Working today on the drill press and the crank handle broke.  The swivel just ended up in my hand.  The other end cracked years ago and was temp holding with some epoxy.  And of course the bushing is 12mm.  So I probably can't find a generic replacement at the repair shop. Also a while ago the connection of the table broke (because the bolt was minimally long) and since it had an odd thread pattern, I just had to tap it out rather than spend $25 with them for a bolt with the right thread pitch and hope it was longer.

Another tool from them is the jig saw that lost its setscrew to hold the blade.   It's about 4" down a hole.  They insisted the setscrew was 1/4" (another $25).  Finally determined it was 6mm (must have gotten a deal on them at the factory and didn't let corporate know).   But I had to buy a new allen wrench set to get a metric one that was long enough because the supplied one didn't fit a stock setscrew (49 cents).

I did sell my band-disk sander before it gave me more problems.

 

People seem to like their stuff but i've had nothing but problems, no more of their stuff for me.

Seems like there is 2 types of Grizzly owners...they either love them or hate them. I've only had one Grizzly tool (a combo belt/disk sander) and I did have some problems with it, though Grizzly made good on the parts. Sold it quite some years ago  and haven't bought anything from them since.

Moody swears by his 15” Grizzly planer but I’m still sore at the stunt Grizzly pulled a couple of years ago.  If you’ll recall, they put a killer sale on a 15” planer and I bought one.  The charge hit my credit card so it was a done deal.  Two hours later they retracted the order saying the ad was a typo and the sale was cancelled.  I didn’t even get an apology.  Since then I’ve washed my hands of anything Grizzly.

Never had any experience with them, and probably won't.

29 minutes ago, Larry Buskirk said:

Never had any experience with them, and probably won't.

DITTO! 

Bought this used from a Russian guy off Craiglist few years back.  $100 plus 15 disc of various grits sandpaper.  Has worked well but I did upgrade the switch recently to a magnetic one with big paddle. Someone here wanted that Delta paddle switch so I decided to upgrade.  

 

 

And I have the gem.

 had this for 12 years or so.  Both work well.

 

 

 

I guess its okay to bitch and raise your voice about every thing that comes your way but I am a click away from getting away from that. bye

 I know it would be different if I had to work with some of you and I know for sure the owners and bosses would hope some of you would drop dead so the level of out put would get back to where they could make a profit after paying the wages some of you are not earning...

I have had one problem with a compressor. The cutoff would not shut down when reached pressure. They sent me three switches and finally I figured it out and removed a tube. Have had it for over 20 and still kicking. Also have a bandsaw and tablesaw that work great. The BS is a little under power for cutting wet blanks but what do you expect from a 14 inch saw.

Like Larry and Gene, I probably have any experience with them.  I do admire their full page color adds and they look impressive.  But, stories like this make me evaluate products and then I move on in one direction or other.  No ego here.  

10 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

No ego here.

None here either. 

I've just never ran across a Grizzly that's as old or older than I am. 

12 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

Like Larry and Gene, I probably have any experience with them.  I do admire their full page color adds and they look impressive.  But, stories like this make me evaluate products and then I move on in one direction or other.  No ego here.  

Yeah, I see those two-pages ads in the front of nearly every magazine I get.   It sort of surprised me that they spend that much on advertising and so little care on customer service.  PorterCable send me a new tool once when my old one was in the shop because the blade was on so tight I couldn't get it off, even the factory repair shop had a problem with it but got it eventually.   The Kreg Foreman at the furniture bank ended up with a break in the wiring and they sent a new one to them, tool.

