First off, long time no post. Been off to Iraq twice and didn't want
to hear any cr@p about it so I only lurked when home.
OK, I needed a grinder that could go low speed for beveling chisels and
planes.
It was "convenient for me" to buy a variable speed grinder. So I ended
up with the Delta GR450. Top of the line as far as their Shopmaster
line goes. Right?
The thing is unusable. The tool rests are all wrong. What is odd is
that the "low end" models such as the GR150 have better tool rests.
The GR450 tool rest arms look like they are poured from molds. High on
the left side and low on the right all around. I think I made
something like it in boy scouts one night. Not so on the lower end
models. The others are stamped, but, at least smooth and even all
around.
The rest itself is also molded iron and is completely unlevel. It is
1/4" higher on the left side than the right horizontally and uneven
vertically. The rests mount on the arms on the INSIDE of the wheel.
So the rest CANNOT even get up against the wheel the proper less than
1/16 (that their manual even states.) The low end models have milled
and polished tool rests that mount on the outside of the arm.
Speaking of the wheel. I can not get to it at other than a straight on
horizontal plane. If the rest is canted at all on the arm, it rubs
against the wheel. Great design!
In final. The concept of the tool is what I was looking for and could
not find elsewhere. The shop I bought it from will gladly take it back
and give me my money.
I want the tool, and I want the tool rests to function no less than the
current less expensive models. (I'll worry about Veritas tool rests
some other time.)
Where on Earth do I contact Delta's Customer Service to raise this
issue? I am a member to their club website. I must have or had a
dozen Delta tools and I can not find a customer service number
anywhere. The only thing I find is to call a local
reseller/distributor repair shop. Shouldn't I be talking to THE Delta
Customer Service instead?
fingercutter
I contacted someone at the Technical Assitance number. She is
having replacement tool rests and arms sent out. She would not send
out tool rests for a different less expensive model. I should have
them by the middle of next week.
I have a concern that they will be no better than the ones I have
now. I beleive that they simply marketed it with lower quality tool
rest parts than the less expensive models. Therefore, they will never
be square.
She said that they have shipped 4,000 of the GR450 units at this
point and no one has pointed out a "design flaw."
If these are the same and not square, then I will request what
appear to be higher quality tool rests that they have on their other
models (ex: GR250.)
Perhaps I can attempt to contact the Delta rep for the box store
that I bought the grinder at as well. They have really cut back on
their Delta stock. They told me it was due to Delta's recent inability
to meet demand. For what that is worth.
fingercutter
Here's the weird thing though: The smaller, lower-end models have
higher quality parts?! Take a look at the tool rests on the GR450:
http://www.deltawoodworking.com/index.asp?e=136&p=4652
and the GR250 or 275 etc...:
http://www.deltawoodworking.com/index.asp?e=136&p=848
Their Professional line only has ONE grinder, the 23-725 and it is slow
speed only.
On 2005-03-18, fingercutter <[email protected]> wrote:
> First off, long time no post. Been off to Iraq twice and didn't want
> to hear any cr@p about it so I only lurked when home.
Welcome home - glad you came back alive.
[snip]
> I want the tool, and I want the tool rests to function no less than the
> current less expensive models. (I'll worry about Veritas tool rests
> some other time.)
Japan woodworker has the Veritas 05M23.01 available for $37. This will
at least get you a working machine that you can use. The Delta tool
rests are defective by design. They've been cheapened to the point that
they look like tools, but aren't really usable except by accident.
(Someone, somewhere might get one that's square).
> Where on Earth do I contact Delta's Customer Service to raise this
> issue? I am a member to their club website. I must have or had a
> dozen Delta tools and I can not find a customer service number
> anywhere. The only thing I find is to call a local
> reseller/distributor repair shop. Shouldn't I be talking to THE Delta
> Customer Service instead?
Best I can do is the online comment/question form:
http://www.deltawoodworking.com/index.asp?e=101
Good luck...
--
I can find no modern furniture that is as well designed and emotionally
satisfying as that made by the Arts and Crafts movement in the early years
of the last century.
FWIW, I got a slow speed grinder from Woodcraft that also has poorly
made tool rests. I had to grind both of them down where they bolt up to
the attachment brackets; otherwise they sat at an angle to the wheels.
Maybe Delta OEM'd the grinder from the same sloppy mfgr?
Dave
fingercutter wrote:
> First off, long time no post. Been off to Iraq twice and didn't want
> to hear any cr@p about it so I only lurked when home.
>
> OK, I needed a grinder that could go low speed for beveling chisels and
> planes.
>
> It was "convenient for me" to buy a variable speed grinder. So I ended
> up with the Delta GR450. Top of the line as far as their Shopmaster
> line goes. Right?
>
> The thing is unusable. The tool rests are all wrong. What is odd is
> that the "low end" models such as the GR150 have better tool rests.
>
> The GR450 tool rest arms look like they are poured from molds. High on
> the left side and low on the right all around. I think I made
> something like it in boy scouts one night. Not so on the lower end
> models. The others are stamped, but, at least smooth and even all
> around.
>
> The rest itself is also molded iron and is completely unlevel. It is
> 1/4" higher on the left side than the right horizontally and uneven
> vertically. The rests mount on the arms on the INSIDE of the wheel.
> So the rest CANNOT even get up against the wheel the proper less than
> 1/16 (that their manual even states.) The low end models have milled
> and polished tool rests that mount on the outside of the arm.
>
> Speaking of the wheel. I can not get to it at other than a straight on
> horizontal plane. If the rest is canted at all on the arm, it rubs
> against the wheel. Great design!
>
> In final. The concept of the tool is what I was looking for and could
> not find elsewhere. The shop I bought it from will gladly take it back
> and give me my money.
>
> I want the tool, and I want the tool rests to function no less than the
> current less expensive models. (I'll worry about Veritas tool rests
> some other time.)
>
> Where on Earth do I contact Delta's Customer Service to raise this
> issue? I am a member to their club website. I must have or had a
> dozen Delta tools and I can not find a customer service number
> anywhere. The only thing I find is to call a local
> reseller/distributor repair shop. Shouldn't I be talking to THE Delta
> Customer Service instead?
>
> fingercutter
>
>It was "convenient for me" to buy a variable speed grinder. So I ended
>up with the Delta GR450. Top of the line as far as their Shopmaster
>line goes. Right?
I'm beginning to think there is no "top-of-the-line" when it comes to
any Delta tool that says Shopmaster on it.
>In final. The concept of the tool is what I was looking for and could
>not find elsewhere. The shop I bought it from will gladly take it back
>and give me my money.
>
>I want the tool, and I want the tool rests to function no less than the
>current less expensive models. (I'll worry about Veritas tool rests
>some other time.)
>
>Where on Earth do I contact Delta's Customer Service to raise this
>issue? I am a member to their club website. I must have or had a
>dozen Delta tools and I can not find a customer service number
>anywhere. The only thing I find is to call a local
>reseller/distributor repair shop. Shouldn't I be talking to THE Delta
>Customer Service instead?
Unfortunately, I've got a pile of Delta "shopmaster" stuff as well,
and it's all getting replaced as soon as I can afford it. Their
warranty service is great when to comes to replacing parts, but the
replacement is still the same part that broke the first time.
Just like anything, you get what you pay for- and if it's from that
shopmaster line, you're not paying for much.
Aut inveniam viam aut faciam