Customer Reviews:
 Grizzly Tools January 27, 2008
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I rate this item five star. I would recommend Grizzly Tools to anyone.
I am very satisfied with my Wood Lathe.
Robert Nobles
A really good lathe for the price and great support! October 31, 2007
22 out of 22 found this review helpful
I bought this lathe a few months ago, and I too was a bit worried about the bad reviews of Grizzly. But due to the price and features, I had to try it out. After all, you can always send it back, right?
First, I have to say that when my lathe arrived on the freight truck, the carton was trashed, the motor housing was dented severely, and everything inside was in disarray. So I had them take it back. No questions asked, in a few days, I had a new one arrive in pristine condition. Quite nice! I don't believe Grizzly was at fault, but the shipper was.
Second, the setup went smooth and it is solid. You will definitely want to add more weight to this lathe if you are going to turn anything large. I have turned bowls up to 12" with it without additional weight, and there was enough vibration that it was not safe. However for anything smaller, or spindle turning, it fine as is.
Third, after a nasty catch while hollowing out a soft maple bowl, the bottom of the tool rest, which contacts the bed, broke. I emailed Grizzly and sent them the serial number and within days, had a new one arrive. It has been fine since. I guess the first just had a weak spot.
I love this lathe for the power, and the versatility of being to turn the head around 90 degrees or even 180 degrees for outboard turning, if you have a freestanding tool rest. It is long, so if you want to turn furniture legs, or whatever, you can. I also love not having to mess with a belt to change speeds, just turn a lever while it is running. Oh yeah, the first thing I checked before I ever even turned it on, was to make sure that everything was true and lined up. The spur drive and live center tip on the tail stock lined up perfectly, right out of the box.
The accessories it comes with means that all you have to buy to start turning right off the bat are the chisels. It comes with a 6" faceplate, a well made spur drive, and a live center tailpiece. For bowls though, you do need a chuck to hold your work of course.
All in all, if I had the choice to make all over again, I would still purchase this lathe. It is great for the money, and could even cost more and still be worth it. It's also great to know that Grizzly honors their customer service to a degree not seen in many companies at all these days. They also have a full supply of EVERY SINGLE PART that makes up the entire lathe. So if you ever need anything, they will have it. I hope this review helps, and happy turning!
Great lathe for the money April 30, 2007
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
I am a woodworker with a good deal of woodturning experience, but I do not use my lathe often enough to justify a big investment. As such, I am thoroughly satisfied with this machine. It is rugged and very stable thanks to the beefy cast iron bed and legs. Even when good size workpieces are not perfectly centered, there is very little vibration. The drive assembly is quiet, plenty powerful and provides a good range of speeds (Many lathes on the market are much too fast overall). There are 2 minor problems that bother me about this lathe: The head and tailstock and the toolrest can be hard to slide along the bed because the rough casting on the underside tends to catch the side of the washers in a few spots (some grinding will easily fix the problem). The cast iron of the toolpost is too soft. Normal use quickly dents the surface and makes it difficult to slide the tools along smoothly. I have to file the toolpost between each use. A big plus is Grizzly's customer support: The motor fan cover was damaged on arrival. I emailed the part number, and received a replacement part free of charge within the week, no questions asked. It's also good to know that Grizzly sells almost every piece of their machines as replacement parts at reasonable prices. I have had the opportunity to use comparable jet, and delta lathes. The Grizzly is as good or better for half the price.
My First Lathe April 25, 2006
28 out of 28 found this review helpful
I was hesitant in buying this lathe because Grizzly lathes get such bad reviews. But, I didn't have much money and wanted to turn long spindles. I am glad I bought it. I must qualify this is the only lathe I have ever used. I have turned several project's (Rowley's Woodturning Course book) and am very pleased. The lathe was easy to set up (I was able to do it by myself by laying it on the floor). The shipping was fast (2 days). The quality is good. I am not sure why Grizzly gets such bad reviews. I would highly recommend this lathe.
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