Older Grizzly 6" Jointer

Opinions wanted, I have an opportunity to buy a gently used Grizzly 6" jointer from a fellow woodturner (retired oral surgeon) locally, he's a amature woodturner, anyway he said it's been hardly used (if he remembers correctly it's about 6 years old ) and would get back to me on a price, I saw it but didn't get a good look,(it was in the corner of his garage) it looked in nice shape, just minor surface rust and would probably clean up nicely, about how much of a price should I expect to pay? I'm gonna go back over there and talk some more to him, he in the mean time was going to ask some fellow woodworkers on how much to charge me (ball park figure I uess )....I"m gonna try it out on some wood and see how she does in real time situation. I"m gonna get some model numbers etc on my return trip (hopefully today ) TIA

Tina

Reply to
Tina
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Match it to closest equivalent Grizzley sold today and offer 30-50% of retail price. No matter how "like new" it is, it still has no warranty.

Bob

Reply to
BillyBob

Thanks Bob didn't think about the warrenty thingy...big DUH on my end....thanks!

Tina

Reply to
Tina

Personally, I'm not sure that the warranty would make or break the deal for me. The larger the tool, the more likely you can replace/fix the tool without just buying a new one for the same price. For example, if you buy the jointer and the motor dies next week, you can relatively cheaply buy a new motor, pop it in, and you're off and running again. The smaller the tool, the less likely it is you can do that. Buy a cordless drill from someone, if the battery dies next week, you're better off just buying a new drill (w/battery) because it will be cheaper than fixing it.

The fact that it's setup already, and you can try to negotiate some help on either moving it, setting it up, or using it would be points in it's favor. Plus, the older it is, probably the better it's made. :)

If someone offered me 30% of a tool that's in good shape, and working fine, I think I'd be pretty insulted. I'd try to get them to give the first offer, but I don't think I'd balk at even 60% of retail, especially if you can still get parts from Grizzly. But that's just my personal opinion.

Clint

Reply to
Clint

I don't think that you fix them.

My dad got a jointer form giz with a warped fence. They replaced it. It's not so much an issue of protecting the buyer from something that will break as protection from the (real) possibility of a bad casting. IMHO the warantee/support is really for infancy problems and to support initial setup.

If I were to buy a second-hand jointer, I would bring a good quality straightedge, and I would want to see it endge joint 2 pieces of stock and see them mate perfectly. I would also tst it with the fence in more than one position.

The fact is that if tables are not flat, you're screwed, and is the ways need shimming, you're in for pile of work.

The point is that you cant just fire it up, bless it because it runs and assume that you will tune it when you get home.

-Steve

Reply to
Stephen M

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But that can be attributed to many things other than the tables themselves and there are some problems w/ tables that are fixable as well (simply sagging gibs, for one example). It's not a simple problem to evaluate.

The safe solution is, however, as you note, to simply walk away if it's not a simple fix unless the price is such you can spend the cost of a new one to have potential serious defects fixed--in which case you might as well have go the new one to begin with.

I did the former w/ an old Rockwell/Delta 8", but a friend at a machine shop w/ a large surface grinder had assured me beforehand that he could flatten the tables for a maximum of no more than $600--even w/ that outlay in sight I could still save a significant fraction so I went ahead. Afterwards, the friend said if he'd have imagined how badly out and how long it would have taken, he'd have never done it...but, I still have the jointer 20+ years later and it is as good as the day it left his shop.

(Turns out, I later found out the thing was put together from reject castings and a mishmash of three or more old machines salvaged from several junked ones so the tables didn't match the base at all when starting...)

Reply to
Duane Bozarth

What is a jointer form giz?

Reply to
Dave Balderstone

I am letting go of several machines and one is a grizzly 6 inch jointer. I have only sharpened the blades once and it is 3 years old. I bought it onsale at $325 and sold it for $175 and the person who got it is thrilled. I have several machines and I have asked between 50% to 75% based on age and the use I have on them. This has seemed fair.

Reply to
<ameo

thanks for the interesting replies...gives me some stuff to think about and do when I make my final decision I"ll check out the fence and table for flatness, warp and whatnot and do some jointing on wood etc.

Tina

Reply to
Tina

Yes. it was purchased new from griz.

Reply to
C & S

Duane,

I think you supported my point. I new 6" entry level jointer is about $400 new. This puts a used one at a fair market value of around $200. I don't see enough margin in that transaction to make carting things off to a machine shop financially viable. The equation changes a bit you are looking at lifetime major iron.

In your case you already had a buddy in the business. I think that makes you a special case.

I say, test the machine and if it can't edge joint properly with out more than a table height adjustment, walk away.

-Steve

Reply to
C & S

Yes, it was purchased new from griz and they did take care of him.

Let me add that my dad was not a really sphosticated customer. He did not know that his fence was bad for a couple of months. I suspect that there are others out there that could have a machine sitting in their garage that they sell because they don't use because it never really perrformed all that well.

-Steve

Reply to
C & S

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