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I have no experience with grizz benches. I would just say I would not like that tool tray on the back side. I like to work on both sides of the bench and would look for a bench that allows that.
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I agree frigator. I intend on filling that in on whichever bench i end up with.
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It looks like a nice bench at a good price. I like the 331# detail. My workbench is an Ulmia and it weighs in at 250+. I have had many benches and really dislike those that make you dance around the shop with them. Solid is good. My bench has a removable tool/junk tray which was removed. You might find this one handy. Mine also has two rows of dogs but I only use the front side. So I say go for it. A good bench makes shoptime a joy.
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splintermaking.com
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From the pic, looks like it is made up of very short pieces glued together; hard to say without eyeballing it. Don't know if I'd buy a bench without actually fondling it unless it was of a known maker. I bought a Sjobergs bench several years ago before they raised their prices, never regretted it, priced out the materials, vices and time and it was altogether cheaper to buy then make. That being said, you can make a very good bench of SYP, the real cost is in the vice hardware and time. A bench is a tool, like any other.
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Non impediti ratione cogitationis
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In a review of workbenches several years ago (can't remember which mag - maybe Fine Woodworking), the Grizz bench came in dead last. Sjobergs Elite and Lie Nielsen benches were top-rated.
Still Learning,
Allan Hill
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The stuff I saw at the Washington store looked decent--4 years ago, maybe. But with most things, there is always the status, name, and reputation to consider. Grizzly markets to the lower side of the dollar. If you find something you can't live with when it is delivered, what recourse do you have? How long can you wait for warp, glue, and connection failures to beat the return policy?
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Thank you for the replies. Some real good points here. One that sticks out to me is the part about the top being made up of very short pieces glued together. I had not really paid attention to that. I'm no structural engineer so it's hard for me to actually tell you why that might be bad, but it strikes a cord with me anyway. As, well not being able to find out if that is a problem within the return policy. Sounds like it could be a pain in the whistle. Might be why it cost only 2/3 of all the others.
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I looked one over at the former Muncy, PA store (bear in mind,
I had built several of my own prior to seeing the Griz). It was put together with many small pieces, though it looked good and of a decent thickness. Had a drawer, pretty chintzy , non-dovetailed and looked likr it would not last long. Vise appeared much less than robust enough for most tasks. I could not tell how legs were assembled, and my conclusion was that it would be sufficient to start with.
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Its always best to assemble your own top. You can orientate the grain so it all runs the same way, helping with tearout when you go to flatten the bench. I made the base for my bench but used a premade maple top....and the grain is tough to deal with if you plane it flat...grains runs opposite way with boards side by side.
Before I made my bench I used a workmate...still have it and its bench that will help you build a bench.
I also like the price of the Griz, it is the top of what I was planning on spending.
