# Merry Christmas! G4003



## 6literZ (Dec 24, 2014)

Hello all, hope your holiday events are going well. 

So after a long long research stage, as well as traveling around the state to get hands Craigslist lathes I have decided upon the G4003G lathe. 

Which brings me here, and I am asking those who may have knowledge of past events concerning after Christmas discounts and or coupons. I know typically it is said that after the new year prices typically will rise, so I don't want to wait too long to order, but I was hoping I may stumble upon a discount after Christmas coupon. 

I am currently on the grizzly email list, but I was wondering if anyone has any knowledge of an upcoming  promotion after Christmas that would make it worth while to wait on ordering?

Thanks in advance!


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## darkzero (Dec 24, 2014)

I'm not sure about for Christmas bur Grizzly coupons are pretty rare from what I have seen. Maybe only 2 times a year or something. I've been on the mailing list for years off & on & I have have never received a discount code in one of their emails. The only discount code I ever personally received from them was in a catalog from 2012 or 2013. Nothing in my 2014 catalog. I think there was one a month or 2 ago posted here for 10% or something.


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## coolidge (Dec 24, 2014)

I have seen Grizzly coupons in Feb but as darkzero said the coupons are rare and don't seem to follow any pattern. One trick is to hit the magazine stand, you will find Grizzly coupons in wood working mags I got one in a magazine maybe 3 months ago.


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## leroy (Dec 25, 2014)

Just wanted to know what your second and third pick on lathe choices were. I am also leaning toward the G4003g but checked on the G0750g (enclosed gearbox) which was out of stock. Wonder if it is quieter and also the g0709 with the foot brake. I notice Grizz only publishes the backlash specs on the g4003g which gives me the impression that they are proud of this model. Have you heard the G4003g run or in operation ? Thanks----- Merry Christmas to all !!!!


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## coolidge (Dec 25, 2014)

leroy said:


> Just wanted to know what your second and third pick on lathe choices were. I am also leaning toward the G4003g but checked on the G0750g (enclosed gearbox) which was out of stock. Wonder if it is quieter and also the g0709 with the foot brake. I notice Grizz only publishes the backlash specs on the g4003g which gives me the impression that they are proud of this model. Have you heard the G4003g run or in operation ? Thanks----- Merry Christmas to all !!!!



There are some differences between the G4003G and G0750G, sometimes advantage G4003G sometimes advantage G0750G. Do a side by side comparison of the manuals, spec sheets, and photos. I would not make a decision based on noise level I don't think they will be so different that I would care. Ask Grizzly for the decibel readings of both. They both use the same motor so that's moot. Some of the published information is wrong so consider that and confirm with Grizzly don't just rely on the published info. In one area the G4003G say it has a cast iron stand, it does not, ditto for the G0750G. It says the G0750G is manufactured in a ISO 9001 factory and the G04003G is not, it seems unlikely they are manufactured in different factories so again confirm with Grizzly.

Things I notice, the feed lever on the carriage is of a different design, I'm not overly impressed with the G4003G feed lever on my lathe. The G4003G is listed with a longer cross feed vs the G0750G. It would really take walking through the specs and manuals, noting the differences, and which lathe they favor. Then confirming with Grizzly those things that are important to your making a decision. That's how I would go about it.

Stepping up to the G0709 obviously a different class. I don't start drooling on myself until I get to the G0509G, I would be shocked if I don't buy that or some equivalent as my next lathe.


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## leroy (Dec 25, 2014)

Thanks coolidge for all the pointers. Would you buy the same model you have again ? Also looking at the lower gear controls what is the difference in the two models reguarding a shift lever vs a rotary knob. Are the enclosed gear boxes in oil versus the style you have. I will not get to springfield to look till the end of Jan so i probably will purchase sometime in Feb. Thanks for all the information maybe i should spend a little more vs upgrading later.


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## coolidge (Dec 25, 2014)

leroy said:


> Thanks coolidge for all the pointers. Would you buy the same model you have again ? Also looking at the lower gear controls what is the difference in the two models reguarding a shift lever vs a rotary knob. Are the enclosed gear boxes in oil versus the style you have. I will not get to springfield to look till the end of Jan so i probably will purchase sometime in Feb. Thanks for all the information maybe i should spend a little more vs upgrading later.



