Grizzly G4003g Purchase Or Wait?

Congrats! Now maybe I need to learn how to use mine.
 
abrace said:
I just received a G4003G in January. I didn't see any cast material in them at all. It is all steel from what I could tell.
One stand weighs around 50 lbs, the other probably 75lbs. Give or take.
Welded just fine too.
I agree with the others, the sales are rare. The g4003g is priced pretty good now. Buy it.
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Hmm...that's interesting because looking at the specs Grizzly has on the G4003G page the left stand is 164lbs and the right one is 144lbs. Even if that was shipping weight with a skid that's a big difference from what you think yours weigh. Maybe they changed the stands and didn't change the specs? Looking at the pics they look like my cast iron bases though. I welded on a long piece of .5" 90º angle steel on the left and right sides of both stands. Once I heated up the CI stands up it was easy to weld them without cracking. Those stands are pretty dang heavy as it is but I figure this would give more stability. Also, if I want to secure them to the concrete floor it'd be easier than using the factory holes in the stands.
 
I'll post an contents list when it comes in next week.

I'll weld some feet on the cabinets and use the same system I used on my Rockwell lathe. I posted photos of the setup.
 
Jeeze, don't quote me on the exact weight, I didn't exactly use a scale! :)

I may be off 25 pounds +/-, but I was able to carry and move both of them around the shop as necessary. The bigger one was heavy, don't get me wrong, but I am not a bench presser and there is no way I was carrying around anything near 164lbs.

As for the stands, all the metal I looked at looked to be sheet metal. There may be some cast pieces involved, but I didn't see them. It is certainly not a single cast item, there are stitch welds and spot/tack welds all over the thing.

Here are some somewhat closeups of my stand and the welding I did, showing the bottom of the unit. You can see the large steel plates on the sides that are stitch welded to the floor of the cabinet. The sides of the stand look to be sheet metal to me too.

Hope this helps.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/g4003-stand-modification.42439/#post-364311
 
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Wow! Yeah, you have different stands than mine but my G4003G is 5 years old. My stands are all cast iron and pretty dang heavy. Yes, I can move them around but with some definite effort. Mine are like Steve Bedair's here. I see you welded angled iron onto the bases like you did. :) I had to preheat my bases. I didn't want the cast iron to crack when welding to it. I couldn't find the Rustoleum Hammered Dark Green anywhere locally so got it from Amazon. Gonna paint the stands and maybe the chip pan tomorrow. Did you secure your lathe to the floor?
 
Splat said:
Wow! Yeah, you have different stands than mine but my G4003G is 5 years old. My stands are all cast iron and pretty dang heavy. Yes, I can move them around but with some definite effort. Mine are like Steve Bedair's here. I see you welded angled iron onto the bases like you did. :) I had to preheat my bases. I didn't want the cast iron to crack when welding to it. I couldn't find the Rustoleum Hammered Dark Green anywhere locally so got it from Amazon. Gonna paint the stands and maybe the chip pan tomorrow. Did you secure your lathe to the floor?
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Yah, those stands you linked to look different that mine. Those look like monolithic castings. Honestly, I know cast iron is heavy and all, but I prefer plate steel! No special welding procedures!

I have not secured them to the floor. My angle iron sticks out in the front and back enough to seem to keep it pretty solid on the ground. I am trying to avoid anchoring it. Once I actually start using the lathe (I have done almost nothing with it) I will see how it works.

My first project is going to make some simple small hinges. If I manage not to kill myself I will post pics ;)
 
Incidentally, I was looking at the Grizzly catalog today. I noticed in the catalog that the photo for the G0750G on page 577 (basically the G4003G with enclosed gearbox) shows the stands that they shipped with my G4003G. They point it out as a steel stand. The photo for the g4003g on the previous page shows the older cast iron stand.

I have to assume they have moved to steel now and just havent updated the photo or specs for the G4003G.

Mine also came with 2 piece jaws on the 3 jaw chuck.
 
The G4003G came in today, it has the 3-jaw with the removable 2-piece jaws on it. The lathe was not damaged, that I could see.
I'll post some photos when i start unpacking.

I did unpack one of the stands and it was made with very thick sheet metal. Initial measurements indicate they are square and with even dimensions.
 
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Congratulations! Delivery day was exciting and stressful for me, and I assume you as well. How to get it on the stands, etc!
 
jjtgrinder said:
The G4003G came in today, it has the 3-jaw with the removable 2-piece jaws on it. The lathe was not damaged, that I could see. I'll post some photos when i start unpacking. I did unpack one of the stands and it was made with very thick sheet metal. Initial measurements indicate they are square and with even dimensions.
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Congrats! I would go over everything, ensuring you get all the little doodads you're supposed to get. How are you going to lift the lathe onto the stands, engine hoist?
 
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