Grizzly G5959Z 5hp table saw

[Frank Ketchum]

Anyone out there own this beast? I am considering it and had a couple questions. It is a 12", 5hp, 220volt single phase, left tilt tablesaw on their website for $1,729.25 delivered.

1) Are you happy with the saw itself? I currently have 2 grizzly tools, the 8 inch G500 jointer and the 14 inch G555 bandsaw. I am happy with both, but I didn't take the plunge until I read alot about them from happy owners. As far as this saw goes, there doesn't seem to be much info available in the archives about it. I assume because most people probably opt for a 10 inch model.

2) It has long rails to allow for a 50" rip capacity which I want. The thing is, with their other saws that have the long rails, there appears to be a surface that comes with the rails and goes in between them at least according to the pictures. It just looks like a piece of melamine There doesn't appear to be anything that comes with the 5959 that goes between the rails. If that is the case, did you build something to install there and was attaching it much of a chore?

3) At 5hp the saw draws 27amps. The data sheet says to use a 30 amp breaker. I believe for a machine of this size, you are not supposed to use an extension cord, but rather hard pipe the power to it. Anyone know if this is true?

4) The shipping weight of the main carton with the saw in it is 551lbs. How did you unload it? 4 guys?

5) How did the assembly go?

Any other thoughts are appreciated. Thanks in advance for all replies.

Frank

[DonkeyHody]

Frank,

1. I don't have the Grizzly saw, but I do have a 5 HP Unisaw.

1. Even if it doesn't come with a table to go between the rails, it's fairly easy to make one. you just laminate some masonite or melamine over a piece of good 3/4 plywood or MDF with a 1 1/2" skirt around the perimeter of the bottom.

2. Check

[wayne mak]

[KaiS.]

Don't recall off the top of my head but when I wired my wife's kilns to a 50amp breaker it was 8. Might have even have been 6.

[J & K Tomalonis]

I run various heavy amp tools outside via some nice # 8 flexible extension cord I made up to plug into my arc welder's outlet.

I can see no voltage drop for the distance I run. That wire runs my "big" pressure washer, planer or a unisaw easily.

It's easy enough to look up the wire size you need if you are planning on long runs.

Sometimes it's nice to wheel out of doors if I'm in for a huge cloud of sawdust.

James

[AL]

I don't own the saw so I can't comment on 1 or 5.

Regarding 2, you can easily built your own out of melamine, mdo, mdf, any scrap plywood, etc. When building it, you might also want to cut one or two holes for a router insert or two. Or a router insert and a jigsaw insert. Whatever your needs are.

Regarding 3, EMT or rigid conduit would be safest, but not absolutely necessary. You can use a cord (assuming the conductors are thick enough for your length), or flexible conduit if you want.

Regarding 4, the shipping company might be able to send a truck with a liftgate for an extra fee. If not, you can rent a liftgate truck and pick up at the shipping company's terminal. Rent or borrow a pallet jack and you can get it into your garage easily. Then get your 3 buddies to help you slide it off the pallet.

[Rick Samuel]

# 4) If you have a loading dock at work, AND can arrange use of a forklift, AND have a pickup........... Worked for me. Jointer was 300 lbs.

[butch burton]

Another shipping option is to pick it up at the trucking company's freight terminal - rent or borrow a trailer with a flop down gate on the back - get a couple of guys and a pallet jack. Or if no pallet jack - get several pieces of 3" pipe and roll the pallet on that. Another advantage to picking it up at the freight terminal - if there is damage - much easier to either refuse the shipment there and get someone to counter sign your damage claim. Hidden damage is hard to collect on.

[Jim Weisgram]

[...snip...]

Grizzly will provide names of previous purchasers of tools; usually for you to go visit and see it in action. I doubt there are a lot of these in your or anyone's area, but you could give it a try. Possibly if there is nobody local you can get a phone number of an owner.

[DonkeyHody]

Sorry, I SWMBO called me to supper as I was answering. I had a brain freeze and hit post instead of cancel.

Anyway . . .

1. Check your data sheet to be sure it doesn't require a 30 amp SLOW TRIP breaker. Most motors draw quite a bit more amperage at startup. Delta tells me my 5 HP Unisaw pulls over 100 Amps for about 1.5 seconds at startup. They say a 30 amp slow trip breaker or a 40 amp standard breaker will hold it. I used 40 amp because the slow trip breaker is a specialty item; hard to find and way more expensive. Delta sells their

5 hp saw without a cord, but I'm not aware of any requirement to use conduit. I see no reason why you couldln't use a section of appropriately sized flex cord. If there is a requirement I'm not aware of, I'm sure one of the electrical experts will chime in and set me straight.

1. A crate of that weight is easier to unload than it sounds with just two people. I had four, but found there really wasn't room for more than two to get a good hold on the crate. If the tailgate is not tooo high off the ground, you can GENTLY tip the crate onto its side. Then slide the crate so the tipping point is at the edge of the tailgate. Then you can lower the end to the ground before the lower end gets too heavy to manage. If the tailgate is high, you can tip the crate over, then slide it down a ramp built from a couple of boards. The friction of the crate on the boards is enough to help you keep things under control. Once you have it on the ground, uncrate the saw. Without the extension wings and crate, the saw itself is managable by one person with a two wheeled dolly if you strap it to the dolly.

2. I don't think the saws are similar enough for my assembly experience to be much help to you, but it went fine.

DonkeyHody "We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it - and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again---and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one anymore." - Mark Twain

[Bubba Wood]

I own this beast and it is a beast. 4 feet of cast iron across the top. It is a rock solid saw. I also own the Grizz 20" band saw, the

24" drum sander a 6" jointer and a Cyclone DC. All of them are great.

Standard rail and a clone Bessy fence. All solid, heavy and straight. There is no filler in the rails but easy enough to build and install. There are holes for mounting the filler. The rails do have support legs which do not show in the picture.

A short cord to a 30 amp twist lock is fine. I run a 3 ft. cord to a floor plug. No problems.

I unloaded it with an off road stick boom fork fork lift I had on site since I was building the shop to house this thing at the time. We got the roof up and set this and the rest of the equipment in with the fork lift. I do not advise anyone considering this saw to attempt unloading it by the tilt and slide method. The packing crate will NOT allow it. It is just a thin shell crate attached to a pallet. This must be kept level so only unload it with a lift gate or fork lift.

Couldn't have been eaiser, I wish the DC was as simple. Attach the wings, they are heavy and you will need 4 hands. Attach the rails, they are heavy too... attach the fence system. All simple stuff. Follow basic setup and alignment procedures as you would for any TS. Took me about 2 hours as I recall.

Oh as you would expect in a saw of this type. It has no blade so be prepared to spend a bunch more money for 12" monsters. I got a Frued

12" 96tooth atb for $100 at amazon. It will cut anything.

This is a monster, but it should be the last monster you ever need to buy.

Hope that helps... if you buy this thing you will be a member of a small faternity..

Larry

[Frank Ketchum]

Good. I was surprised to see in the picture the rails hangin off in space.

That sucks, but it was what I was thinking might be the case.

It says that it comes with quick change arbors, so you don't need to throw out your 10" blades.

That part of it is a little worrysome to me. Prefer to buy things which have been tried and true by many folks. Thanks for the input.

Frank

[Frank Ketchum]

Data sheet says it draws 27amps and to use a 30 amp breaker. No mention of slow trip.

Thanks for the input.

Frank