JET bandsaws

[dpb]

Frank Boettcher wrote: ...

...

That there is no direct correlation of the magnitude of a measurement of the vertical post alignment to the actual misalignment of the guide blocks for an adjustment on the height into an actual performance statistic for the saw as just one example. The last review in FWW mentions the misalignment can cause a need for readjustment as a general reason for looking at it but gave no guidelines at all on how much is too much or would be considered acceptable.

That "smaller is better" is a given, but whether 3 or 10 or 30 is really, really bad isn't clear to a general audience who is looking to buy a saw for the first time, certainly, which is a large part of the target audience of such reviews.

I'd be terribly surprised if you could take a sample of the readers of any of the general circulation magazines and have even 5% of those who are owners of a bandsaw and could come anyways close to telling either what their saw measured for that statistic or had ever actually measured it or thought to.

And it still doesn't address the issue of how the distribution of individual machine measurements correlate to the measurements of the population of machines of which the tested one was a single sample.

All I'm pointing out is that w/o some context, the reviews have some merit but could be more informative than they are but recognizing there are limitations to the format.

Don't know what you're seemingly so angry over or feel the need to denigrate, but whatever you say...

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[Frank Boettcher]

And absolutely nothing in that answer had anything to do with any statistical supporting basis for your belief that most end users don't know. As I thought, strictly an opinion. That's fine. I believe most do. My sample is large, and the vast majority could discuss those things clearly.

However, as I recall, you're the same guy who believes that end user woodworkers are relatively dumb and are clamoring for a 10% lower price to get chinese junk. Your stated belief from an earlier thread, is that is what is causing the flight to china rather than the manufacturers "corporate whiz kids", who by the way share your belief, that is, those woodworkers are dumb, cut the cost by 25%, cut the price by 10%, give them junk and they'll be happy as clams and we'll clean up.

Not angry, just know BS when I see it.

Frank

[dpb]

I guess it depends then entirely on who you think the prospective audience is -- I do think the general audience of the ww'ing magazines have quite a lot larger proportion of those who are casual as opposed those who aren't than you apparently do. I don't know that either of us has anything other than opinion to substantiate that belief.

All I know about the Chinese junk syndrome is what I see about what is being manufactured and being advertised and reviewed along w/ the better. If there weren't a market, why are they building it and where's it going???

Still don't see that any of that answers in any regards the simple suggestion that more data rather than less is a bad idea for anybody in a review, expert or not--the more expert, the more valuable I think.

But, again, to each his own...

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[Eigenvector]

Don't pout, it makes your lip stick out funny.

As a matter of fact I haven't decided, but then I haven't read anything in this entire thread that has answered my question unambiguously. Although Jim's post helped tremendously. Personally I don't associate Taiwan with China - two entirely different countries and standards of living, perhaps you do. If the particular model I'm interested in is made in Taiwan, then I'm sold.

[John Grossbohlin]

I don't know that we can answer the question about whether they are a decent company per se. However, their tools are of good quality at a moderate price point. I've got the following Jet tools: 3 HP cabinet saw, 13" floor model planer/molder, 18" band saw, floor model drill press, air cleaner, and shaper. The only tool I've had any problems with is the air cleaner--burned out the 1/8 hp (?) motor at about 6 years. I also have a few Delta tools, DJ-20 jointer and dust collector.

The Jet band saw is an early 18" model and despite the alleged "fatal flaws" others have written of (aluminum trunnions, frame flex) the saw has been a stellar performer, has NO drift regardless of what blades I've used, and has been used to saw 8-10" wide 3/32" slices. I've also sawn relatively small logs on it with no problems. Whether you can cut large wet logs on it all day and expect it to last is probably questionable... especially compared to an associate of mine's 36" 10 hp vertical band saw. ;~)

John

[John Grossbohlin]

I don't know that we can answer the question about whether they are a decent company per se. However, their tools are of good quality at a moderate price point. I've got the following Jet tools: 3 HP cabinet saw, 13" floor model planer/molder, 18" band saw, floor model drill press, air cleaner, and shaper. The only tool I've had any problems with is the air cleaner--burned out the 1/8 hp (?) motor at about 6 years. I also have a few Delta tools, DJ-20 jointer and dust collector.

The Jet band saw is an early 18" model and despite the alleged "fatal flaws" others have written of (aluminum trunnions, frame flex) the saw has been a stellar performer, has NO drift regardless of what blades I've used, and has been used to saw 8-10" wide 3/32" slices. I've also sawn relatively small logs on it with no problems. Whether you can cut large wet logs on it all day and expect it to last is probably questionable... especially compared to an associate of mine's 36" 10 hp vertical band saw. ;~)

John

[mac davis]

I've got the Jet mini lathe, the Jet 1440vs lathe and the ceiling air filter... all work well and have met expectations..

The motor in the mini burnt up about 6 months after I bought it, but not only was it replaced free of charge, but I'll be the first to admit that not only did I push to lathe to it's limits but I probably put 2 or 3 years of "normal" use on it be the time it smoked the motor..

I recently blew the starting condenser in the same lathe by running it on a generator.. my fault... Jet shipped me a new one for about $12 and I was back in business within a week..

I'm happy with them and don't really care where the tools are made or who makes them..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Eigenvector]

Thanks, I appreciate the answer.

[Bradford Chaucer]

[captmikey]

Well, I have a Jet Mini-Lathe, a Jet Gold Overhead AFS-1000B Air Filter, a Jet 1.5 HP DC1100CK dust collector with the cannister, and a Jet 14DX 1.25HP 14" with a 6" extender, Kreig fence, and upgraded Iturra springs. No complaints whatsoever but I'm a very amateur woodworker and not a production shop. I do believe that most Jet castings and components are from Taiwan and not mainland China.

I don't think buying Jet power tools is a mistake, but like anything else when you have some variables... there's always some tweaking that can improve the quality of performance.