Grizzly vs. HF Question

[GunLocators]

I am about to buy a Bandsaw for the home shop and after looking directly at the HF saw and seeing the grizzly is there any real difference. They appear to be th same saw. One marketed for HF and the other for Grizzly. Not only on the saw I have noticed several products in the Grizzly catalog that look about the same as HF. The Grizzly is $50 more than the HF saw and then you have to pay freight. If infact it is the same saw I will buy the HF.

Any comments welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hobweld]

In fact many items they have are the same item. Grizzly stuffs seems to be a tad bit better made. How much depends on the item.
If you are buying from a HF store, then just go for it. If you are gonna call in your order, go with grizzly. Yes, I know you have to pay for shipping. Yes I know it costs more. BUT, you will know if you call them to place your order if it is instock right away. Plus the care after the sale is much better.
I waited 3 months for a item from HF and they kept moving the ship date back. Canceled it and got it from grizzly in three days.
So if you can lay your hands on it at a store get it at HF and save some bucks. If not go grizzly. Take care.
Ken

[david_r]

Care after the sale? I've been a member of woodnet.net for a long time and care after the sale doesn't seem to be what those guys mention when talking Grizzly. Value for your money is mentioned quite often. Having to ship a complete Tablesaw back on your nickel? Having to ship an item back because they don't want to send you a new motor for it? No thanks

Granted, HF has some issues too. However, free shipping on heavy items is nice. 30 day try it guarantee is nice. Plus, there is probably a HF near enough to drive to.

BTW, HF has a phone too. They also have a web interface with a person on the other end. I've never waited long for them to answer it.

GL,
It's likely the same saw, built in the same factory. HF may have lower control requirements that Grizzly. Heck, they may make 1000 units, measure them against the specs, send the 500 that pass to Grizzly and the rest to Harborfreight. Who really knows? I think Dan Rather ought to get to the bottom of this. China-gate anyone? I can tell you that the mill-drills are all made in the Rong-fu factory and come over here with many different paint schemes.

I do know several people that own 4x6 bandsaws and none complain. I've read alot of posts on them and the complaints are few and far between and the problem is usually found between the chair and the keyboard. If you treat it like any machine tool and properly adjust and lubricate it before use, use it as a starting point to build a nice saw, you should be happy. If you just want it perfect out of the box, it's probably not the right choice.

Don't forget to change that blade first thing.

[GunLocators]

A good bi-metal blade is on the list. Until I really started looking at grizzly I noticed some of thier stuff looks good, but also noticed an extreme simularity on many items when compared to Harbor Freight. Since I have a harbor freight with in 25 miles I guess I will go with them.

Only major HF problem I had I bought a Mill/Lathe Combo the $700 job they usually have in store. They said pull around back and we will load it. They got it on the trailer and I noticed the crate open so I looked in it and it was missing the chuck. I asked if the had another they said no. They asked the manager if they could pull it off the display or sell the display and he said no. I drove around front and collected my $750+ Cash after the manager cam out and said I will order it for you it may take a week or 3 months to get it in. Man I was PO.

Other than that I have bought some decent air tools I usually by thier professional line and keep them lubed before use. They seem to have lasted well.

[david_r]

That sucks GL,
Just goes to show that some people take the power thing well. Others try to make your life miserable when they get that same power. Too bad you didn't tell him he wouldn't be losing $750 if he ordered a chuck for the display one. I bet his jaw would have dropped.

Only problem I've had with HF is them not knowing what they have. I went in yesterday to buy some zerk fittings. I asked the cashier where they were. She didn't know so she got on the radio and asked. The response that came back was, "Tell the customer we don't sell any zerk fittings." Three minutes later I was standing at the register with them instructing the cashier to tell the guy on the radio he didn't know what the **** he was talking about.

Do make sure you print out the online ad and bring it in. Check the in-store price and if it's not on sale for $149, you can get it for $169 with the ad.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37151

[TJButler]

In the last year or so I have had excellent customer service results with Grizzly. Have never purchased anything from HF.

[GunLocators]

I have had several instances where they claim they did not carry something and they did. Or you ask about something and they have no clue about what you are wanting. I feel if you don't know tools then you should NOT work at a tool store.

[Blacksmith]

I buy odd stuff from HF, had good luck with their pneumatic nailers, etc., but as far as their help - they don't charge alot for the stuff, so they probably don'y pay their help very well, so anyone that knows s**t from shinola probably gets a better job somewhere else.

[MAC702]

Originally Posted by GunLocators

I have had several instances where they claim they did not carry something and they did. Or you ask about something and they have no clue about what you are wanting. I feel if you don't know tools then you should NOT work at a tool store.

This reminds me of a interesting side of our society. I was standing in line at the taco shop the other day (one of the ones where you have to order in Spanish, GREAT food, but I digress) and I picked up one the weekly employment rags. There were tons of sales positions being offered, everything from Caterpillar Bulldozers to make-up. NONE of the ads asked for any kind of experience or knowledge of the field. ALL of the ads asked for out-going, energetic, leadership-oriented, blah-blah-blah people. Thinking back, I have never talked to a salesman at a truck dealership who could tell me what kind of differential or transfer case was in a particular pickup. Few knew what a transfer case was. I've stopped caring because I know what to expect anymore. Those few of us with uncommon sense (what used to be common sense) are so in demand, that we are the "doers" trying to rely on the others for the parts and tools we need. My wife will sometimes complain to me about the lack of service or knowledge in staff, be it at a restaurant or parts house, or whatever, and I just have to remind her that there is a reason she and I are skilled workers in demand, and these people are working where they are for a few dollars an hour. Once the places that sell things realized that if THEY ALL hired low-wage unskilled workers, that we would keep coming to them in the same proportions that we did before (instead of all of us going to the place that had skilled workers), they would ALL make more money. If you think the world isn't run by a few oligopolies, then please go back to your cubicle and play nicely with others until the ship comes for you.

[Zrexxer]

And Mac wins the prize for the first use of the word oligopoly in casual conversation on the Hobart board!

[evaporator]

Originally Posted by Zrexxer

And Mac wins the prize for the first use of the word oligopoly in casual conversation on the Hobart board!

...and I thought he mis-spelled "Apologies"...I guess that's why they never called me to be President of Harvard...in fact "they" never have called me about anything!!!

[Zrexxer]

Originally Posted by evaporator

in fact "they" never have called me about anything!!!

If you're like me, Evap, they can call us anything as long as they don't forget to call us for dinner

[big tuck]

i have the grizzly g1010 and love it also remeber grizzly actually has decent tech support
and excellent warranty

[tailshaft56]

Those chinese saws can last a long time. The one I've got I picked up used and still seems to keep on sawin. If I had it to do over again I would wait and buy one of the bigger saw from Grizzly. I do have their 10" cabinet saw. the salesperson talked me into it over the big contractor saw and I'm glad he did. Don't pay too much attention to my comments as I'm alittle biased because we live near enough to a showroom.

Dennis