Anyone own some Baileigh machinery?

[Frederick Skelly]

I've seen their ads here. They offer a mortiser for $400 that has features I like. But I don't know anything about the company, other than that they're based in Wisconson.
1. Any of you folks have their stuff?
2. How do you like it?
3. How's their Customer Service?

Thanks!
Fred

[Ken Fitzgerald]

IIRC, Keith Outten bought a large tool from them.

[Martin Wasner]

I thought it was the same stuff as grizzly, powermatic, shop fox, enlon, etc?

[Keith Outten]

I own five machines that I purchased from Baileigh.

Floor model Spindle Sander
Horizontal Metal Bandsaw
Edge Sander
Magnetic Metal Brake
Mag Drill

The Baileigh machines I purchased are more expensive than some manufacturers but the quality of their machines that I own is impressive. Every machine has been perfect right out of the box, I haven't had to make adjustments of any kind. They are accurate, in fact every machine has exceeded my expectations.

[ken carroll]

I can't speak for the woodworking machines, but the metal working machines are generally the same stuff Harbor Freight etc sell but at twice or more the price. Apart from their high end RMD made machine. I guess if that's their business model for metalworking, I would suspect (but don't know) it's the same for WW.

[Keith Outten]

Ken,

You and I are not talking about the same company. I can't imagine anyone comparing Baileigh to Harbor Freight, either their woodworking or metal working machines. Maybe they have a very low cost line of machines that I don't know about but their primary machines I would rate very high in performance and quality. My metal cutting bandsaw is the most accurate band saw I have ever used, it will cut a perfect 45 every time on pipe, square or plate at twice the speed of my last metal band saw.

The Baileigh cast iron tops are perfectly flat and ground to a beautiful finish on every machine I own. The magnetic brake I have is an exceptional machine, very heavy duty and is the only brake that I have ever seen that will bend an "S" curve, small closed boxes and pyramids. Watch the video on the Baileigh web site....its a pretty sweet machine.
.

[Mike Heidrick]

Keith - Baileigh is sourcing their woodworking tools just like Grizzly and Jet/Powermatic and everyone else from Taiwan and China. Guessing that was the meaning of the harbor freight comment. They have some specialty made in the USA metal tools but you will know them by the price. I own the PL-1340E metal lathe. Theirs included a Sino DRO which made it unique but it is a gearhead lathe from china. I know they are supporters of the site, and I like their tools too, but they are not making 80% of any of their tools here. A couple things I like - they stock parts for many tools here in the USA and they have awesome manuals for their tools. MUCH better than many distributors of the same tools. In fact if you buy another tool it may be worth getting the Baileigh manual. You do pay quite a bit more for them vs Grizzly though. Id not hesitate in owning another on of their tools though. My lathe is Rockin!

And yes I am talking about the Baileigh that you bought your tools from. :)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/Baileigh%20PL-1340E%20Metal%20Lathe/P6260011_zps8dfcdb82.jpg

[Earl Rumans]

I have their Jointer/Planer JP-1250 and I have been very happy with it. I have had it for almost 2 years now and it hasn't given me a single problem. It arrived very well crated and almost fully assembled, I had to install the fence is all. It was also perfectly setup, everything was aligned and square. I know Baileigh sources everything from Asia but so does everyone else, it all depends on what quality is requested from the overseas manufacturers. China and Taiwan can make very good stuff, or fairly shoddy stuff, it all depends on what the ordering customer wants to pay. I think Baileigh makes some very good quality machines and I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything from them.

[Keith Outten]

I've always been aware that Baileigh imports their machines from Asia, just about every company does. I have been a fan of Grizzly for more than two decades and I know that almost every vendor provides several quality levels of machines so they can meet just about every price point so Baileigh, Grizzly and just about everyone else provides options for those who prefer higher quality machines which these days are my preference. Honestly I learned long ago that when you shop for the lowest price you will almost always purchase lower quality.

For the record Baileigh is no long an advertiser here but that doesn't change my opinion of the machines that I purchased from them or their company.
.

