Recieved my Grizzly Swivel Band Saw .......

[CGCINC]

I recieved my new Grizzly G9742 Swivel band saw.

From the website picture, it's hard to judge the size of this band saw but it is little. It has a short base and now I see why they don't put a door on it with shelves inside, IT's Little!! Seems to cut fine and I like the hydraulic feed....actually it isn't feeding so much as it just limits the speed of travel. If I could have seen this in person, I would have probably spent my money on something better.

QUESTION: The directions say "to adjust the vise for a square cut, you loosen the two cap screws, align and tighten".
I have loosened but there is no adjustment.... am I missing something? (See Pics below)




With Vise off....


Underside of Vise....

[CGCINC]

And of course the parts were wrapped in some sort of hieroglyphics

[SeanMurphy265]

I don't think I would be too disappointed that's a step up from a 4x8. I like the stand, and it looks as if you could cut angles without a lot of trouble. I have not cut angles with my 4x6 hf saw because I got it cutting square, and I'm afraid that if I go to changing the vice I will have to spend the time getting it to cut square again.

It looks like a nice saw and I will come take it off your hands!

My opinion of band saw's is this.... Go cheap and get an HF 4x6 or spend $1,000.00 bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I went cheap!

[Rambozo]

QUESTION: The directions say "to adjust the vise for a square cut, you loosen the two cap screws, align and tighten".
I have loosened but there is no adjustment.... am I missing something? (See Pics below)

Well since there are no pins or keys to locate the vise, you have to align it to the scale to be exactly at the reading shown. So you would set the scale to 90, and check the vise with a square. There will be some play in the bolted connection, so you would lightly tighten the bolts, then tap the vise to be perfectly square, then tighten the bolts all the way.

[Slartybartfa]

Agreed, the holes should have been drilled slightly oversize which should allow you enough movement to square the vise to the blade prior to cinching them down. If there's insufficient slop in the holes, you can enlarge them slightly by drilling them slightly larger.

[CGCINC]

Well since there are no pins or keys to locate the vise, you have to align it to the scale to be exactly at the reading shown. So you would set the scale to 90, and check the vise with a square. There will be some play in the bolted connection, so you would lightly tighten the bolts, then tap the vise to be perfectly square, then tighten the bolts all the way.

I lightly tapped, then a little harder. No adjusting at all. I might need to adjust the pointer instead.

[KSmith]

I lightly tapped, then a little harder. No adjusting at all. I might need to adjust the pointer instead.

If you go without one of the spacers in the vise 'ears', do you not then get a bit of slop for adjustment. Or you could just find square, read the scale, and always compensate +/- by that amount in the future. Or if it has an adjustable scale pointer, recalibrate it to actual square.

one thing I don't like about the design, is that the vise table seems very narrow overall. I don't know the scale but looking at the photos, the vise table is elevated and narrow. The HF saw I have (4x6) at least has a pretty wide flat surface to keep work from rocking radially. Looks like you could remove the repeat stop gizmo, and bolt down a piece of leveled stock to add some breadth to the vise using some existing holes I see, or drill and tap new holes to hold the added support.

I was surprised by the size of my HF saw too when I first got it, but after building a new stand and getting it up off the ground a bit more so I wasn't bending over all the time to work, it turned out to be just fine. Enjoy!

ken

[CGCINC]

If you go without one of the spacers in the vise 'ears', do you not then get a bit of slop for adjustment.

I suppose you would but I doubt these small bolts will hold it tight forever. I might need to go buy some hex heads so I can put some umph to it.
The pointer is held on with a phillips screw so I might adjust that first

one thing I don't like about the design, is that the vise table seems very narrow overall. I don't know the scale but looking at the photos, the vise table is elevated and narrow. The HF saw I have (4x6) at least has a pretty wide flat surface to keep work from rocking radially. Looks like you could remove the repeat stop gizmo, and bolt down a piece of leveled stock to add some breadth to the vise using some existing holes I see, or drill and tap new holes to hold the added support.

I was surprised by the size of my HF saw too when I first got it, but after building a new stand and getting it up off the ground a bit more so I wasn't bending over all the time to work, it turned out to be just fine. Enjoy!

ken

Yes, the vise IS very narrow. My 1990 Buffalo has a bigger/wider vise than this thing.
I hate that it's so low, All they have to do is make the stand a few more inches taller...Hate to pay for it then make a complete new stand but I may have to in the future. The swivel also catches on one side as you swing it...
Honestly I am disappointed with the saw as a whole. It cuts good and will do just fine but I was thinking I was getting something a little better than this. Something bigger and more "shop" worthy. I suppose $550 doesn't get much now days.

