Shopsmith quality control issues?

[JohnG]

I hate that my first post is something negative, but this recent experience has bothered me.

Last month I ordered a strip sander while they were on sale. On the first one, the machining on the frame(part 12) was so far out of tolerance that I could measure it with a ruler, about 2mm or .08". Because of this, the platens couldn't be properly inserted. Customer service was great; I was set to receive a replacement less than 24 hours after I called. However...

When the replacement arrived, it was missing one of the two idler wheel assemblies (parts 14, 16, and 17) as well as the manual. Because I was waiting on the return tag for the original, I simply transferred the missing pieces from it to the replacement.

I really don't know what to think about this. This has unfortunately been the worst QC experience I've had anywhere and has made any future shopsmith purchase or recommendation uncertain. Is this one of those "struck by lightning twice" sort of things, or have other people seen a frightening decline in QC?

[algale]

I suspect if QC problems were wide spread there would be many more posts on this subject on the forum.

That said, I can't imagine how they could ship a strip sander without an idler wheel assembly. Makes me wonder how much manufacturing or assembly actually takes place at Shopsmith these days as opposed to at their suppliers' facilities.

[kablerj]

My experience with SS has been first rate. I purchased over $6,000 worth of tools from them in the past 6 months, including a new Mark 7, and all of it has been top notch.

Jim

[rjent]

My experience with SS has been first rate. I purchased over $6,000 worth of tools from them in the past 6 months, including a new Mark 7, and all of it has been top notch.

Jim

I agree! I have purchased almost the same amount, including a Mark 7, and everything has been exemplary. No complaints.

Dick

[JohnG]

My shopsmith was purchased May of '07 and I have a little less, probably around $5500, into all of it. This has been the first issue of any kind I've had with them. To go from that to 2 consecutive, almost comical failures in QC is what worries me. Based on the conversation I had with customer service, I can also confidently say that finish machining and assembly takes place at shopsmith.

[algale]

That's interesting info about the finish machining and assembly taking place in-house. Thanks for the info and, belatedly, welcome to the Forum. Until we hear of a slew of these types of problems, it would seem you just got extremely unlucky.