Feedback on Grizzly Lathe

[KennyG]

My son has an itch to get a metal lathe. I don't know that much about them but he is looking at a Grizzly G0768Z. It's a 3/4 HP 8 x 16 lathe. Does anyone have experience with them or other suggestions on what to look at in this range?

Shop Tools and Machinery at Grizzly.com

 

[ruffdog]

Boy, that is a little one. What does he plan on machining?

 

[KennyG]

Boy, that is a little one. What does he plan on machining?

He is a robotics engineer, so it's a lot of precision stuff.

 

[fried1765]

My son has an itch to get a metal lathe. I don't know that much about them but he is looking at a Grizzly G0768Z. It's a 3/4 HP 8 x 16 lathe. Does anyone have experience with them or other suggestions on what to look at in this range?

Shop Tools and Machinery at Grizzly.com

How about looking for an old (used) South Bend, or similar?
Great quality old machinery is far better built than the new imported stuff.

 

[Ford850]

Grizzly sells so many tools, there's a pretty good volume of reviews for the popular ones. Just google "Grizzly G0768Z reviews" and you should find some good comparisons and reviews from lots of users. I've bought several power tools from them after reading many reviews to hone in on the models I wanted, and found the reviews to be very accurate. I skip the reviews on the Grizzly site though, just because I don't trust any brands own review list.

 

[AWSubie]

I myself am new to operating lathes and I am so glad I watched YouTube videos before deciding what to buy. I initially was set to buy a Harbor freight 7x12 but in the end went with a Precision Matthews 12x28. Your son will definitely want a quick change tool post and a Digital Read Out (DRO). The lathe u mentioned looks like a decent package from Grizzly. The greatest disadvantage with small lathes is the distance between the spinning chuck and the tail stock. When u put a chuck and drill bit in the tail stock space starts getting taken up pretty quick. Tell ur son to watch Frank Hoose on YouTube. Mr. Hoose reviews the capabilities of small lathes and ur son will be able to get a better feel for what he might need.

 

[dragoneggs]

I myself am new to operating lathes and I am so glad I watched YouTube videos before deciding what to buy. I initially was set to buy a Harbor freight 7x12 but in the end went with a Precision Matthews 12x28. Your son will definitely want a quick change tool post and a Digital Read Out (DRO). The lathe u mentioned looks like a decent package from Grizzly. The greatest disadvantage with small lathes is the distance between the spinning chuck and the tail stock. When u put a chuck and drill bit in the tail stock space starts getting taken up pretty quick. Tell ur son to watch Frank Hoose on YouTube. Mr. Hoose reviews the capabilities of small lathes and ur son will be able to get a better feel for what he might need.

Great advice!

 

[radios1]

chuck to tailstock at 28" is very good for small parts. if you want a really good lathe at a good price, look here. https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn...gine+&+Toolroom+Lathes&tg=Matching+Categories

 

[EddieWalker]

I do not have any Grizzly tools. I think that they have one of the best catalogs and biggest variety of tools, along with options from the low end on up to pretty expensive. My experience with Grizzly tools is from other people that have bought their tools. In my opinion, if you are happy with Harbor Freight quality in tools, then Grizzly is a good choice. If you only use your tools on a very limited basis, Grizzly is probably a good choice.

I do not know anybody that has paid for the more expensive Grizzly tools. I have thought about them, but I'm hesitant because of the poor quality of the more affordable versions that they sell.

 

[Ford850]

Compared to Harbor Freight? Not even close. The little things like the materials and finish on knobs and levers, the paint finish, and even how straight the decals are applied tells a lot about the overall tool quality. I have some of both brands, and the larger Grizzly tools (bandsaw, drill press, belt/disk sander) are more in line with other large name brands for fit, finish, and overall quality. I'd say they are about in the middle of the pack, and HF would be at the very bottom.
I made a couple trips to the PA showroom when that was still open, and I was impressed with their service and overall professionalism. Even more impressive was the warehouse when we drove in to load my truck. That place was enormous!