Love my Grizzly G0490x ...BUT...

[llucas]

So a few months ago I took the plunge and got a new jointer, the Grizzly G0490X...been using it with great success, has the standard Grizzly spiral cutterhead. But I have continually had a small area of "streak" cutting when I pushed the fence back to cut the full 8" width.

It appears to be caused by one of the cutters riding a little high. I located the particular cutter I thought was the problem, removed it, cleaned it thoroughly, cleaned its bed thoroughly and reinserted it and made sure it was well seated and the screw was tight. No better. Rotated the cutter, replaced the cutter, still no improvement. It is as if the cutter bed is keeping the cutter too high. I didn't want to start dremeling the bed at risk of really screwing things up, and at the suggestion of some of the fellows at the segmented turning workshop yesterday, I returned to the problem area with the intention of honing down the cutter on a diamond stone. I did some of that with no change and quit when I thought I might actually leave the screw head higher than the cutter edge.
Then I took a closer look at the cutter bed and noticed two small nipples on one side, (they are proud of the bed)....which were not present in the beds of two adjacent cutterhead beds.

Don't know what these are for, or even if they are supposed to be there, but I am putting a call into Grizzly tomorrow AM.
I'll let you know what they say.​

 

[red]

Looking forward to see how you make out with this issue. This jointer is on my future wish list.

Red

 

[Charlie]

Luke,

Looks as though you may have found the problem.
Please keep us informed.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Interesting! It appears the nipples are on the back side of the slot, which means the trailing edge of the blade is rubbing the wood, not the cutting edge. That makes sense since the streak on the wood in your first pic looks more like a light burn than a groove.

Looking forward to hearing what Grizzly has to say.

 

[llucas]

OK. Talked with Grizzly tech support this AM AND sent them a link to this thread for them to see the problem and FOLLOW THE DISCUSSION.
They say they will get back to me within 48 hrs.
to be continued...

 

[MarkE]

Hopefully they will have a solution that doesn't require replacing the entire cutter head.

 

[llucas]

Well, the nice folks at Grizzly called back today (took a while for them to locate the emailed photos, as seen above) and allowed as how those little nipples were NOT supposed to be there, and suggested that if I was game, I could just try to grind them down and see if that solved the problem. With their assurance that my warranty would still be good, and that if it didn't get better, or I made it worse they would send me a replacement cutterhead.
So I set about finding some delicate grinding stuff and commenced to doing just that...

the red is some tape I put over the screw hole to stop grindings from getting it there.
The pre-grind defect looked and felt like a small volcano top with a pinhole inside a raised halo. The post grind left a small divot with the pinhole still in the center.
I stopped grinding when I could detect no material above the surrounding "normal" surface.

​

The defect really looks like a casting defect caused by a contaminant which vaporized and bubbled to the surface during the molten phase.
I figured no sense chasing that rabbit hole back to China (or Taiwan)...so I stopped and replaced the cutter, then made some passes with the "repaired" cutter head.

Here are two pictures of PRE and POST fix

​

I think not so good....so Now I need some advice.
Originally I wanted to get the G0490 with the Byrd Shellix head, but I really didn't want to install it myself and Grizzly doesn't offer the already installed option for the Byrd....So I am thinking about asking for the Byrd as the replacement since I am left with the labor myself either way.

Any thoughts...I was pretty happy with the finish of the standard Griz. head, but wonder if the present inconvenience can be an opportunity to get improved performance.

What say ye?

 

[batk30msu]

I ordered a jointer from grizzly and the fence was not properly painted and the paint was flaking on arrival.

This did not hurt performance but when you drop that kind of money on something you expect quality. I called grizzly and they sent me a new fence and it had the exact same default! I called again, explaining the inconvenience and requested to begin the process of a return when they offered to give me a $100 dollar gift certificate.

I feel it is worth a try to let them know you want the byrd. Stay firm. This has been quite an inconvenience for you and none of it is your fault.

 

[DWSmith]

Just my 2 cents worth.

The dimples you highlighted look a little to symetrically placed to be accidents. Looks more like they were punched. I have the same jointer and I have seen something similar to your lines when I rotate the inserts. If a little dust gets under the insert it can raise the leading edge up somewhat. But you didn't rotate the inserts. I believe it is an insert that is raised slightly on the leading edge. Try this, locate which of the two inserts it could be, the one you ground on and another two spirals back. Remove the inserts and replace them with new inserts form the extras Grizzly sent. I would even replace the screws as well just to make sure everything for those two inserts was new. Just be sure the seat is dead clean and the backs of the inserts is dead clean.

If you want the Byrd head, request to pay the difference between the two and see if they bite. All they can do is say no.

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

I really expected the "Post Fix" picture to be nice and smooth. That was a surprise. I wonder if the inserts aren't sufficiently overlapping in those areas vs. being raised. I think I would try removing one of the suspect inserts altogether and taking a pass with the jointer and see how the symptoms change.
1) If the raised mark goes away, then that would indicate that the removed insert is the problem (assuming that there are other inserts to remove the material in line with the offending insert).
2) If the mark is still present in the same location and/or the mark gets wider or there are now more marks along the length of the board, I would think that it is a problem with the inserts not overlapping enough, so ridges are left.

