Delta Tools- The Worst!!!

[Jeff Duncan]

Mike has an interesting point to which I'll add this, anytime I've needed parts I've been able to get them with no problem. Though I really don't own any of the smaller tools, the service with the bigger stuff has been on par with other manufacturers I've dealt with.
Personally I too think the new web service center is sadly lacking and as I said before, even the higher end machinery is starting to show signs of decline. I think companies like Delta, Powermatic, and General are stuck, you either keep making things good quality, charge appropriately and go under b/c very few will spend. Or you cut costs to compete with the overseas explosion of import machinery we've seen in the last 30 years or so, and start to lose your reputation, and possibly still go under.
I think Powermatic and General are both trying to adapt to this new economy. Powermatic by redesigning their tool line with updated machines and more stuff geared toward small shops, like drum sanders, line boring etc. And General by having separate lines of domestic and import machinery. Delta, it seems from reading these last 4 pages, is losing their reputation for quality, and not adjusting to what's happening around them. I don't know what the future holds for them but if they're going to stick it out, I think there needs to be some change.
Lastly, Northfield is indeed the last remainder of the machinery of the old days. They alone have been able to remain by not compromising a bit on quality and charging for it. Yes if you want something to last several generations they are the machine for you, but you'll pay for it. I haven't been able to swing for any of their stuff in my shop yet, but whenever I come across one at auction I'm impressed by how well they are built, and also by how much value they retain.
JeffD

[Lance Norris]

Heres the problem I had. Read carefully and understand. I bought a Delta mortiser, the more expensive benchtop unit. I pulled the handle to adjust it( a feature of the tool) and the handle pulled off in my hand. There is supposed to be a roll pin to hold the handle in place. No roll pin installed. I bought an AP400 Dust Collector. No hardware pack, no bolts to assemble the machine. I go to the hardware and get what I need, I come home and start assembly. The nuts that are welded into the machine to hold the bolts, that werent included, arent welded in the correct places. I bought a 1" belt sander. After one use, the oil leaked out of the start cap. Maybe the last problem wasnt Deltas' but this is just poor control. It doesnt matter if it was made in China. When things go to market in an unuseable condition, it isnt very good. If Delta doesnt care enough to see that things are correct, then they lose business. I have worked in assembly and manufacturing. QC is very important. I will never buy another Delta tool. If some people want to defend Delta, they can go ahead and defend them, but it will fall on deaf ears here at my house.

[Wayne Cannon]

You point is very true.

Quality manufacturing can be done in Taiwan/China. However, the native mindset is not quality-oriented. We learned our lesson from Japan, too, in the '70s and '80s. It takes a lot more attention by management in China than in the U.S. today to stay on top of quality issues and keep quality in the forefront of everyone's minds. However, it can be done -- there are many companies doing it successfully. Those that don't lose in the long run. There was a good article around seven or eight years ago written by a Jet manufacturing manager about keeping a focus on quality in Taiwanese manufacturing. [That was a long time ago, and not an attempt to plug Jet products, today.]

[Peter Quinn]

Wow...this is getting interesting! I thought I was the only one who had a problem with Delta/PC CS, apparently not! I've rarely had as much as a hiccup with any of my delta tools and that service net still has me PO. I only need to be treated like crap once to hold a grudge.

On another line of thought I hear lots of great things about Grizzly customer service. Lots of great things. LOTS AND LOTS. In fact it seems by conjecture that few owners have ever not had to call for something? Perhaps thats the new CS mantra: We screw up something on each machine, but we are real nice about fixing it!

This would be like the self check out version of QA...they lower the QA standards on purpose to hit the price point, let you the owner find the mistakes, fix them happily and quickly, you feel like a hero for solving a technical problem while saving money, everybody's happy. Hummm?

That's it. I'm going Northfield. All Northfield. Does anybody need a good low milage Kidney?

[Ben Cadotte]

That's it. I'm going Northfield. All Northfield. Does anybody need a good low milage Kidney?

I don't believe its a low mileage Kidney! Whats your customer service number

[Peter Quinn]

I don't believe its a low mileage Kidney! Whats your customer service number

I'm offering a 30 day money back guarantee! Of course there are some standard exclusions and clauses attached as user behavior may affect performance!

[Dennis Hatchett]

Anybody else had any bad experiences with Delta tools? I was under the impression that they were pretty good for the money, but now I know better....

....Just had to vent a little....

