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Thread: US manufactured woodworking machines

  1. #1
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    US manufactured woodworking machines

    I've noticed a lot of threads about Grizzly on this site, and I think its because those tools are very affordable and very popular with all but the biggest shops. I've also been reading a book about the 'China price', which is the extremely low cost of manufacturing anything in China (or southeast Asia in general), and those two things got me thinking about the source of woodworking tools.

    My question is ... what woodworking tools are still manufactured in the United States?

    I have a Porter-Cable drill, some Jorgenson and Quik-grip clamps from the early 1990s, all made in USA. I recently bought a new Porter-cable drill and Jorgenson clamps, all made in China. In the last 15 years, lots of tools are no longer made in the US.

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  3. #3
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    I believe Pistorius machinery is still made in New York.......Rod.

    P.S. I should have mentioned Oneida, after all I own one of their cyclones, and of course The Original Saw Company.

    Many Lee Valley items are made in Canada and the USA.
    Last edited by Rod Sheridan; 09-23-2010 at 10:27 AM. Reason: Added Post Script

  4. #4
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    I was just thinking about this while looking at the Grizzly Bashing/lovefest thread. Someone mentioned it was good to have choices, but when it comes to stationary tools, do we really have a choice? I mean other than the color.

    If it's a large stationary tool, such as a tablesaw, jointer, planer, etc. then it's either made in Asia modeled after American designs or it's made in Europe to a whole different standard and with the price premium that goes with it.

    For the majority of woodworkers in this country who do this as a hobby, it just makes financial sense to get as much as we can for the amount of money we have to spend, and unless you have the patience, luck and room for "Old Iron" then your tooling is made in Asia. The only choice you have really is who you have importing it.

    There are some European machines in hobbyist shops, but the price difference is still significant and in some situations it was the only choice they had as well due to space constraints (I'm thinking about the 5-way combos) I would love to have a shop full of European tools, but I can't justify spending $9000 for a 16" jointer/planer when I can get a 12" jointer and a 20" planer for half of that. Technically yes I have a choice, but realistically I don't.

  5. #5
    Dan
    There are plenty of older Delta & Powermatic machines on the market which dont require a rigger to move. Buying good used American usually makes more sense $$$ & parts wise than new Chinese. Even some of the 'big' iron is small enough for removal w/o a rigger. The 3ph 'problem' is even easily solvable w/ the newer solid state motor controls.

  6. #6
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    As for table saws I think the Delta Unisaw is still American made. Sawstop also I think.

    As for jointers, planers, shapers, band saws, drill presses, miter saws I dont know of any of the widely known brands still American made.

    I dont know of any portable tools that are still American made.

    To their credit companies like Grizzly and Jet have made affordable, Asian made tools available to us. Powermatic, Delta, General followed their example.

    Oneida Duct Collectors are still American made. It must be very difficult for them to compete with Asian made Dust Collectors like Grizzly due to American labor being so much more expensive.

    Just my $.02.

    PHM

  7. #7
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    General is made in Canada and is the type of machinery I think of when people ask about made in the USA machinery, such as the older Powermatic equipment etc.

    My issue with North American equipment is that the design is so dated in comparison with some of the more modern machines, such as the Euro stuff.

    My wife owns a Rockwell wood lathe, made in Canada, it's probably about 40 years old. It still does the basic wood lathe stuff (spin something around so you can use a hand held gouge to cut the wood), yet it's a far cry from a OneWay lathe (also made in Canada).

    Of course what we forget is that when the American or Canadian machinery was the mainstay of woodworking, most hobby wood workers didn't own a General or a Powermatic product, they had Craftsman etc.

    It's great to own an old Delta or PowerMatic or General machine, however the newer machines have improved in many ways, especially dust collection, safety, and capabilities such as sliding tables, tilting spindle shapers etc that have come into the hobby range.

    Regards, Rod.

  8. #8
    Northfield! I'd love to have one. Look them up and you'll see why I do not.

    -Brian

  9. #9
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    Northfield but be prepared to pay 8 to 10 times what a comparable import costs.

    Is the quality of the import the same......probably not but neither is the price. If the quality is the same, why would you want to pay 8-10 times the price?
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  10. #10
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    >>>> Sawstop also I think.

    Nope, Saw Stop is made in Taiwan (or China) with close control by Saw Stop.
    Howie.........

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan View Post
    General is made in Canada and is the type of machinery I think of when people ask about made in the USA machinery, such as the older Powermatic equipment etc.
    The larger General machinery is made in Canada. The other stuff is Taiwan and goes under General international.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Greg Book View Post
    I've noticed a lot of threads about Grizzly on this site, and I think its because those tools are very affordable and very popular with all but the biggest shops. I've also been reading a book about the 'China price', which is the extremely low cost of manufacturing anything in China (or southeast Asia in general), and those two things got me thinking about the source of woodworking tools.

    My question is ... what woodworking tools are still manufactured in the United States?

    I have a Porter-Cable drill, some Jorgenson and Quik-grip clamps from the early 1990s, all made in USA. I recently bought a new Porter-cable drill and Jorgenson clamps, all made in China. In the last 15 years, lots of tools are no longer made in the US.
    This is a topic I have long struggled over. I have a mix in my shop and take the small victories. Many small hand tools are still made in the USA. As for machinery, there just isn't much as most American companies have shipped their manufacturing jobs over seas.
    On my Grizzly table saw, however, one of the selling points to me was the USA made motor on it. Not all of their table saws are equipped that way, but I look for the small things like this to help me make my purchases when I can.

  13. #13
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    Shopsmith is made in Dayton Ohio. Most all my Shopsmith equipment is over 20 years old. In that 20 years I have had to replace a set screw on my planer and the power switch on my MarkV. That's it.
    I own the MarkV, Pro Planer, Jointer, Bandsaw, Strip sander, belt sander, dust collector and the old style Jigsaw made in the 1950's.
    Last edited by Dave Lehnert; 09-23-2010 at 12:52 PM.
    "Remember back in the day, when things were made by hand, and people took pride in their work?"
    - Rick Dale

  14. #14
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    But, we do send them a lot of metal to make the stuff.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Howard Acheson View Post
    >>>> Sawstop also I think.

    Nope, Saw Stop is made in Taiwan (or China) with close control by Saw Stop.
    This has surprised me as well. I initially assumed that SawStop was made in the US, because of its high price. Or at least assembled in the US. I understand the electronics would be cheaper from Asia, but if a Delta Unisaw costs $3k+ made in the US, why would the SawStop cost $3k+ made in China?

    I imagine SawStop could easily charge a tiny bit more and make the saws in the US. That would a double selling point for them. Made in the US, and super safe!

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