Hello all, just wanted to vent a little about a recent Delta purchase – my last Delta purchase as well.
I am a hobbyist and don’t have a large budget for tools or machinery. I usually buy second hand vintage equipment and put in the sweat equity. At the recent Toronto Woodworking Show, however, I finally took the plunge and bought a new Delta DJ 20 “precision” jointer. Now I know many of you will say”good choice, fine machine” etc. I wish I could say the same.
I’ve had the machine for several weeks now and have been unable to set the fence to 90 degrees. The reason I purchased this model was because at the show, it was one of the few jointers I tested that maintained a flat fence 90 degrees to the bed over its entire length. Not so my machine.
I am barely able to set the in-feed side of the fence to 90 degrees. Apparently any pressure to the locking lever throws the fence out from 90 degrees. In any case, once set the fence on the out-feed side of the bed is about 93 or 94 degrees.
I checked everything I could with my machinist square, straight edge and feeler gauges. The in-feed and out-feed table are flat and coplanar. I have taken everything apart, filed any rough casting areas and the like and still end up with a fence that is difficult to set to 90 degrees and is not flat throughout its length.
The vendor only allows a 48 hour inspection on the sales slip in case of a problem, otherwise its a warranty issue. I have replaced all components from the local service centre to no avail. Same problem, new fence etc., still sets to 90 degrees on only one side of the cutterhead.
Realistically I cannot transport a machine this size to the service centre for them to take it apart, nor do they want me to.
The real issue is the complete lack of support we get in Canada from Delta. Almost all of the numbers listed in the manual are either no longer in service or are the wrong number entirely. How hard is it to include a sheet with Canadian contact information for the units sold in Canada. I would love to speak to someone who actually works for Delta and who has experience with this machine. It would be nice to hear advice from the manufacturer as to why I am having this problem with their top of the line jointer.
I cringe whenever I see ads for Delta products now. I find it amusing that my manual included an offer to extend the warranty on the machine- but didn’t include any information on how to do so.
Basically then I have a rather expensive, new, unused jointer in my garage for the last several weeks with no idea how I’m going to resolve the fact that I can’t use it to edge joint a board. My 20 year old King Canada jointer is in far better shape than the new machine purchased to replace it.
Has anyone else experienced similar problems on new Delta machines? Does Delta offer better after sales service to its American customers? Does Delta even care.
I wish I had never purchased the machine because instead of the pleasure of spending your money wisely, getting something of quality to show for it, I feel taken advantage of and a victim of all that glossy advertising.
Thank you for letting me vent. I will call the vendor again and see about simply returning the unit – enough is enough.
Ian
Replies
Ian,
I bought a DJ20 last fall (Septemberish?). I got a good deal on it from the local tool store as it was a "seconds" unit. It was marked down half price and I was in the market for a jointer. I asked what was wrong with it and the salespeople (not Delta reps) pointed at a chipped casting and dent in the base. So I snapped it up and brought it home. When setting it up, I stuck a straight edge over the beds and found that the beds formed a V with a 1/4" gap in the middle.
So I called Delta (Black and Decker Service Center) and I spoke to a lady who sounded like she was from Texas, though I don't know where she really was. I described my problem and she e-mailed me a document showing how to adjust the beds for parallelism which isn't in the manual. So I tried this and improved the situation but it was far from satisfactory (not enough adjustment through the eccentric bushings). So I called again and spoke to the same lady. She gave me the phone number of a local (mobile) authorized service technician.
When I called the local service rep, Dave, we made an appointment later that week and he arrived with straightedge in hand. He immediately arrived at the same conclusion as I had, that it was truly defective. We surmised that it had been dropped somewhere along the line. So I arranged to bring it back to where I bought it from.
A little while later, at the local woodworking show, I saw that Dave was working the show, representing Delta. He understood what I had gone through and arranged with the retailer to give me a great deal on their display DJ20.
I got it home and had no problem setting it up. I was impressed by the machining and design of the unit. My only complaint about it is that it's only 8" wide. Bottom line: Customer service was everything I'd expect and the quality of the unit (not counting the freight damaged one) was also up to my expectations. While I have heard about Delta going downhill and seen it in the machining of their bandsaw and tablesaw tables, I am very happy with this machine.
Now some comments on your situation:
Have you checked the for twist on the:
1) infeed bed
2) outfeed bed
3) fence
My guess is that while the beds may be parallel end to end, they aren't parallel front to back.
For C/S, I called 1-800-463-3582 - no problems at all, other than me being in another time zone.
