17 Re: motorized tools (def.?), jointers: Delta vs. Griz
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This article is from the Woodworking FAQ Collection 3, by multiple authors.
17 Re: motorized tools (def.?), jointers: Delta vs. Griz
From: sland@padeds.harvard.edu (Steve Strickland)
Date: 21 Dec 89 19:35:24 GMT
Sender: news@husc6.harvard.edu
In article <3470@husc6.harvard.edu> ms6@prism.gatech.edu (Sieweke, Michael A) writes:
>
>What exactly is a motorized vs. non-motorized saw?
>
>I agree with you on buying quality tools. But I'm curious about how much
>difference there is between the Grizzly 6" jointer for $330 and the Delta
>6" jointer for $1000. I have seen the Delta and it is obviously well made,
>but the Grizzly looks pretty good (in the catalog). I am planning a purchase
>in the near future, for a home shop. Do you know about these tools?
>Thanks a lot.
>
Motorized = cutter mounted on the motor axle. Belt drives supposedly are better
since they isolate the cutter fro motor vibration somewhat, thus increasing
precision.
I myself am mulling over jointer tradeoffs. I'm not sure but I can say the
following.
Precision is the bottom line in a jointer. It exists for this reason. Otherwise
you could plane, belt sand, saw, etc. (and some of these options do pretty
well). So if it's not precise, the jointer is mostly worthless (though it is
*fast*). Unfortunately, accuracy is difficult to assess through casual
inspection. Even more difficult to assess is how well the unit *holds* its
accuracy over a period of time. One reason to buy Delta is the confidence their
reputation instills regarding these issues.
More specifically, I suspect the $1000 delta you mention has parallelogram
table supports, whereas the Griz probably has dovetailed ways with gibs.
In the former, each table is supported on the base by two arms. All four joints
are hinged
table
______________________
O O
\ \
\ \
O____________________O
base
The table is raised or lowered by adjusting the "eccentricity" of the
parallelogram. This approach seems to be better at maintaining precision over
time and adjustments.
In the second method, the table and base join in an angled, sliding dovetail
and the table is raised or lowered by "sliding" (screw adjustment of course)
the table. The dovetail actually is loose and the space is taken up (on one
side only) by a metal strip (the gib). Machine screws mounted in the base press
(when tightened) the gib against the table dovetail, forcing the pair of
surfaces on the other side tight together. The idea is that you adjust the
table with the gib loose (and the table easy to move, given the "slop"). Then
once set in the proper place, you tighten the gib to lock the table into
alignment with the base. This approach is supposedly more subject to wear,
particularly if you occasionally move the table without loosening the gibs. A
professional woodworker was telling me that his Powermatic (which used this
system) was getting to need a rebuild after only a few years and he was not
pleased.
I seem to recall that the Delta motorized 6" jointer (~$360 at Trendlines) has
the parallelogram system, but its fence seemed bogus. The Ryobi 6" (about the
same price) got a good review as I recall.
I don't know. Opinions or other info/data out there anyone?
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