Replies

1. 
   davidbrum | Nov 12, 2008 09:06am | #1

   Hi
   I just got the Shopfox W1741 parallelogram jointer. It's the same jointer as the Grizzly 0490, with a different color scheme to be sold by independent stores.

   I went through the same decision process, trying to weigh the cheaper price of a traditional jointer against the newer and better design of the parallelogram. What pushed me over the edge was the ebay 30% off deal along with free shipping. It put the cost about the same. Then it became a no brainer.

   I can't say that I've used other 8" jointers, but this monster is head and shoulders above my old 6". The beds are much longer and the motor is much more powerful. Mainly, a parallelogram jointer is better engineered. You probably know that you can mechanically adjust the tables to be coplanar. That was big for me, having spend a lot of time shimming and testing my old one. Less obvious are the negative springs underneath the bed. These are big springs which counterbalance the beds, so they adjust weightlessly. It's really cool. Nice also are the locking bolts to keep the outfeed bed at exactly the correct height. Also nice are the large handles for locking the beds in place. I must also say that the built-in mobile base works effortlessly. I can roll my 600lb jointer around the shop with only light pressure.

   There you go. My only complaint is that the belt slaps the shroud pretty hard when the machine is shut off. It's easy to take the shroud off, but seems like it should have been thought out better.

   Good luck!
   davidb

2. 
   flairwoodworks | Nov 13, 2008 09:02am | #2

   This is like "is a left tilt tablesaw better than a right tilt?"  I favour the parallelogram for it's quick adjustments for depth of cut.  Also, there's no issue with gibs and the dovetail slides wearing.

   Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com

    - Success is not the key to happines.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

3. 
   terrylee86 | Nov 13, 2008 07:29pm | #3

   The real question should be; am I going to get the 490 with the spiral cutter head? For $250 you will never regret your decision. I have had both styles and favor the parallelogram style over the gibs and ways. Easier to adjust, but not as easy to correct if it gets out of alignment so I guess it is a trade off. I had a old Delta that I had to adjust all the time and a DJ-20 parallelogram design that I never had to adjust. Most of the newer machines are parallelogram design so I would probably go that route. I have a 12" parallelogram design now with a spiral head and I wish I would have bought it 20 years ago. I have had it 5 years and have yet to change the cutter face of the little carbide cutters ( you get 4).