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
Get rid of it right away.
DELTA MAKES NOTHING BUT JUNK. My last purchase was one of their 14" bandsaws.
I won't go into detail about all of the problems I had/have with this piece of Chinese junk - broken out of the crate, fit & finish, parts, customer service, delivery of parts, etc, etc, etc.
I would not have another Delta tool in my shop if they gave them away with a gold brick.
Do yourself a favor. Get rid of it
My experience with Delta is that it slowly become just another asian import,good designs badly manufactured.We are victims of our own frugality.We want all,new and as cheap as possible.Yet when we work we want good pay.The new reality is that good engineering is VERY costly .Manufacturers are forced to go to Asia to produce cheap machines in order to compete and with that comes BAD quality control.So a few people get real rubbish and the majority get poor but usable machines that we can afford.Personally I would rather go without,share or restore old machines than own Asian as I have always been dissapointed with imports
I am under the impression the DELTA X- line was built in the USA? But perhaps the Delta rep said designed in the USA. I don't own any Delta equip, but considering the Drum Sander 31-260X.However, the comments of you get what you pay for are good advice. If in the right place at the right time, a refurbished used industrial "tank" is far better than many a new modern model at the same price.Look at the video clips of people like Klauss and Krenov. They are still using 40 or 50 year old equipment. David Marks said he bought his bandsaw used when he first got into the business. He overhauled it and improved on the design and is still using it today. Philip makes a good point. It's interesting how we criticize companies that sell us what we want — a lot for a little — and out of the other side of the mouth criticize companies for being too pricey that sell well engineered, well-made tools. I'm thinking of the Festool threads in this forum.Greg
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Oh there is a big differnece between cheep and Festool. Thier is a lot of room of a good tool at a good price between those extreems. But I understand you point. It is like peaple that have issues with our shipping everything over seas to be made then they shop at Wallmart the bigest pusher of overseas cheep junk on the planet.
Doug
"It's interesting how we criticize companies that sell us what we want — a lot for a little — and out of the other side of the mouth criticize companies for being too pricey that sell well engineered, well-made tools. I'm thinking of the Festool threads in this forum."
I think you hit the nail on the head with that statement.Chris @ http://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
just another asian import,good designs badly manufactured.
I sort of disagree.. China (whatever the place) DOES make machines to SPECIFICATION in most factories. I have been in some that were MORE than bad and some NASA could use.. They just make things to specifications (OK so some bad guy out there to rip off ANYBODY)
I have a 12 inch? (not sure unless I go out to the shop) Delta and a 18 inch Ricon that work! Both from China I would assume.. not more than 4 years old.
Not China I would assume.. Whatever Delta told them to make.. I remember hearing this about Japan.. Crap.. And they make REALLY GOOD CARS! OK so many made in America with Japanese design specs! I for one would knock Delta and NOT China..
I did not say that the asian manufacturers set the spec only that it's manufacture was poor who set the tolerances dosn't matter.We should be looking at ourselves and only buying quality, getting our heads round the fact it is EXPENSIVE.Possibly prohibitively so.Thinking about it, the man with the router and pail of poly, has convinced many that he is entitled to a workshop full of machinery far beyond his financial means .Therefore he fills his basement disappointing junk when he could be honing his hand tool skills using Anant and Crapsman<g>
Are you joking here?
Doug
Barrel,
Here is a different perspective:
As you say, the real issue is the lack of back up from the supplier or maker.
What did you pay for that machine? Or , to put it another way, what do you expect to pay for all the iron necessary to support a 20 inch planing width? I would say that not a lot was paid for something of industrial proportions. Compare the price with full on industrial machines and you will get the point.
Folks are forever clamouring for more for less money, the accountants are forever on a mission of extracting more profit at less cost of sales. What will be the result?
You gets what you pays for, no matter where it is made and by who.
I think you should take a different approach, and not throw all toys out of the cot simply because the fence is difficult to adjust: there may well be a way to fix this and even improve on it.
Toys should only be thrown if there are material defects: after all, you made the choice to buy, no doubt being drawn by the price.
Thank you all for the suggestions. Chris I will try that 1-800 number to see if they can help.
I have checked the alignment of the beds both back to front as well as side to side and found both beds to be in the same plane both parallel and perpendicular to the cutterhead. The problem seems to be in the fence and/or fence carriage assembly.
