Grizzly Metal BandSaw G9742

JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

I received a G9742 bandsaw today.

After much deliberation and some frustration with my old Dewalt abrasive chopsaw, I set off on a bandsaw journey.

In a perfect world, I would select a quality US made precision machine with perfect fit and finish for under $1000. Oops. That world doesn't exist. I might have to make a few compromises in the name of cost benefit analysis.

The local industrial supply had only two choices in stock. The standard 4x6 shopfox ($500) and the larger 7x12 Jet ($1500). The shopfox seemed to be a bare minimum and the Jet was beyond my murky cost benefit number.

I found this Grizzly saw for $697 with free shipping from Home Depot. It has a mitering head and hydraulic downfeed.

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JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

The assembly took a leisure 45 minutes. There are several sheet metal parts that are bolted together to form a base cabinet with wheels.

I used a hoist to lift the cast iron assembly onto the cabinet and bolted it down.

The outdated instructions called out Phillip's head screws. Well there aren't any of those. They supply all hexhead fasteners and it isn't difficult to figure out who goes where in quick order.

I torqued all the bolts and cleaned off the copious oily shipping goop.

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JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

I cleaned the blade, tightened the belt on the low speed setting, and pushed the green go switch. The saw ran smoothly.

I adjusted the hydraulic feed to find the right setting for a light slow feed. I wanted to run the blade initially at a light feed at a slow blade speed.

I cut a piece of 3" square steel material for a first test.

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JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

I chose this saw because of the pricepoint, the miter ability, and the hydraulic downfeed with auto shutoff.

I had done some research and found negative comments on the hydraulic cylinder and the auto shutoff.

This cylinder and control valve seem to work fine for now. The reviews indicate that the seals may not be mil spec quality. I'll keep an eye on it. I can tune that up if I have to.

The auto shutoff is a clunky gadget. I was able to adjust it where it shuts off consistently.

Does this saw serve its purpose for my hobby uses? Yes. It does the job and has a few extra features. It uses a 64-1/2" length 1/2" wide blade.

Is this saw comparable to a pro series saw like an Ellis US made saw? Heck no. I don't own an Ellis, but I have admired them on YouTube. The Ellis is a fine mitering saw with large capacity and a 1" blade. These take more floorspace and prices start around $3500.

How about those Hemsaw portables? I like those very much. I initially tried to order one, but the shipping was another $150 for me. These are made in Italy and appear to be a very nice saw. Probably the premium saw in the portable market. Note that the models with downfeed and shutoff start at close to $1000 and climb quickly.

Do I need cooling fluid for the blade? The Griz 9742 does not have a coolant system. Note that the Ellis saws famously use drycut only. The Hemsaw is the same. These drycut units appear to be successful and still provide good blade life with perhaps a slower feed rate. There are some who claim the drycut is advantageous just for the joy of NOT messing with cleaning fluid. It gets all over the floor and material and shop and...yucky. But I think almost all large production saws use lubricant and coolant.

May you all find saw happiness in your lifetime!

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lafester · Feb 8, 2020

I like it! Seems kind of unique compared to what I have seen, and I like small saws.

larry4406 · Feb 8, 2020

Nice shop addition! I would like one.

TMcCay · Feb 8, 2020

Real nice looking saw, especially for the price. If I needed a large saw than mt portaband Grizzly would be at the top of my list. Enjoy!

matt_i · Feb 8, 2020

Related to the coolant issue, a saw like yours is better off without the coolant, in my opinion. For exact reasons you stated, makes a mess and have to keep it constantly above freezing, get bacteria growing in the sump = now its stinky. If you are careful about the downfeed and trying to keep 3 teeth engaged in the workpiece (be careful of thin sections oriented vertically, angle iron "peaks", and don't forget to tighten the work-clamp) your sawblade life runnning dry should be measured in years.

If you are lopping off 3" round stock into 3" long pucks (48 cuts per 12' bar) on an autofeed auto-cut saw my answer is different.

Seems like a very decent tool, now the main question is: now that you can cut do you have a welder?

bobcatdan · Feb 8, 2020

Thanks for the right up. I have been looking at these. While my chop saw serves my needs pretty well, I have been thinking a bandsaw mainly for material that is getting too big or just straight out too big for a chop saw. From there all the other benifit are secondary. Big thing I have been going back and forth is the size needed to make decent capacity over a chop saw and not be a monster to fit in an already full shop.

