Drill Press Update (a Skarie story)

First, I want to commend Skarie in Baltimore who took care of their customer. They sent out the service tech with a new drill head, which he prechecked for run out, and changed out my old one. Said if this one wasn't satisfactory, there were other options. Gonna give it a shot.

Reading the thread in reply to my original post, I think I'm gonna clarify a few things.

My main issue here is that Delta Machinery, who used to be a premier manufacturer of ww'g stuff is going downhill fast. They don't take care of their customers, have customer service staff who doesn't know their products, and their tools are becoming junk. But, they still charge a premium price.

This drill press is top of their line (unless they have some sort of industrial, mucho dinero stuff) but repeatedly comes out with major and/or minor flaws. I have read much more negative about it than positive (from owners). Stuff like bolts not being tightened is ridiculous. Stuff like a cheap chuck on an $850 machine is ridiculous.

The demand for low prices has driven first the cheap incidentals to China, and now about everything. Problem is, the "cost savings" aren't being passed on to the consumer and the quality of supposedly premium stuff sucketh.

(I gotta get to work, so ' kept it short and "sweet".)

Renata

I agree, this is one of the main problems with all this "value engineering".

Although I think we need to keep in mind that every year the costs of steel, copper, and fuel rise, and generally the prices of tools stay level. So, we are partially benefiting from the cost reductions.

But I agree wholeheartedly that a tool like an $850 drill press should not have so many problems. I mean, if you buy a $40 harbor freight drill press, then you should expect quality to be a crapshoot, and you should expect some fiddling.. but not on a premium tool that is supposedly top of the line.

I would much rather pay 10 or 20 % more for a tool and not have to deal with the annoying things like a switch wearing out, plastic parts breaking, etc.