The G0750G wasn't out when I purchased my G04003G but if I were buying a lathe today, since they are only $145 apart in price I would be going over the manuals and specs with a fine tooth comb to understand the differences in detail before choosing. That said I would buy a G04003G again if it were the only choice. Just go into it with your eyes open, they are built in CHINA and you are apt to have to address some minor things. On mine the motor pulley was wobbled horribly in cartoon like fashion. Grizzly sent me a replacement that was machined perfectly true. China also did a half ass job mounting the motor, it was crooked and the cast iron mounting bracket was drill off center to the point that you could not line up the motor pulley with the spindle pulley. China idiots just hung the motor pulley half off the motor shaft. I re-drilled and tapped the motor bracket (mounts between the motor and the lathe) for correct fit and everything lines up nice and square with the motor pulley fully on the motor shaft. I also had to finish painting the stand, the under side was bare primer and even the under side of the top of the stand didn't get painted in spots. Cost me a rattle can of paint from the local hardware store.

The important things on my lathe were all good to go out of the crate. Alignment was excellent, everything works smoothly. My brother mounted his fancy electronic gadget on the lathe used to align $200k CNC lathe chucks and tailstocks and the factory alignment was so good he recommended not even messing with it.

The feed shifting levers vs knobs is what I see a lot of guys basing a decision on at least in part. The G4003G turns more threads than the G0750 which will turn up to like 50 TPI. When I looked at that I scoffed, I will never turn 112 TPI threads, dang if I know how you could even pack 112 threads into an inch that's like a thread a thread every .009. Now some machines maybe other than Grizzly you have to swap gears to turn certain American threads on the knob type lathes where as the lever type on the G4003G you an turn all the American threads without changing the gears. I could see that being a hassle potentially, I'd have to look at what threads required a gear change and see if those particular threads were going to irritate me. Ideally I personally would prefer the knob type gear change setup.

Also if you have any ideas on modifying the lathe, say for variable speed operation or whatever I would research that before purchasing to see if either lathe would be an issue or advantage.


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## 6literZ (Dec 25, 2014)

The 4003G specs list the weight as 1213lbs, whereas the 750G is listed at 1059lbs. It also lists the stands as cast iron, instead they are supposedly sheet steel so take that with a grain of salt. The higher number of threads were an additional bonus. 

Ideally I would prefer to have a foot brake, but that typically isn't an option on lathes of this price point. 

As far as other branded similar lathes it seemed grizzly has the best service. Anyone who had any issues were able to contact grizzly and promptly received a replacement part. It also was reassuring to see a parts list with prices and being able to order them on grizzlys web site. There are also a bunch of YouTube videos on the 4003G showing operation as well as the owners experience. It seems like the 4003G also has a longer track record.


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## dave2176 (Dec 25, 2014)

The G4003G isn't noisy by any means. I'm glad I bought it over the G0750G or others.
 Dave


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## 6literZ (Dec 26, 2014)

I talked to the helpful people at Grizzly, firstly about picking the lathe up and secondly about coupons. 

If I drive to Muncy, PA to pick it up to save shipping costs I would have to pay 6% sales tax. That defeats the purpose. 

The phone assistant told me there are no active discounts, but I could check the back of the catalog she'll be sending me. 

These coupons are harder to come by than Willy Wonkas golden tickets.


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## Dman1114 (Dec 27, 2014)

I Have a G4003G.....

got it last summer....

It a decent deal for the $$.  there are a few things i don't like....  The chinese motors are crap.  mine was replaced twice.   

the 3 jaw chuck i got seems to be pretty good for a 3 jaw.  but the 4 jaw was crap.  i had to return 6 of them... Yes 6.    finally they after many phone calls they sent me a different chuck all together.

all the chucks they sent me the jaws were not parallel...  i told them after the first just send me a bison and id pick up the difference but they refused saying they could only send me a replacement.  anyhow it cost them more in shipping in the end.


The customer service is pretty good with grizzly. 


If i had to do it all over id probably go with a  Eisen 13x40   and buy my own chucks...  tool post and other accessories


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## wrmiller (Dec 28, 2014)

Congrats on your decision to go with the G4003G. From all accounts here, it is a capable machine.

When I was recently looking at lathe specs and charts trying to decide which one to get it came down to three: Griz G4003G, Eisen 12x36, and the PM1340GT (lowest to highest cost).