I took a quick look at the Bryd head in my jointer and it looks like I could remove an insert and there is enough overlap from the other inserts that it would still remove stock continuously across the cutterhead, but I don't know about the Grizzly cutterhead. Just a random idea. Maybe a good one, maybe not.

 

[wwidmer]

Well, the nice folks at Grizzly called back today... and allowed as how those little nipples were NOT supposed to be there, ...suggested... I could just try to grind them down and see if that solved the problem. With their assurance that my warranty would still be good, and that if it didn't get better, or I made it worse they would send me a replacement cutterhead.

...Originally I wanted to get the G0490 with the Byrd Shellix head, but I really didn't want to install it myself and Grizzly doesn't offer the already installed option for the Byrd....So I am thinking about asking for the Byrd as the replacement since I am left with the labor myself either way.​

...What say ye?

Dude, you tried a fix at their suggestion & it didn't work. For your time, efforts and inconvience to fix a defective (& not inexpensive) new machine go ahead and ask for the Byrd cutterhead at no cost to you - you deserve it!

 

[red]

Has anyone else had an issue like this or is this just a fluke?

Red

 

[Hmerkle]

Luke -
I think they had a manufacturing flaw in that head and tried to fix it - when someone was satisfied it was "Good enough" they installed the head and shipped it...

I agree - ask for the Byrd - you still have to install what ever they send you!

 

[llucas]

So the rest of the story and a question.
After a bunch of back and forth with Grizzly, they did just what they HAD to do...offered me a replacement Grizz. cutterhead, OR I could get credit for the original Griz. cutterhead and then use the credit to buy and pay shipping for the Byrd cutterhead (but only after they received the original in the mail at their expense). I elected the credit and shipped them their cutterhead, then ordered on line the Shellix (cost me $65 after the credit, plus shipping).
The Byrd arrived this week and now I am ready to install it.
When I removed the old head, the bearings came off without a prob. and appear undamaged....OK I know the pros and cons of re-using the old bearings, but I will have nobody to blame but me if they don't work well...this is a pretty new machine AND the rear bearing is STILL in the rear bearing block...held in with a snap ring.

​

The front bearing (a different size) appears pristine, so I will attempt to reuse both bearings.

So here is the question...Is there a reason to remove the rear bearing from its block to replace it?....It really looks like it is unnecessary and Undoable as the snap ring is on the side of the bearing next to the cutterhead. It looks like I will just have to slide the shaft carefully onto the bearing while it is seated in the block, without getting things cockeyed...otherwise, should I take out the snap ring, remove the bearing, slide the snap ring onto the shaft, replace the bearing on the shaft, slide the block over the bearing, reinstall the snap ring in the small access left on the inside, then slide the entire ring/bearing/block further onto the shaft to allow placement of the pulley wheel?

I hope that is not too confusing, and I hope someone who has done this before can help me see what I am missing.

The front bearing and block present much less of a challenge...I plan to use the cutterhead in the freezer, bearing on a lightbulb trick.

​

Similar threads about replacing cutterheads abound and are helpful, but I need help with this issue.
Thanks

 

[llucas]

Bump

 

[Charlie]

Luke,
I wouldn't remove the bearing from the block. Install it on the shaft as an assembly. As you stated, keep everything in alignment. If you have to tap the bearing onto the shaft, be certain to tap on the inner race with a flat punch. Your freezer/light bulb process should do the trick, but be very quick. If you could use a hand, let me know.

 

[llucas]

Charlie
Thanks for the reply...i just need some input from someone more experienced to give me confidence that I am thinking clearly...you have provided it.
I am leaving town for the weekend tomorrow so prolly won't get to it til early next week....I'll let you know how it went.

 

[allisnut]

I would leave the bearing in the block and slide it on the shaft. DO NOT put pressure on the outer race, grease seals, or bearing housing. Pressure shold only be applied to the inner race. A piece of pipe that just fits over the shaft works well for for driving against the inner race.

 

[09woodie22]

Gotta be frustrating... or worse. Sorry for all the difficulties you have had to go through! I have had the same unit (GO490x) for about nine months with no problems -- it has been a "hoss." Hope you get to that point very soon. :wink_smil

 

[llucas]

OK UPDATE and hopefully THE END.

Installing the bearings was a little tricky, but I used the cutterhead in the freezer, bearings on a lightbulb trick and got by ok. I used a Jet parallel clamp and a properly sized socket to press it home. The bearing that was in the block was a little hard to line up just right, but a few adjustments of the clamp and taking my time made it finally go into place.
The only problem was when the cutterhead tried to take a dive to the floor and I reflexively grabbed it with an ungloved hand...even though I had the cutterhead wrapped well in a rag, it still tool a bite out of my palm...But MUCH Better than having it hit the concrete floor.
I reinstalled the cutterhead, reassembled the jointer and after checking that all moving parts moved as intended, I face jointed a piece of white oak. OH MY!! very pretty...no complaints and now I am back in business.
I did notice one thing about the new Shellix cutterhead...it appears to be a little wider than the Grizzly version...in fact I now have an 8 1/4 cutting width, whereas the old head seemed to give me just under 8 inches.

So I just want to thank everyone on the site who gave me advice and guidance, and thereby the confidence to tackle the changeover.