Downwindtracker 2 · Feb 8, 2020

The coolant doesn't cool or for that matter much lubricate the blade, what it does is wash the chips from the gullets and keeps the blade from picking up. This dulls the blade and ruin the cut. Any soluble oil works , the dilution for band saws is pretty heavy, if my old memory is right, something like 40 to 1.

At that price, you can work on it and laugh while you do.

72Camaro · Feb 8, 2020

Can this saw work as a vertical band saw too?

vlocci · Feb 8, 2020

Where did you find this for under 700 including shipping?

I'm looking to buy but all prices are closer to 800

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ClappedOutBport · Feb 8, 2020

Downwindtracker 2 said:
The coolant doesn't cool or for that matter much lubricate the blade, what it does is wash the chips from the gullets and keeps the blade from picking up. This dulls the blade and ruin the cut. Any soluble oil works , the dilution for band saws is pretty heavy, if my old memory is right, something like 40 to 1.

At that price, you can work on it and laugh while you do.

I did something like 10-1 for a power hacksaw, and it was quite a bit too strong. Over 3 years without having to change the coolant, but it's getting close. The emulsifiers come out solution and sort of sit on top.

JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

matt_i said:
Related to the coolant issue, a saw like yours is better off without the coolant, in my opinion. For exact reasons you stated, makes a mess and have to keep it constantly above freezing, get bacteria growing in the sump = now its stinky. If you are careful about the downfeed and trying to keep 3 teeth engaged in the workpiece (be careful of thin sections oriented vertically, angle iron "peaks", and don't forget to tighten the work-clamp) your sawblade life runnning dry should be measured in years.

If you are lopping off 3" round stock into 3" long pucks (48 cuts per 12' bar) on an autofeed auto-cut saw my answer is different.

Seems like a very decent tool, now the main question is: now that you can cut do you have a welder?

Thank you for your comments.

Hi - Yes I have a welder. I have fabricated several things over the years for my jeep, boats, trailers, etc. Mainly steel and aluminum structural tubing. I have managed with a noisy chop saw for awhile. I use a plasma cutter for heavy plate.

I also have a South Bend metal lathe. Cutting large solid material with the chopsaw is a pain. This is what finally drove me to find a bandsaw.

John

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JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

bobcatdan said:
Thanks for the right up. I have been looking at these. While my chop saw serves my needs pretty well, I have been thinking a bandsaw mainly for material that is getting too big or just straight out too big for a chop saw. From there all the other benifit are secondary. Big thing I have been going back and forth is the size needed to make decent capacity over a chop saw and not be a monster to fit in an already full shop.

Good morning sir,

I have the same challenge. Floor space gets to be an issue. I need a separate shop for my wood stuff. If I could move that table saw and planer out, I would have a lot more room for metal shop.

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JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

72Camaro said:
Can this saw work as a vertical band saw too?

The carriage will tilt vertical. I believe I can fabricate a work table that fastens into the vise. They don't offer an attachment from the manufacturer.

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JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

vlocci said:
Where did you find this for under 700 including shipping?

I'm looking to buy but all prices are closer to 800

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Hi

I was surprised to find that Home Depot offers these saws and other units such as Jet in the online store. They will ship free to any HD store. This is an incredible deal and too good to be true for a guy like me in Alaska.

The price is the same as the Grizzly catalog. I cant buy this saw direct from the manufacturer and get free shipping!

I have a fear that HD will discover this good deal and cancel it.

John

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JeepJohn62 · Feb 8, 2020

Downwindtracker 2 said:
The coolant doesn't cool or for that matter much lubricate the blade, what it does is wash the chips from the gullets and keeps the blade from picking up. This dulls the blade and ruin the cut. Any soluble oil works , the dilution for band saws is pretty heavy, if my old memory is right, something like 40 to 1.

At that price, you can work on it and laugh while you do.