[mark mcfarlane]

...I know Baileigh sources everything from Asia but so does everyone else, it all depends on what quality is requested from the overseas manufacturers. China and Taiwan can make very good stuff, or fairly shoddy stuff, it all depends on what the ordering customer wants to pay...

Earl makes an important point that seems to be repeatedly overlooked.

'Made in China' can, and many times does mean 'of the highest quality'. iPhones are made in China.

My other 'hobby/side business' is provisioning concert-level sound systems. Most of the electronics vendors in that space do their own designs and have the devices built in China. Many have ISO 9001 factories/processes, some have built their own factories from scratch, and many have their own QA people permanently on the factory floor (probably the cheapest way to ensure the right materials are used and the right processes are being followed),...

'Made in China' can be as good as a vendor wants it to be (i.e. is willing to pay for). The quality can exceed 'Made in USA, Europe,..., or it can be complete crap. The 'cost savings' part of building in China was due to absurdly low wages and basically taking advantage of the work force to work 70 hour weeks,..., This too is changing.

[Rod Sheridan]

[QUOTE=Earl Rumans;2481102]I I know Baileigh sources everything from Asia but so does everyone else, it all depends on what quality is requested from the overseas manufacturers.

No Earl. there are companies that make machinery in other places, not everyone sources there equipment from China.

I do agree on the quality issue being dependant upon price, they do make some very good equipment, if you pay for it................Regards, Rod.

[Mike Chalmers]

No Earl. there are companies that make machinery in other places, not everyone sources there equipment from China.

I think we all know that. I am attributing the statement to a generality regarding the topic at hand, not a statement of fact.

[Earl Rumans]

[QUOTE=Earl Rumans;2481102]I I know Baileigh sources everything from Asia but so does everyone else, it all depends on what quality is requested from the overseas manufacturers.

No Earl. there are companies that make machinery in other places, not everyone sources there equipment from China.

I do agree on the quality issue being dependant upon price, they do make some very good equipment, if you pay for it................Regards, Rod.
I was referring to the other companies in the Baileigh price range, Grizzly, Jet, Powermatic, Delta and such. Almost all their machines are made in Asia. Even SawStop is made in Asia and everyone raves about their quality. Very few home shop type woodworking machines, if any anymore, are still made in the USA. The others are mostly made in Germany, or Italy.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks folks. I like what I see, read and hear of them, so far. Their mortiser appears to be a good tool. I've just got to finish doing my homework on them. I have requested a quote though.

As always, thanks for your help!
Fred

[Greg R Bradley]

I walked over and spent a fair amount of time looking at their tools at their Ontario, California showroom. I certainly am impressed with many of their tools but it is clear the emphasis is on metal working tools. We would buy some tools from them but they are shipped from the mid west and they charge way too much for freight.
If you are somewhere close to their main business in the mid west, I would look hard at their tools.

[ken carroll]

As I said, I'm not familiar with their WW machines, but I am quite familiar with their metalworking machines. As far as I know, Baileigh doesn't manufacture a single metalworking tool of their own. Their RMD made machines (the big yellow ones) are very expensive and not main line Baileigh machines. Their white machines are identical to those sold by Harbor Freight ("Beverly" shear, English wheel, 3in1 combo machine etc) . Their mid size english wheel is identical to the Grizzly, Jet (and others) machine. Similarly, their bead roller, finger brake etc.

The other thing I do not like about Baileigh is that they appear to clone machines from other non-asian makers and get them made in China at a fraction of the cost, this disregard of intellectual property is a very bad thing for those companies who spend money on R&D only to have their sales wiped out by the cheap Chinese copy. Namely their copy of the "magnabend" magnetic finger brake and the "Lazze" deep throat shrinker/stretcher.
I have one of the Lazze deep throat shrinker/stretchers and it ticks me off that they sell a carbon copy Asian knockoff for less than half the cost with ZERO R&D invested.

OK, Rant over.