tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6261993076995357307.post7838995598918310094..comments2023-11-05T06:16:56.961-05:00Comments on the Carpentry Way: Adventures in Machine Land (II)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14328401081765407624noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6261993076995357307.post-31703327889013510412014-02-15T10:30:06.743-05:002014-02-15T10:30:06.743-05:00In fact, it's the higher quality products from...In fact, it's the higher quality products from Chinese factories that are export grade. Such items are not readily available in the domestic market unless as overruns or seconds.Potomackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02047837559244141708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6261993076995357307.post-880438780268714212011-04-27T22:53:35.562-04:002011-04-27T22:53:35.562-04:00I know exactly what you are saying about the gambl...I know exactly what you are saying about the gamble with the old equipment. The world of the Northfield planer, we have already discussed, and almost everything else is a mix of old getting on to ancient like me, both American made and Japanese machinery, all disassembled and pretty much restored once in my possession. The Northfield has the cutter head more than a few thousandths off from left to right with the distance from the center plate between the infield and outfeed tables, not a very big problem, but disappointing that it surely left the factory that way. I have a Porter 12" jointer, a similar configuration to your machine, guess I was lucky that the table adjusting blocks all lined up with the threaded stud positions, but the fence stability is a poor arrangement. My experience is that there tends to be a fair amount of variation in quality with the old gear. My over one hundred year old Silver Manufacturing bandsaw out of the great state of Ohio, and one Japanese table saw with a very useful tenoning attachment, are the ones that I would want to lash myself to if going down with the ship.djyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08985330530360767281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6261993076995357307.post-63215753531299779332011-04-26T23:08:58.241-04:002011-04-26T23:08:58.241-04:00Well Dennis, ya pays yer money and ya takes yer ch...Well Dennis, ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances I guess. In the end the machines will be well sorted and I'll know exactly what I have, and that's worth something.<br /><br />I mean, the choices boil down to buying old machines that were well made but require fixing, and the struggle to find parts that goes with that, or new cheaply-made machines with pre-planned obsolescence built right in (and often with un-fixable parts), or having the resources to outfit the shop with a stable of Martin and Hofmann quality level machines. I don't have that last option at the moment, so I go with old cast iron lumps. <br /><br />~CAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14328401081765407624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6261993076995357307.post-66364905445092332942011-04-26T09:17:51.552-04:002011-04-26T09:17:51.552-04:00Sorry to see you running the gauntlet there, son. ...Sorry to see you running the gauntlet there, son. Singing that hit song, "My Way', sometimes comes at a price.djyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08985330530360767281noreply@blogger.com