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An interesting and good outcome!

We needed another low-precision 13x40 lathe in the shop, and after having reviewed all the Chinese and Taiwanese models, and talking with a few machinists who'd bought one, we went with the Shop Fox 1098 -- a very basic 13x40 with no real "toys" but all the basics.

It arrived Friday last, with the crate intact, and took us about an hour to crane and wheel it into the machine room.

It turned out to be a complete lemon -- mechanical (major) defects, finish and paint problems, missing fasteners; you name it. And it also happened to be mis-wired, which prevented it from working AT ALL until we trouble-shot the circuitry, and found the problem (two swapped wires in the spindle control).

There were major things -- the gap block had been removed and replaced with one that was not matched to the bed. The foot brake was disabled by a missing washer. And, of course, it wouldn't run.

The thing was also MAJORLY dirty -- fingerprints and goop all over every surface, missing paint, paint chad and metal shavings all among the parts, evidence of disassembly after painting; even a "stray" bearing ball floating around in the chip tray that contained about two or three ounces of machine oil and dirt, shavings, and paint chad. (lots).

Hmmm... we identified and fixed the wiring problem, but it meant that the lathe had NEVER been powered up. Thus, all the TIR information and other specs in the "certification document" had been falsified. (no, duh!)

So, I contacted Shopfox.biz. Told them the tale. Waited for a three- week response time.

WoW! They responded within two hours! Wow! They wanted to know what I needed to make it right! Wow!

That was yesterday. Today, we had also determined that the apron gearbox was leaking and empty of oil, so I emailed them again.

Within ONE HOUR, they called me directly, and offered to replace and _personally_inspect_ the next machine they sent me.

Now, I know what I'm getting into with a Chinese machine, and it will require some adjustments and time to get it working true, but this was a real surprise! They said (basically), "We don't sell junk, and we won't let a customer deal with this quality -- we'll ship you new at our expense, and return the old one at our expense, and the factory can suck it up." And they even offered a discount against the original purchase (?).

Wow! I never expected that.

It's not a "done deal" yet, but I'll let you know how it goes.

So far, I'm pretty impressed with the importer (Woodstock tools), if not the factory.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh
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Keep us posted!

Folks like that need to be rewarded -- they're certainly not going to stay in business on price alone if that's their attitude, but it's a _very good_ attitude to have.

Reply to
Tim Wescott

Lloyd, not to be a party pooper, but the story is not yet over. I would not declare a victory, just that.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus1699

Ignoramus1699 fired this volley in news:ns-dnQKGOMzp_0HQnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

I agree... news at 11, or whenever it happens. But the response alone was a grand event!

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Sounds like an employee is filling orders on the side with parts from the reject bin.

Dave

Reply to
Dave__67

When I made my order with Griz (who imports Woodstock) on Friday, they said the 18" bandsaw was backordered and it would be about 6 weeks. I ordered anyway and the shipper called me Monday, 3 days later, to set up the delivery. They also gave me a free laminate trim router as a bonus for the order of the bandsaw and DC.

Grizzly and Woodstock are the stars of import and I'll happily shop there again. (AAMOF, I already have, several times, both for power tools and accessories/supplies.)

-- Education should provide the tools for a widening and deepening of life, for increased appreciation of all one sees or experiences. It should equip a person to live life well, to understand what is happening around him, for to live life well one must live life with awareness. -- Louis L'Amour

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Wait and see. Not to compare, but I once received a clearly used DVR from a distributor, got a replacement that was clearly used and returned (had the installing company's sticker on it), and then received a unit that was covered in filth. Finally had them drop ship from the manufacturer a replacement. The distributor sounded great on the phone, but they sent me three used returned units in a row. I dropped them after they did similar things to me a couple times after that.

The miswire was probably not original since it sure sounds like your machine was a used machine. Somebody monkeyed with it and couldn't figure out how to put it back the way it should be.

I hope it all works out as well as it sounds.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

"Bob La Londe" fired this volley in news:irjcbi $s3i$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

I might think that, but the wires, lugs, and switch terminals were completely covered in frame paint which had not been cracked or disturbed. We had to scrape them clean just to see the wire colors.

I think it's more likely that the machine went through a complete setup in some dirty shop before they finally tried energizing the spindle motor, and when it failed, it got returned as-is. Then the Chinese factory rep "refurbished and re-certified" it by building a new crate around it.

