General (Canada) closing its main factory

[Van Huskey]

It may be the last of the Canadian built General machines, it is a shame but other than their table saw I doubt very few other Canadian built machines were sold. Makes me wonder how Northfield is doing, they do sell a significantly "heavier" line of machines, where General built light to light medium duty machines.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/47791/canadian-woodworking-machinery-maker-to-shut-down-plant/?&lookup=auto&V18=&V19=&V20=&V21=&V22=&V23=&V24=&V25=&V26=&V53=&V54=&Taun_Per_Flag=true&utm_source=email&utm_medium=eletter&utm_content=20120616-tight-f

[Chuck Saunders]

I just bought a Northfield #4, of course it is a '53 model but...

[Van Huskey]

I just bought a Northfield #4, of course it is a '53 model but...

Although I know Jeff (won't even attempt to spell his last name) at Northfield truely does appreciate those of us hobbyist and light commercial owners of his machines he knows that if we don't need parts when we first buy the used machine we will likely never need any parts from him since it would be hard for us to wear anything out... I would much rather have a business model based around supplying parts for Asian machines than than selling parts AND machines like Northfield and in this case Canadian General machines, I heard 5 or so years ago General sold less than 10 of their largest (at the time) Canadian built planers in a calender year...

[Gary Herrmann]

Damn. I've got 4 Canadian General tools. Tablesaw (650), Jointer (480), Planer (130), Sander (100-5). Very well made tools. Like PMs and Deltas from the 50s and earlier. Mine have run flawlessly, whether bought new or used.

Get them while you can. I'll be keeping my eyes open for their other tools I've been wanting.

[Ryan Wood]

I have never bought a tool from general tools. I took a look once but their prices were so much higher than every one else. I usually end up buying used. I got my table saw , band saw , and jointer all used and all made in the USA for less than the cost of even the cheapest and worst imports. I got my delta platinum edition contractors saw with unifence in perfect shape for 300 with another 300 worth of accessories thrown in. My band saw is a 1970's delta Rockwell 14 inch with a enclosed base that I got for 300. My jointer is a craftsman from the late 70's that I picked up for 100 until I can find a nice delta jointer. My point is that well general does make good tools but their prices to me are really to high. They were asking 1400 for a 14 inch band saw. It did have 12 inches of resaw but for that price you could find a old delta 20 inch band saw and have money left over. Of course I do have new tools all my portable tools I got new because of all the advancements made in smaller tools such as lighter weight and more functions. I would rather have a new 12 inch miter saw than a old smaller one that's not not as accurate but what I think is that for any tools that is all heavy duty cast iron that used is the way to go. What is funny is that my band saw and jointer are at least 25 years older than me.

[Peter Quinn]

Im saddened by this news in spite of the fact that I've never seriously considered buying anything from General.

[Chris Fournier]

I've wondered when this day would finally arrive and now that it has, on a sentimental level my woodworking world is smaller and a bit shabbier.

I started out as many here have, I bought what I could afford to start up my shop. $5Gs to buy a jointer, planer, bandsaw, drill press and air compressor. The drill press and bandsaw were Deltas, the AC was an Ingersol Rand and the jointer and planer were Tiawanese. I thought that I could do without a table saw; I was going to build guitars. It wasn't long before I knew that I needed a tablesaw and I wanted a new General 350 - my first "real" piece of equipment. I ponied up and bought one, using it for 18 years. That saw was flawless and I miss it to today. I sold it for very close to what I bought it for and it was a good deal for the buyer. That saw was my first real equipment lust.

The General showed me all of the manufacturing short cuts and shabby materials in the off shore equipment that I owned. Over time I traded up to European and North American equipment through out my shop. I have to say that each machine represents its own value, I am not dissing the Tiawanese equipment that I owned; for the money I spent it served me well - I was able to get these machines to cut square and flat. I simply no longer want to woodwork with equipment like that.

I'm not going to claim that the offshore equipment that is so popular today killed General, that would be too simplistic. While the offshore iron certainly contributed to Generals closing I think that more importantly General did not invest in new designs and production technologies. General was started in 1946 and their product looks like that to this day. Put a General X beside a European machine and it looks like a museum exhibit. Could General have operated more like a North American Felder type manufacturer? Perhaps. Unfortunately General went the "International" route selling what I think is pretty poor low end offshore equipment in my favoutrite green (well close to). I can't stand this business model, it's why our curbs are so loaded with broken consumer items on garbage pick up day. I guess the accountants have a more positive view of the model.

The long and short of it is this: if you have the chance to own a machine like General, whether you buy it new or carefully used I think that you will find the experience rewarding.

[Gary Herrmann]

The only General I bought new was the 650. I paid $2000 for it about 7 years ago. At the time that was the same price as the PM2000. The others were demos or used. Once I had and used the TS, I was hooked on their tools. So, I kept my eyes open for deals.

The sander was $800. They retail for $8000. It's a beast. So, I guess the Generals represent arn of a manageable weight and size for my shop.