Phillip, to be clear this is an 8 inch jointer, not a 20 inch planer. The unit is priced at the higher end of the scale for the Taiwanese imports. Unfortunately, North American made, new machines are right out of most hobbyists budgets.
The point is I am having alot of trouble finding someone at Delta to contact for help resolving this issue. It would be wonderful to talk to a service technician who knows the machine and perhaps has experience with this type of problem. So far, the local service centre has been great - no question about that. Any parts that were damaged when I unpacked the unit were replaced quickly and no hassles - hats off to them. However, after replacing the parts that were damaged, I find the problem is still there.
I cannot pinpoint the problem without help from Delta and so far I haven't been able to find someone at Delta able to offer any guidance. Thanks.
Ian
I think you have to distinguish between Asian machinery built and serviced by a company that cares, and Delta. Canadians are in a bad place when it comes to service, since brands such as Grizzly, Powermatic, Jet etc. either aren't available or have no local service. Even Festool is a problem to buy here. Delta used to have a Canadian subsidiary with Canadian machines and service, but the truth is that for years before Delta was bought out service was dilatory and lacklustre, to put it kindly. This was true even when they were selling their 2000 series with lifetime warranty, LOL.
I still have a 14" Delta Asian bandsaw that by some fluke works well, but I've gradually got rid of everything else. The lunchbox planer, still in noisy working order, went last week to the local Rotary jumble sale, replaced by a Steel City. I salved my conscience by saying it was for a good cause. The SC I bought at a wood show from the SC area sales manager who gave me his card with 3 phone nos., including his own cell. When I had a minor problem I called the 1-800 number in the States, got an instant response, and was put through to the technician who speciaizes in planers. He was knowledgeable and friendly. Good service is worth paying a few bucks more for, and the hassle of having to find a registered distributor. For people in the U.S. there are multiple options, but I can't think of too many others in Canada when it comes to floor machines.
Jim
I agree, SC is taking a lot of market from Delta! (My own and most of the hobby woodworkers I know.) Orders can be a bit slow, but the products and service are really good. General still has excellent customer service too, at least from my experience. Wouldn't buy a Delta at this point.
Cheers, eh!
Pete
Well I called the 1-800 number Chris had provided and naturally it routed me back to the service reps I've already dealt with. As I mentioned, they have no problem getting replacement parts but can offer no advice on what specifically could be the problem. I guess I could continue to replace parts and eventually build a new jointer. I think though it would be quicker to check with the vendor and see if I can return the machine, it is after all unused at this point.
Ian
B, I apologize if this is way too late, as I haven't read thru the whole thread. This is in regards to your response of not finding technical help at the 800 number. I was given a different number for tech support. If you haven't solved your problem & still want to try to find Delta assistance, try 800-223-7278.
Hi,
I'm new here and got intrigued with this story. I am one of the guys that put the sweat into the old iron. In reading about the problem you are having, I can only conclude, that the problem is not with the fence, but with the surface it is mounted to. I must confess, I have no idea how the new machines are made, but if the fence was changed, and the problem still existed, I would conclude its not the fence. Is there any way to check the flatness or whether is is square, parallel or perpendicular to the other components? Have you tried to just snug the fence locking mechanism, and then check the fence for square? I would almost bet, that if you barely tighten it, it will remain square, but at full torque is when it goes out. That would almost surely prove it is the seating. You may have to shim it a little, as an alternative to having a machine shop do it. Just a thought.
Well, its a long weekend here so no doubt I will have to wait until next week to see the mobile Delta service tech. He had informed me over the phone about how as long as the fence is 90 degrees just past the cutterhead and for several inches past, the fence is okay. This is assuming that the fence before the cutterhead is 90 degrees or greater. Anything less than 90 degrees will not allow you to edge joint a board to 90. Makes sense. I was curious though because my old 6 inch jointer holds 90 degrees almost everywhere on the fence length. It too is an asian import.Anyway I fiddled some more, removed the aluminum tilt gauge and now with the fence set to 90 just past the cutterhead, the digital inclinometer reads about 88.5 degrees. I'm no expert and don't know if this will be a problem or not.Bear in mind, I was surprised with my jointer because as I said I seemed to be the only geek at the Toronto Woodworking show with a straightedge and machinist square, checking out the tables and fences of all the 8 inch jointers. I chose Delta, not because of price but because it was the only display model with a fence that was easy to set at 90 degrees and had a fence that remained at 90 throughout its length. I was impressed and make the choice accordingly. Therefore part of the problem is I am comparing my jointer to the one I had checked out.It would be wonderful indeed if you were able to check out a fully assembled machine, buy it and have it delivered as such. No surprises.Aside from a dip in the fence where the fence has been cut out (to clear the cutterhead), the fence seems quite flat. I tried to face joint some wood last night and the machine was amazing in that respect. You could feel the suction on the boards against the outfeed table as the boards were slowly flattened.I still think there is something wrong with the carriage assembly the fence is mounted to. It seems strange that even mild pressure on the cam locking lever pulls the fence out of alignment. I wonder how the fence will react to the repeated slamming of the cutterhead guard in use. If not tightly locked, will the fence be pushed out of 90 every time the guard strikes the fence.Thank you for everyones interest. I will update the post when I see the service tech.Ian
Why would you consider keeping this machine? Would you buy a truck and re-build the engine before you could drive it?
