[TheForge] Re: Taiwanese Machine Tools - and some Yak

Mon Sep 22 20:57:00 2003

As to the Jet 17 inch drill press and Sears being the same -- well they
might be.  The machine tool plants in Taiwan will make tools for anyone -- 
and the same plant, same production line and same folks may have made both.
They also copy each other very closely, (different plants making very
similar tools.)  Tools can also be made on the mainland and look very much
like the Taiwanese tools.  Best you can do is take a very careful look at
one and then pay your money.

Yak follows:
There is a very interesting and true story about the Taiwanese manufacture
of bicycles from the late 1980's.  Schwinn was having their main line of
bikes manufacture in Taiwan by the "Giant" bicycle company.  For the US
market Giant only made Schwinn bicycles but they did market under the Giant
name in Europe.  Well mainland China opened up and Schwinn decided they
would chase a lower cost producer on the mainland.  So they canceled their
manufacturing agreement with Giant.  Problem was that the Giant folks didn't
go away -- plus the new plant on the mainland had some quality problems.  To
make matters worst for Schwinn as an importer -- Giant had all of the ship
to locations of all of the Schwinn dealers in the US.  Giant could under
sell Schwinn (sold under the Giant name in the US), Schwinn had quality
problems  -- net result Schwinn went bankrupt.  (I they have since come out
of bankruptcy).  (Back in the 80's I was into building custom bike frames.)
In the 90's I spent a bunch of time in China looking at their aluminum
industry -- looked a bit like ours in the 50's  but they are learning very
fast.  Saw lots of their own machine tools in these plants for their
maintenance shops and they could do very good basic work on them.

Dave Smucker

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Woolley" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2003 7:55 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Tawainese Machine Tools

> David,
>
> I have a Jet belt/disc sander that I bought used that is a beast.  It
> looked like it was worked hard before I bought it but I needed one and
> the price was right so I bought it and it has been great. I use it
> constantly.  At Sears, they had a Jet 17" drill press on clearance right
> next to the Craftsman and they looked almost identical.?????????  Thanks
> for responding.
>
> Cheers,
> Bill Woolley
>
>
> David E. Smucker wrote:
>
> >I have had 5 different Taiwanese machine tools, of which I still have 4.
My
> >mill / drill (Jet) dates back to the mid 70's and is still a good tool.
I
> >have a 13" by 40" Taiwanese gear head lathe, which is a very good machine
> >tool -- it was from the mid 80's and the bearings and gears are from
Japan.
> >I had a small horizontal band saw -- cheap one, never could get the blade
> >guides right.  I did wear it out and scrapped it.  Replaced it with a
7"x12"
> >(Jet) horizontal band saw that works great.  I also have a large (Jet)
drill
> >press and have worked it very hard.  Motor bearings are shot on it and it
> >needs a new motor (casting is cracked).
> >
> >In general I think most Sears stuff is junk so have never looked at their
> >Taiwanese tools.  Sears buys on the cheap, cheap so you get what you pay
> >for.
> >
> >Many folks have talked about poor quality of Taiwanese motors but I have
had
> >good luck except for the big drill press -- and as I said I really worked
it
> >hard with a lot of slow speed big hole drilling and to keep the belt from
> >slipping they have to be tight -- so I am not surprised to loose the
> >bearings after 10 years.
> >
> >As you can tell I am a fan of Jet Tools -- because I think they are from
the
> >better end of the imports.  Don't know your location but look around for
a
> >local Jet dealer (industrial tools) and you might get a better price /
> >quality than you think.
> >
> >Dave Smucker
> >
> >----- Original Message ----- 
> >From: "Woolley" <[email protected]>
> >To: <[email protected]>
> >Sent: Monday, September 22, 2003 9:50 AM
> >Subject: [TheForge] Tawainese Machine Tools
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>Greetings,
> >>
> >>Strolling  through Sears the other day I saw a 17" Taiwanese made
> >>Craftman drill press on clearance for $300. Quick change speeds from 250
> >>to 3200, 1 1/2 hp motor.  Their 20" is a nice looking machine with
> >>larger table, 2hp motor etc.($500).  I don't usually, if ever go for
> >>Tawainese tools, but at this price I'm seriously considering it.  I've
> >>been coaxing along an old Buffalo Forge Press that  runs out, a PITA to
> >>change speeds, table height etc.  This press was had for a half a day of
> >>welding so it doesn't owe me a thing. I use my drill presses a lot, but
> >>am not ready to spend $1500 for an Ellis or compatible, and I'm getting
> >>kinda sick of looking at used presses on the net that you have no clue
> >>as to their true condition etc. until you are standing in front of it
> >>running.  Any thoughts from Tawainese machine tool owners as to their
> >>value, dependability etc?  Thanks.
> >>
> >>Regards,
> >>Bill Woolley
> >>
> >>
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