What machines does Harvey build that are relabeled?

[Eric Arnsdorff]

I'm considering buying a Laguna or Harvey bandsaw but I'm unclear who Harvey is or if they make good quality machinery. Their website makes their equipment look good but that's all I have to go on.

I really dislike how manufacturer's hide behind the marketing to sell you the same piece of equipment for much higher prices.

Harvey's website states "Harvey brand is known in woodworking markets everywhere except North America where we have, until recently, operated as an OEM supplier to many of the well known US machinery brands."

So who is it they make machines for?

[Jim Becker]

Julie M recently bought both their innovative dust collection system as well as their cabinet saw. There's threads here about them; saw here in GW&PT and DC in the Workshops area.

[Julie Moriarty]

This is a quote from Woodworker's Journal (https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/harvey-bringing-woodworking-education-china/):

Currently, Harvey Industries does business with 105 countries, both as a metal-working and woodworking tool supplier. In 85 of them, the company sells as its own Harvey Industries label. For the others, Harvey serves as an OEM supplier, providing machines for around 50 different tool brands.

I've tried to find out exactly which companies they are but to no avail. I get the impression there is an agreement between Harvey and their customers not to disclose.

[Steve Eure]

Don't quote me on this, but I do remember an article a few years ago that stated that many of the tools that we buy here in the states were made by Harvey. Don't remember which ones, but I was thinking they may be Laguna, Powermatic, Jet, and some Grizzlies machines. From what I gather, they pay special attention to quality. Check Stumpy Nubs videos. He has a few Harvey bandsaws and he loves them.

[Tom Trees]

I believe it's the company that used to make or distribute deft tablesaws.
Steve Maskery has one and seems to think fairly well of it.
You might get some hits if you add him in a search as well as changing standard arbors for longer ones
I believe it's right tilt Arbor, so that may give some clues possibly as to it being sold in USA perhaps?
Most saws on this side of the drink ... (Ireland/European market), have been left tilt for a long time .

[Bill Dufour]

Tom, Which side is that?
Bill D.
USA

[lowell holmes]

My shop tools were all purchased after touching them in a show room. If you shop, you will know what to do.
Lowes and Home Depot are good to start with, then go to place like Circle Saw.
https://www.circlesaw.com/

[Stewart Lang]

If Harvey supplied Laguna, Powermatic, Jet, Grizzly, etc. I'd find it odd that they suddenly want to compete with their own brand name, while still maintaining good supplier relations with their "competitors".

I don't think Harvey is supplying those big brand names, probably some smaller foreign brands and now they want to compete in North America. There's probably tens of thousands suppliers in Taiwan and China, and probably tens or hundreds that would be suitable quality-wise to supply Laguna, Powermatic, Jet, Grizzly, etc.

[Alex Zeller]

Harvey is not trying very hard to compete in the US. They only have a limited offering of their tools available on their site compared to what they make and I think the only place I've seen any of their products other than their own site is Rockler (which has a very limited offering). I don't know of any showrooms. They are like Geetech although Geetech bought the Oliver name to sell their products directly. Until recently you could find images of their factories with numerous brands of equipment being made. Now that seems to have been scrubbed. My guess is that companies like Powermatic don't want it to be too easy to find out who makes what.

[Julie Moriarty]

If Harvey supplied Laguna, Powermatic, Jet, Grizzly, etc. I'd find it odd that they suddenly want to compete with their own brand name, while still maintaining good supplier relations with their "competitors".

I don't think Harvey is supplying those big brand names, probably some smaller foreign brands and now they want to compete in North America. There's probably tens of thousands suppliers in Taiwan and China, and probably tens or hundreds that would be suitable quality-wise to supply Laguna, Powermatic, Jet, Grizzly, etc.

I had read something like what Steve E. said but haven't been able to find anything else to support that. I compared table saws, based on pictures, and there are a number of cabinet saws that look similar to Harvey's Alpha LC and Ambassador series, which are right tilt. But I haven't seen anything like mine (Alpha S series) which is a left tilt.

I do know the sliding table Harvey makes looks identical to the one Sawstop sells. And the one I have came with directions and hardware for mounting to a Sawstop.

But I agree with you that their commercial customers wouldn't be very happy if Harvey competed directly with them.

[Eric Arnsdorff]

I have found they do make the Axminster (that was pretty easy to find since it is on Harvey’s site and a model number that matches).
Thanks for the input!
The online marketing looks good and it appears they make good stuff. But my hesitation is related to what Alex summarized in that they seem to be dipping their toe in the US market for a company with what appears to be a sizable manufacturer with worldwide presence.

[andrew whicker]

When you say sliding, you mean the sliding attachment not an actual sliding saw, right?

[Mike Henderson]

I have found they do make the Axminster (that was pretty easy to find since it is on Harvey’s site and a model number that matches).
Thanks for the input!
The online marketing looks good and it appears they make good stuff. But my hesitation is related to what Alex summarized in that they seem to be dipping their toe in the US market for a company with what appears to be a sizable manufacturer with worldwide presence.

