From: jmr@caph.rtp.semi.harris.com (Mike Reid x636)
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking
Subject: Re: Delta motorized jointer
Keywords: jointer taiwanese
Date: 17 Apr 92 16:32:32 GMT
Organization: Harris Semiconductor, Research Triangle Park, NC

Donald Bowen writes:
>
>	I am considering the purchase of the Delta 6 in. motorized jointer.
>Has anyone had any experience with this tool?  An option is the Grizzley
>6 in. which has been the subject of discussion several times and gets a
>good review.  The Grizzley will cost me $414 to my door.  I can get the
>Delta from a local store for $354 and I pick it up.
>

This post gives me a good opportunity to describe my recent experience
with a Taiwanese jointer. If my tale begins to weary you just hit the
old 'n' key.

I bought my jointer back in November from Woodworkers Supply. They have
a new store here in N.C. thats only an hour from my house. I purchased
the Woodworker Supply, Woodtech 6" jointer. It is the standard Taiwan
clone jointer that I had seen many places. It was a little higher than
at a nearby import tool store but I had been convinced that the Woodtech
tool might be better even though they are made in the same factory. This
was explained to me (and has been addressed before on the net) that some
importers (e.g. Grizzly, Woodtech) have higher quality standards than
other importers and therefore if you buy from them you are getting the
cream of the crop.

When I got the jointer home and started assembling it I was not 
impresses with the quality of the casting (the display model looked
better) and although the top and motor are quite heavy the rest of the
base and particularly the motor support are made of thin sheet metal.
I assembled the jointer and tuned it up per the instructions in the
"Fine Woodworking" article 'The Jointer, Getting it Straight' found
in the Taunton Press book, "Power Saws and Planers". The jointer worked 
pretty well but it did vibrate a lot. I was not able to tune this 
vibration out and I believe that the weakness of the motor support is
largely responsible for the severity of the vibration.

About a month ago I noticed for the first time a small hairline crack
in the casting of the outfeed bed. Two Saturdays ago I went into the 
shop to do some work and noticed that the crack was getting much larger
and would reach the table top soon. I loaded up the jointer and took it
back to Woodworkers Supply. They gave me no hassle at all, even when I
told them that I did not want another one. They were reluctant to give
a cash refund but they let me apply the total cost of the original 
jointer to another purchase.

The point of all this rambling was to give my opinion of clone tools,
in particular, jointers. I am going to be very careful about buying
Taiwanese clone tools in the future. I may have just been unlucky with
the jointer or my experience may be common. I realize that many people 
buy these tools to save money with the expectation that a little tuning
(even modification) may be necessary but cracked casting is not
acceptable. As for jointers, I'm considering the Ryobi bench top 
jointer. It appears better well made than the Delta motorized jointer
although the bed is only 28" long. I have the Ryobi AP-10 planer and
love it.

I present my comments as a single data point only. I'm sure there are 
those who have had no problem's with clone tools.

Happy Woodworking,
-- 
Mike Reid (jmr@rtp.semi.harris.com)
Harris Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC
(919) 361-1636
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking