Bobby Slack Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Getting the jointer is half the fight, then I have to get a better dust collection and also 220 ... and space. Last I am short on time and budget so this small jointer looks like a good first step and will buy me bigger machines. Some of you are going to hate what I am considering. http://www.jettools.com/us/manufacturing/en/product.html?node=4531&product=274241 This machine takes a very small footprint and I can easily take it to my cabin in Colorado or in Southern California. My shop is "mobile" so when I go to the mountains, I pretty much take everything with me ... pretty much? not really, I take everything I can. This small jointer looks attractive and portable. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilburpan Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 I have a Rikon 10" jointer/planer combo, and other than the crappy fence I love it. So I'm not against the idea of a jointer/planer combo, and I do use mine. But what worries me about the Jet benchtop versions is that there are a lot of negative reviews out there. The model you linked to sells for about $300 online. For that money, I'd seriously consider getting a jack plane, a jointer plane, a sharpening system, and maybe replacement blades. Those tools will have a very small footprint and you can easily take them to your cabin, and the results will be better than what the Jet will give you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted February 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 That is what I was worried about. I did not see too many comments. I own some planes and my Nbr 8 so I will use this method for now. I have a Rikon 10" jointer/planer combo, and other than the crappy fence I love it. So I'm not against the idea of a jointer/planer combo, and I do use mine. But what worries me about the Jet benchtop versions is that there are a lot of negative reviews out there. The model you linked to sells for about $300 online. For that money, I'd seriously consider getting a jack plane, a jointer plane, a sharpening system, and maybe replacement blades. Those tools will have a very small footprint and you can easily take them to your cabin, and the results will be better than what the Jet will give you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted February 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I made up my mind Grizzly 8" parallelogram with a helix head. Done. Now ... how do I come up with the money? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilburpan Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I guess you gave up on the portability thing, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted February 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 I had to. The price of a portable jointer is half the price of a real jointer (without the shelix head and without parallelogram) but ... What can I tell you? This will force me to finally fix my shop and now with the aid of Marc's drawings I can use them as a model to organize my messy workplace. I guess you gave up on the portability thing, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I was offered an 8" General with a helical head for $ 1,800.00 is it worth the extra $ 500.00 over the Grizzly 8" with helical and parallelogram system? Ah ... both are on a movable system. The dude told me that the helical head was $ 900.00 extra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sac Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 I was offered an 8" General with a helical head for $ 1,800.00 is it worth the extra $ 500.00 over the Grizzly 8" with helical and parallelogram system? Ah ... both are on a movable system. The dude told me that the helical head was $ 900.00 extra. For a used machine, that is a lot of cash... I would go Griz myself.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted March 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Sac, that is what I thought. I told the seller that I was going to buy a Grizzly with parallelogram tables for about $ 1.200 and he went nuts telling me how bad is grizzly. General is made in China or Taiwan ... so what is the difference? The only difference in my mind are the Martin machines ... no Way I can afford one. For a used machine, that is a lot of cash... I would go Griz myself.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB1 Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Sac, that is what I thought. I told the seller that I was going to buy a Grizzly with parallelogram tables for about $ 1.200 and he went nuts telling me how bad is grizzly. General is made in China or Taiwan ... so what is the difference? The only difference in my mind are the Martin machines ... no Way I can afford one. Depends on the General. From what I understand, the ones labeled "General" are made in Canada. The ones labeled "General International" are made in asia. I seriously doubt that the Grizzly is all that bad. In a smallish market like woodworkers, bad tools get flagged pretty quick and word gets around. Still, for the price he's asking, I'd be looking at the 10" Laguna combination instead... JMHO -Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sac Posted March 9, 2011 Report Share Posted March 9, 2011 Sometimes I think that Grizzly should pay me for as much business that I try to push to them. They did right by me once and I have supported them since. I am a big fan. Started with a Griz 6" w/spiral head and upgraded to the 12" w/spiral head. I plan on getting a 15" stationary planer w/spiral head soon. And maybe someday I will get one of their bandsaws too.. True, they used to be know for crap tools, but that was 20 years ago. I think that they have come a long way since then. And yes, the "General International" tools are from overseas. The "General" tools are from Canada. I have a General 650 and love it. I am sure that they make a great tool. But I think that there are tools out there that you can get just as good of performance, without the huge cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobby Slack Posted March 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2011 Sac. Thank you for your input. I think that I missed the sale on the General because the seller was in a big hurry. Going back to Grizzly. 8". I hear so many good comments about them in this forum and so little (or none) bad ones that I am comfortable in making this investment. Sometimes I think that Grizzly should pay me for as much business that I try to push to them. They did right by me once and I have supported them since. I am a big fan. Started with a Griz 6" w/spiral head and upgraded to the 12" w/spiral head. I plan on getting a 15" stationary planer w/spiral head soon. And maybe someday I will get one of their bandsaws too.. True, they used to be know for crap tools, but that was 20 years ago. I think that they have come a long way since then. And yes, the "General International" tools are from overseas. The "General" tools are from Canada. I have a General 650 and love it. I am sure that they make a great tool. But I think that there are tools out there that you can get just as good of performance, without the huge cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charliedog Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I have been dealing with the same question, which jointer to buy? The other night I talk to Sac in the chat room and he talk me out of getting a 6 inch and getting a 8 inch instead. He is right after thinking about it the 8 inch would be way more useful. I have been looking at the Jet line of jointers, and after Sac recomendation I checked out the Grizzly and the machine looks impressive and the price even better. I searched for reviews of the Grizzly and found a lot of either I love it or I hate, so no help there. I have chosen to get the jet 8 inch (JJ-8CS,8) its 1300 bucks it has the a five year warrenty and I can get it locally from a shop I deal with regularly. So we'll see how it works out, and if the jet is a piece of junk I'll be sure to post it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoDenny Posted March 15, 2011 Report Share Posted March 15, 2011 I have been dealing with the same question, which jointer to buy? The other night I talk to Sac in the chat room and he talk me out of getting a 6 inch and getting a 8 inch instead. He is right after thinking about it the 8 inch would be way more useful. I have been looking at the Jet line of jointers, and after Sac recomendation I checked out the Grizzly and the machine looks impressive and the price even better. I searched for reviews of the Grizzly and found a lot of either I love it or I hate, so no help there. I have chosen to get the jet 8 inch (JJ-8CS,8) its 1300 bucks it has the a five year warrenty and I can get it locally from a shop I deal with regularly. So we'll see how it works out, and if the jet is a piece of junk I'll be sure to post it. Charliedog, Popular woodworking just sent a email about the Jet's St Patrick's week sale. I believe all Jet tools are 15% off until March 21st. Denny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minorhero Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 If you have the money then certainly buying a new Grizzly is a decent way to get a joiner. That being said I'm a big proponent of the used tool market. When I first started I bought a new table saw and then bought a used grizzly 6" jointer. I spent $200 on the jointer and it worked so well and so consistently that I pretty much stopped buying new tools from that point onward. I purchased most of the rest of the used tools in my shop for the price of one new jointer. You still need to be careful when buying and often depending on what the used market is like in your area you have to wait a bit to find what you want. But the end results are perfectly good tools with a few scrapes on them at a fraction of what a new tool costs. Just check your local craigslist and see if you spot anything. Don't buy the first one you like, wait a bit so you get an idea of how much used tools go for in your area. A 6" jointer in Maryland sells for around 200 to 300 depending on the condition, an 8" sells for 400 to 900 again depending on condition etc. Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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