It may be that they're not offering products that they OEM to other companies that sell in the US. Trying to ovoid going into competition with their customers. But long term, if they see more profit by selling directly to customers, they will exit the OEM business. If they're not successful, they'll probably exit the direct sales business and go back to being an OEM supplier.

Mike

[Derek Cohen]

Harvey are quite popular and well respected here in Oz. For example, their Alpha table saws are considered alongside those badged by Laguna, but made by Harvey … https://www.harveywoodworking.com/collections/table-saws

There are subtle differences, enough to ensure that all have a choice.

At this time, their Gyro Air dust collector is the one I am aiming to purchase in a couple of years (when I retire and build a new workshop).

Their products appear to be well designed, well make and well priced. And this was before they purchased Bridge City Tools, which they continue to make.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Eric Arnsdorff]

So far I haven't found any bad experiences with Harvey. I looked up Julie's saw review which is encouraging. Derek it's good to hear it is well respected down under. I've made a decision matrix of the bandsaws that I could potentially purchase and it is one of the top ones. I may end up buying a Harvey.
There are a lot of unknowns such as if there is an issue and if any spare parts are needed. I have to give Grizzly credit on their spare parts. They support there equipment for a very long time. I suspect Harvey may not have the infrastructure to support such things for the machines available in the US.

[Bryan Lisowski]

Eric, to help enter the US market they acquired Bridge City Toolworks, which is an extremely premium brand. If I remember correctly there was some language about keeping with the standards of BCT. I know several people who bought the miter gauge and rave about it, many replacing Incra. If I was in the market I wouldn’t hesitate to give them a go.

[Julie Moriarty]

So far I haven't found any bad experiences with Harvey. I looked up Julie's saw review which is encouraging. Derek it's good to hear it is well respected down under. I've made a decision matrix of the bandsaws that I could potentially purchase and it is one of the top ones. I may end up buying a Harvey.
There are a lot of unknowns such as if there is an issue and if any spare parts are needed. I have to give Grizzly credit on their spare parts. They support there equipment for a very long time. I suspect Harvey may not have the infrastructure to support such things for the machines available in the US.

I have had a couple occasions where I needed to contact Harvey about some issues. Both times the response was immediate and they quickly shipped out new parts. But I have found it's best to contact them through their website. Calling them sometimes results in no answer or no response. Emailing them gets no response at all. Though the latter may be due to spam software.

One thing that does bother me is the cast iron used for the cabinet saw top seems a little soft. It scratches very easily compared to the old Delta contractors saw. Maybe this is common. I don't have much to compare it to.

[Julie Moriarty]

At this time, their Gyro Air dust collector is the one I am aiming to purchase in a couple of years (when I retire and build a new workshop).

Something to consider, Derek - While routing some stringy wood, I found the guard on the Gyro Air was getting clogged. The guard is there to protect the impeller, which is before the cyclone. My old DC had the cyclone before the impeller so no guard was necessary. The Gyro Air is somewhat quieter and much more powerful than my old DC but I wish they had put the impeller after the cyclone.

[Keegan Shields]

Keep in mind that if Harvey sells a single part, they become an OEM supplier. There’s no telling what parts or sub assemblies they provide to the different brands. Doesn’t necessarily have to be the finished product.

[Tom Henderson2]

Keep in mind that if Harvey sells a single part, they become an OEM supplier. There’s no telling what parts or sub assemblies they provide to the different brands. Doesn’t necessarily have to be the finished product.

bingo and excellent observation.

[Mike Henderson]

Keep in mind that if Harvey sells a single part, they become an OEM supplier. There’s no telling what parts or sub assemblies they provide to the different brands. Doesn’t necessarily have to be the finished product.

In the electronics industry, where I worked, a supplier was not considered an OEM supplier unless they supplied the final product, even if it was built to the buyer's specifications. If they supplied pieces of the product, they were a parts supplier.

Mike

[Mike Tekin]

When I worked at Woodcraft some years ago I received confirmation that Harvey makes the 14” SUV bandsaw for Laguna. If you look at Harvey’s C14 and compare parts lists minus the difference in guides, it doesn’t take much common sense to figure it out. Next, the no longer made Grizzly G0690/G0691, and equivalent ShopFox saws were Harvey saws. Also, can’t confirm but pretty confident there are other table saws made by both Laguna and Grizzly that may be Harvey. Prior to Harvey acquiring Bridge City tool works and selling their versions of machines, you were able
to look at the machines on Harvey’s website and see the 14SUV with ceramic guides sold to other countries besides US as well as see identical versions of table saws. I was also told that Harvey makes the wood lathes for Laguna. Harvey is a very reputable brand and builds great products - prior to buying a Sawstop I had their ShopFox version of their 3hp cabinet saw and it’s was the best built sub $2000 saw out there.