[emoji106][emoji1860]

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Jagmandave · Feb 8, 2020

I had a Grizzly band saw at my shop at work for about 15 years, seems like I used it almost every day.....mine was more the standard looking saw on a lower cabinet on wheels, but I think the motor and saw head parts were all the same. Mine would rotate up and could be used as a vertical saw, which I did for sheet metal parts. I cut miles of tubing and odds and ends with it with absolutely no issues. I used coolant at first but it was messy (On long tube cuts it would run all the way down the tube and spill out the end, you had to have a bucket under the long end to catch it) and I quickly found I could get by without it.

Great saw and very easy to use. I wish I had room for one at home....

I bought mine in the late 90's and as I said, it was trouble free and used extensively. I'm sure yours will give you years of good service. I never had any issues with the hydraulic feed but the shut off switch was a bit mickey mouse.....worked OK tho once I got it adjusted right. Mine had a three speed gearbox, but I think I always just used the middle speed.

I think mine was $600 in 1998!

EZ_Garage · Feb 8, 2020

I've got a low end Jet 5x6 that works well for my limited metal working abilities (I'm a woodworker). That Grizzly looks pretty nice. Using the Jet and HF (I had an old used HF prior to the Jet) they don't really work that great in the vertical position but will work in a pinch.

tarbellb · Feb 9, 2020

Nice write up.
This is the exact saw I recommend often to people in similar situations.

The mitering head is key, a much easier way to work.

Keep us posted on durability and performance, and of course any fun projects.

JeepJohn62 · Feb 9, 2020

tarbellb said:
Nice write up.
This is the exact saw I recommend often to people in similar situations.

The mitering head is key, a much easier way to work.

Keep us posted on durability and performance, and of course any fun projects.

[emoji106][emoji1860]

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kenc184 · Feb 9, 2020

I looked at one of those but luckily came across an old US made Ellis, so bought that instead. Despite being probably 30 years old, it still cost me $600. However, it cuts 1/32" slices off 3" round bar with no issue (not that I NEED it to do that, but a nice test nonetheless!). The mitering head is a very nice feature, I use it frequently.
The Ellis runs dry, no coolant/lube.

JeepJohn62 · Feb 9, 2020

kenc184 said:
I looked at one of those but luckily came across an old US made Ellis, so bought that instead. Despite being probably 30 years old, it still cost me $600. However, it cuts 1/32" slices off 3" round bar with no issue (not that I NEED it to do that, but a nice test nonetheless!). The mitering head is a very nice feature, I use it frequently.
The Ellis runs dry, no coolant/lube.

Those saws are well made in the USA
I'm envious. If I ever have the space and a large enough set of steel projects, the Ellis would be at the top of my list.
Thanks for sharing.
John

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bobcatdan · Feb 9, 2020

While an Ellis would be sweet, I think being realistic, if you are not a real fab shop, for the home guy, the Grizzly is probably more saw than enough we need.

DerekV · Feb 10, 2020

I’ve had this saw for a little over 2 years now, got it on sale direct from Grizzly for $648 shipped with lift gate. It works awesome and is very accurate once you get it dialed in. For those asking if it can go vertical, yes it can, but you’ll want to make a bigger shoe/base for it when it’s in this position. I made one out of some 16g mild steel and it works well enough.

My hydraulic cylinder was leaking on day 1 but a quick call to Grizzly and they shipped me a new one. The replacement has been perfect.

The auto stopping mechanism is a joke. Only works about half of the time. Haven’t cared enough to REALLY fix it yet...just make a few tweaks here and there during projects. It’s not that big of a deal to me.

It works. It’s quiet. It’s accurate. It miters. It’s easy. It’s not huge. It’s versatile. Blade prices are very reasonable. For what it is, what more could you want?

restorick · Feb 10, 2020

Current price on HD site is $794

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Grizzly...Cutting-Bandsaw-w-Swivel-Head-G9742/310065178

JeepJohn62 · Feb 10, 2020

restorick said:
Current price on HD site is $794

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Grizzly...Cutting-Bandsaw-w-Swivel-Head-G9742/310065178

I checked this morning. Price went up. I slipped in under the wire.

Thanks for the heads up.

