New power tools - Country of Mfg

[Maurice Arney]

I won't get into details but I need to re-outfit my shop with all new stationary power equipment (table saw, band saw, drill press, lathe etc.). From what I have learned in my search it seems that most equipment is now manufactured in either China or Taiwain. If this is true, then generally speaking, is the quality considered any better from one or the other? Do they have different quality standards etc?

Thoughts?

[Aaron Rosenthal]

I'm going to chime in and give MY OPINION ONLY.
Not a lot is manufactured in North America, from design to shop to distribution. "American" may mean North American or just designed here, manufactured there, distributed everywhere.
What I've always looked at, is "Who's name is on the product?".
My Milwaukee tools are manufactured in China, but they're still (in my mind) a great product. Same as Makita.
I look at consumer ratings, length of company life and all those semi-intangibles.
Sometimes I'm wrong, but that's my decision making process.
I'm not American, so I don't have the jingoistic "Buy American" mentality. I buy the best in my budget range, irrespective of country of manufacture.

[mike stenson]

Quality is ultimately determined by the company that contracts the manufacturing as THEY control the specs and the QC standards. Both countries are capable of making excellent products. Just like any country is capable of making poor ones.

[Stewart Lang]

I think the general consensus is Taiwan is a little better than China. But you can't judge a product purely off the manufacture location, because as mentioned it's more dependent on the specs required from the buyer. There's excellent and poor manufacturers in both countries no doubt.

[Jamie Buxton]

Stationary machines are still manufactured in Europe. However, they’re more expensive than machines built in Asia.

[Will Blick]

Some machines are made in Asia, and many re sellers just slap their name tag on it.
this is why you see so many machines from many makers, that look identical, often they are.
But the higher end machines, tend to vary slightly based on the manufacturers specifications to the Asian builder.
AGreed that Taiwan is preferred over China for most ww tools.
Of course the Euro brands are mostly pro or higher end hobbiest.
I have owned some euro, some Taiwan. I tend to look for the features on the machine, and see how value those features are for my work and compare features vs. price and company dependability.
I have had great luck with Grizz, Powermatic, and even Jet. But I tend to buy their top of the line machines...
Follow reviews, ww are not shy, and when they have problems and frustrations, it ends up the internet...
Does General still manufacturer in Canada, or do they import now? If so, I guess no more N America ww tool manufacturing plants? I never owned any General tools, but their reputation is excellent from reviews I have read through the years...

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Will, General ceased production in Canada many years ago, followed by General International who sold machines made overseas.

As always, you get what you pay for, and what the engineering people specified, you can get very good imported machinery if you're willing to pay for it.

There is of course all the European machinery as well to choose from.............Rod.

[Peter Kelly]

I’d stick with Taiwan if those are the choices. They’ve upped their manufacturing game quite a bit over the years.

[Phil Gaudio]

Political issues aside, I'd go with Taiwan. If you factor in politics, its clearly Taiwan.


I won't get into details but I need to re-outfit my shop with all new stationary power equipment (table saw, band saw, drill press, lathe etc.). From what I have learned in my search it seems that most equipment is now manufactured in either China or Taiwain. If this is true, then generally speaking, is the quality considered any better from one or the other? Do they have different quality standards etc?

Thoughts?

[Ron Selzer]

I won't get into details but I need to re-outfit my shop with all new stationary power equipment (table saw, band saw, drill press, lathe etc.). From what I have learned in my search it seems that most equipment is now manufactured in either China or Taiwain. If this is true, then generally speaking, is the quality considered any better from one or the other? Do they have different quality standards etc?

Thoughts?

Grizzly on the spec sheet lists country of origin and length of warranty. They make to a lot of different price points. Shop Fox is owned/sold by Grizzly and sold by other distributors.
The Grizzly and Shop Fox tools I have meet the quality that I feel was advertised when I bought them.
SawStop has high quality for made in China and I got good customer service when I had an issue with my ICS. Very happy with my 5hp, 36" fence, mobile base ICS
Never seen a Martin however everyone says the quality is very high, course you pay a high price for it.
Quality will always cost more, yet more money doesn't always buy better quality no matter who the manufacture/seller is. Look each tools reviews over closely.
Felder, Hammer can be more competitive on some items than most people think. Really need to look at each tool and then decide if you want all one brand or if it makes a difference.
Jet burned me on quality on a Contractors saw years ago and I have bought from them since BUT I inspect the tool I am buying before paying for it or no deal.
Dealer makes a very big difference as all tools made will have a percentage made with problems, then it boils down to how the dealer handles the problem.
Good luck
Ron

edit to add: checked SawStop and it was made in Taiwan

[Alex Zeller]

My PERSONAL opinion is that the Taiwanese pay closer attention to their work. If it's a top tier brand they most likely have good quality control and catch the not so great stuff before it heads out the door. The other problem is if you make 5 tablesaws a year it's easy to check each one. If you make 50,000 then you are only checking a small sample and have to count on those making the saw to do it right. Finally while tools may look the same they often are not. Bearings may be the same size but unless you can read the name of the company that made it you don't know the quality. The same goes for motors. For example Powermatic tools often have their name on the motor on their Asian made stuff. Where in the good old days they most likely have a motor with the Baldor name on it. So it's anyone's guess who made the motor or even what country. So that made in Taiwan tool could have lots of Chinese parts in it. Your best bet is to narrow down a tool and just ask about it specifically.

