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We are all aware of the inroads that Jet has made in the tool market.Pick up a wood magazine with a big tool showdown and there will be Jet.And when you add up the scores they are at the top of the list.Twelve years ago I bought a new Jet 14″ Bandsaw and a Stationary Sander.(I wanted Delta equiptment but could’nt afford it.)They are still working but they are underpowered,poorly designed,and have always been a real pain to keep tuned.Now I find it from hard to impossible to get replacement parts.But I am very glad to have had them.They have made it possible to do many nice projects.But I got what I paid for.Three years ago I went to the annual Woodworking Show to buy a new commercial duty table saw.I was very impressed with the new Jet.It was actually finished off better and cranked smoother than the Powermatic or the Delta.The finish and price on the Jet were tempting but I just could,nt.Once bitten twice shy.I had to ask myself:Are they as good as they say? Will they discontinue the parts after 12 years? Will they ever have the resale value the Delta has? Are they using cheap bearings and poor castings where you cant see them? If they wont stand behind their old equiptment can I trust them to stand behind the new? Time will tell.I have 2 Delta wannabes that I am going to sell( if I can) and get the real thing. So I bought the Unisaw.
So I pose these questions:
# 1 Am I the only one who is having problems with OLDER Jet tools?
# 2 Will the Jet ever have the reputation of the Unisaw?
# 3 Is Jet equiptment really improved or is it just show?
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Replies
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Just spoke with jet rep the other day. He wanted to sell me the old (blue) model at a $50 savings over the new (white) model. I was in the market for a 10" table saw. Apparently it was just a marketing move. Ive been looking for while now and Ill be going with a powermatic or a grizzly (both have good web sites to check them out)over both jet and delta. Both brands should invest more money in product and less in marketing
*There has been (color excepted) essentially no change in Jet tools in the last couple of years. But...the company has made significant improvements in both the specifications and quality of their tools when compared to their offerings of 12 years ago. I think your post refers to the long term picture, not short term. Jet tools are now worth considering as a viable alternative to any other manufacturer. As with any tools purchase, you still have to consider the specs and see the options in person to be sure of the right way to go.Dave
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We are all aware of the inroads that Jet has made in the tool market.Pick up a wood magazine with a big tool showdown and there will be Jet.And when you add up the scores they are at the top of the list.Twelve years ago I bought a new Jet 14" Bandsaw and a Stationary Sander.(I wanted Delta equiptment but could'nt afford it.)They are still working but they are underpowered,poorly designed,and have always been a real pain to keep tuned.Now I find it from hard to impossible to get replacement parts.But I am very glad to have had them.They have made it possible to do many nice projects.But I got what I paid for.Three years ago I went to the annual Woodworking Show to buy a new commercial duty table saw.I was very impressed with the new Jet.It was actually finished off better and cranked smoother than the Powermatic or the Delta.The finish and price on the Jet were tempting but I just could,nt.Once bitten twice shy.I had to ask myself:Are they as good as they say? Will they discontinue the parts after 12 years? Will they ever have the resale value the Delta has? Are they using cheap bearings and poor castings where you cant see them? If they wont stand behind their old equiptment can I trust them to stand behind the new? Time will tell.I have 2 Delta wannabes that I am going to sell( if I can) and get the real thing. So I bought the Unisaw.
So I pose these questions:
# 1 Am I the only one who is having problems with OLDER Jet tools?
# 2 Will the Jet ever have the reputation of the Unisaw?
# 3 Is Jet equiptment really improved or is it just show?