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JeepJohn62 · Feb 10, 2020

DerekV said:
I’ve had this saw for a little over 2 years now, got it on sale direct from Grizzly for $648 shipped with lift gate. It works awesome and is very accurate once you get it dialed in. For those asking if it can go vertical, yes it can, but you’ll want to make a bigger shoe/base for it when it’s in this position. I made one out of some 16g mild steel and it works well enough.

My hydraulic cylinder was leaking on day 1 but a quick call to Grizzly and they shipped me a new one. The replacement has been perfect.

The auto stopping mechanism is a joke. Only works about half of the time. Haven’t cared enough to REALLY fix it yet...just make a few tweaks here and there during projects. It’s not that big of a deal to me.

It works. It’s quiet. It’s accurate. It miters. It’s easy. It’s not huge. It’s versatile. Blade prices are very reasonable. For what it is, what more could you want?

[emoji106][emoji1860]

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Downwindtracker 2 · Feb 10, 2020

"I have a lathe, a welder and a saw (metal bandsaw), I can make anything." my uncle boasted. I remember my uncle saying when I was a teenager.

2oolhound · Feb 10, 2020

I have the old clone type saw like this without the miter base and also a femsaw clone and smaller porta band. The 2 smaller saws use rubber tires on the wheels and I have found using the wrong type of cutting fluid with them softens the rubber tires and they start throwing blades. This larger saw with the 64-1/2" blade doesn't use tires so cutting fluid is less of an issue that way.

I hadn't seen this miter set upon this larger saw before. I really like it on my fensaw clone so now I'll have to be on the lookout for a deal on one of these. Thanks for posting.

WhoWhatNow · Jul 23, 2020

So, 5 months on, do you still like this saw? I am done with my cheap 4x6 saw and am looking for a replacement. Are you still getting straight cuts? How does this saw do mitering angle iron? Thanks.

mikegt4 · Jul 23, 2020

I have the same saw with a different brand name on it, bought it about 15 years ago for about $275-300. The ability to easily cut angles with the swivel head as opposed to moving the vise is the best feature.

Over the years I have found it to be a typical Chinese machine, crude but acceptable for home use. The downfeed cylinder is far from precision and will leak before long. The handle/lock for the swivel head will drag and jam it the slot and finally break off. A US made replacement will be in your future. The biggest problem is getting enough tension in the blade. The bearing surface on the frame casting under the tensioning handle is at an angle causing the adjusting screw to bend. I made some angled washers and a larger handle for my saw which seems to have solved the problem. The auto shut off, as you noticed, seems to have been designed by a 7th grader but it does work. The Grizzly version, as it is, is much better than my version.

I would suggest replacing the blade with a quality US brand and keep a few spares on hand. One time I accidentally bought a .035" thick blade (as opposed to the normal .025") which made beautifully straight and accurate cuts but didn't last long because it wasn't made to go around the small wheel diameter of the saw.

Enjoy your new purchase, looking forward to seeing the projects that you use it on.

JeepJohn62 · Jul 24, 2020

WhoWhatNow said:
So, 5 months on, do you still like this saw? I am done with my cheap 4x6 saw and am looking for a replacement. Are you still getting straight cuts? How does this saw do mitering angle iron? Thanks.

I'm happy with the saw. I have had some difficulty with blades. Several nice Starrett blades stripped some teeth, but I think this is due to me cutting thinner material too quickly.

The blade roller guides are adjustable and my cuts have been fairly straight. I could probably make it better. The bigger factor is making sure the material is square in the vise and adjust the proper downfeed pressure.

The auto shutoff is clunky but it works. Not a big deal.

The motor tension adjustment bolt is poorly aligned. Again, a minor nuisance.

I haven't had trouble with the miter handle. Yes, its plastic. I don't overcrank it. It just needs a small torque to adjust and lock.

I have run some .035 blades from Morse. They seem to run fine and they are more robust than the .026 or .020 obviously. Morse makes the blade in the 64-1/2" length, so I guess they work ok for these machines.

John

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WhoWhatNow · Jul 24, 2020

Thanks for the comments gentlemen. It sounds like a perfectly good saw for a hobby shop. It is on sale on the Grizzly site for $650 + 100 for freight. Too bad they closed the PA Grizzly store in PA a few years ago. Might have been worth the drive.

kenc184 · Jul 24, 2020

Yes, every time I strip teeth from one of my expensive bimetal Lenox blades I kick myself in the ***. It's always my fault, dropping the head too quickly on tubing or something like that. At my age, you'd THINK I would've learned by now.

