compared to other 14" bandsaws - included fence, roller guides, and of course, relatively inexpensive. Grizzly also has a decent reputation for customer support - the president of the company takes the issue personally.
The saw was shipped within 48 hours of being ordered, and was available for pickup within 5 days of being ordered - outstanding considering it is shipped via freight carrier. Although the saw was packed efficiently packed and there was no damage, Grizzly could probably save some money on damaged returns by adding additional Styrofoam to the packaging.
Unfortunately, the riser block was shipped via UPS and took almost a week longer to arrive. After it did arrive, it was missing the extended guide post. Over the next three weeks, I made over 7 calls to Grizzly to check on the status of the replacement part - although they were courteous, I never received a straight answer on when I could expect it ("It takes a couple of days . . .") Finally, on my last call, I got patched through to a tech who seemed rather upset that the part hadn't been shipped out yet (at this point, I had the saw for over a month but had not been able to complete setup). He asked me if he could call me back and hung up. 10 minutes later, he called up to say the part would be in the mail either the same day or the next day at the latest. True to his word, the extended guide post arrived 3 days later. Apparently, I am not the only one who ran into this problem (i.e. missing extended guide post) - another reviewer ran into exactly the same problem.
With the extended guide post, I was able to finish setting up the saw (again, after having it on hand for over a month). During setup, I realized that the two wheels were not coplanar - they were 1/4" out of plane. Ideally, the two wheels that the blade runs between will be directly in line with each other; the bottom wheel was significantly behind the top wheel. At this point, I also noticed that the motor pulley was not in line with the wheel - the belt squeaked as the bottom wheel rotated.
I contacted tech support about the problem. Because the saw was so far out of alignment, shimming the bottom wheel would only be half of the solution. As noted by another reviewer, they recommended that I pull the pins out of the riser block. Also as noted by another reviewer, this is impossible to do (they are swaged) - fixed this problem with a grinder (the pins are not necessary to holt the top to the bottom - although they do aid alignment). After adding in the shim (washer) and tweaking the alignment of the top wheel, I moved on to fixing the motor pulley. Tech support thought the pulley was swaged onto the motor - they recommended using a puller to get it into line. After looking at the pulley, it is actually held on by two allen-head screws. A few minutes later, the wheels were coplanar.
Quick note on the blade included with the saw - spend the extra money on a Timberwolf or Wood Slicer (understand that Grizzly throws the blade in for free with both the saw and with the riser block).
After tensioning a Timberwolf ½" blade, and adjusting tracking, I fired up the saw. Quickly noticed a slight vibration in the saw. Checking the setup, I realized that the rubber tires that came with the saw were not smooth - there were several low spots on both tires.
Installing two urethane tires from Rockler eliminated the vibrations that were caused by the rubber tires - the saw ran perfectly smooth with no noticeable vibration. Finally, the saw was ready to cut.
With the Timberwolf blade installed, I was quickly able to make excellent cuts. After adjusting for drift, I was able to cut some veneer with a consistent thickness of 0.015 inches (about 1/64th of an inch) - pretty good by any standard (way thin - but did it just to see if I could do it).
The fence is easy to adjust for drift and is sturdy enough for most operations. On the negative side, it doesn't lend itself to easily attaching another face for reswing taller wood.
The bearing guides, as noted by others, are relatively noisy (particularly compared to Carter guides), and should only be used with blades ¼" of thickness or greater. Fortunately, replacement holders that use guide blocks can be purchased for under $10 from Grizzly - Grizzly should just include them in the package. If you plan on using a blade smaller than ¼", they are a requirement.
Despite the problems I had with initial setup, this is still a great saw for the price. However, if you aren't prepared to deal setup issues that may occur, I would stick to buying a saw from a store where you can either inspect it before buying or return it without dealing with shipping.