[Phil Gaudio]

Grizzly on the spec sheet lists country of origin and length of warranty. They make to a lot of different price points. Shop Fox is owned/sold by Grizzly and sold by other distributors.
The Grizzly and Shop Fox tools I have meet the quality that I feel was advertised when I bought them.
SawStop has high quality for made in China and I got good customer service when I had an issue with my ICS. Very happy with my 5hp, 36" fence, mobile base ICS
Never seen a Martin however everyone says the quality is very high, course you pay a high price for it.
Quality will always cost more, yet more money doesn't always buy better quality no matter who the manufacture/seller is. Look each tools reviews over closely.
Felder, Hammer can be more competitive on some items than most people think. Really need to look at each tool and then decide if you want all one brand or if it makes a difference.
Jet burned me on quality on a Contractors saw years ago and I have bought from them since BUT I inspect the tool I am buying before paying for it or no deal.
Dealer makes a very big difference as all tools made will have a percentage made with problems, then it boils down to how the dealer handles the problem.
Good luck
Ron
Thats odd, my SawStop is made in Taiwan???

[Ron Selzer]

Thats odd, my SawStop is made in Taiwan???


OK now I will have to check on mine, won't be the first time I have been wrong.
Still happy with the quality no matter where it was made
Ron

edit to add: checked and it was made in Taiwan

[Phil Gaudio]

You had me worried for a second: I have a firm no China policy in my shop (when at all possible, and these days it is getting more and more difficult).


OK now I will have to check on mine, won't be the first time I have been wrong.
Still happy with the quality no matter where it was made
Ron

[Maurice Arney]

Thanks for the input everyone. My priorities are quality and customer service. I do have a budget however, so trying to avoid the higher priced brands like sawstop or festool. Just looking for good tools at a reasonable price.

[Ron Selzer]

Thanks for the input everyone. My priorities are quality and customer service. I do have a budget however, so trying to avoid the higher priced brands like sawstop or festool. Just looking for good tools at a reasonable price.


Grizzly would be hard to beat then, just have to decide which machines meets your needs as there is a lot of choices.
Ron

[Jim Becker]

"Technically", Taiwan is part of China...that said, I agree with the statement early on in this thread that regardless of where something is actually physically made, the company that is providing the specifications and overseeing that they are met is the real bottom line when it comes to quality in the global marketplace. The "exact same product" may come down the same line, but get different color paint. But it's the "exact same product" only if it's held to the same standards as a unit of a different color. A brand that has in-country resources to monitor that is likely going to have a stronger case for selling a "better" product.

[Mel Fulks]

Jim , I just reread that whole China - Tiawon thing. And reccomend it. I think "technically ,Taiwon is part of China is way too strong. Pretty sure it won't be allowed to be its own topic here. So I conclude with ...read and decide. There is still
argument about who own the poles.... I say it's the bears and big bunch of blubber bearing beasts !

[Phil Gaudio]

]"Technically", Taiwan is part of China.[/U]..that said, I agree with the statement early on in this thread that regardless of where something is actually physically made, the company that is providing the specifications and overseeing that they are met is the real bottom line when it comes to quality in the global marketplace. The "exact same product" may come down the same line, but get different color paint. But it's the "exact same product" only if it's held to the same standards as a unit of a different color. A brand that has in-country resources to monitor that is likely going to have a stronger case for selling a "better" product.

Jim: I will be as kind as I can here: stick to woodworking, before you start a geopolitical kerfuffle. Those F-16 fighter jets Taiwan sent to intercept chinese bombers recently might suggest that Taiwan is technically not part of china. Phil

[John Goodin]

Just about everything at Harbor Freight and the Apple store is made in China which shows country of origin is not as important as the manufacturing specs and quality control.
As for what the OP says about the tools needed and budget the Grizzly website would be a great place to start. Then maybe hit Rikon, Laguna and Jet.

[Jim Becker]

Me things that folks are taking my statement too strongly and yes, we are not going to get into geopolitical discussion here. My tongue-in-cheek statement was not made to start one. The rest of what I wrote is accurate...who is in control and monitoring the specifications and quality control is what matters the most.

[Tom Bender]

From a manufacturer's point of view; example, when some castings come thru inspection and are a little out of spec there is a temptation to ship them to one brand or another depending on customer relations and specs.

[Jim Matthews]

Chinese products come off the newest, most advanced factory lines on the planet.

Unless you're buying something that requires artisans production, there's little to fault in Chinese manufacturing.

My mainland Chinese Makita impact drill and standard driver are more than ten years old. The original batteries still work.