Jet DC cone tech - WHY NO RETROFIT????

[Sean Hughto]

I have one of Jet's cannister dust collectors - the most common(I'm assuming) 1.5 HP one. I've always been rather disappointed with how often I have to remove the cannister and shop vax out all the chips that lodge in the folds. Well it seems I'm not the only one, and Jet has now come up with a baffle to take care of the problem. Trouble is, Jet refuses to offer a retrofit kit to add the baffle to my existing Jet DC (I called Jet customer service as was told, they considered it, but decided not to). In my book, that's terrible customer service. I'll personally think long and hard about whether to buy any more Jet equipment. I have the ceiling mount air filter, a 1642 lathe, and tons of Powermatic (same company) stuff - TS, BS, mortiser, etc. If this is how they're gonna treat me when they come up with improvements for products they put out that are lacking, I think I'm looking elsewhere next time. Here's the details on the CONE offering for anyone who might have missed it:

http://content.jettools.com/vortexco...e-brochure.pdf

[Dan Hintz]

Don't you think that's a little harsh, Sean? You're claiming Jet has bad customer service because they don't allow you to cheaply upgrade to the latest and greatest enhancement, and that doesn't sound a bit self-important to you? Give them a break.

If you're so concerned about the clogging, make yourself an MDF Thien baffle as an insert and enjoy the benefits of the cone's work without the cost (free plans and pics have been posted multiple times here on the Creek).

[Sean Hughto]

Just my personal feelings. I think if I've invested in an expensive tool, and the developer comes up with something that is a fraction of the cost of the total machine and that really ought to have been on there in the first place - like a riving knife for a table saw or this baffle for the cannister - they ought to make the retrofit available rather than expecting users to rebuy the huge and expensive tool or limp along with an inferior product. I think Jet decided that they would make more money by denying people the retrofit. I think that generates bad will. Perhaps I'm unreasonable. Whatever.

[Dan Hintz]

You didn't consider it an inferior tool when you bought it, did you? What if Festool came up with the idea and put it in their machines first... would you blame Jet for not having done the same, or call their tools inferior? It's your party, man, but I do feel you're being a bit unreasonable... I can understand being bummed it's not offered, but calling it poor customer service that they won't piece out parts from new designs just so you can have the latest and greatest innovations is, IMO, simply sour grapes.

[Sean Hughto]

You didn't consider it an inferior tool when you bought it, did you?

I didn't know that the cannister would quickly fill up with chips in use and and be a royal PIA to clean out when I ordered the machine, yes, you are correct. And I absolutely would still think Jet's DC inferior if another company had come up with this solution (same when comparing table saw with splitter and without regardless of brand). I have been a loyal customer to Jet/Powermatic for many years. I assume they appreciate my good will as expressed by my continued purchases and recommendations to other woodworkers. I would hope that the good will were a two way street, and they they would make it possible for me to buy an upgrade in in my existing Jet equipment without having to buy a complete new machine.

[Ryan Hellmer]

I think the issue Sean has here is that it is clearly a simple add-on to their already industry standard 1100. I too would be expecting a simple upgrade kit for the hundreds of thousands of users out there that have made this model one of the industry standards. If it required an extremely technical or possibly hazardous modification, I could understand it, but from what I can judge, we're talking $3 in sheet metal and a few rivets. Since I don't have a jet (but a similar clone) I won't complain too loudly, but I can certainly understand your sentiment, Sean.

[Callan Campbell]

I stayed out of the fray on this one at its beginning since I like the two posters and what they've added to the Creek in the past-and will in the future. So here's my take on it.
I'm betting it's a liability thing. If the add-on kit is not installed correctly, and can possibly get caught up in the impeller or damage the dust collector, things will go wrong for Jet, et al WMH group in a hurry if an add-on kit sells well and CAN possibly be installed wrong. Sean, YOU know you can install it correctly , but JET doesn't, or isn't willing to bet alot of legal fees on it. That's my guess, I could be wrong...

[Matt Meiser]

If its that simple, why not find the parts in the exploded diagram and order them?

[Sean Hughto]

Could be, but for what it's worth, the baffle is installed basically in the middle of the cylinder area made up of the collection bag and filtration cannister. There are no moving parts, like the impeller in the area. All retrofits for any product have some possibility of DIYers doing it wrong, I suppose. My furnace company came up with a new air filter configuration that simplified changes and worked better. They trusted average Joes and Janes to install it. Every time you change out parts in your car, you risk doing it wrong - etc.. I dunno, I don't see liability being the reason here.

All that said, I suppose there may be some engineering issue or some such. If there is, they ought to publicize it so that owners like me of the old model can understand the refusal to make the retrofit available. I wonder if I get hold the schematic of the new model they'll send me the replacement parts I'd need? Here's hoping.

[Glen Blanchard]

Sean, I too think you are being a bit harsh on JET. If a company comes out with a better mousetrap, I don't know that I'd EXPECT them to offer a retrofit kit. I'd certainly like it if they did, but I don't think I'd shun them for not doing so. Just my $.02.

[Sean Hughto]

Fair enough. That's part of the reason I started the thread - to see what others thought.

That said,

When I upgrade my 1642, I think Robust and Oneway are going to have the inside track as opposed to Powermatic.

When I need a new dust collector, I think I'll be trying an Oneida.

Customer service and goodwill is important to me. I guess I'm an odd duck.

[Jeff Monson]

Sean, I'd be willing to bet if its a simple add-on and Jet wont offer it as one...someone else will. I own the similar dc but in a powermatic, I also hate the performance loss and frequency of filter cleaning. I've been looking at the thien baffle to help combat the problem. It would be REALLY nice if there was an add on though that did not require a seperate container. As many of these style dc units that are around, I'd assume it would be a short time before an aftermarket source jumps on this design.

[Sean Hughto]

Unless there's a patent ....

But here's hoping you're right. Cheers!

[Carl Babel]

I strongly agree with Sean. Not only that, but I think that this is a poor business decision on Jet's part: Jet has found a way to improve a given product. The relative cost of the piece that provides such improvement is a small fraction of the overall system cost. Jet could provide this piece as a retrofit, while making a profit and not sabotaging future sales (I am assuming that most of of their existing customers are unlikely to buy a whole new DC just to get this improvement). Not only that, but they would be maintaining goodwill.

Having said that, I would suggest pursuing a Thien baffle as a probably cheaper (and possibly better) solution.

[John Gregory]

Here is the reply I got from Jet today
Hello John,

Thank you for writing. We do offer canister filter kits that will interchange to fit the filter bag style DC-1000’s, but we will not offer a VX retrofit kit for the original DC-1100 series.


Thank you,

Debbie Sons
Internet Customer Support
Walter Meier (Manufacturing) Inc.
427 New Sanford Road
LaVergne, TN 37086
www.waltermeier.com