Delta will continue to make junk as long as we buyer's accept junk. Delta doesn't make tools, they make kits. YOU have to do the fit and finish work to make their junk even resemble a tool. And, as you know, often it is quite a bit more than fit and finish.
When the mobil tech comes tell him to bring a truck. Send the thing back, get your money back and put Delta behind you.
As long as we buyer's accept the shoddy workmanship and low quality Delta is foisting on us their quatliy control will not improve.
Ian,
I'm guessing that the only reason you didn't take the floor model is that it was already sold, right?Chris @ http://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
No Chris, it was still available, however, transporting the thing was beyond my ability. It was the last day of the show and thought I tried, I couldn't find anybody with a heavy truck with tail-lift. Murphy's law, the previous day I was helping a family member move and she had borrowed a truck from her workplace that had a tail lift etc. Figures.To be honest at this point I would love to be able to simply return the unit, however, the vendor has gone out of their way to help resolve this problem and I should follow through on my part to try everything to fix the problem before saying 'come and pick it up'.My old 6 inch jointer is great in comparison ($350.00 versus @$1700.00) and I could go back to using a hand plane to tidy up my edge joints like I used to. Then I could reconsider wether spending a lot more money to buy a European or North American made unit is justified.Have to wait and see when the service tech calls back. I do not want to have a jointer with a fence that is painfully difficult to set to 90 degrees, won't maintain a set angle because of any cam locking problems. I usually a pretty fair minded person, but in that case I think returning the unit would not be unfair. That is why to date I have only run a few boards through the machine. Its not fair to use a machine heavily and then return it saying its not working well.Ian
I wonder how the fence will react to the repeated slamming of the cutterhead guard in use. If not tightly locked, will the fence be pushed out of 90 every time the guard strikes the fence.
Just a old metal worker her that worked with MANY EXPENSIVE machines.. Some cost a million dollars (US) or MORE!During setup I ALWAYS CHECKED everything with a 'true' square! Period! Whatever the machine cost to purchase!
Peter,
You've had good luck with General so far? I've sent a couple e-mails into a black hole there.Chris @ http://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
Thank you everyone for the responses. I can't tell you how many times I have taken apart then reassembled the fence and carriage, checked the tables for co-planar etc., all in an attempt to figure out which if any of the parts is misaligned or damaged. As I mentioned, parts that were received with visible damage have already been replaced to no avail-outfeed side of the fence is still off 90 degrees by 3/16 to 1/8 inch at the top of my 4 inch machinist square. I will do as suggested and try to find a number for someone at Delta with experience and familiarity with this jointer. At this point I am just guessing what the problem might be. Will continue to try and reach the vendor. As you all appreciate, its hard to contact a busy shop during business hours. Thank you again.
Ian
barrel,
sorry to hear of your delta troubles. i was lucky enough to have bought pre-b&d delta x-series stuff, and ended up with good stuff. i have since upgraded to a felder combo, and sold most of the delta stuff off. during the setup of the jointer, there was a lot of work to do with a 4 ft machinists straight-edge (accurate to .001"/ft = 1/256" over the entire length), and feeler gauges.when you checked the infeed/outfeed tables, did you use a feeler gauge? check each table for flatness independently as well to determine if you have any twist at all, and how much. chances are you have a slight twist on at least one of the feed tables, and probably also the fence. by the way, how accurate is your straight-edge? (is it 4 ft long?) you might try laying your straight-edge on your tablesaw and see how flat it is. (my first one was an imported "bargain" which wasn't as flat as a jointed board; the current one is from lee valley.) finally, look for flatness and twist on the fence (or fences if you still have the old one). again, i'd use a feeler gauge to be sure. the other thing to check is the outfeed table to cutterhead parallelism (use a dial indicator on a magnetic base); if you're having this much trouble with the fence...many apologies if i'm sounding academic, and/or you already know all this stuff. i was taught woodworking by a (very picky) machinist, and the lessons have stuck.
cheers,
bert
if it's worth doing at all, then it's worth doing well.