On another positive note, I got a dehumidifier from Lowe's 4 years ago.  It developed an intermittent error code.  Working with them and the mfr, they agreed a sensor had gone bad and would replace.   One of the things I needed to supply was a proof of purchase.  Well, I could not find a 4 year old receipt, but it had been replaced once already in the first year, so maybe that's where it had gone.   And the one statement I was missing was the month that i bought it.  Called Lowe's credit and they found the date and would send me a duplicate statement.  But they could not e-mail, they had to send to another department to snail mail.  Well, three weeks later, it shows up but it's for the prior month.  Called again, this time, they could send to another department to e-mail (48 to 72 hours) (why they could not do this the first time???)   Well, I'm running up to the deadline tomorrow, and no email so I called last night.   Same story, so I pulled a "Karen" and asked to talk to a supervisor.   Instead of just sending a memo to the back office, she gets on the phone with them.  Between the two they find what I need and try to send to my account online.   Well, I get the message, but no attachment, twice.   So she offers to fax immediately, but alas, I don't have a fax.  So she asks if I can go to the nearest store and she can fax there when I arrive.   After some problems (like the store mgr did not know what their fax # was), it all came thru.  A+ for the supervisor's extra effort.  

I ve  used a grizzly edge sander for 15 years. Worked perfectly...

 

+1 here....

 

Edited July 30, 20205 yr by BillyJack

Finally got a response to "look it up on our site."

Part is no longer available, though there might be a similar one, I wouldn't bet on it fitting.  $5 + $9.99 shipping.    Made my own.

1 hour ago, kmealy said:

Made my own.

In using my WEN 10 inch drill press I noticed the handle is rather close to the table when you turn it.  Like you I believe I will manufacture my own replacement.  Just want it to sit out a little bit more so my fingers don't get jammed up.  Looking at my JET 17 inch it has a much deeper reach handle.  May use that as my guide for what I want.  Would not say this is a  design error.  Looking at it I am thinking they went with keeping the unit compact and so this shouldn't stick out very far.  Great idea for that aspect, not so much for my fingers.

 

It is way too ugly to post a photo.  But I used some qswo, glued up two layers on the end to get the offset and used a threaded insert and a t-nut to attach the handle and cinch down to the rack and pinion shaft.

5 hours ago, kmealy said:

It is way too ugly to post a photo.  But I used some qswo, glued up two layers on the end to get the offset and used a threaded insert and a t-nut to attach the handle and cinch down to the rack and pinion shaft.

I am thinking for my of using a bushing that I drill out and then drill a set screw into the bushing to hold the handle to the shaft.  As I get started I will post pictures of the how to.  

I was really ticked earlier today. My Porter Cable 18 GA nailer just wouldn't operate. I tried everything I could think of but decided it was 8 years or so old and at $70 or so a new one wouldn't be a big deal. Off I go to The Home Depot and I buy a new one. I hook it up and it wouldn't work either. I try to stay calm and think pleasant thoughts but all of that went out the window. I checked the output gage on the compressor and it was was on 95. Long story a bit shorter, I was shall I say irritated so I stopped working in the shop and went to do you yard work when I notice I had a low tire on the John Deere. I went to inflate it and it took forever to get to 35 P.S.I. and it was then I discovered the output regulator was bad. It showed 95 P.S.I. but used an old gage I had to find I was only getting to 40. I rigged up the regulator from an old HF pancake compressor. The old brad nailer worked fine and with Home Depot's excellent return policy I returned the new brad nailer and used he money to by another couple of Bessy Clamps. A bad regulator and a stuck gage ( both at once) gave me fits.   

39 minutes ago, junglejohn said:

A bad regulator and a stuck gage ( both at once) gave me fits.   

I experienced this once.  To solve this problem I installed a gauge with larger dial at the compressor.   Inside the shop I hooked  smaller gauge to one of my outlets where I can see it at a glance.   Then I put another gauge inline where the regulator and drier are mounted in the wall.  

 

My theory being all three could not possibly fail at the same time.

 

Okay it is just a theory people no need to summon Murphy for a visit.  

I need to change the regulator, gages and vavle on my old HF compressor.  It runs and builds pressure, but I am not sure that it builds sufficient pressure anymore.  Thanks for bringing that issue up.  I have one nail gun left and it is a HF special.  I will get out the oil next week.  

 

BillyJack, 

It is great to see you posting again.  I hope you are doing better.  

Edited August 6, 20205 yr by FlGatorwood

11 hours ago, Gunny said:

Okay it is just a theory people no need to summon Murphy for a visit. 

You made the mistake of mentioning his name.