Recently bought a Grizzly g1495, opinions please

[dirk1609]

I bought this lathe based on it turning capicity and price
Based on the sales info what do you beleive its bowl turnig capicity to be?

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Heavy-Duty-Wood-Lathe/G1495

[Ray153]

Based on the info posted on the site, 14 inches over the bed and 17 inches in the gap between the turret and the start of the bed. A 14 inch diametre bowl is not an insignificant size and I would be happy to have that sort of capacity, not to mention a steady supply of logs capable of producing such diametres.

Am I right in assuming that you think that the sales info on the website is wrong? I ask this because i had no trouble finding out the answers and suspect that you are perhaps not happy with the reality.


I bought this lathe based on it turning capicity and price
Based on the sales info what do you beleive its bowl turnig capicity to be?

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Heavy-Duty-Wood-Lathe/G1495

[dirk1609]

I asked because i wanted to see if others have found the same thing I did. 12 to 14 inches is why I bought it and paid too get it to hawaii.

The tool rest will only allow a 9 3/4 inch bowl and that is if the bowl is starting perfecty round and centered.

I have asked to return the lathe based on false advertising and was told they would take it back minus all shipping costs, 10% restocking ans some other fees.
I really do not understand why I should pay for shipping when I basicaly wasnt shipped what I bought. It is falsly advertised. I am begining a stronger push to return it. I was just wondering what another turner would see

[RETIRED]

It is not false advertising.

The heights of the banjos are never taken into account because unless you turning spindles you never have the banjo under the bowl.

It will turn a 14"diameter bowl.

[dirk1609]

its the distance to the side that is the issue, not up and down. The actual tool rest itself is under 5 inches from center.

Do you own one of these lathes?

[RETIRED]

Have you moved the banjo right out?

It looks long enough to clear the outside of a bowl. It only has to be 7".

No, I don't own one.

[switt775]

Did your banjo come with an extension? The lathe shown in the link you posted doesn't show one, so I'm not sure if Grizzly includes one or not. If they don't then maybe you can convince them to supply you with one at no extra cost.

If you received an extension with your banjo, you should be able to turn bowls to the stated size.

Again, not seen or used this lathe, so just suggesting a possible solution.

[hughie]

Dirk,
I go along with the premise that you wont have the banjo under the bowl or hollow vessel. So that measurment is not critical, it will then do as the website suggests.

I have never to date had my banjo under any bowl I have been turning and I have done a few bowls in my time.

But your wise to quizz the details and on this forum you will get a honest answers to your questions.

[dirk1609]

banjo is not under the bowl. Its how far out the tool rest will extend off the bed that limits turning. The tool rest fully extended is under 5 inches from the center of spindle / faceplate. No extension is included or available

I asked Grizzly if they had a different tool rest set up and they said no. I then asked why they would make a lathe that could turn a 12 to 14 in bowl based on the bed to spindle measurements and then include a tool rest that limits it to less than 10 inches and they said it was industry standard.

Late yesterday I ended up with another issue as I broke the locking lever for the tool rest. Snapped right off while tightening.

Very unhappy with this purchase.

[rsser]

Bummer.

[switt775]

I asked Grizzly if they had a different tool rest set up and they said no. I then asked why they would make a lathe that could turn a 12 to 14 in bowl based on the bed to spindle measurements and then include a tool rest that limits it to less than 10 inches and they said it was industry standard.

Late yesterday I ended up with another issue as I broke the locking lever for the tool rest. Snapped right off while tightening.

Very unhappy with this purchase.

I think you need to go to a few other vendor's sites and look at their setup. Banjo extensions are not uncommon, so saying their setup is "industry standard" just doesn't cut it.

Laguna Tools (http://www.lagunatools.com/lathes) is located in California. No idea what their products are like as they aren't sold here in Oz, but it might be worthwhile contacting them and seeing if you can buy an extension from them (subject to the post sizes matching), or buy the entire banjo. I'm sure there are others, but that's what a quick google search turned up for me.

Just had another peek at the Grizzly website and their G0462 model lathe has the type of banjo I'm talking about.

Good luck and let us know how it all turns out.

[dirk1609]

this purchase has been very frustrating to me. I paid a decent amount to get this lathe to Hawaii based on its turning capicity. Now im out over $1100.00 and I dont have the lathe I needed or ordered. Grizzly has now offered to return the lath and give me a refund minus shipping and I pay to ship it back to them. This wouldnt be so bad if I wasnt in Hawaii. Back on the mainland I could just put it in the back of my truck and return it for $60.00 in gas. I will be out around $600.00 to $700.00 returning this lathe that I would not have purchased had it been advertised correctly. At this point it makes more sense to sell it at a loss then try to set aside enough money to make up the loss and buy a new one.
I am fighting this at every point possible though, with my credit card etc. I would also like to get the word out there to other turners that the lathe is falsley advertised.

[Paul39]

Dirk,

I would take the matter up with "Papagrizzly" , S. Balolia, President, who started the company by buying old wood working machinery, rebuilding, and reselling.

I would get the email or mailing address from customer service and tell your problem to Mr. Balolia directly. Best in writing rather than by phone.

I am a member of Practical Machinist Forum. As a result of Mr. Balolia buying the remains of South Bend lathes and the conversations on the forum, I have a favorable impression of Mr. Balolia, and think he would treat you fairly.

Let us know how it all turns out.

Paul

[Rum Pig]

Sounds like good advice Paul.
Dirk good luck

[RETIRED]

Dirk, I would ask the supplier if they have a longer banjo to fit that lathe.

[dirk1609]

I tried that and they said no.