Bert,
That's a good point on the reliability of straight edges. I guess this boils down to tolerances. I recently met a fellow (ex-machinist) who sets up his planes (depth of cut) using a dial indicator, .Chris @ http://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
> Bert,
>
> That's a good point on the reliability of straight edges. I guess this boils down to
> tolerances. I recently met a fellow (ex-machinist) who sets up his planes (depth of cut)
> using a dial indicator, .
>
> Chris @ http://www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.comhi chris,
yeah, i was surprised to find a "machinist's straight-edge" to be that far out. the d.i. on the hand plane might be overkill though. :-)
cheers,
bert
if it's worth doing at all, then it's worth doing well.
I'm surprised your experience doesn't match mine, I couldn't be happier with them. I picked up a used 16" IMC thickness planer last weekend (knockoff brand) that resembles the General 15" in a lot of ways, and didn't have a manual. Explained this to General, they emailed a PDF one hour later.
Have their 10" 2HP hybrid table saw and had some issues during initial assembly, plus losing a couple smaller parts during a move. They were great, walked me through the issues (my lack of experience being the problem!) and comp'd the wee parts. Would love to own more of their equipment and plan to do that over time.
What were the issues you had with them?
Peter,
On my 14" General International bandsaw, the lower thrust bearing had siezed and was throwing off a shower of sparks. I soaked it overnight in penetrating lubricant and now it spins, though not freely as it did originally. Maybe contacting them through e-mail is different than over the phone. Next time I need something, I'll call them.
Thanks,Chris @ http://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
Thanks everyone, great suggestions.
I have checked the tables as accurately as I am able. I used a 3 foot Lee Valley straightedge, feeler guages and double checked with a dial capiler used to measure height differences. I checked across the tables both front and rear as well as diagonal. I can't find any difference greater than .003 inches anywhere. I could be mistaken, but the tables do seem flat and coplanar. The replacement fence does have a dip of about .015 inches where the fence is cut out to provide clearance for the cutterhead.
The good news is I finally got the number to a local Delta mobile service fellow. I have spoken to him and he confirms that if the fence, when set to 90 degrees just past the cutterhead, is less than 90 degrees before the cutterhead - you have a problem. I used a digital angle measuring device (inclinometer?) and the infeed side is stilll less than 90 (not much, about 88.5 degrees) when the outfeed side is 90 degrees.
However, he is going to drop by to diagnose the problem, which is what I need. I mean, if the tables required shimming to make them coplanar, is it fair that the consumer be required to do this on a new machine. With the parallel bed on this design I'm not sure how to do it and it would be very fussy I think.
Anyway, things are looking up, it seems Delta will be setting things right. It just took alot of phone calls and confusion, some on my part no doubt, to get to this point.
Ian
Please let us know how helpfull he and Delta are about this issue, and also what the issue turns out to be (assuming it gets fixed vs getting a new one or returning this one)
Doug
In Canada you have General NOT General International if you want quality and you won't need service.
Delta continues to unimpress me greatly.
Ian, see if you can get your friendly service center tech to give you the Delta tech center phone # in Jackson Tenn. and ask for a Delta tech . Beware -there are many new /old Black and Decker folks working there and a string of hum-a hum-a answers will guide you to ask how long they worked for Delta. The B&D service folks are very nice but not knowledgeable. If you get a winner, state the problem and what you have done, then ask if it is a design flaw and can it be overcome.
If it is not correctable return it to Delta or the store as soon as possible with all the new/old parts and a list of $ spent for refund.
More bad news----
To all,
I stopped at my machine tool dealer on Tues. for some sanding belts. I have been buying from his two stores for over 25 years. He supports the construction trades, has a complete repair & sharpening service, even the town and county go there. We often chat and he says that there have been three significant price increases from B&D in less than a year on parts/tools. To wit. replacement pin assy for a PC tool was $8.50 in a price list 5 or 6 years ago and is now over $80 . IT GETS WORSE! Delta kept parts forever, B&D rumors it's now 10 years and my friend says that he was told it's no more than 7 years. So If you need parts for your Delta heavy iron you better act now and you still might have to call all their regional repair centers to see if they have some on the back of the shelf. Paddy
That sounds pretty sad!! I know Delta has had problems in the past and pretty much got back on track but one of their saving graces for me was always the CS, parts and manual support. It sounds like that's all going away.