(Ahh... You Watch and See! Round-eye not know! We sell to Someone!)

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" fired this volley in news:Xns9EF089363188Alloydspmindspringcom@216.168.3.70:

Update... Wow, again.

The new machine ships tomorrow morning, and they're crediting me for lost time AND the cost of two more rigger trips with his fork to get it off/on the trucks.

Again, we'll see, but they are calling me, not the other-way 'round, so it's a good sign.

If this keeps up, I'll be a Woodstock fan.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Um, Shopfox = Grizzly, I seem to recall. white paint. /mark

Reply to
Mark F

Mark F fired this volley in news:P0hDp.10$AA6.1 @newsfe19.iad:

Yeah... the machines are practically identical between the Shop Fox and Grizzly lathes. (never figured why you'd paint a lathe WHITE ?!?)

Both Grizzly and Woodstock have good reputations for customer service, but you never know until you have to use it!

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

Cool. Keep us posted.

Reply to
Bob La Londe

So what vendor did you actually buy the lathe from?

Reply to
Rex

Rex fired this volley in news:d0d09882-284e-44ab- snipped-for-privacy@d28g2000yqf.googlegroups.com:

Bought it from a local shop in Sanford, Fla, called "Utterguys tools". They also are in the loop, and being completely cooperative.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

But it will be an interesting on topic thread. I hope it works out for you Lloyd.

Wes

Reply to
Wes

I wonder if that's the same outfit that used to be in Altamonte Springs in the late '80s? They were in a small strip mall, next to an electronics surplus store I bought parts from for Ch. 55 in Orlando.

Reply to
Michael A. Terrell

Well, this story is typical of today's business practices,

  1. It allways pays to see the goods and try them before buying,
  2. Co,s in many cases are just box shifters,going for the max profit for the minimum effort.
  3. If they had checked it before shipping to you they would never have sent it out.
  4. What has it cost them in expenses to put it right?
5.You would have done better to find a good s/hand machine of US make even if it was 20 yrs old ,Youd have paid less and known what you were getting. A lesson for the supplier and the purchaser. Same applies to everything else one purchases without seeing.
Reply to
Ted Frater

Ted Frater fired this volley in news:O2HDp.9947$8 snipped-for-privacy@newsfe17.ams:

You assume a lot, and have come in on this conversation about three weeks late of where the episode began.

You assume I did not explore used American iron before choosing this one. I did.

You assume I did not actually see, touch, and run one of this model lathe before ordering. I did.

You seem to assume I didn't know ahead of time I'd be getting a brown box from China. I did... have done before. Will again.

Too many assumptions about a matter you never commented on until well after all that had been dealt with here.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

thanks for the background to your lathe procurement. I generally dont come in on a thread till others nearer to you have, Ive a very nice American iron 15 by 30 lathe, Le Blond royal 1942 came as a present from uncle Sam on lease lend, all those yrs ago, and Ive had it some 30 yrs. A great lathe, good still to 1/2 tho. Surprised there wasnt such a tool near you at a reasonable price. I paid some $200.00 for mine inc delivery, and had some big metal in it. The largest was a hammer head for my Drop stamp some 10 in dia by

3ft long. Had to lift it into the lathe with a crane.!! I follow most machinery threads here and have done for some 15 yrs. Hope you eventually get what you paid for!! If you want to know what I do Google for Ted Frater Bronzesmith and minter. Ask Ed Huntress, Ted Frater In Dorset UK.
Reply to
Ted Frater

Ted Frater fired this volley in news:loQDp.16348 $ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe11.ams:

FWIW, it's actuall in a UPS freight truck right now, scheduled for delivery Tuesday. Got the tracking #, so these guys aren't kidding around.

You cannot know how MUCH I appreciate that I didn't have to duke it out with them. (been there before, too).

My problems with the older American lathes were two. All of them within about five hundred miles of me were really beat up, or had tiny spindle holes; smaller than what I need. An MT-5 hole is as small as my needs can tolerate.

The ones that were in good condition would've cost me about the same as the Chinese lathe to buy, but almost as much again just to ship as the Chinese lathe did all-up, delivered.

And yeah... it's only about half the weight of a similarly-sized American lathe, but it will be hard-bolted to a concrete slab, so that helps some.

LLoyd

Reply to
Lloyd E. Sponenburgh

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