Vent away Clint, but if you search the threads someone has had problems with every company at some point. Don't mean to diminish your frustration because customer No-Service brings out the worst in me. Sawstop and even (gasp) festool (genuflect, genuflect, genuflect) have some unimpressed customers.

I find tools and design work to be similar in that there is usually not an easy button. Problem solving is an inherent skill necessary in the work. I like picking up used tools from guys that would rather buy a new one than fix the old one. In your case, one would expect new tools to be a bit more rugged than what you've experienced.

But my Unisaw, has been flawless over the last 7 or 8 years. It's one of the best tools that I've ever owned and probably will own simply because I haven't had to worry about it once. In fact, all my Delta stuff has been great.

My beef with Delta isn't in the quality area. I'll eventually sell my unisaw and not look at the new Delta models because they seemed to have decided to make safety a very low priority(riving knife, etc...) I'll reward some other company with my future business as well.

[John Shuk]

I've always had good luck with Delta tools and I have quite a few. Some of their stuff isn't built great but I am able to look a lot of it over at my local store so I buy what i deem to be well made.

[Mike Heidrick]

Lance, my friend, you double whammy is no good. Here is the problem I see. Delta does not make a nice benchtop mortiser - if you wanted a nice benchtop mortiser you would have bought another brand like a Powermatic 701. All the reviews in the world will tell you this as will most testimonials. Their 1" sander is not nice either - it is adequate at best and many reviews from folks also tell you this. Delta is making some junk (or importing some junk more accurately) and people are buying it and assuming it is Delta named so it must be good like a Uni is. Then when it is junk they dammn the whole line. That is what I do not like to read.

The folks in the US that are the CS for Delta know some of their product is junk and that is why we get the service we do. They would be unemployed if they said "Sir, I'm sorry you bought some junk and I cannot help you with that." The parts they can help with are minimal on many of these tools. So now people are mad at the Delta name on the junk tool and disappointed because the person on the other end of the CS phone cannot help them.

People have to research their purchases. If you buy junk, it is on you. If people are selling a tool for a super low price you need to ask yourself why before buying it and being suprised.

Now you do not have to buy Delta tools and I encourage you to not buy some of them. Like all manufacturers they are making some cheap tools because people buy them. That does not mean all Delta tools are junk. You can be mad if you want but you need to look close to home before casting the blame.

[Ben Cadotte]

I'm offering a 30 day money back guarantee! Of course there are some standard exclusions and clauses attached as user behavior may affect performance!

Is it American made (Canadian is probably ok)?

Since I am only looking for a spare, not in a need for it. Would you take a Northfield product brochure, and shirt?

Ok, ok, I will throw in a (used) hat as well.

[Glen Blanchard]

People have to research their purchases. If you buy junk, it is on you.

I have a hard time following this logic. If Delta decides to sell junk (regardless of the price point) then Delta will suffer, as it is common sense that anything with the Delta logo will then be suspect. IMO, that is ignorance on the part of the manufacturer - not the consumer.

[Mike Heidrick]

I will digress now.

[Glen Blanchard]

If you spend $2000 and $100 do you expect all things are equal because they are sold from the same manuf. If so why buy anything more than the cheapest you can find?

Are you asking if I would expect the same performance from a $100 Delta table saw as I would a $2K Delta table saw? Of course not. However I would expect the same level of CS. I would expect both to perform as advertised. I would expect neither to be "junk". For a company that presumably sells some high quality products, to introduce some "junk" at a low price point, and to keep the same label, is IMO, a mistake. If Delta wants to have two tiers of machines, I think it would behoove them to do as General did, and have a different label. It is inevitable that the Delta name gets drug down into the mud to do as they are now doing.

[Mike Heidrick]

I think that is where the Delta Shopmaster line came from. They do make a 1" sander and mortiser under that name but Lance said he bought the professional mortiser. They look very close though.

[Lance Norris]

I have 5 Delta tools, all purchased in the last 2 years. I have 3 Grizzly tools. I have 3 Jet tools. I have 2 Porter Cable tools. I have 2 Dewalt tools. I have 3 Bosch tools. I have 1 Ridgid tool. I have 11 Ryobi tools. I have 2 Craftsman tools. Of all these I list, I have had problems with 3 of the Deltas. None of the other tools were defective or have given any problems. None. I dont care if they were $100 dollar tools or $1000 tools. I expect them to work, and be functional, when new. 2 of the 3 Deltas were incorrectly assembled when shipped. Delta used to be one of the best there was. I gave Delta a chance. I really did. But problems with 3 out of 5 tools just isnt good enough, when there are other manufacturers that are lusting after my money. Sorry.