JeepJohn62 · Jul 24, 2020

mikegt4 said:
I have the same saw with a different brand name on it, bought it about 15 years ago for about $275-300. The ability to easily cut angles with the swivel head as opposed to moving the vise is the best feature.

Over the years I have found it to be a typical Chinese machine, crude but acceptable for home use. The downfeed cylinder is far from precision and will leak before long. The handle/lock for the swivel head will drag and jam it the slot and finally break off. A US made replacement will be in your future. The biggest problem is getting enough tension in the blade. The bearing surface on the frame casting under the tensioning handle is at an angle causing the adjusting screw to bend. I made some angled washers and a larger handle for my saw which seems to have solved the problem. The auto shut off, as you noticed, seems to have been designed by a 7th grader but it does work. The Grizzly version, as it is, is much better than my version.

I would suggest replacing the blade with a quality US brand and keep a few spares on hand. One time I accidentally bought a .035" thick blade (as opposed to the normal .025") which made beautifully straight and accurate cuts but didn't last long because it wasn't made to go around the small wheel diameter of the saw.

Enjoy your new purchase, looking forward to seeing the projects that you use it on.

Thank you for the comments! You have a lot of experience with these.

There are some nuisance items with the saw. I suppose one quick fix is to purchase a US made Ellis for $3500 or so. For the $$, it does what I need.

One thing that frustrates me is buying a nice blade, and then having a few teeth shear off over a short 1" area. Probably operator error. But then I have 60" or so of excellent blade left. It is unusable because the bump then catches abruptly in the cut causing more teeth to shear or breaks the blade.

I have been experimenting with silver solder to repair and make my own blades to length. Then I can reuse these blades by combining the good sections. The silver solder is very strong and does not snap easily like a welded joint. Or at least a poorly welded and annealed joint.

I have another discovery. The nice Starrett blades in 64-1/2" run about $30 a pop. Pop is a good term here, as it approximates the sound of the blade separating. It turns that I can purchase these same blades in longer lengths for less $$. I found by searching Amazon that I can purchase long blades for less than $20. So I can make my own 64-1/2 blades for around $6 to $8 each. Some soldering and dressing with a wheel, but a viable method with a propane torch. My 2 cents.

John

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mikegt4 · Jul 25, 2020

Back in the 1970's I worked at a place that had an old school industrial vertical band saw which had a throat clearance of about 24". It had a blade welder built into the saw which made really nice welds. Over the time that I worked there I probably made 100 blades for that saw. At one time I made a jig for silver soldering blades for my 14" wood band saw but I never had any real success and went back to just buying blades when I got the swivel head saw.

AllenV · Jul 25, 2020

I have had this same Grizzly G9742 saw in my shop since about 2009. It continues to be a favorite tool. It cuts true and reliably. Set the feed slow and don’t drop the blade on the work piece and it will do you well.
I do suggest you use some sort of wax lubricant stick on the blade. Following these practices I still have the original blade cutting nicely.
My hydraulic cylinder has been trouble free.

And I ought to note that mine does not have an automatic shut off. I don’t recall if it did not come with one or perhaps I simply did not install it.

JeepJohn62 · Nov 29, 2020

Saw upgrade:

The motor plate mounts on a swivel which allows the drive belt tension to be adjusted. The corner of the mount has a threaded screw with a hand knob provided to adjust the height and angle of the plate.

Unfortunately the stock design is lacking. The endpoint of the adjusting screw contacts the casting at a poor location. It makes the adjustment difficult and clumsy.

I made a small extension bracket to move the adjuster farther up the frame casting. This rides on a flat point of the casting and is easier to reach.

I made a 4" long piece of steel 1/4" thick. I drilled and tapped for a 5/16" adjuster screw, reusing the original. Yes, I was surprised to find sae threads.

I drilled a couple of adjustment thru holes slightly larger than 5/16" for the mounting plate. I bolted the extension to the plate, and put the adjuster screw in the new threaded hole. Works great.

I used a small press brake to bend the steel about 10 degrees for proper geometry.

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