My Delta stuff is 1950 and prior so I guess I'd better be careful with them from now on!!
Regards,
Mack"WISH IN ONE HAND, S--T IN THE OTHER AND SEE WHICH FILLS UP FIRST"
Ian,
I may have missed it but did you check the fence for flatness/twist? If the tables are truly coplanar the only thing it could be is the fence. Even if the fence mount is screwed up it wouldn't account for your discrepancy. Double check.
Paul
Yeah I was wondering about that also. Following me for a second. IF this is like most jointers you have basically 3 flat surfaces. The Infeed table (that adjusts up and down) the outfeed table that is set (once it is properly adjusted) and the fence that move back and forth. (forgetting about it tipping).
So if the infeed and outfeed are on the same plane and the fence (I assume it is one piece) is at 90 degrees to the infeed table then according to my geometry teacher back in school the fence must be 90 degrees to the outfeed table. If this is not true then one of the following must be. Either the infeed table and or the outfeed table is not in fact co planer to each other. OR one of the infeed or outfeed tables are not in fact flat, OR the fence is not in fact a flat plan.
So in short (I know to late) Either one of the three flat planes (infeed table, outfeed table, or fence) are not in fact flat (twisted in some way) or the tables are not co planer. From a geometry stand point thriver really is not a third option. I would check the fence for flatness and if that is ok I would have to assume that something is wrong with one of the tables or thriver relationship to each other. Have you tried using a digital reader to this? If they are accurate enough (and I think they are) you should be able to check the relationship of the table to each other in a few places and then check the fence. Not sure if this would work but it is an idea (if you have one of the fancy digital meters)
Doug
Doug,
The OP could check it against a known flat surface. He might try removing the fence and laying it flat against the infeed table and see if there's any rock back and forth and/or use feeler gauges. Then check it the same way against the outfeed table. And also using his tablesaw top. If the fence does have a twist in it, it should show up , to one degree or another, at every place he tries it. Even try it on a friends jointer tables.
Most machine shops have a reference granite slab that it could be checked on as well. Using a dial caliper would still need some kind of reference surface
Paul
Ian,
I bought the 8 inch Delta professional jointer from WoodWorkers Warehouse (now out of business) and had to replace the fence for this very reason. The fence itself was twisted, and the salesman said that he had seen this before. He actually took the fence, set it on 2 pieces of wood on the floor and stood on it. It actually took a bit of the twist out of the fence, but I told him I wanted a new one.
My guess is the that the fence is twisted. Could you check that? Hope this is helpful.
Doug
sounds like a twisted/nonplaner fence to me; apparently a pretty common problem with jointers.
So is the "trick" of standing on a cast iron part in an attempt to straighten it out.
I believe it is the fence. a casting must be properly heat treated to relieve the stresses or the casting will move after machining. Each and every time it is machined. Your best bet would be a wooden facing that can be shimmed or planed out of wind.
Now why did you have to ruin a perfectly good friday with that question? Delta is not one of the companies on my list for a christmas card. I was to eager to buy a TS and have posted several times over my displesure with the product I got. I have bought two new Grizzly products, an 8" jointer and a 15" planer. Both stellar and work as advertised.
Chris may be right, we judge companies harshly for selling us a product at a low price and expecting something that is engineered and top notch. That may be a true statement, but selling a product that does not meet even a basic standards for quality is not acceptable either. A jointer must be accurate and this is not rocket science. They have been made the same way for decades. It is just solid iron casting with accurate milling with quality control. If you can't produce a poduct that works and you sell it for jsut One Dollar, it is still fraud.
I would be on Delta and have them pick it up and deliver one that works. Did you pay with a Visa or Master Card, if so tell them you are canceling the transaction and you were sold a product that is defective and they wont service it. You often have 90 days on Visa to haggle with this. Often times waving a stick like this will get them to address the situation. Time to get serious and ask for supervisors...
Good Luck
AZMO
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Morgan,
Grizzly tools used to be the "economical" choice. Now, they are building quite a name for themselves. I won't ask you to compare Grizzly to Delta, but how does Grizzly stack up against other manufacturers such as Powermatic, Jet, General, Steel City, etc. in your books?
Good point, regarding the credit cards. I never would have thought of that.
Scheming...Chris @ http://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
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