New unisaw...broken trunnion

Well, saturday AM arrives and the truck rolls up with my new Unisaw, Unifence, and a Unigaurd. All the boxes look in good shape, except the mobile base box...but it appears fine after close inspection. I spend the day assembling the mobile base, getting two cast wings level, attaching the fence, and the Uniguard. My neighbor stops by and helps me put the finishing touches on. We go to place the blade insert in and note it doesn't fit. The blade appears to be in the way. Well..maybe they just didn't align it well at the factory. So I take a look to figure out how to adjust the blade alignment, and notice the front trunnion is broken. Uggh.

I call up Woodworkers Supply where the saw was ordered. The customer service guy doesn't really seem to know what to do in this case, so he notes it in my order and I'll call back monday to see what will happen after he talks to his manager. I really hope I don't have to install the front trunnion myself, and I'm not looking forward to dissassembling a days worth of work either. Uggh.

I'll keep everyone posted on the outcome. Wish me luck.

cb

Reply to
cb
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Amazing! I thought this could only happen with Grizzly products, not a Unisaw.

Reply to
Bruce

I hope your experience is unique, because I just ordered that saw (except with the Bies) from WWS, and the freight company says it'll be here Thursday. I've heard about Uni trunnions being broken in shipment, so that's the first thing I'm going to check.

I ordered a 17-925 drill press from WWS last summer and it showed up with a broken casting on the bottom of the column. When I called them up they were polite but they told me to call Delta directly. I got a very nice lady there and they shipped out a whole new column straight away. A year later, I don't even remember the days of frustration that I couldn't try out my new tool. You'll have the same experience.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed until Thursday. I hope yours turns out okay, too.

- - LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

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Reply to
LRod

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Is/was this guy new to the job? I mean, I keep hearing about Unisaws being delivered with broke trunnions. Has Woodworker's Supply been spared one these (doubtful onna 'count of the size of the company) deliveries?

Let's put it this way. You just spent $XXXX on a Unisaw. It hasn't been powered up. Sounds like it's never had a blade. It's not safe to run. It's a liability to the company that sold it and the company that made it.

Now, did you buy it knowing/expecting it to broken or did you buy something expecting it to be a saw?

UA100, who is wondering, why do I keep hearing about broke trunnions on Unisaws???

Reply to
Unisaw A100

Having equipment shipped to you is definitely a crap shoot. Of the 2 large pieces I've received from out of town, 2 of of 2 were broken: a Powermatic 54a jointer and a router cabinet (the cabinet bottom was damaged by the inertia of the cabinet bouncing around on the casters). Both were replaced without question by the manufacturers. The next router cabinet was shipped without the wheels and the next jointer must have received a bit gentler treatment in transit. All I was out was the set up time (which isn't exactly inconsequential either!).

dave

LRod wrote:

Reply to
Bay Area Dave

Sorry to hear about you broken Unisaw CB. But...seems this happens way too often in particular with Unisaws. I don't believe it is all the freight company's fault since the Unisaw is about the only one that gets shipped with broken trunions.

Reply to
Leon

I hope he is new because the crap that retailers try to feed us is getting old.

Reply to
Leon

Unique to Unisaw owners unfortunately. You have now heard about another Unisaw with a broken trunion this month, chances are that yours will arrive just fine.

I'd check before it is unloaded from the truck. It could save you some time if the unfortunate has happened.

Reply to
Leon

I do not see your logic. A item is shipped to the dealer the same method it is shipped to the home. No? I think you ran into BAD luck.

Rich

Reply to
RKON

No. Dealers get their heavy machinery usually delivered by tractor trailer and drivers using established loading and unloading procedures. Retail outfits use delivery agents with smaller trucks and much less experienced people. There's a big difference between using a forklift to load and unload something than dragging several hundred pounds of metal onto and off a lift gate.

Maybe, but it sounds like that bad luck is getting pretty common.

Reply to
Upscale

You should also contact the trucking company, because if it is their fault you have a limited amount of time to claim "hidden damages", visible damages must be reported on the delivery slip when you sign for the item. "Hidden damages" can be claimed if reported within a fixed number of days. Cover yourself, and phone it in on Monday.

Reply to
Eric Tonks

CB, I feel your pain. Same thing happened to me back in January. My retailer sent me another saw; I don't know what they worked out with Delta. You might as well start disassembling and re-crating the saw. Delta says the front trunnion (next to the handwheel) is not field replacable. It has to go to a shop. They offered to let me take it to a local repair facility, but they would have to order the trunnion and then schedule installation, so I opted for a new saw instead. But don't despair, it will be worth it. No other tool in my shop gives me as much pleasure every time I use it as my Unisaw w/Bies. Maybe that's because I cursed my old saw so long before I replaced it.

DonkeyHody "Even an old blind hog finds an acorn every now and then."

Reply to
DonkeyHody

I am sorry for your trouble, but did you not have a local dealer that could take care of your needs? I have sold over 500 unisaws in my career and never had a busted trunnion. I wonder what is causing this proplem? I know it is a pain for you, a pain for WWS, and a big pain for Delta. Good luck. Mike

Reply to
Mike at American Sycamore

This seems to be a rather frequent problem at least in the last 4 or 5 years. When shopping for a cabinet saw 4 years ago I saw a brand new Unisaw sitting on the sales floor with a broken trunnion. IIRC about a year ago Delta admitted to having a problem at the factory during assembly. Seems they were not torqueing the trunnion bolts properly. Seems that may have been just an excuse as the problem seems to be getting worse and again I seriously doubt that the trucking companies are singling out Delta.

Reply to
Leon

Ahhhh !!! I see said the Blind Man. I never had anything shipped direct utter than UPS, Fed Ex. ASSumptions, ASSumptions.

Dave, I stand Corrected !!

Rich

Reply to
RKON

Very true but if it arrives at the dealer broken, it's his problem. If it arrives at your shop and it's broken, it's yours.

Reply to
CW

Call Delta yourself, have pertinent information at hand. You will need serial # copy of receipt etc. Delta will send a technician to your home ,usually takes about two weeks. Less time if the tech is already in your area.They will do all the work, you do not have to be there if your wife or someone else is there to let them in. Your problem is not unique, not a manufacturing problem , a transportaion problem instead.

Reply to
mike

BIG difference! IF you go to the loading dock of your local retailer and find obvious damage, you can ask to either get another unit (assuming they have another!) or open it up before bothering to take it home. OR, you can have them open the item and deliver it to your door. Either way, the chances of it being broken are less than if it just arrived from across the country. To break it down to simple terms for you (logic isn't your long suit, I take it?) by buying from a local dealer you are better able to weed out "just arrived in town and broken all to hell" equipment. So far I've had less damaged stuff that I have picked up from local dealers. Sorry you can't accept my experience. You just HAVE to argue with my experiences, don't you??

dave

RK>>Having equipment shipped to you is definitely a crap shoot.

Reply to
Bay Area Dave

too late; I already answered your previous post where you refuted my experience. Your change of heart is duly noted. :)

dave

RK> Ahhhh !!! I see said the Blind Man. I never had anything shipped direct

Reply to
Bay Area Dave

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