Are you happy with your Grizzly 12x36 lathe?

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stioc

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Can I get some feedback from the current owners please?

1. Are you happy specifically with the quality and accuracy?
2. Which model do you own, G4003 or G4003G or other?
3. How long have you had it and if you purchased it new?
4. If you were to do it again would you buy something else and if so why?

Thanks for the feedback on the above four questions.
 
Can I get some feedback from the current owners please? Sure

1. Are you happy specifically with the quality and accuracy? Yes, the only thing I dislike about my G4003G is the chipping of the paint.
If I take good measurements and work methodologically I can hit 0.000,3" (Then the next morning once the part has cooled, I may be 1.9994 rather than the 2.000,0 I hit the day before.) If I just use the dials and a dial caliper I can easily hit 0.003 without really looking.
2. Which model do you own, G4003 or G4003G or other? G4003G
3. How long have you had it and if you purchased it new? New, Had it just over 2 years,
4. If you were to do it again would you buy something else and if so why? It seems to be a good size for what my current needs are (precision telescope parts.) I would think about a slightly larger lathe like a 14×40 but cost might cause me to repeat the G4003G route.

While the above seems a bit "less than glowing" I really do enjoy machining parts on this lathe. And so far it has been able to do anything I have ask of it. I am a shades of grey person rather than a black and white person. My black and white version of the above is:: "don't be a fool buy it now".
That would have been true last year before the tariffs raised all the prices. Glad I got mine a while back.

The only thing I would do differently is to put heavy weights in the bottom of the stands for less wobble.
 
From what I have seen it's a great lathe for the money, and if yours didn't come equipped with any major problems then you did good
Mark
 
I've owned a DF1224G (aka G1003) Taiwan made, 1990s vintage, since 2014. I think it's a very good lathe, good accuracy. I've added iGaging Absolute DRO X and Y scales and a 3 phase motor and VFD. Posted about it several times, including the following:
www.hobby-machinist.com

Grizzly 12x36 lathe (DF1236G, G1003, etc) metric threading chart

Some time back in 2014 I posted an "improved" metric threading chart for this series of lathes (including the 12x24 equivalents). The chart included all but one of the currently used metric threads (couldn't find a way to get 5.5mm pitch, used on M56 fasteners), and gave very close...
www.hobby-machinist.com www.hobby-machinist.com
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/single-point-threading-first-time.78590/#post-669462 (Post #18)
I guess the only thing I'd do differently would be to get a 12x36 instead of the 12x24.
 
Thank you all so far. I know we have several members with these lathes so I'm hoping to get everyone's feedback on those four specific questions as @Mitch Alsup did in his reply including on their accuracy.
 
It's a bit like asking "how do you like your Volkswagen"; they've been around so long the answer gets a bit muddled as an overall assessment. Anyhow, I bough a used DF1236 and it's served me well, having helped to build two cars from scratch (www.midlana.com) The one annoying thing is that it's always had persistent oil leaks. I recently bought oil seals and what bearings Grizzly still has, with the intention to fix it, but things are bit up in the air right now since learning of a lathe for sale locally that would be a big upgrade, so we'll see which way the story goes.

To answer your direct questions:
1. Are you happy specifically with the quality and accuracy?
Yes, it was fine for my needs; I made bearing cups, bushings, modified fasteners. In the future it's hard to tell if that accuracy will be enough since my interests drift.

2. Which model do you own, G4003 or G4003G or other?
DF1236, built in the late 1980s.

3. How long have you had it and if you purchased it new?
Bought in around 1998.

4. If you were to do it again would you buy something else and if so why?
No, not the same one, but only because there are newer (used) ones that are less worn for the same price I paid back then. As for whether I'd buy another Grizzly, sure. Oh, and mine was Taiwan-built.
 
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I suppose from a personal point of view I'm more interested in the feedback on the recent Chinese made (within the last 8-10yrs) 12x36 grizzly models.
 
I’ve had mine for over 6 years. Since I’ve never operated other lathes I really don’t have anything to judge it against. It does what I need it to and can make some tight tolerance parts. If I had it to do over I would get the one with the enclosed gear box.
 
I have the shopfox equivalent, at the time, it was a tad cheaper, and came with a coolant system, which I have never used (Have not settled on what coolant to use).

1. Are you happy specifically with the quality and accuracy? Yes.

2. Which model do you own, G4003 or G4003G or other? ShopFox M1112, grizzley G4003G equivalent.

3. How long have you had it and if you purchased it new? Purchased new 2011.

4. If you were to do it again would you buy something else and if so why? Don't think so. At the time, it seemed the most bang for the buck. For some things I do, I do need a bigger machine, At the time, I would have preferred a 16" to 17" swing, but now glad I got the smaller, and did pick up a SB
16" for those occasions. The Shopfox is still my goto machine.

I did not go look again, but back in 2011, the two major differences between the G4003, and the G4003G, Was the hole through the spindle size, and the Chuck mounting (D1-5, vs the D1-4 for the G4003) That was enough to steer me to the G4003G or the M1112. I was thinking about the G4003 without the stands, but glad I went with the stands.
 
Superburban said:
I did not go look again, but back in 2011, the two major differences between the G4003, and the G4003G, Was the hole through the spindle size, and the Chuck mounting (D1-5, vs the D1-4 for the G4003)
Click to expand...

G4003G has better spindle bearings than G4003
 
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