Description of Grizzly G0555 The Ultimate 14" Bandsaw
We have redefined what a 14" Bandsaw should be like and have incorporated features into this saw that normally are either optional or unavailable on other Bandsaws on the market. CHECK IT OUT! There is absolutely no other company in the world that has a larger selection of Bandsaws than Grizzly. We know Bandsaws inside-out and our numerous years of selling Bandsaws has culminated in this incredible 14" saw shown above. You will not be disappointed! Made in ISO 9001 Factory Features: ? Deluxe heavy-duty stand ? 1 HP motor ? Upper and lower ball bearing blade guides are standard ? All ball bearing construction ? 4" dust port ? Includes one 3/8" blade, fence and miter gauge ? 2 speeds ? Fence scale with magnifying window ? Optional Riser block kit (H3051) available. Specifications: ? Cutting capacity/throat: 13-1/2" ? Maximum cutting height: 6" ? Overall size: 66-1/2"H x 26-3/8"W x 30-1/4"D ? Table height above floor: 43-5/16" ? Table tilt: 45° right, 10° left ? Frame construction: Cast iron ? Table construction: Precision ground cast iron ? Fence construction: Deluxe extruded aluminum ? Wheels: Fully balanced cast aluminum with rubber tires ? Motor: 1 HP, TEFC, 110V / 220V single phase, 1725 RPM ? Amps: 10@110V / 5@220V ? Blade speeds: 1500 & 3200 FPM ? Blade size: 92 1/2 - 93-1/2" (1/8" to 3/4" wide) ? Table size: 14" x 14" ? Approximate shipping weight. 210 lbs.Band Saws Tools
Tools and Hardware
Bestsellers in Band Saws Tools
Wilton 8201VS Variable Speed Wood and Metal Cutting Vertical Bandsaw,Wilton; Tools
Grizzly G0614 6" x 9-1/ 2" Swivel Metal-Cutting BandsawGrizzly; Tools
Best price: $1,895.00
Wilton 3130 5" x 8" Horizontal Bandsaw - Dry Metal Cutting, 1/ 2HP, 1PH, 115VWilton; Tools
Stout ST-CS250 portable cutting station bandsaw baseStout; Tools
Wilton 7040M 10-Inch 1-1/ 2 Horsepower Miter Metalworking Bandsaw, 230-Volt 3 PhaseWMH Tool Group; Tools
DEWALT D28770K 6 Amp 4-3/ 4-Inch-by-4-3/ 4-Inch Capacity 80 to 280 Feet Per Minute Variable Speed Portable Band Saw with CaseDEWALT; Tools
Best price: $319.00
Price in other shops:
Delta 28-248 14-Inch 1-1/ 2 Horsepower Woodworking Band Saw, 115-Volt, 1 PhaseDelta; Tools
Price in other shops:
Grizzly G0555 The Ultimate 14" BandsawGrizzly; Tools
Best price: $525.00
JET 708115K JWBS-14CS 14-Inch 1 Horsepower Woodworking Bandsaw with Graphite Guide Blocks, 115/ 230-Volt 1 PhaseJET; Tools
Best price: $699.99
Price in other shops:
JET 414459 HVBS-7MW 7-Inch 3/ 4-HP Horizontal/ Vertical Bandsaw, 115/ 230-Volt 1-PhaseJET; Tools
Price in other shops:
Similar Tools and Hardware Products
Timber Wolf Bandsaw Blade 3/ 4" x 105", 3 TPIPS WOOD MACHINES; Tools
Best price: $37.99
DELTA 50-760 1.5HP 1,200 CFM Vertical Bag Dust CollectorDelta; Tools
Best price: $399.00
Price in other shops:
Olson AC70010 Saw Blade LubricantOLSON SAW COMPANY; Tools
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
Timber Wolf Bandsaw Blade 1/ 4" x 105", 6 TPIPS WOOD MACHINES; Tools
Best price: $27.99
Woodstock W1044 4-to-2-1/ 2-Inch ReducerWOODSTOCK; Tools
Best price: $1.25
Price in other shops:
Olson Bandsaw Blade 93-1/ 2" All Pro Assortment PackOLSON SAW COMPANY; Tools
Best price: $45.99
Grizzly H3051 Riser Block Kit for G0555Grizzly; Tools
Best price: $79.95
Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Bandsaws (Complete Illustrated Guides)by Roland Johnson
Taunton Press; Published: 2010-11-09; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.23
Price in other shops:
The Bandsaw Bookby Lonnie Bird
Taunton Press; Published: 1999-10-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.82
Price in other shops:
HTC HTC2000 Universal Mobile BaseHTC; Tools
Best price: $64.99
Price in other shops: