sunnydale Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 So, last night I received my new Grizzly Knife Grinder in the mail. I was pretty excited to see it had arrived. Upon seeing the package when I got home, my excitement turned to disappointment. One of the two boxes that it came in (the motor box) came with a huge hole in it. Also, one of the arbors (or, at least that's what I think they are called) was sticking out of the package. Inside, the cast iron assembly was broken on the buffing wheel side, with one of the small metal pieces broke off and jammed up (somehow) inside the motor. I removed the small piece of cast from inside the motor. It ran great for about 10 minutes (not assembled to the rest of the machine), but started making a barking noise. I turned it off immediately. It will not turn back on again. I guess this is one of those cases where buying tools on the cheaper end turns bad. I'm getting a replacement on Monday. Hopefully the motor will be in better shape. If I had time to order the new one this morning I would have been getting it on Saturday. All I got to do now is figure out how to send the broken one back. I know there's tons of stories like this on here - Grizzly not being all it's cracked up to be. I thought I'd add to the warnings. If you are going to go cheap (either because you are cheap, or simply can't afford a nicer machine), then be prepared. You get what you pay for. Note: ______________ The Grizzly grinder is still a great machine. I love it to death. Despite my little setback above, I'm excited to have one for myself. If I could have afforded to get the KMG or spent a long time building my own, I would have. I still recommended the Grizzly for new knife makers, hobbyists like myself, or those who aren't sure making knives is the right craft for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 So to clarify, the issue wasn't with so much the grinder itself as it was the shipping damage from bad packaging? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takeru691 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 It sound more like the shipping was the problem and not the actual product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latticino Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 We run three of them at our local blacksmith group. They certainly aren't variable speed Baders or KMGs, but for what they are they are pretty robust and functional. We don't use the side arbors at all on ours, though I suppose a wire wheel, flap wheel or buffing wheel could easily be fitted there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin Quade Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I bought one last week and it is great. The tracking took a while to get locked in but after i got my new belts it tracks pretty well against the platten. Im sorry that yours did not arrive in good shape but i wouldnt hold it against grizzly as much as the shipping company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnydale Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 The shipping was the problem. Everything else seems fine so far. Grizzly could have packaged such a heavy box better, but overall its a nice machine. I've used these in the past, and for the price its perfect. I'm just excited to get the new motor Monday. I'll post an update when it comes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rashelle Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 When I got my Grizzly the packaging was also trashed with parts sticking out of holes also. Been using it most of a year with no problems though I'll be upgrading to a Bader soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 You get what you pay for. The shipping company did not box the thing, Grizzly did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy Ivan Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Those grizzly 2x72 grinders really aren't bad. We have one at the shop with an 8" contact wheel and It does everything I ask it to. It operates smoothly, reasonably quiet, and is not lacking in power. I'm very happy with it. Our other 2x72 is better since its got quick change contact wheels and configurations and variable speed but I still love the grizzly. It's a shame the packaging is sub par and the shipping company was rough/careless. I wonder how much money they lose trying to pinch pennies on shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Frankly, I'd rather gamble on iffy shipping of a quality product than on quality shipping of an iffy product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 Two parts to this: it is possible to package items such that a 90 mph crash into a solid concrete wall followed by 30000 gallons of jet fuel burning around it will not cause any damage---nobody is willing to pay for that save nuclear waste transportation companies... The second part is that shippers are rather notorious with handling heavy boxes; shoot I had a friend send me a couple of pieces of round stock to make tool holders for my screw press, sent USPS; they arrived with all but a hand sized piece of the original box missing---and several *pounds* of USPS strapping tape holding them together, (they told me it was over weight and I told them that when it was weighed at the USPS office when sent it was about 2 pounds under the limit...I had warned the sender to put an address sticker on each piece just in case...) I've learned the hard way to build a wooden box to fit inside the cardboard box when shipping steel/wrought iron flat rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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