Grizzly G0555XH Extreme Series resaw bandsaw review
12 inches of resaw without a riser block, prewired for 120V.
A 14 inch cast iron frame bandsaw with 12 inches of resaw capacity, a 1-3/4 HP dual voltage motor and an extruded aluminium resaw fence.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Throat | 14 in |
| Resaw capacity | 12 in |
| Motor | 1-3/4 HP |
| Voltage | 110V or 220V, prewired for 120V |
| Frame | Cast iron, on a heavy duty stand |
| Included | Extruded aluminium resaw fence and miter gauge |
| Certification | CSA certified, made in an ISO 9001 factory |
Specifications above come from Grizzly's published feature list. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- 12 inches of resaw in the frame itself, not through a riser block. A riser block adds capacity and also adds a joint in the frame, and a one-piece cast iron frame holds blade tension better.
- 1-3/4 HP is real power for a 14 inch saw, and resawing wide hardwood is exactly the operation where an underpowered bandsaw stalls.
- It arrives prewired for 120V and can be converted to 220V, so it works in a garage shop today and does not become the limiting factor later.
- The resaw fence is included rather than an accessory, and a proper tall fence is the difference between resawing and wandering.
- A bandsaw cannot kick back the way a table saw can, which makes it the safer machine for cutting curves, ripping small stock and breaking down awkward pieces.
Where it falls short
- Blade choice does most of the work, and the blade in the box is rarely the right one for resawing. Budget for a wide, low tooth count resaw blade before you judge the saw.
- Blade drift is a property of the blade and the setup, not a defect. Expect to set the fence to the drift angle or to use a single point fence, and expect to tune the guides.
- 12 inches of resaw at 1-3/4 HP means a slow, deliberate feed in dense hardwood. It will do it; it will not hurry.
- Bandsaw dust collection is genuinely poor on almost every machine, this one included, because the cut happens inside a cabinet with two open doors and the chips go where the blade throws them.
- A 14 inch saw is not a resaw specialist. If you resaw wide stock all day, a larger frame with more tension capability and more horsepower is the honest answer.
What owners report
Owner reports on the G0555 family have been consistent for years, and this Extreme Series version is credited for the built-in resaw height rather than the riser block conversion. The second most common report is about tuning: owners describe setting guides, checking wheel coplanarity and fitting a good blade as the steps that turned a decent saw into a good one, and describe that as expected work rather than a fault.
Blade advice dominates the discussion. The consensus is a wide blade with few teeth per inch for resawing and a narrower blade for curves, changed as needed rather than compromised on. Owners who resaw for veneer report tracking their yield with the board foot calculator, because a thin kerf and a 12 inch capacity together get a surprising number of leaves out of one board.
Safety on a bandsaw is quieter than on a table saw and still worth stating. The blade does not throw work back at you, which is why a bandsaw is the safer choice for small and awkward pieces, but the blade is exposed at the cut and your fingers should never be in line with it. Set the upper guide just above the workpiece every time. Wear hearing protection, because cumulative damage is silent and permanent. And resawing produces a lot of fine dust in a cabinet that vents most of it into the room, so collect what you can, size it with the dust collection calculator, and wear a fitted respirator rather than a disposable dust mask; our respirator versus dust mask comparison explains why that distinction matters.
Who it suits
- Woodworkers resawing for veneer, bookmatched panels or thin stock.
- Anyone who wants a bandsaw as a first stationary saw, because it is the safest one to learn on.
- Shops on 120V that want the option to convert to 220V later.
Who should skip it
- People cutting only curves in thin stock, where a smaller saw is cheaper and takes less floor.
- Production resawing of wide hardwood, which needs a larger frame and more power.
- Anyone expecting good dust collection from a bandsaw, which no machine in this class delivers.
Alternatives worth considering
Powermatic fit and finish for less money, with slightly less power. Check the resaw capacity of the configuration you order, because that is the specification the Grizzly is built around and it is the one that decides this comparison.
Check price on AmazonRikon lists a full 14 inch resaw capacity with the same 1-3/4 HP and dual voltage, for around $400 less. If maximum resaw height is your deciding specification, this is the one to price against the Grizzly.
Check price on Amazon13 inches of deep cut and the same nominal horsepower for around $700 less. A strong value case if you are not tied to the Grizzly parts and support ecosystem.
Check price on AmazonCommon questions
Is a riser block as good as built-in resaw capacity?
Not quite. A riser block adds height by inserting a section into the frame, which introduces a joint into the part of the machine that resists blade tension. A one-piece cast iron frame built for the height holds tension more consistently, which shows up as straighter cuts in deep stock. Riser blocks work and are a legitimate upgrade path; a purpose-built frame is better.
Table saw or bandsaw: which should I buy first?
For most shops, the table saw, because sheet goods and accurate rips are the daily work. The bandsaw is the safer machine, the one that cuts curves, the only one that resaws, and the one that handles small and awkward pieces without kickback risk. Our table saw versus bandsaw comparison works through the decision properly.
What blade do I need for resawing?
A wide blade with a low tooth count, typically three teeth per inch or fewer, with plenty of gullet to clear the chip out of a 12 inch deep cut. The general purpose blade supplied with almost any bandsaw is the wrong tool for resawing and is the most common reason people conclude their saw cannot resaw.
What is blade drift and how do I fix it?
Drift is the tendency of a given blade to cut at a slight angle to the fence rather than parallel to it, and it is a property of the blade, the tension and the setup rather than a defect. The standard fixes are to determine the drift angle by cutting a line freehand and then setting the fence to match, or to use a single point fence that lets you steer. Both work; neither is a workaround for a badly tensioned blade.
Wood bandsaw or metal bandsaw: are they interchangeable?
No. Wood bandsaws run blades at high surface speed; metal bandsaws run much slower with coolant and different blade geometry. Cutting metal on a wood bandsaw ruins the blade quickly and is unsafe with the wrong blade. Our wood versus metal bandsaw comparison covers what each one is designed for.
Keep reading
- Table saw vs bandsaw compared
- Scroll saw vs band saw compared
- Wood vs metal bandsaw compared
- Board foot calculator
- Dust collection CFM calculator
- Wood-Mizer LX50SUPER sawmill review
- SawStop PCS175 review
- Grizzly G0454Z 20 in planer review
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.