Delta DJ-20 versus Grizzly

woodnick · 11-23-2006, 07:27 PM

This may be an old question but I can't find a reference to it. Has anyone used both the Grizzly G490 / Shop-Fox and the Delta DJ-20. Are there any differences that would make one better then the other. Do not let the cost be an influence, I'm looking for quality of use and long term owership. Thanks Nick

Two Twenty Two Rule:
2 Weeks to think about it!
2 Hours to Fixture it!
2 Minites to make the cut!

Travis Porter · 11-23-2006, 08:16 PM

I have had the DJ-20 for about 5 years. No complaints and I have had zero issues with it. Only thing I can say is they charged $30 for the dust shroud which was nothing more than a piece of tin with a 5" chute which was a rip off in my opinion.

I do not know about the others, but I do like the parallelogram style jointers.

BobN · 11-23-2006, 08:22 PM

I can't say anything about the Fox or the Grizzly, but I have a DJ-20 and have owned it for about 7 or 8 years. I have had zero problems with it, and it gets used a lot.

It was easy to set up, knife changing is easy if you take your time, it's not something that you can rush. It usually takes me about 30 minutes to change the knives. I have 2 sets, one in the jointer and the other out being sharpen.

I had a 6 inch Jet before I got the DJ-20. I did have some problems with the jet.

Bob

Monty · 11-23-2006, 09:06 PM

The DJ20 is a great machine with an excellent reputation and you won't go wrong with that. You wont find as much "long-term" experience with the Grizzly/Shop Fox machine because it's only been around for a couple of years now.

Some things to consider, though: the DJ20 has 1½ hp motor compared to 3hp for the Griz. The DJ20 does not come with a magnetic switch. You will have to buy a dust port for the DJ20 - it doesn't come with one. Also, if mobility is an issue for you, factor in a separate mobile base if you buy the DJ20.

BTW - I like your "222" rule. I think we unfortunately suffer from the same affliction, which I call "paralysis of analysis".

SteveColes · 11-24-2006, 10:06 AM

I asked the same question of 2 people I know and whose opinions I value . DJ-20 no question. Why, because it is known great performer with great reliabilty. I asked about the HP difference and the response was that an 8" jointer really didn't need more and they had never had problem that way with the DJ-20.

Remember, this is not my opinion.

Travis Porter · 11-24-2006, 10:49 PM

I can't disagree on the HP. It is 1.5, but I haven not bogged or slowed it down whatsoever. I have thought it would be nice to have a bigger motor, but then I have thought, why.

Monty · 11-25-2006, 09:27 AM

hehehe... are you kidding? More horsepower means... MORE HORSEPOWER!!!

Why WOULDN'T you want that?

Seriously I can't imagine slowing down ANY jointer since I always take a very thin cut. That's not a real advantage for the Griz. But the magnetic switch is - it's always puzzled me why such a large/expensive machine comes with a simple switch. For comparison, the Powermatic has a magnetic switch, too. The dust hood and mobile base issue is simply a cost issue, but I imagine it amounts to another $150.

Whatever you buy, you're looking in the right direction with these jointers IMHO. You won't go wrong.

Travis Porter · 11-25-2006, 09:51 AM

True, I do have Tim the toolman syndrome, myself. I can say I have done a 3/32 cut on a 8" wide board and although it was loud, it wasn't a problem.

The mobile base didn't bother me too bad. True it was an extra $100, but it was ok, and I did buy the Delta one. I do like their mobile bases.

The dust chute is what really annoyed me. $30 for that piece of sheet metal when I could have bought an $8 chute. It didn't even have holes in the machine for it, you had to drill them out yourself. You would think for the price of the machine it would have come with it.

cpowell · 11-25-2006, 10:32 AM

Nick I upgraded to an 8 inch jointer 3 years ago and asked the same questions. I loved the DJ-20 but felt the price was too high for the value.

I bought a Yorkcraft YC-8J for half the price (delivered) of the DJ-20. It is a great jointer, zero problems, coplanar beds, plenty of power. It is a Delta clone. I have run a lot of wood through that jointer. The joints are perfect.

I believe the Griz and Shopfox are based on the Delta design. They all have good reputations. I don't believe you'll regret buying any of the machines you listed.

Chuck

Bernhard · 11-25-2006, 10:37 AM

Well, I would have to go with the Grizzly. Delta has switched their supplier/manufacturer a couple of times. The newer DJ are not of the same quality. The same hold true for Delta's other equipment.
The way I see it: Grizzly is actually improving their quality while Delta' quality is slipping...badly.
I just bought a Delta 24" planer, fit and finish are marginal. The Chinese motor sucks! It heeds a HUGE in-rusch current..more than twice the nominal rating, it is terrible inefficient. I have some Grizzly tools and had no issues. With the exception of the gear head drill press, I like them all. If the choice is between a Delta and a Grizzly, my next machine will be a Grizzly!

...just my 2cents

Bernhard

Travis Porter · 11-25-2006, 11:10 AM

I agree with Bernard and Chuck. Delta is not what it used to be. It and Powermatic were my first choice at one time. I still have quite a few Delta tools, but they are no longer the automatic leader in my tool dollars. Only when all things are compared does Delta come first. Case in point, the shaper my wife bought me was a Delta, but the primary thing that set it apart from others was the fence assembly, otherwise, it is the same machine as many if not most of the others.

dancam · 11-25-2006, 04:43 PM

I just took delivery of the Grizzly G0490 8" jointer and it's a real nice piece of equipment. It took four guys to hump it down the exterior stairs to my shop and then about 2-3 hours to clean it up and complete the assembly. The tables and knives were set almost perfectly. First scrap of wood through the jointer was nearly perfect, just a slight snipe and that could've been an overly anxious operaator.

For the money Grizzly was right on.

There was a glitch on the ordering process, the catalog showed the shipping at $85.00 anywhere in the lower 48. When I ordered by phone they hit me with $139.25 as the correct shipping. I balked but they held fast and I ordered anyway. The day the jointer was delivered to my friends warehouse I got the Griz X-mas catalog and low and behold the shipping was still at $85.00 anywhere in the lower 48.

I called Griz customer svc and was given a sob story about the printer misprinted again...sooo sorry but $135.25 stands. I felt the first misprint was covered by their disqualifier statement but this one was just not right. I fired off a letter to the Grizzly President on Monday and on Wednesday I got a call from his assistant apologizing for the shipping charges and that my credit card was being credited with the difference ($54.25). Well worth the phone call and polite letter of disappointment.

Good luck w/your purchase.

Dan C.

McRabbet · 11-25-2006, 07:55 PM

Dan, I'm glad you followed through with Grizzly as I had suggested when you told me this story a week or so ago -- they have good customer service and there is no way that they should get away with two widely separated "misprints". Glad they reconsidered and credited you the difference. I've always been happy with my Griz tools, too!

Rob

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