Visiting Grizzly In Bellingham

kplyler

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So I'm going up to Seattle next week to visit family (Bremerton), and have a little time to kil after landing at the airport. I am the proud owner of a Grizzly G4003g. Was thinking of driving up to Bellingham and checking their store out. Had a few questions:

* I have the original live center. It seized up. The lathe is less than 3 years old. Will they warranty it?
* Is it worth the drive? Any one else made a visit?
* Anything I should do? I assume its a retail store mostly, I don't need to call ahead to get in?
* Anything interesting at the showroom I should see I might otherwise miss?

Thanks
 
I have never been there. But what I have heard from ones that have, you need more than a little time there. The place is HUGE. I mean HUGE
 
As to the warranty, first read it carefully. If it sounds like it should be covered, call Grizzly and ask them about your options, tell them you will be in Bremerton.
 
The lathe came with a one year warranty, don't expect anything. Judging from their online photos of the store I would pack a lunch and spend the entire day there.
 
I haven't been there, but Tubal Cain/Mr. Pete has been to the one in Missouri:


Of course, being Mr. Pete, he doesn't actually enter the place until after more than 6:00 minutes in a 23:00 minute video.
 
Not interested in Tubal's vacation. I have been to Grizzly in Pa.. Back in 1986 I went there and bought 2 16 x 40" lathes. One for me and one for the Toolmaker's shop. I still have mine. EXTREMELY accurate. Cuts true cylinders and faces DEAD FLAT(Most face a little hollow for flange work. But I don't do flange work. Mine is TAIWAN made. Most were back then,IIRC.

I then went to Wilke Machine co. In York,Pa.. Quite a trip!!(was that their name?),and bought 2 really NICE Taiwan made Bridgeport clones. One for me. I still have mine,and the other at the TM shop STILL works just fine. I wouldn't trade mine in on REAL Bridgeports when they became available at a local machine dealer. Mine is perfectly accurate and well made. Played musical machines too many times!!

Edit: I managed to fast forward through most of his vacation. Enjoyed the look at the store. I have been to the Williamsport store back in 1986. A big store,too. Miserable highway trying to get there,though. The staff were VERY friendly(I was buying TWO 16 x 40" lathes,but wanted the crates opened so I could see if they were damaged,which they really didn't have to do,but did for me. I'd like to see THIS store,but it is way across the continent!!

Tubal knows how to PAN SLOWLY,which a lot of people do not. I learned a lot making our movie in 1974 about the spinet and violin,and other filming we were involved in.
 
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So I'm going up to Seattle next week to visit family (Bremerton), and have a little time to kil after landing at the airport. I am the proud owner of a Grizzly G4003g. Was thinking of driving up to Bellingham and checking their store out. Had a few questions:

* I have the original live center. It seized up. The lathe is less than 3 years old. Will they warranty it?
* Is it worth the drive? Any one else made a visit?
* Anything I should do? I assume its a retail store mostly, I don't need to call ahead to get in?
* Anything interesting at the showroom I should see I might otherwise miss?

Thanks
KP, I can't answer your warranty questions, is it worth the drive, on a good traffic day about 3 hrs each way, on a bad day? I don't think that it is their largest showroom, it's the only one I've been to, but give yourself an hour or two to go through it. Lots of tooling displayed and wood working and metal machines to compare. Check the web catalog for availability for any small tooling you wish to buy before you go. If it were me I would drive to Port Townsand from Bremerton take the ferry to Coupeville on Whidbey Is. drive up hi-way 20 to Burlington and you are less than a half an hr. to grizzly. Long winded but I hope it helps.
Doug.
 
So I'm going up to Seattle next week to visit family (Bremerton), and have a little time to kil after landing at the airport. I am the proud owner of a Grizzly G4003g. Was thinking of driving up to Bellingham and checking their store out. Had a few questions:

* I have the original live center. It seized up. The lathe is less than 3 years old. Will they warranty it?
* Is it worth the drive? Any one else made a visit?
* Anything I should do? I assume its a retail store mostly, I don't need to call ahead to get in?
* Anything interesting at the showroom I should see I might otherwise miss?

Thanks
Edit: sorry, missed part about leaving from airport. Drive wouldn't be as bad , depending on time of day, still two hrs. from Sea-Tac airport.
 
I was there back in 2009, so things may be different, but it's a huge place and the staff was content with my walking around and looking at everything. I bought a couple of small items and the staff were very helpful.
 
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