I bought a Shop Fox drillpress as part of a NCWWer group buy a few months ago. I posted my findings upon assembly and also measured runout, table flatness, quill to table angle, etc. My impression was and still IS, that this is not a precision machine...it's a value for money machine. I like it and have enjoyed using it. I especially like the large table, the power, and the long stroke. I use it a lot.
When I received the machine there were a few parts that were "not right". The machine has 3 rods with knobs used to rsise/lower the quill. One of the rods had buggered threads on one end and was missing the "flats" used to snug the rod onto the machine. One of the knobs supplied was spherical, different in shape than the others and NOT designed to go on this machine. Pics of all are below.
I called Shop Fox and talked with a guy in tech support. I told him what I measured for runout and hes said that was normal for this machine and well within their tolerance. ok, no problem...I'm woodworking, not milling. I then explained how one of the rods was buggered up and the wrong knob had been supplied. He took all of my information, registered me for warranty support and gave me an order number for the parts - rod and knob.
That was two months ago! I phoned them several weeks ago just to follow up and he told me the parts were on back order but should arrive in a few weeks. I called again tonight and spoke with someone in tech support and they told me the parts were on back order. She looked for an estimated delivery and told me that they showed a ship date from the factory the first week of January...but cautioned me it could be longer. I was very nice to her, after all, she is there to help me.
I asked if it would be possible to speed things up ("c'mon, these aren't space shuttle protective tiles here...we're talking about a chromed rod and a plastic knob", I told myself). She said that she would forward my request to a manager and see if they could take the parts off a drillpress at their distribution center/warehouse and that someone would follow up.
The reason I am writing this is that it occurs to me that the part that was bad could have been the motor. I'd like to assume that they would handle things differently in that case but certainly have no reason to know it for a fact.
I really consider this more of an inconvenience than anything else. I wonder if they sell enough of these DPs to make it viable to stock spare parts.
Really, I liken this situation to buying a table, and upon assembly I note that only three legs were supplied. So I take a milk crate and a few magazines to shim the missing leg. The table is perfectly usable. It's just not whole. After two months would LOMl still be happy to look at the beautiful table?
I wrote this here because it is NOT intended to be a rant. I like the machine. But, my experience with this purchase ensures that the next time I will be more careful. "Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me".
Caveat emptor.
Chuck
When I received the machine there were a few parts that were "not right". The machine has 3 rods with knobs used to rsise/lower the quill. One of the rods had buggered threads on one end and was missing the "flats" used to snug the rod onto the machine. One of the knobs supplied was spherical, different in shape than the others and NOT designed to go on this machine. Pics of all are below.
I called Shop Fox and talked with a guy in tech support. I told him what I measured for runout and hes said that was normal for this machine and well within their tolerance. ok, no problem...I'm woodworking, not milling. I then explained how one of the rods was buggered up and the wrong knob had been supplied. He took all of my information, registered me for warranty support and gave me an order number for the parts - rod and knob.
That was two months ago! I phoned them several weeks ago just to follow up and he told me the parts were on back order but should arrive in a few weeks. I called again tonight and spoke with someone in tech support and they told me the parts were on back order. She looked for an estimated delivery and told me that they showed a ship date from the factory the first week of January...but cautioned me it could be longer. I was very nice to her, after all, she is there to help me.
I asked if it would be possible to speed things up ("c'mon, these aren't space shuttle protective tiles here...we're talking about a chromed rod and a plastic knob", I told myself). She said that she would forward my request to a manager and see if they could take the parts off a drillpress at their distribution center/warehouse and that someone would follow up.
The reason I am writing this is that it occurs to me that the part that was bad could have been the motor. I'd like to assume that they would handle things differently in that case but certainly have no reason to know it for a fact.
I really consider this more of an inconvenience than anything else. I wonder if they sell enough of these DPs to make it viable to stock spare parts.
Really, I liken this situation to buying a table, and upon assembly I note that only three legs were supplied. So I take a milk crate and a few magazines to shim the missing leg. The table is perfectly usable. It's just not whole. After two months would LOMl still be happy to look at the beautiful table?
I wrote this here because it is NOT intended to be a rant. I like the machine. But, my experience with this purchase ensures that the next time I will be more careful. "Burn me once, shame on you. Burn me twice, shame on me".
Caveat emptor.
Chuck
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