Steel City Tools...New Shaper

[John Carlo]

Here are my comments to them and their response regarding their 3 HP industrial shaper.

Dear Mr. Carlo,

Thank you for your purchase of the Steel City Shaper. We appreciate you taking the time from your busy schedule to send us these tips.

Best Regards,

Jim Box

Steel City Tool Works


The following is a submitted comment from a user of the Steel City Tool Works Website:

User's Name: John Carlo


Subject: Shaper Flaws


Comment:
I just bought one of your 3 hp shapers from Marsh Power Tools in Livonia, MI. Overall it is a good buy for the money. I already have two Delta shapers. I wanted a third and considered many options. The big flaw in your shaper is the fence boards. Come on guys...trying to hold them to their brackets with 1/4" screws into MDF? This was a real disappointment. The board was broken off on the showroom sample and mine broke off when I simply grabbed the end of the fence to adjust it. I fixed the problem by using some epoxy on the screws and by spreading some epoxy behind the brackets. I'll have to remove the epoxy with a solvent when I eventually replace the boards. Also the edges of the table and or extension wing were not milled true and the tables wouldn't line up true without shimming with a small washer wedged at the left front corner. Alignment is now good but having to do so took a lot of time and blemished the perception of your quality. Finally, you manual states to change belt speed, simply walk the belt to the other steps. The belt was factory installed so tight that this was totally impossible. I had to loosen the motor mounts and then move the belt and then create a belt tensioner tool to restore proper tension. You could have easily engineered such a device into the machine. I simply used a large eye bolt. I am concerned as to how long that tiny belt will last. I would have paid a bit more for better design and manufacturing.


Submitted: April 14, 2008 09:07

[Chris Allen]

I'm assuming their response didn't inspire much confidence in your purchase? I'd probably feel the same. I see the shard in their response, but missed the sympathy and helpfulness.

I'm looking for a new TS, and Steel City is on my list of options. I'll store this info away in the memory banks ;)

[Dave Lehnert]

I can understand why a company may not elaborate on comments sent to them. admit a flaw and the liability issues open up. You never know when a personal e-mail from a company to a customer may get posted on the internet. LOL!!!!

[John Carlo]

I will say that their miter gauge is the best in my shop. The mechanism for taking up the slack in the track is way better than most of the new ones that merely use set screws. They have two movable steel plates adjusted by two screws and an opposing screw on the opposite side. It really works well. I assume the ts would feature the same.

[Mike Heidrick]

John, if you noticed the broken fence in the showroom why did you buy the SC shaper? If you own two Delta shapers you may have a model with the 43-812 delta heavy duty shaper fences. That fence alone is more than $500 so it definately changes the value of the Delta shaper. Was the SC cheap enough to offest the option of buying an aftermarket fence?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41o0jVlzWLL._SL500_AA280_.jpg

[Paul Simmel]

Here are my comments to them and their response regarding their 3 HP industrial shaper.

Dear Mr. Carlo,

Thank you for your purchase of the Steel City Shaper. We appreciate you taking the time from your busy schedule to send us these tips.

Best Regards,

Jim Box

Steel City Tool Works


The following is a submitted comment from a user of the Steel City Tool Works Website:

User's Name: John Carlo


Subject: Shaper Flaws


Comment:
I just bought one of your 3 hp shapers from Marsh Power Tools in Livonia, MI. Overall it is a good buy for the money. I already have two Delta shapers. I wanted a third and considered many options. The big flaw in your shaper is the fence boards. Come on guys...trying to hold them to their brackets with 1/4" screws into MDF? This was a real disappointment. The board was broken off on the showroom sample and mine broke off when I simply grabbed the end of the fence to adjust it. I fixed the problem by using some epoxy on the screws and by spreading some epoxy behind the brackets. I'll have to remove the epoxy with a solvent when I eventually replace the boards. Also the edges of the table and or extension wing were not milled true and the tables wouldn't line up true without shimming with a small washer wedged at the left front corner. Alignment is now good but having to do so took a lot of time and blemished the perception of your quality. Finally, you manual states to change belt speed, simply walk the belt to the other steps. The belt was factory installed so tight that this was totally impossible. I had to loosen the motor mounts and then move the belt and then create a belt tensioner tool to restore proper tension. You could have easily engineered such a device into the machine. I simply used a large eye bolt. I am concerned as to how long that tiny belt will last. I would have paid a bit more for better design and manufacturing.


Submitted: April 14, 2008 09:07

Sorry, but this is a hit job if I ever saw one.

