Just a minor rant

Re: Just a minor rant

Bob Lang

There was a time when you had a choice of ordering from a distance or buying locally. It cost more to buy locally, but the dealer would assemble the machine and have a couple of guys bring it to your place and put it where you wanted it. Unfortunately the "bottom line" mentality has all but killed the local dealer.

Re: Just a minor rant

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

There was a time when you had a choice of ordering from a distance or buying locally. It cost more to buy locally, but the dealer would assemble the machine and have a couple of guys bring it to your place and put it where you wanted it.

Bob, this is still the way Hammer/Felder do it in Australia.

I've purchased three machines over the years (the most recent being a Hammer K3 saw). The agent will "commission" the machine at their warehouse, which means they assemble it and ensure all is to factory specs. Then it is delivered, and any parts that need to be fitted are done so in the location. The machine is then tested. The team (of two) also took the time to check my other machines (N4400 bandsaw and A3-31 jointer/planer), and tuned up the bandsaw, having noted that the belt was not tight enough.

That is one good reason I have kept going back to these guys over the years.

Regards from Perth

Derek

never had that problem

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

My Delta and Powermatic machines were plugged in and ran for the next decades.

Re: Just a minor rant

Larry Clinton At Frankfort, (Central) Indiana

Well I am sure you could find someone to do the final setup and adjustments but most of us are cost conscious and do not want to pay the $300 to $500 extra to do that.

I think every large machine I have purchased has been off-loaded in my driveway, and I moved it into my shop with help.

I think Hammer, Minimax and Felder will have a rep do what you are asking but these are pretty expensive machines and you get what you pay for.

In most cases the final adjustments are things you should know and be able to do when you use the machines for your woodworking as they may require these due to wear or impact during their working life.

Personally my Minimax band saw, 20" planer, Unisaw, 8" joiner and other equipment did not take more than 1/2 day to install, set up and align.

As our hobby requires knowledge of our equipment, and does require occasional alignment and adjustment and normal maintenance which we learn more about during the initial setup, I wouldn't pay a cent for any other person to set up or align mine.

Re: Just a minor rant

John McGaw

I've never had that experience. The worst was trying to find a way to raise my half-ton+ Robland far enough to install the 'mobility' wheels after it was delivered. Maybe I don't buy enough equipment?

Getting it delivered was another matter entirely and I finally had to hire a young man with a slide-back wrecker to pick it up at the freight depot but the upside to this was that he was able to back into my garage/shop and place it right where it needed to be. The original freight company was unable to negotiate my driveway with their truck but Laguna did rebate the amount that I spent to arrange my own delivery.

Details please

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

What have you bought that required even 4-6 hours of assembly, never mind days? I can't picture what sort of woodworking machine would require anything close to that amount of assembly time.

On the other hand I have never bought a machine that was not made in the USA. If foreign call centers are any guide it could well be that a saw would arrive in pieces that didn't fit. It is this fear that keeps me from buying new foreign made machines. Used Delta and Powermatic machines are so cheap and reliable that a new foreign machine is never considered.

Re: never had that problem

jesse cloud

I bought a new Delta DJ-20 jointer from a local supplier about 10 years ago. They delivered it by liftgate and placed it in the shop where I asked them to.

But, it was in three boxes: one for the table, one for the motor, and another with parts to assemble that would become the base.

Being a rank amateur mechanic, I was a true PITA to assemble and adjust, but I'm actually glad I did all that. I gained a pretty good understanding of how the machine fit together and how to fine tune the setup.

Years later I took a course on woodworking machine maintenance at the local community college. The instructor offered tune up/assembly help for any new or old tools we brought to class. We wound up unboxing and assembling three new jointer/planer machines - a Delta, a Grizzly, and a Jet. They were all clearly made on the same Asian assembly line with slightly different specs, mostly color and fit and finish details. The Jet was ready to go out of the crate, well tuned, flat, etc.

Delta was close. The Grizzly took several hours to work off burrs, adjust and shim for flatness, etc. So one data point on the issue.

Re: Details please

Larry Clinton At Frankfort, (Central) Indiana

Can't say I didn't spend 4 ~ 6 hours setting up my jointer and Unisaw (made in Tennessee by the way), but probably 2 or more of the hours was checking alignments. In the saw's case i measured the fence and the slot to blade alignment using a .0001 indicator and adjusted the fence to my liking. Measured a few times since and it has held perfectly. On the jointer, I measured the fence and set the 45 and 90 deg stops using precision tools. I also checked the jointer tables to insure they were parallel with each other. Most of the measurements and adjustment were not really required ~ but some were off enough to displease me..

I am anal about machine alignment, I can make enough errors without the machine contributing. In reality, I would probably have done all the measurements and adjustments if I had the machine installed and set up by a factory rep. I worked as a Manufacturing Engineer for near 40 years and trust no one else to do the final adjustments on my woodworking machines!