Anyone having trouble ordering tools?

[Travis Conner]

I bought a powermatic jointer and an edge sander. They told me they had 12 1285 powermatic jointers in stock then I go to order a couple weeks later and they're 2 months out.

[Richard Verwoest]

Hmmmm, sounds like at least 12 people had a good Christmas.

[Rob Damon]

I bought a powermatic jointer and an edge sander. They told me they had 12 1285 powermatic jointers in stock then I go to order a couple weeks later and they're 2 months out.

I believe the only PM tool that is still manufactured in the USA is the vertical panel saw 511. Everything else is made overseas in Asia.

Powermatic normally does not sell direct to end users, so I am not sure who you are buying it from.
My understanding from talking to one of the factory engineers in Tenn several years ago, they order them in a fix number and when they are sold out, they reorder and then they are coming from China.

So, it could be inventory reporting system for the company you bought it from had not updated it's inventory or it may reflect what was available in Tenn. at the time.

Which means at this point if it is 2 mouths out, it is most likely in China or in-route on a ship soon to be held up in a warehouse in the US awaiting Customs clearance.

Woodcraft does alot of 10% sales of Powermatic tools through out the year and you may have just had your order put in line behind a dozen other people.

[Lisa Starr]

Yep. The pandemic has increased demand and decreased production. I'm just now receiving a Hammer machine I ordered in July. Of course, we all want our new toys right away, but I'd never sacrifice my choice of equipment due to lead time. At least for me, these are often once in a lifetime purchases.

[James Cheever]

Same here. Hammer jointer ordered in June; they expect to deliver in about two weeks. Same issue with a Powermatic planer and a Laguna dust collector (about two months). I'm also having the same issue with some small Woodpecker tools. However, in their case, it is their "estimated" delivery time that keeps slipping.

[Clifford McGuire]

I've been trying to replace my almost-dead Milwaukee ROS with a Bosch. Been on order since September.

I often look at big box and farm stores (usually Dewalt and Milwaukee) and they don't have any ROS's in stock.

[Joe Hendershott]

Pandemic always gets the blame. I don't buy it. Many companies have done fine providing items and many have not. It's not the pandemic, it's the management and mindset.

[Steve Coley]

I ordered a Grizzly table saw in December and scheduled delivery is September this year.

[Jim Becker]

"12 in stock" isn't a large number of anything including large tools and as folks have indicated, new supplies come in by container loads and that's via ship over the ocean which isn't a quick process. Those 12 could have been gone in just a few days or a week or so from when you first called. Nature of the business.

[Andrew Hughes]

Not only has the pandemic created a need for people to do something with their time YouTube has given them ideas.
The used woodworking machine market in my area is very strong. But I’ve seen it get very thin with higher prices.
I myself have a complete workshop. I still like to browse
I think there going to be lots of great buys if we can get back to life schedules before the China virus.

[Tom M King]

It's like that with more things than not.

[Travis Conner]

I believe the only PM tool that is still manufactured in the USA is the vertical panel saw 511. Everything else is made overseas in Asia.

Powermatic normally does not sell direct to end users, so I am not sure who you are buying it from.
My understanding from talking to one of the factory engineers in Tenn several years ago, they order them in a fix number and when they are sold out, they reorder and then they are coming from China.

So, it could be inventory reporting system for the company you bought it from had not updated it's inventory or it may reflect what was available in Tenn. at the time.

Which means at this point if it is 2 mouths out, it is most likely in China or in-route on a ship soon to be held up in a warehouse in the US awaiting Customs clearance.

Woodcraft does alot of 10% sales of Powermatic tools through out the year and you may have just had your order put in line behind a dozen other people.

Yeah it was a 10 percent sale or maybe 15 I can't remember. They said a lot of times the warehouse will say they have a certain number on hand, then they order it and that's not the case at all.

[Travis Conner]

Pandemic always gets the blame. I don't buy it. Many companies have done fine providing items and many have not. It's not the pandemic, it's the management and mindset.

I agree. I just sat in traffic for 30 minutes trying to make it 2 miles. People went back to work a long time ago.

[Tom M King]

I ordered two tall platform ladders from some a Black Friday sale on November 13th. The price was good, with free shipping. They took my money, and I'm still waiting. I'm not in a hurry for them anyway, but who knows if, or when they will show up. A refund was offered, because of unusually slow shipping, but I'll wait for a while longer, or at least until it gets close to the Statute of Limitations on debt.

[Dave Sabo]

Tom , ladders were a big seller on BF. Lowe’s sold 60,000 that week.

Sorry Joe H , but the pandemic is responsible for a lot of scarcities. Demand is up , factories close temporarily, ect... especially in Asia. Even if demand was forecast , or ramped up quickly, raw materials are scarce too. Lysol doubled capacity but can’t get enough juice to fill cans and had to resort to buying capacity from competitors. And it’s still not enough.

Then there’s shipping and logistic issues. And big picture issues. Think many people give a hoot about a hobbyist jointer and sander in the grand scheme of things ?

To be sure , a lot of executives were caught flat footed , but you don’t honestly think the majority are so lazy or inept, or Machiavellian that they don’t want to deliver product to willing customers. Do you ?

[Ken Howell]

What saw did you order? I ordered a 1023RL at the end of November and expect it around 2/26.

[Jay Rasmussen]

I believe the only PM tool that is still manufactured in the USA is the vertical panel saw 511. Everything else is made overseas in Asia.

My understanding from talking to one of the factory engineers in Tenn several years ago, they order them in a fix number and when they are sold out, they reorder and then they are coming from China.


Powermatic is selling well. I just purchased their 15" Planer and 6" jointer. They were in stock. Went through Woodcraft. Actually got the jointer from my local store. Thought about the 8" jointer, got the same response when I called Powermatic, very nice conversation but no specific delivery, she said hopefully early Feb.

Just FYI Rob, don't know about their other tools but both of my new ones and my 3520C say "Made in Taiwan" big difference from china.

[Steve Coley]

I ordered the 1023rl same as you. I got an email from Grizzly last week saying that they expected to receive a shipment around September 3rd. I called Grizzly about it, and they blamed it on COVID.

[Rod Sheridan]

Pandemic always gets the blame. I don't buy it. Many companies have done fine providing items and many have not. It's not the pandemic, it's the management and mindset.

Regardless of whether you believe it or not, the pandemic has drastically reduced industrial output on a global scale.

I’ve been on many virtual factory witness tests over the past year and spoken to many people in purchasing, engineering, production and test in North America and Europe, spacing on assembly lines has significantly reduced production leading to parts shortages and greatly increased assembly times.....Regards, Rod

[Doug Dawson]

Regardless of whether you believe it or not, the pandemic has drastically reduced industrial output on a global scale.

I’ve been on many virtual factory witness tests over the past year and spoken to many people in purchasing, engineering, production and test in North America and Europe, spacing on assembly lines has significantly reduced production leading to parts shortages and greatly increased assembly times.....Regards, Rod

People and the companies paying them are not just sitting around complaining. Money has to be made.