Grizzly Lathe G0733

[Brandon Sloan]

The new lathe showed up yesterday. The owners manual was revised 6/18, and said “for machines manufactured after 6/18”

I think Grizzly must have watched the YouTube video comparing the G0733 to the Jet lathe. The G0733 has a hand wheel, the tool post is 1 inch and the belt cover has a knob instead of just a screw.

I found some discrepancies between the machine I received and the one pictured on the website. I thought I would put this information out and maybe it will help someone in the future.

 

[Roger Chandler]

Grizzly has been making improvements and upgrades to the G0733 and G0766 as the owners have given them feedback. It is to their credit that they are being responsive to the American market, with the 1" banjo hole and the handwheel, as the lathes were originally made to metric specs except the spindle was always 1-1/4 x 8tpi. Now they accept standard accessories without the need to drill out the banjo hole a little bit. I'm glad you like the updates!

 

[Richard Coers]

That's what happens when a manufacturer doesn't have woodturners work on an original design, then have woodturners buy the machines and become Beta testers. Then they look like they are responsive. Odd twist of events when they could have just done it right in the first place!

 

[Brandon Sloan]

That's what happens when a manufacturer doesn't have woodturners work on an original design, then have woodturners buy the machines and become Beta testers. Then they look like they are responsive. Odd twist of events when they could have just done it right in the first place!

Hindsight is 20/20, I think Grizzly is a nice choice for the hobby wood turner. I didn’t expect these changes and I was still willing to purchase this lathe because it fit my budget. I guess I have “beer taste on a beer budget” and was happy when I thought I was getting a 12 pack of Busch and a 12 pack of Stella showed up instead.

I’ve only been turning for a little over a year and went from a delta midi to the Grizzly. One day I hope to have a Oneway, VB36, Stubby or Robust. Until that happens, I’m just the Grizzly Turner.

 

[Richard Coers]

I don't understand the hindsight reference. When Powermatic stepped up with big quality lathes in 1994, they went to Rude Osolnik during the design stage, not after they started selling lathes. Latter they went to Nick Cook for the next generation before they started selling. It's not hard to understand what a quality useable lathe is today, you just have to ask turners instead of Asian factories. Or just look at the competition. In the early 1990s it was a different story. Everyone was searching for what a modern lathe should be.

I'd say you're heading to caviar territory with that VB36 comment. In fact maybe a couple of steps since you mention other brands. You must be a lot younger than I am. I've been turning for 34 years and have owned a Oneway 2436 since 1998. Nothing left to aspire to with machinery for me.

 

[Brandon Sloan]

I don't understand the hindsight reference. When Powermatic stepped up with big quality lathes in 1994, they went to Rude Osolnik during the design stage, not after they started selling lathes. Latter they went to Nick Cook for the next generation before they started selling. It's not hard to understand what a quality useable lathe is today, you just have to ask turners instead of Asian factories. Or just look at the competition.

All I wanted to do was put out the information on the changes made by Grizzly. If the PM 3520A was the perfect machine, would we need a 3520B and a 3520C?

Not everyone can afford a $6000 dollar lathe. For those that can, they probably won’t go through the trouble of researching the Grizzly G0733. I’m not trying to dispute anything you said as you are certainly entitled to an opinion. The original post was intended to inform others not to dispute what could’ve or should’ve been done because “hindsight is 20/20”

 

[Richard Coers]

I only talked about the design process, or the sequence used by companies during their design process. I personally don't care what lathe anyone uses or buys. I always thought it was a good thing for senior, more experience turners, to help newer turners understand more about the industry. I guess that's no longer necessary.

 

[Bill Blasic]

You know there is a fine line between coming across as helpful or belittling. There are a lot of folks out there that cannot afford a $4500 or $8000 lathe. Instead of telling a person that because your lathe wasn't designed by Rude Osolnik that your opinion of the lathe isn't much maybe it would be better to let them know that yes the lathe may not be perfect and you may have to do some labor on it but you will be able to turn very nice pieces on it. While I myself am not a fan of Grizzly lathe I do give my students my thoughts on the Grizzly lathes and if that is what you can afford you are not making a bad decision. They are a good value for the money you pay for them. Several of my students have bought them and are quite happy with them. Now I may be doing my students a disservice because in my shop there is a Powermatic, a Nova DVR, a Jet 16", Delta 46-460s and a Vicmarc. They have one thing in common, they are all cast iron. I do not care for steel bed lathes but that does not mean they are not good just my preference. I'm absolutely sure that Robust and Oneway are top of the line lathes but they are just not my cup of tea. My thought is to have more turners to enjoy this thing we call woodturning and to get there as best as they can.

 

[Dean Center]

It seems to me this is a good example of how easily misunderstandings can arise in text/email/forum communications. Nuance is very hard in these media. I know some of my comments have been taken differently than intended and hope I've learned to provide plenty of slack and forgiveness to others.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

You know there is a fine line between coming across as helpful or belittling. There are a lot of folks out there that cannot afford a $4500 or $8000 lathe. Instead of telling a person that because your lathe wasn't designed by Rude Osolnik that your opinion of the lathe isn't much maybe it would be better to let them know that yes the lathe may not be perfect and you may have to do some labor on it but you will be able to turn very nice pieces on it. While I myself am not a fan of Grizzly lathe I do give my students my thoughts on the Grizzly lathes and if that is what you can afford you are not making a bad decision. They are a good value for the money you pay for them. Several of my students have bought them and are quite happy with them. Now I may be doing my students a disservice because in my shop there is a Powermatic, a Nova DVR, a Jet 16", Delta 46-460s and a Vicmarc. They have one thing in common, they are all cast iron. I do not care for steel bed lathes but that does not mean they are not good just my preference. I'm absolutely sure that Robust and Oneway are top of the line lathes but they are just not my cup of tea. My thought is to have more turners to enjoy this thing we call woodturning and to get there as best as they can.

Well said Bill. I too have to be careful how I word my preference for cast iron lathes. After turning in several Oneway's and Robust lathes I appreciate my Stubby even more. When I wanted another lathe I did not hesitate to order a Stubby 1000. Some people have to learn by themselves, a friend here asked me about Midi lathes, told him he wouldn't be happy with it within a month. Told me thank you, and ordered one on Amazon.

 

[Brandon Sloan]

Turned my first piece on the new lathe.