I've been a woodworking hobbiest most of my life. It's interesting to me to see Grizzly becoming the defacto standard for upper end hobbiest tools. It seems like the choices are the big box stores who cater more towards contractor style tools and Grizzly. I can't think of another manufacturer that carries a complete line of tools. I presently am considering a new planer, Rockler has a few choices, The Dewalt has great reviews (for the benchtop model), but then Grizzly has many choices. There was a time when we looked down our nose at Grizzly, but it looks like I'll be jumping on the bandwagon. Are there any other full line manufacturers that I'm overlooking?
Woodworking Machinery
- Thread starter jhendric
- Start date
ScottsGT
Well-known member
I jumped on the Cutech bandwagon a few years back with their top of the line bench top jointer and planer. Really great tools, but now it looks like they have changed their name again to Wahuda Tools. And they have suspended shipments of the planer because of damages during shipping. I had that problem with my first planer they sent me. Entire chassis was warped from being dropped. At 75 lbs and a 1" styrofoam pad under it, what did they expect? Should have been strapped to a pallet. But they sent a new one right away and a pick up tag for the bad one.
ScottsGT
Well-known member
I do own one Grizzly tool. I bought their table top spindle sander a couple years back. It has not let me down!
slowtwitch73
Well-known member
Powermatic
General
Griz
Shopfox
Jet
Oliver
Lobo
Baleigh
Martin
Laguna
Nova
Northfield
Felder
There are likely more.
General
Griz
Shopfox
Jet
Oliver
Lobo
Baleigh
Martin
Laguna
Nova
Northfield
Felder
There are likely more.
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RTM
Well-known member
Wow, I would not put my Shopfox on the same list with Oliver or Laguna or Feller or Powermatic, it may be even a touch below Jet. Or maybe just they are all power tools.
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paulsomlo
Well-known member
Upper end? I don't know about that. Take a look at Felder, Minimax, and Laguna.
jar944
Well-known member
Jet(powermatic)
Shopfox/grizzly
Baleigh
All 3 (and some others) sell the same inport machines from the same manufacturers. Laguna has some of the same and some higher end.
They are all functional. All will have some flaws compared to higher end manufacturers
Felder and minimax(scmi) are the most common import euro machines.
Shopfox/grizzly
Baleigh
All 3 (and some others) sell the same inport machines from the same manufacturers. Laguna has some of the same and some higher end.
They are all functional. All will have some flaws compared to higher end manufacturers
Felder and minimax(scmi) are the most common import euro machines.
jar944
Well-known member
It is somewhat subjective, but less so the broader your view. High end hobbiest to me is a shop full of Martin's. It's high end in a professional or home shop.
I personally wouldn't buy a new powermatic/jet/grizzly as I'd rather have a used industrial machine for the same/similar price with far more capabilities.
This ^^^
Powermatic- name whores, avoid
General- but no International
Griz- yeah, good stuff
Shopfox- Grizzly cheaper line basically
Jet- avoid
Oliver- excellent, good luck
Lobo- ?
Baleigh- avoid like the plague- pure hot garbage
Martin- nice
Laguna- meh, hit and miss
Nova- new kids
Northfield- nice
Felder- good bet
Grizzly really is the best overall machine provider in the mid tier game, most the heritage USA brands have sold out, gone overseas, charging way to much.
jar944
Well-known member
There are two Oliver's. The old Oliver and the new Oliver that sells the same machines as baleigh.
I'd put new Oliver, baleigh, jet, grizzly, shopfox, new powermatic and general international in the same quality category.
Plastikosmd
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2016
- Messages
- 1,254
Love my Hammer tools
Ripping pieces off lumber that you can see through on the tablesaw, holding 0.045 over the 6’ board
Or plane to the thousandth
I’m a metalworker at heart so having this dimensional control is fun for me (then the humidity changes and ****! There goes said control!)
Ripping pieces off lumber that you can see through on the tablesaw, holding 0.045 over the 6’ board
Or plane to the thousandth
I’m a metalworker at heart so having this dimensional control is fun for me (then the humidity changes and ****! There goes said control!)
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jar944
Well-known member
I honestly don't know how people work without a few dial indicators and at least one (dial) caliper.
I’m a metalworker at heart so having this dimensional control is fun for me (then the humidity changes and ****! There goes said control!)