[KSmith]

Looks like you could also do some small squareing adjustment by putting shim stock on one side or the other between the fixed back vise jaw and the vise table. Bolts look pretty substantial. Once you do some cutting you will get the bugs out, make a few mods, and be happy.

There is alot of information on this forum that you could glean for your saw http://groups.yahoo.com/group/4x6bandsaw/

Not sure if you saw my stand build, which changed the character and usability of my cheap saw considerably http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...Band-Saw-Stand

ken

[Rodsmachineshop]

yes 550 dont get much these days the band saw i want is like almost a 1000 so saving . want a 7 x12 or bigger band saw . can find some good deals on bigger band saws until you see what shipping cost

[zoama]

yes 550 dont get much these days the band saw i want is like almost a 1000 so saving . want a 7 x12 or bigger band saw . can find some good deals on bigger band saws until you see what shipping cost

You could have bought a 7 x 12 bandsaw at harbor freight on the 4th for $599... it was $799 -25% off coupon.http://www.harborfreight.com/1-hp-7-...saw-97009.html

[CGCINC]

You could have bought a 7 x 12 bandsaw at harbor freight on the 4th for $599... it was $799 -25% off coupon.http://www.harborfreight.com/1-hp-7-...saw-97009.html

That would have been nice! Didn't see it...

[CGCINC]

New issues...
I noticed when I put the saw together the swivel was a little rough one direction, figured I would fix it later. Well, it's later!

The swivel moves freely clockwise from 0 to 60 degrees. Going counter clockwise it will swing from 0 to about 32 degrees and stop. It should go to 45 degrees.
To loosen the swivel bolt I would need to take the saw apart to reach the underside. I tried from above but it has a lock nut on it or something underneath.

ALSO, what's the deal with the saw blade hitting the vise when I swivel clockwise? (see pics)

[Rambozo]

Are you sure the vise doesn't go on the other side? I know the pictures show that side, but the way the pivot is only cut on one side, it would make more sense for the vise to be on the right. Some cold saws have a self centering vise where both jaws move and the pivot is centered between the jaws, but that is a much more complicated setup ($$$) and the jaws still have to slide sideways for some angles and spacing. Something sure looks wrong. Most big bandsaws I've seen only pivot one way. There is no place to put a pivot that will allow 45 each way without the vise moving.

[CGCINC]

Are you sure the vise doesn't go on the other side? .

That is the way it came and it looks right compared to the pic in the manual. Once I figure out why it's catching, it will cut 45 degree's the other way because it swings away from the vise. I don't know, seem's a little screwy to me!?!?

[Rambozo]

My guess is that you have to move things around for different setups. It's just odd that the 60 side is not the default. I guess as long as it does 45 and you can flip the stock you are covered. Are there vise mounting holes on both sides? I bet the catching is just from a rough casting. A little grinding and smoothing will take care of that. I look at a lot of these import tools, as kits that you have to finish yourself. But for the price, I'm willing to put in a little sweat equity to have a nice tool.

[CGCINC]

Website says.... Max. capacity rectangular @ ±45 degrees: 2-15/16" x 3-3/4"

In the picture, the vise is set for my 2" square tubing so it's not even open as wide as the max!?! Anyone?

[Rodsmachineshop]

what strange to me the vice should be to the right side not left side of machine . since your angel degree is most turn to right . I would try unbolting vice and move to right side of blade see if that fixs your vice in the way problem. i read the instruction and seems everything is done rite putting together , but that the thing with some stuff some times i dont even think the try what they sell to see if everything works rite lol in the pic i just added it looks like there is hole on the right side to install vice on ether side

[CGCINC]

Yes, Looks like there are holes to move the vise.
This is stupid...The whole reason to buy a swivel saw is to swivel from 0 to 30 to 45 to 60, fast and easy. NOT remove vise, move to right, make cut, remove vise, move back to left....etc. Problem with moving it is that it will just not work for the opposite side then. I bought this piece of crap to work better than my 1990 Buffalo but I'm about to push this to the side and use the old saw!! this saw held up my work today because of all these issues!!

[Rodsmachineshop]

by the pic it looks like if on right side it would be more set away from blade by the holes so 45 and 60 would work rite . i just looked at your pics closer if you moved the vice up farther that would fix your problem also , in the pic on grizzly it looks like the vice is father up on the table than in your pic maby the holes are drilled in the wrong location