Am I being picky with a scratched plungelift?

[Raymond Fries]

For those of you Incra people that have aluminum inserts or lifts, please give me some advise.

I received my plunge lift today and was surprised to find many scratches across the top after all of the good I have read about Woodpeckers. These are deep enough that you can feel a bump running your fingernail across them.

I have never had an aluminum insert before and have no idea of what to expect from wear. Do they eventually get scratched to the point where these scratched will just be a part of the blur, or will they stand out forever?

I think if you pay $170 for a product is should not arrive in the condition that mine did. I keep my tools in as good of shape as possible and am a very picky guy about little stuff. These bother me but I want to be a realistic. If it will eventually look like this anyway, why should I bother?

Thoughts anyone...

[Eric Gustafson]

I think if you pay $170 for a product is should not arrive in the condition that mine did.

I have to agree with you. Send those pics to Woodpecker, perhaps they will send you a trinket or something. However, over time, the surface won't look new forever.

[Jim Becker]

While anodized aluminum will scratch with use, I would think that for the most part a new item should have little or no scratching.

[Joe Mioux]

Al is soft.

If this was sold as new to you, I would ask for an explanation.

The scratches look pretty small and with use, they would probably had occurred anyway.

Let WP's see the pics and ask for an explanation.

Maybe you can get a few bucks knocked of the price.

Does the rest of the lift work as you expect, accurately and properly?

BTW, do you have any scratches in your ts, jointer, planer BS? I do due to use. Granted I love seeing brand new tools come in pristine, but sometimes they don't and when they don't you have to decide whether its worth the effort to argue.

Joe

[Randy Denby]

With the way the scratches are oriented...it looks to have been a returned item. I personally would want a new tool to look new. My lift is about 5 yrs old...and still looks good, with just a few minor scratches .

[Peter Pedisich]

Ray,

I bought a WP QuickLift about a year ago and it had lots of fine scratches that were under the black anodizing. And some that were over.
Never had a bad effect on the function though.

Mine arrived in a box with about as much interior protective packing as a pair of boots, wait, maybe less. When I picked up the box it sounded like a box of loose parts banging together, which is what it was.

The fact that they ship stuff (that cost $200!) like this makes me shake my head in disbelief. The lift I bought is an excellent product; well engineered and well made. Why stop there???

In my opinion, they do not understand how these packages are mishandled and the abuse they see before they arrive at our door, because if they did they would surely protect them better.

Good luck,

Pete

p.s. - in fact, until I hear evidence of WP improving their packaging, I don't think I'd order more of their products. Why chance it? There are alternatives.

[John Lucas]

For those of you Incra people that have aluminum inserts or lifts, please give me some advise.

I received my plunge lift today and was surprised to find many scratches across the top after all of the good I have read about Woodpeckers. These are deep enough that you can feel a bump running your fingernail across them.

I have never had an aluminum insert before and have no idea of what to expect from wear. Do they eventually get scratched to the point where these scratched will just be a part of the blur, or will they stand out forever?

I think if you pay $170 for a product is should not arrive in the condition that mine did. I keep my tools in as good of shape as possible and am a very picky guy about little stuff. These bother me but I want to be a realistic. If it will eventually look like this anyway, why should I bother?

Thoughts anyone...

My first thought is to tell you that you do not suggest that Incra is involved. Woodpeckers is an Incra dealer but the lifts have nothing to do with them. You bought new.

I think that WP should be more responsive. Make them work for you.

[Jim O'Dell]

I agree it looks like a return. I bought a "B" stock PRL that has fewer scratches on it than what you show. Mine came with full lifetime warranty, and about 70.00 off the regular price tag. I'd talk to Woodpeckers and send them the pics. They are really good people, and I'd be very surprised if they didn't make good on this.
My PRL came in a box with a cardboard cutout on the inside that kept the lift from moving around. If others have received lifts that were loose in the box, I'd suspect some rough handling by the shipper. Jim.

[Gary Keedwell]

If the scratches are UNDER the anodizing, it means that it was slipped through before preparation, and was anodized OVER machine handling scratches. DAKHIKT Send it back if it really bothers you....because every time you look at it in the future.......
Gary K.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

No you are not~!!

Just because you are going to beat the daylights out of a thing does not lighten the burden of the manufacturer to deliver you a unit with no defects or scratches.

After all if you wanted a factory second - - - you'd have paid the factory second prices.

[glenn bradley]

My gut tells me that item was used and returned. A discount for buying a used item or exchange for a new item as expected would be my reaction. I've run a lot of material across my blue anodized router plate over the last two years and I have no scratches (more like smudges) that are perceptible by touch. I do have a couple good ones on my planer bed where I ran a metal piece through ;-(

[Mike Goetzke]

I too bought a QL about a year ago and it had some spots where it was obvious a de-burring tool hit the top. The scratches could be detected easily w/ a credit card. The plate was anodized anyway. WP sent out another lift for replacement. I agree, they are nice lifts but for the price they should be flawless.

Mike

[Raymond Fries]

All of you are telling me what my gut feeling was; it shoud be returned. Hopefully, the next one will be scratch free.

[Matt Moore]

Call Woodpeckers. Most have had excellent dealings with them. Likely they will satisfy you.

[Dave Sweeney]

A 50% credit on what you paid for it sounds like a nice compromise to me. If they won't go for that then let them replace it with another. Make sure they foot the bill for the return shipping costs for the "used" one they sent you in the first place.