I bought mine from House of Tools back in 2006. Equivalent to the Grizzly Tools G3616 it has the rotating table but not the horizontal mill features. Both the X and the upper head are shorter than the G3617. I bought this because I didn't have space for the bigger one.
Now granted this is back in 2006 and now that's about $4826 accounting for inflation. Or with taxes about 5400. IIRC, the larger one was about $3900 or about $5868 which with taxes is almost $6600.
To put that into perspective the equivalent Grizzly mill is now $8275 US w/o shipping.
Back then I said to a friend, who would always buy a new vehicle every 3 to 5 years, just use the vehicle for 1 to 2 more years and set aside what you would have made in payments for those two years.
So let's do the math now. A new Ford F150 can run $65,000 without taxes and possible other options. That works out to $1256 per month at 6% interest. Or over 12 months $15,072.
I drove a beat up Jeep Cherokee nursing it for two years longer than I normally would have kept it. Yes, I could have enjoyed a new vehicle during that time. But instead I bought a brand new mill.
Yes, everyone loves a deal and there are some out there. But if you are willing to buy a new car or even a used one with payments it's quite possible to justify a new machine with a warranty.
Oh and in his case he always bought the vehicle with cash he had saved. So let's look again at today.
Pull out $15,000 from the $65,000 savings account. That leaves $50,000 earning an investment of 5% perhaps? Or more if you go risky.
Now every month put $1000 into the account that earns 5% and at the end of the year you have pretty well your $65K back. So the mill cost you $12,000 instead of $15,000. Now go buy the vehicle.
Now granted this is back in 2006 and now that's about $4826 accounting for inflation. Or with taxes about 5400. IIRC, the larger one was about $3900 or about $5868 which with taxes is almost $6600.
To put that into perspective the equivalent Grizzly mill is now $8275 US w/o shipping.
Back then I said to a friend, who would always buy a new vehicle every 3 to 5 years, just use the vehicle for 1 to 2 more years and set aside what you would have made in payments for those two years.
So let's do the math now. A new Ford F150 can run $65,000 without taxes and possible other options. That works out to $1256 per month at 6% interest. Or over 12 months $15,072.
I drove a beat up Jeep Cherokee nursing it for two years longer than I normally would have kept it. Yes, I could have enjoyed a new vehicle during that time. But instead I bought a brand new mill.
Yes, everyone loves a deal and there are some out there. But if you are willing to buy a new car or even a used one with payments it's quite possible to justify a new machine with a warranty.
Oh and in his case he always bought the vehicle with cash he had saved. So let's look again at today.
Pull out $15,000 from the $65,000 savings account. That leaves $50,000 earning an investment of 5% perhaps? Or more if you go risky.
Now every month put $1000 into the account that earns 5% and at the end of the year you have pretty well your $65K back. So the mill cost you $12,000 instead of $15,000. Now go buy the vehicle.
