Popular Woodworking 2002-12 № 131, страница 29
Tool Test We Predict a 'Bear' Market for Grizzly's New Band SawGrizzly Industrial is known for offering sound machinery at reasonable prices, so when the company decides to top itself, it's pretty impressive. The new G0555 14" band saw does just that. This 1 horsepower floor-model saw offers upper and lower ballbearing (thrust and side) guides, a nice aluminum fence system that is adjustable for blade drift, a two-speed motor and a quick-release blade-tension lever. Priced at $375 (plus $55 shipping), this saw is almost half the price of most competing machines that aren't equipped with these extra features! Other nice amenities include a 4" dust port located on the rear of the lower cabinet, a basic but adequate miter gauge and the always-valuable option of adding a 6" riser block ($50) to the machine to increase the resaw capacity to 12". The G0555 can accept blade widths from Vs" to 3/4", taking a standard 931/2"-long blade. The all-metal housing and partially enclosed base brings the total weight up to a sturdy 210 pounds. We were able to set up a pre-production model in our shop for some quality cutting time this summer. We went right to tweaking the settings and were pleased with the new tension-release mechanism. With the throw of a lever we went from ready-to-change-the-blade to ready-to-cut-wood. The blade tension can be adjusted with the tension on, making fine adjustments simple. The G0555's bearing guides are a nice improvement compared to standard "block"-style guides. All the adjustments (on both upper and lower guide sets) are easily accessible and accomplished using thumb screws and hex-head screws - the routine adjustments are all toolless. The rip fence and scale proved handy to use, and easily adjustable. The scale (marked in both metric and English increments) is even useful. Once everything was set, we ran some 2"-thick hard maple through the saw, pushing faster than normal to check slippage or motor bog-down. While we won't necessarily recommend this saw as a dedicated resawing machine, the motor didn't choke in heavy cuts. Equip it with a high-quality blade (such as a Timberwolf) and it will likely perform very well for all normal woodshop tasks. The semi-enclosed stand offers a nice middle ground between a cabinet base and an open stand. The saw was stable and there was room for a shelf below (a space wasted with most band saws). The 4" dust collection port is located on the back of the lower wheel housing, offering improved collection compared to a 2" port. The blade guard assembly is still gravity controlled, and while we'd like to have a rack-and-pinion mechanism in place, Grizzly has added a pressure screw to keep the guard from falling free when released. Bottom line? For $375, this saw has what every home shop is likely to need at a great price. We recommend buying the 6" riser block, which raises the delivered price to $480. It's money well spent. For more information, circle #126 on Free Information Card. continued on page 32 Grizzly G0555 14"Band Saw Street price: $375 Motor: 1 hp, 10 amp Blade capacity: Vs" to 3/4" Max. cut height: 6V2" (12" with riser) Dust port: 4" Weight: 210 pounds Performance: ••••O Value: ••••• Grizzly:800-523-4777,or grizzly.com HOW WE RATE TOOLS We test new tools and products with an honest, real-world workout. We start from the box, assemble the tool if necessary, and read the manuals to see how clear they are. Then we put the tools to use in our shop, building projects.Then our staff shares the result with you. We rate on a one-to-five scale, with "five" indicating that we consider it to be the leader in its category. For value, "five" means the tool is a great deal for the money, while "one" can mean a pricey tool, though, a unique low-value rated tool may be worth the price. If all your questions aren't answered here, e-mail me at david.thiel@fwpubs.com or call me at 513-531-2690, ext. 1255.You also can visit our web site at popularwoodworking.com to read previous tool reviews and sign up for our free e-mail newsletter (focusing on tools) that's sent out every other week. —David Thiel, senior editor 30 Popular Woodworking December 2002 |
