Woodcraft no longer selling Steel City product?

[David Song]

Hi guys!

My first post here. I found this forum via guitar building forum. I was shopping around for drill press and bunch of posts on this forum lead me to look at Steel City DP. So I called few Woodcraft stores around Northern California only find out they will no longer carry Steel City. Now Steel City DP is still posted on their web and each stores are individually owned so I guess each owners can decide what products they can carry.

Is this old news?
Anyone know why they might be doing this?

Thanks, David

[Dave Sweeney]

I don't know why but I'd guess it probably is due to lack of sales.

[Mike Heidrick]

I don't know why but I'd guess it probably is due to lack of sales.


I doubt that is anything new for Woodcraft though. They stock a lot of low selling items I bet.

[C Scott McDonald]

Don't see much Rikon in the stores anymore either.

[Orlando Gonzalez]

I went looking for a SC mortiser at the Woodcraft near me and they too do not carry SC products. The owner's rational was that it was a matter of servicing the product. They carry Saw Stop, PM, Delta, Jet, Rikon because they can be serviced locally if a problem arises, while the SC has to sent out. I don't know if this is completely valid, but I do know that PM, Jet, Delta have service centers in the tri-county South Florida area.

[Jon Lanier]

I was just at my local Woodcrafters and they just got in a few new Steel City saws and such... with granite tops.

[Peter Gregory]

There are metrics of inventory being turned in a store. Depending on margin, you need to turn it (or sell it) about 4 times a year to have a solid profit. I'm going to guess, you can't turn a complete line of power tools at a Woodcraft and make more money than stocking the stuff they already stock. Otherwise, we would see bigger stores or more "big iron." A complete collection of large woodworking machines doesn't happen, that I have seen, even in the biggest city. For example, you don't see a PM66, Delta unisaw, Steel City granite top and Jet cabinet saw in the same place, the inventory costs would eat the store alive.

The webpage, on the other hand, is a completely different deal. Woodcraft stocks nothing. They take the order, and have the maker/distributor drop ship it to the buyer. So, the webpage can carry everything on Earth. Only problem is making sure that the shipping happens efficiently, so the customer doesn't get mad.

Guess that is why magazines do tool reviews, you never see all the compeditors in the same place.

[Doug Shepard]

... For example, you don't see a PM66, Delta unisaw, Steel City granite top and Jet cabinet saw in the same place, the inventory costs would eat the store alive.
...


I was actually in a store Saturday that had 3 of those 4 and SawStop rounding it out to 4 instead of the Steel City. Plus a 5th General cab saw. Just went in there for a couple flex hose clamps but had to look the SawStop over for the first time, which they had just gotten 2 weeks ago. Plus PM, Delta, and Jet lathes.
http://performancetoolcenter.com/index.html

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

As I'm sure you know, I work Part time at Woodcraft. Just a note about Rikon. There has been a shortage of "aged" castings. On top of that Rikon received literaly a "Shipload" of machinery that did not meet spec's. This has put them in a hole. We JUST started material (two mini lathes). We hope to start getting more, this month or next.

Bruce

[John Thompson]

David... Peter is correct for the most part. Your Woodcraft store manager is partially correct but not totally on target either. And I will add as Doug did that there are stores that carry the majority of lines as Redmond and Son Machinery here in Atlanta. But.. they are a commited sales and service company for wood and metal-working and have just moved from a 30,000 sq. ft. facility to twice that I believe from the picture of the building.

I spole with Jim Box (brother of Scott Box.. president of Steel City Toolworks) who is head of technical and customer service. Steel City has a contract with Woodcraft and every store can order the machines. Some actually carry them on hand and there is a reason some do and some don't.

If you do decide to carry in-store.. there is an initial quota that must be met. Some WC stores can't afford the initial buy in or... they just don't have the space to carry an entire line. Those stores can order piece by piece though as again there is a contract with the WC franchise.

Steel City prefers the distributor to also be a servicer.. but had to waive that as Woodcraft is large and allows large exposure in almost every state. So.. being that most Woodcraft don't have know-ledgeable staff to service machine... the store can order parts or.... you call Steel City direct and ask for Jim Box. He has independent service agents lined up through-put the U.S. that he will send to your home by arrangement.

So... I hope this sheds some light on what you found. You often get speculation from various sources but speculation is speculation and not always the truth.. the whole truth and nothing but the truth as the real facts are not always known nor presented.

Good luck with what-ever you purchase...

Sarge..

[Greg Karol]

As I'm sure you know, I work Part time at Woodcraft. Just a note about Rikon. There has been a shortage of "aged" castings. On top of that Rikon received literaly a "Shipload" of machinery that did not meet spec's. This has put them in a hole. We JUST started material (two mini lathes). We hope to start getting more, this month or next.

Bruce



This is funny to me but not surprising. Rikon makes drill presses under the brands for SC, Powermatic, Rikon, Central Machinery (HF), Grizzly, Jet, and many others. In fact the only tool maker I am sure doesn't have Rikon make their drill press is delta. I read an article about how delta moved away from them because they basically sold their plans for their old drill press to everyone and thats why most of the drill press castings are the same.

[Nancy Laird]

This is funny to me but not surprising. Rikon makes drill presses under the brands for SC, Powermatic, Rikon, Central Machinery (HF), Grizzly, Jet, and many others.

Greg, I don't know where you got your "information", but you are incorrect in stating that Rikon "makes drill presses...for SC..." Steel City machines are ALL built in their own company-owned plant in China. They do NOT use any of the cookie-cutter factories in Taiwan. I'd suggest that you call SCTW directly and find out the real scoop. Scott Box will be happy to talk to you, I'm sure.

[Greg Karol]

Greg, I don't know where you got your "information", but you are incorrect in stating that Rikon "makes drill presses...for SC..." Steel City machines are ALL built in their own company-owned plant in China. They do NOT use any of the cookie-cutter factories in Taiwan. I'd suggest that you call SCTW directly and find out the real scoop. Scott Box will be happy to talk to you, I'm sure.


Well I apologize if that information is incorrect, but at the same time you can not argue that the design is nearly identical to all the other cookie cutter drill presses on the market.

[Nancy Laird]

What may sound like a dumb question: how many different ways CAN one design a drill press??

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I don't know where Greg got that inf, either. If you look at a Rikon, Jet, and Powermatic, they look NOTHING ALIKE! And the insides are different, too. I've had all three in 14" sitting beside each other and compared them for customers. Since I have a Grizzley and while it does look like a Jet or Powermatic, it looks nothing like a Rikon, either.

Bruce

OOPS. I am really screwed up. Here you all are talking about Drill Presses and I'm Talking about BAND SAWS!

Very SORRY folks-------------------------------------- Senior Moment.

Bruce

[James Carmichael]

I can't speak to DPs, but I know my local WC carries Steel City tools, I just examed some rock-top machines for the first time there a couple weeks back.

As for Rikon, the 18" BS is one of their bestsellers, they can't get enough of em.

[John Thompson]

Greg, I don't know where you got your "information", but you are incorrect in stating that Rikon "makes drill presses...for SC..." Steel City machines are ALL built in their own company-owned plant in China. They do NOT use any of the cookie-cutter factories in Taiwan. I'd suggest that you call SCTW directly and find out the real scoop. Scott Box will be happy to talk to you, I'm sure.

Yes maam... you are correct and you only need to look at the split head on the SC to see the casting is totally different in most respects. The thing they all have in common is they look like drill presses from several feet away as you mentioned.

Regards...

Sarge..