[petersemple]

Your cheapest option may be to get somebody local to weld you a longer tool rest out of a piece of bar and an appropriately sized post. You would have the option then to get the post made longer than the standard too, for more flexibility with height.

Peter

[joe greiner]

A locally-made banjo would also be more robust than the flimsy contraption shown for the G0462. I got one with my HF34706 (~MC900), and it looks like it's designed to fail.

I'd also encourage polite contact with Mr. Balolia. Snail mail probably more effective than any other. If he's on top of his game, he already knows about online reviews of his products, but more is better. In olden times companies engaged clipping services to monitor their markets.

Best of luck.

Cheers,
Joe

[rodent]

Why not make a free standing tool rest . I know some thing like that would be better than a flexing bango .

[susieq4131]

I asked because i wanted to see if others have found the same thing I did. 12 to 14 inches is why I bought it and paid too get it to hawaii.

The tool rest will only allow a 9 3/4 inch bowl and that is if the bowl is starting perfecty round and centered.

I have asked to return the lathe based on false advertising and was told they would take it back minus all shipping costs, 10% restocking ans some other fees.
I really do not understand why I should pay for shipping when I basicaly wasnt shipped what I bought. It is falsly advertised. I am begining a stronger push to return it. I was just wondering what another turner would see

I just bought the Grizzly G1495 used and have found the same problem. On the inboard I can only do the interior of the bowls because the tool rest doesn't swing so I can reach the exterior of the bowl safely.

However, I'm confident I have solved the problem. I can use the outboard tool stand and it will accommodate the larger bowls and I can reach both the interior and the exterior of the bowls.

I just both this lathe yesterday, so tomorrow will order up the face plate for the outboard so I can attach a bowl. Outboard face plate is a different size then the inboard face plate.

I hope this helps you with your problem.

SQ

[Paul39]

From the reviews the G1495 is not the greatest lathe in the world.

I started down the garden path with a Chinese 7 X 12 metal lathe.

You have what you have. To make a 14 inch bowl:

Find the center and mount blank on the face plate with the inside of the bowl facing the face plate.

Put blank and faceplate on chuck, if any part rubs, saw or rasp off the protrusion.

Turn the outside of the bowl, leaving extra thickness on the bottom for screws and a little bump that will snugly fit inside the hole in the faceplate. The tool rest parallel to the banjo, with the banjo at right angles to the bed should give you barely enough to reach the rim.

If you use a chuck make a recess or spigot for the chuck.

Do your preliminary sanding.

Remove blank and faceplate from lathe, and faceplate from blank.

Mount blank on faceplate using bump to center and mount on lathe.

If using chuck, put chuck on lathe and grab spigot or expand into recess.

Spin blank by hand to see if it is running true, it will not be perfect. I can live with 1/8 of an inch out. The wood will move after you have finished in any case.

If using a chuck, the blank can be moved by using pieces of brown bag or shirt cardboard between chuck jaws and blank to move in the direction you wish. Sometimes loosening the chuck and turning the blank 1 /4 or 1/2 turn will do it.

Hollow the bowl, sand inside and out, apply finish.

Remove bowl and faceplate, remove bowl from faceplate.

Screw a 14 inch piece of 5/8 inch or thicker plywood, or medium density fiberboard to the faceplate.

Measure the outside diameter of the bowl rim and make a recess 1/4 inch deep on the outside rim of the ply or MDF so that the bowl rim fits over the protruding plug and against the remaining. Bring up the smallest tail center you have and tighten enough to hold the bowl on the plug on the faceplate.

Leaving a little nub for the tail center, turn off the extra used to hold the screws, sand and finish, making the base slightly convex.

Remove the bowl from the plate and place top down on a towel, gently remove the nub, with a skew, Dremel tool, knife, rasp, etc. Sand and finish to match, keeping a sight convex for your signature, type of wood, and bowl number.

If you have used a chuck, finish the spigot as above, or hand finish the recess.

Once you have gotten the 14 inch bowl out of your system, you can go merrily making 9, 11, 12 inch bowls to your hearts content.

If someone dumps a truckload of 18 inch timber in your yard, go buy an old 20 inch swing Woodfast and have at it.

[joe greiner]

For full access to the bottom, without intrusion of the tailstock, place at least 4 pieces of filament tape from near the bottom on the sides, around to the back of the disk at both ends of the tape. Staple for insurance if desired. To facilitate tape removal, fold about 3/8" back on itself for a handle. No nub to remove, and also allows added mini-features inside the foot ring.

Cheers,
Joe

[Paul39]

Joe,

Good idea. Does the tape disturb the finish on the bowl? I mostly use many coats of tung oil rubbed in.

[smiife]

hi dirk,
i think this thread has gone a bit off topic,
i have looked at your lathe a few times it looks pretty good
to me ,i have noticed that the sanding disc is 8'' and the faceplate is
6'' by my caculations that makes the toolrest should be about 12'',according to photo on the grizzly web page ????? also the lathe was first designed in 1988?? technology has come a long way since then,
swivel heads ,various speeds etc,
could you not take the sanding stuff off the end and turn on the outboard with a freestanding toolrest ,should be a lot cheaper option than sending the whole thing back??? just my thoughts for what it's worth,hope this helps
cheers smiife

[joe greiner]

Joe,

Good idea. Does the tape disturb the finish on the bowl? I mostly use many coats of tung oil rubbed in.
I haven't used tung oil for finishing, so I don't know how it behaves (or misbehaves). A quick and dirty experiment should settle the question.

In a slightly different application, the tape removes cleanly from a finish of EEE and wax, without leaving any residue. In general, the longer tape sits in place, the more likely it leaves a souvenir, so I try to limit its time of adhesion.

Cheers,
Joe