Grizzly G0670 16x40 Taiwan Variable Speed Lathe

Matt doesn't shop at the factory where the SBs are made apparently.

coolidge said:

After talking with Matt at PM I think the Grizzly lathe is manufactured at a different factory. It has the odd triple V ways which none of these other RML lathes have. Matt said the factory where his RML lathe is made has never heard of such a lathe.

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Pretty common to see lathes that ALMOST look exactly the same built in different places to different levels of quality. Seems like there is a standard set of patterns that was "obtained" and handed between different manufacturers who turn out similar versions.... using parts that aren't necessarily interchangeable.

With respect to the "3 Vee" thing... it really looks like the cross slide only engages two of the Vee's, and the tailpost uses the third. So why build three?

I would bet the "SB Factory" is more than one factory. The smaller SB lathes are made in China. I would't be surprised if there was more than on Taiwan factory involved as well. Grizzly has a history of swapping between manufacturers (note that there are a LOT more happy people with the first generation of G4003G than the current generation).

Endamur said:

That Grizzly G0670 is built in Taiwan also.... same factory that makes the Jet Professional Elite series of lathes, ACRA, Kent, and many others.... don't confuse its quality with other lower cost "Chinese" lathes that Grizzly also sells.

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Yes, I know (it is in the title of this thread after all). I would still lay money that the YAM lathe built a decade ago is higher quality where it matters than the G0670.

Again, built in the "same factory" doesn't always mean you get the same machine. They build to a price point. Jet seems to get lower price-point, IMHO (although the jury is still out if the "elite professional" tag means anything). I think ACRA and Kent are better.

Did you ever buy the G0670?

Yup, the little 8k SB is made in China. And it's the only machine I've ever owned that required NO adjusting/modding/tuning to get it up and running within my specs. I have never adjusted anything, not even the tailstock. Can't even come close to the same statement about my 1340 that cost 3x the 8k. The only other person I know who also has a 8k had a similar experience.

Does anyone here actually own one of these G0670 or similar lathes? Or is everyone just speculating/guessing?

Bill Doubleeboy purchased one, look for his updates further back in this thread.

coolidge said:

After talking with Matt at PM I think the Grizzly lathe is manufactured at a different factory. It has the odd triple V ways which none of these other RML lathes have. Matt said the factory where his RML lathe is made has never heard of such a lathe.

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coolidge said:

Bill Doubleeboy purchased one, look for his updates further back in this thread.

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If anyone is interested I can post pictures of the Kent's, Acra and Southbends (i.e. the bigger ones, I know the little 8K is a Chinese unit) being built in the same factory in Taiwan.

tmarks11 said:

With respect to the "3 Vee" thing... it really looks like the cross slide only engages two of the Vee's, and the tailpost uses the third. So why build three?

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I believe you answered your own question. 2 vee ways for the carriage one for the tailstock. More surfaces, more precise guiding of carriage, less chance of movement in unwanted directions.

The Grizzly is rock solid in longitudinal turning. At reasonable depths of cut and moderate feeds I can detect no variation in finished material. Pretty easy to hold a tenth. How long that level of precision lasts is anyone's guess, but right out of the crate and leveled with a bit of care this machine cuts very true.

As I posted elsewhere, its not a Monarch, DSG or Pacemaker, but for a price point Asian machine that is not very heavy it takes a pretty substantial cut, can repeat the same cut with same results repeatedly. I would love to have an as new 50 year old Monarch 16", not an easy find, so I compromised and got something I think will serve my light use for the rest on my years of machining. With a set tru collet chuck I can hold the same tolerances that I can on my 10ee, its just not as user friendly, but it can take a bigger cut, has twice the bed length etc.

I have not doubt that a similar size Yam would be a heavier, better built machine, but it also weights a ton more and most likely saw hard use before it hit secondary market. People dont buy Yam and Cadillac to futz around making model engines, they get used hard to make money. Lots of really nice old iron out there, but if they are worn out it takes one heck of a lathe operator to hold half a thou. Before I bought a coolant stripped machine that indicated heavy use I would have to turn on it and see if I could hold the tolerances that I want to hold. I spent 2 years looking at 10ees before I found one at the price I could pay that could hold tight tolerances.

I have been told by Grizzly tech that the G0670 is built in same factory as the South Bend labeled machines, just finished different and with different options, handles, etc.
michael

Doubleeboy said:

I believe you answered your own question. 2 vee ways for the carriage one for the tailstock. More surfaces, more precise guiding of carriage, less chance of movement in unwanted directions.

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They could stick the tailstock on the same two Vee's that support the carriage. They share one Vee in common, why not two?

Good to hear that you are satisfied with your purchase. I wouldn't really consider the G0670 much of a compromise. I do consider my G0709 a compromise; I really was looking at least to buy a G0509, but blinked at the critical moment, which I regret.

Endamur said:

If anyone is interested I can post pictures of the Kent's, Acra and Southbends (i.e. the bigger ones, I know the little 8K is a Chinese unit) being built in the same factory in Taiwan.

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My point is that SB label shows up on machine accessories such as chucks (made in Taiwan), rotary tables (made in China?), lathes (made in China and Taiwan), mills (made in Taiwan). I am betting that the machine accessories probably aren't made at the same factory as the lathes, and a good chance that the mills aren't made at the same factory as the lathes. That isn't necessary a bad thing, just that there isn't really a "South Bend" factory.

Please post the pictures; always interesting to see manufacturing centers. If I might ask, do you travel to China for work, do you get involved in importing?

tmarks11 said:

They could stick the tailstock on the same two Vee's that support the carriage. They share one Vee in common, why not two?

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They do not share any ways between carriage and tailstock. That would be a big no no. How would get the tailstock up close to headstock if it ran on same ways as carriage. 2 v ways for carriage , 1 flat and 1 v way for tailstock.

michael

tmarks11 said:

They could stick the tailstock on the same two Vee's that support the carriage. They share one Vee in common, why not two?

Good to hear that you are satisfied with your purchase. I wouldn't really consider the G0670 much of a compromise. I do consider my G0709 a compromise; I really was looking at least to buy a G0509, but blinked at the critical moment, which I regret.



My point is that SB label shows up on machine accessories such as chucks (made in Taiwan), rotary tables (made in China?), lathes (made in China and Taiwan), mills (made in Taiwan). I am betting that the machine accessories probably aren't made at the same factory as the lathes, and a good chance that the mills aren't made at the same factory as the lathes. That isn't necessary a bad thing, just that there isn't really a "South Bend" factory.

Please post the pictures; always interesting to see manufacturing centers. If I might ask, do you travel to China for work, do you get involved in importing?

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I travel to Taiwan and China for work quite regularly but I am not involved in importing machines...I did have a day off last trip and I took the time to drive down to look at the factory to get a better idea of the type of operation that they have and to see if it reflected positively on the quality of the machines produced there. I have had my eye on a G0670 for some time and I will pull the trigger on one soon....

The accessories are definitely not produced in the same factory... they only build lathes there. The SouthBend mills are not produced there either. A separate company build those for Grizzly in Taiwan.

Coolidge-

I know you have sworn off Chinese and Taiwanese lathes...

...but...

Grizzly has their South Bend version of the variable speed 16x40 G0670 on sale for about the same price as the Grizzly version ($7.4k off). That is a nice looking piece of machinery; unlike some Grizzly machinery, it looks better in person then in the catalog. In fact, just about all of the high end SB lathes are on sale $6k-7k off.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/16-x-40-Lathe-220V/SB1037

I am wondering if they are discontinuing most of that product line? That is a much steeper discount than I have ever seen before at Grizzly.

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