>>> I fixed the problem by using some epoxy on the screws and by spreading some epoxy behind the brackets.

I’ve never seen the SC shaper, nor its fence, but I can tell you that the MDF fence boards are supposed to be removable/replacable. I, and every other shaper owner, have many different fence-boards for different operations, and using them is just part of the setup. You may well own two other shapers, but have you ever used them???

If you did tell SC that *you* had to re engineer their machine, I’d say their response was more than appropriate.

[John Thompson]

Ditto what Paul said... and I will add that over the course of 35 years of WW machine purchases, I have never seen a machine that I wouldn't or didn't modify in some way. If there is a minor flaw that proves to be an actual flaw, I believe they will correct it from my experience witih them. That experience is owining 3 of their machines.

When I first got my 18" BS... I felt the M6 thumbscrews for bearing adjustments were too small to grasp firmly. They went out locally and purchased larger ones and sent them to me as it takes time to make a design change at the factory. But... any one that has the earlier model can "call" Jim Box (head of technical opertions) and they will be sent a package of the large thumb screws.

As a general blanket statement... it is best to "call" Jim Box at Steel City directly @ 1-877-724-8665 and explain your problem if you want it resolved. If it is a legitimate problem... he will resolve it from my experience of dealing with them. And he acutally prefers to speak to you personally over the phone as opposed to e-mail exchange and that's a fact!

And what you will find is that he knows his product and is very personable over the phone. Steel City has a 5 Year Warranty and from every indication I have seen... they fully intend to back up what they state.

Regards...

Sarge.. john thompson

[John Carlo]

Yes, it was a significant savings and there are some features that rival the Delta such as the miter gauge which was a surprise to me and the inclusion of two clear guards for shaping with a collar or piloted router bit. There is even a cast mount for use with just the clear guards. Once modified, I love it!

[John Carlo]

It sounded like the usual corporate brush off. From what you told me, it sounds like they really do listen. This is good to know. Had he asked me to call him or had he called me I might have asked them to send me a spare set of brackets. With the mods I made it turns out to be an exceptional buy.

[John Thompson]

I would take a wild guess that you may have picked up the floor model from the fact the board was broken on the show-room floor. And that is the original 105 or 110 model. A fence improvement has already been made on the newer 115 and 120 models.

Good luck and enjoy...

Sarge..

[John Thompson]

It sounded like the usual corporate brush off. From what you told me, it sounds like they really do listen. This is good to know. Had he asked me to call him or had he called me I might have asked them to send me a spare set of brackets. With the mods I made it turns out to be an exceptional buy.

Corporate "blow-off" got a chuckle from me as.. the first time I called Steel City for a technical question, I asked for a technician. The young lady that answered the phone asked me to hold as the technician was in the warehouse sweeping the floor. Hmmmm......

I held for about 30 seconds and a gentleman answered in this manner... Steel City... this is Scott Box. Scott is vice president of Steel City and was indeed back sweeping the warehouse. He also showed up at my shop one morning on his way to B'ham to set up a new dealer. Wearing worn jeans and sneakers.

I believe these guys had about all the corporate they could handle for years with other tool manufacturers. They are just regular old tool guys trying to run a tool company to the best of their ability these days. :)

Regards...

[Travis Gauger]

I agree with John 100% on this. I have re-outfitted my entire shop over the past year. Value was #1 while shopping for my equipment. Dealt with most of the major equipment manufacturers and was floored by SC. Bought one of their jointers and it came with a chip in the paint. Called to ask for some touch up paint and they wanted the entire machine back. I didn't know at the time that I was speaking with Scott Box, who is now President of SCTW. I told him that I wasn't going to go through all that for a little chip. I'd just rub some wax on it or something. He politely asked that I didn't and that he would be in my area in about two weeks and could fix it then. I told him that he was more than welcome to stop by the shop and take a look at it. Exactly two weeks later he was at my shop and had a whole new fence for me as well as a little bottle of touch up paint. After about an hour of shooting the s*** with him in the shop, he stated he had to run and handed me his card. That's when I found out who he really was. Needless to say I was shocked. they stand behind their machine and they realize the value of impressing their smaller customers for this fact alone. If I make one person happy they are going to tel 2 or 3 of their friends about me. If I make 1 person mad, I am going to tell the world not to deal with them.

[John Carlo]

No. it was a brand new 115 placed in my van from the warehouse packed in the original shipping crate.

[John Thompson]

No. it was a brand new 115 placed in my van from the warehouse packed in the original shipping crate.

Recieved.... :)

Sarge..