Couldn't get any warm fuzzies from Eisen, so dropped that one. Knowing quite a bit about Chinese machines, with Griz I was willing to deal with the inevitable assembly/alignment/quality issues as most are relatively minor, and I've had very good experiences with Griz customer service.

Then I find out there is ONE 1340GT still available in the next shipment arriving (hopefully) end of this month or early January. Gnashing my teeth for several days, I finally decided to go with the PM machine and sent a deposit to them. The semi-protracted decision process was basically caused by my trying to decide if I wanted a machine I could put my hands on within a week or sit around for who knows how long waiting for word on a machine that 'should' be of a higher quality and fit/finish. IMO there comes a point of diminishing returns: If both machines can deliver the quality I need for the next 10-20 years, why pay the extra money and deal with the unknowns? Is it ego? I suspect that my previously capable decision making process has been biased by my continued patronage of this site. 

So...it's the end of Dec and no word yet. I will give it a few more weeks and then if still no word, will make a decision. I'm not going to sit on my hands for months like many here have, waiting on vapor-ware when a little tuning would have me up and running in short order on a G4003G that will also fit my needs for the projects I have in mind. My ego be damned.


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## 6literZ (Dec 28, 2014)

I ordered a G4003G!

Now looking into cutting tools and a milling attachment. 

Hopefully they deliver it soon, I'm anxious!


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## coolidge (Dec 28, 2014)

Congrats! Milling attachment?


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## 6literZ (Dec 28, 2014)

A milling attachment (or key way attachment) is used to add another axis and a way to clamp the work peice and instead turn the cutting tool. It can be used for light work, and I believe originally used for cutting key ways invented around 1922.


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## tmarks11 (Dec 29, 2014)

6literZ said:


> I ordered a G4003G!


So I just got the 2015 Grizzly catalog in the mail.

The price for for 4003G will go up by $45 to $3295 on 1 January 2015.

They are releasing a version of the 4003G with a 3/4 hp R-8 round column mill attachment for $3995.


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## wrmiller (Dec 29, 2014)

tmarks11 said:


> So I just got the 2015 Grizzly catalog in the mail.
> 
> The price for for 4003G will go up by $45 to $3295 on 1 January 2015.
> 
> They are releasing a version of the 4003G with a 3/4 hp R-8 round column mill attachment for $3995.



So the 'slip up' with the thumbnails on the current 4003G was maybe the new lathe combo? :thinking:


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## epanzella (Dec 29, 2014)

I don't know how quiet the 750G is but I do know my G4003G in NOT noisy.


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## dave2176 (Dec 29, 2014)

wrmiller19 said:


> with Griz I was willing to deal with the inevitable assembly/alignment/quality issues as most are relatively minor, and I've had very good experiences with Griz customer service.



When my G4003G arrived I checked the headstock and tailstock align. They were dead on. The only adjustments I had to make was to tighten the gibs and adjust the left side change gear clearance as it was a bit loose. My buddy got his a few weeks ago and same story. Clean it, adjust side gears and make chips. I thought his gibs were a bit loose for me but he is making some impressive stuff after only a month with his first lathe.

6literZ,
I think you'll love it. Get yourself a can of open gear lube (Napa or similar) for the side gears.

Dave


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## 6literZ (Jan 3, 2015)

I couldn't wait till Tuesday for ups to deliver with lift gate, so I took my truck to their freight center and picked it up!

It was a little difficult getting it out of my truck that has a topper, but I managed and repositioned the slings when I lowered it down from the truck. 

Got half the spindle break in done last night. Will complete the rest of the break in and adjustments today. Can't wait!

I had a back injury at work a few years ago and this agravated it again. So I'm in a little pain.


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## raven7usa (Jan 3, 2015)

A couple of ideas to consider. After breakin, syphon oil out. Standard draining makes a mess when it gets down to the dribble and won't hit the funnel. I placed 3 magnets in separate corners, Enjoy the new lathe. I was pacing the floor waiting for my UPS delivery 2 months ago for my G4003G.


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## 6literZ (Jan 3, 2015)

I think I will add a 45* npt fitting and extension for a drain. I really want to drain it and flush to remove all the particles. 

The manual calls out for 15 oil ports but only shows 14. Where's the last one located?

I think for an easy first few projects I will make some oiler cups for the drip oilers. 

And I've read there's an oil port for the threading rod bearing behind the cover. I don't know if grizzly did anything with this? Should I remove the cover to inspect or add a port for oiling?


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