Pro-Planer problem

reible · Post by **reible** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 12:52 pm

"Serial number of an item, that item is "flagged" for historical..."

Do planers have a real serial number or just the same date code used by other shopsmith items. If not then this is not much of a flag????

Ed

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 1:01 pm

Since the gizwiz is 'built to order' I assume that when built it is shipped direct from the 'vendor' NOT SS.

As for 'top level' support, do they right away ask for your identity and item SN info? Do they provide 'lower level' support???? I can understand not wanting to get into a guessing game of what they are trying to help with(modifications the item cloud the issue) but IMHO I think they should limit that to the area of deviation only! Bit then that would require a thought and decision process on the part of the 'tech supporter'.

Perhaps you should be 'Sam Spade' the next time you call!:D

P.S. Perhaps I should RETRACT post #6 on this thread!!!!!

doug45601 · Post by **doug45601** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 1:38 pm

reible wrote:"Serial number of an item, that item is "flagged" for historical..."

Do planers have a real serial number or just the same date code used by other shopsmith items. If not then this is not much of a flag????

Ed

I myself am not really concerned about them saying "flagged" as I am not the original owner of the planer anyway and the serial number is just a sticker on the unit.. Of course the number may be recorded under the owners name at time of purchase but these tools are not titled like a vehicle and change hands often.. Years ago SS and many manfactures got away from real serial number markings probably because of cost effect and found that serial numbers for the most part are useless in a general consumers world. Model numbers and date codes have proven more useful but are usually just "stickers"

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 2:57 pm

doug45601 wrote:
Called SS to discuss the avail of a reworked cutter head just to keep things all SS and was told they junk them as they are not cost effective to repair. Sorry to say they even sounded a little snippy with me not wanting to buy a new part from them. Even though the part wasn't in stock!

SS tech support said they would not assist me tech issues and set up if I used not SS components and parts on SS equipment... (Of which I can understand that) but what about if I had a motor issue or a roller issue later I asked... Was told then, once you call them and discuss tech issues on SS equipment and they know your name and Serial number of an item, that item is "flagged" for historical purposes...and future support may be out the window regardless of the issues.

Doug et al,

I may be reading you wrong here but I seriously doubt that Shopsmith will refuse to provide technical support to any customer simple because they have worked on their own equipment and repaired same by utilizing third party parts.

I do believe that if an individual does this work on an item that is in warranty, it is no more. I also believe that if one does work and in so doing causes damage to parts or assemblies that those parts or assemblies are not covered by warranty (expressed or implied).

I do not believe that Shopsmith will "flag" me or my equipment, so as to be able limit the level of technical support that they might provide to me or my equipment in the future, because I chose to utilize third party parts or service.

In another post, you said that Shopsmith would not allow you to pick up items directly from Shopsmith to avoid shipping charges. I don't know about that but I do know that one can make arrangements to drop off or pick up overhauled items to avoid shipping charges. This has to be prearranged but it can and has been done.

I guess some items may be purchased from and drop shipped by someone other than Shopsmith. It stands to reason then that you can not avoid shipping charges on those items by picking up at Shopsmith but the Pro Planer.

I thought the Pro Planer was assembled for delivery in the Dayton facility. Am I wrong? I wish I was close enough to Shopsmith to perform a real time test of this. I can not help but believe that Shopsmith would cooperate so as to avoid a customer having to pay shipping, even on a new item, so long as it is shipped from Dayton to the final customer.

These folks have just been too damn good to me to believe any of these negative statements.

doug45601 · Post by **doug45601** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:36 pm

dusty wrote:Doug et al,

I may be reading you wrong here but I seriously doubt that Shopsmith will refuse to provide technical support to any customer simple because they have worked on their own equipment and repaired same by utilizing third party parts.

I do believe that if an individual does this work on an item that is in warranty, it is no more. I also believe that if one does work and in so doing causes damage to parts or assemblies that those parts or assemblies are not covered by warranty (expressed or implied).

I do not believe that Shopsmith will "flag" me or my equipment, so as to be able limit the level of technical support that they might provide to me or my equipment in the future, because I chose to utilize third party parts or service.

In another post, you said that Shopsmith would not allow you to pick up items directly from Shopsmith to avoid shipping charges. I don't know about that but I do know that one can make arrangements to drop off or pick up overhauled items to avoid shipping charges. This has to be prearranged but it can and has been done.

I guess some items may be purchased from and drop shipped by someone other than Shopsmith. It stands to reason then that you can not avoid shipping charges on those items by picking up at Shopsmith but the Pro Planer.

I thought the Pro Planer was assembled for delivery in the Dayton facility. Am I wrong? I wish I was close enough to Shopsmith to perform a real time test of this. I can not help but believe that Shopsmith would cooperate so as to avoid a customer having to pay shipping, even on a new item, so long as it is shipped from Dayton to the final customer.

These folks have just been too damn good to me to believe any of these negative statements.

OK here we go again.... What neg statements?? Just because I'm stating "facts" from SS themselves is not what I consider a neg statement!! And as far as SS not willing to support parts and or components they didn't install or make is "accepted" and I understand that as mentioned earlier..

Please tame down a bit... again, i'm not headhunting or tying to distroy SS but damn it man, the statements I make are not going to be softened just to make people feel good!

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:20 pm

doug45601 wrote:OK here we go again.... What neg statements?? Just because I'm stating "facts" from SS themselves is not what I consider a neg statement!! And as far as SS not willing to support parts and or components they didn't install or make is "accepted" and I understand that as mentioned earlier..

Please tame down a bit... again, i'm not headhunting or tying to distroy SS but damn it man, the statements I make are not going to be softened just to make people feel good!

I do not think Dusty needs to "tame down a bit". If any thing he ALWAYS tends to be LOW key and really stick to the facts as he knows them and keeps EMOTION out of it.

I share his dismay at what appears to be a drastic change in SS attitude represented by your related experience. Unfortunately we do not have all the facts/details. I REALLY hope this is NOT an indicator of future encounters!:eek:

Tis the first time I have seen him use a 4 letter anglo-saxon word. It WAS well placed!!!

doug45601 · Post by **doug45601** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 5:54 pm

OK you guys win. I'll move on and not say anything about my observations and discussions with SS as I can see it's not of interest unless all strokes are positive.

Sorry I'm not in the click with the highrollers.. I'll just lay back and watch from now on.

I'm not quite old enough to have a mind set

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:56 pm

I visited Shopsmith in Dayton on November 17th. I took in an old model scroll saw that had been badly modified by a previous owner. My on site trip had been pre-arranged one week earlier by Shopsmith's customer service (Linda).

Even though i was not the original purchaser of this scroll saw, I was quickly taken back to see Sue Powell, who repaired the scroll saw, and modified it to the new version ( I took in the upgrade kit which I had previously purchased). For all this attention and service they charged me zip. That's right.....zero. I even got to shake hands with Robert Folkerth and have a nice but brief chat. They were friendly as all heck. The HR director Brenda, introduced herself and then took me into customer service to meet the troops.

Can you tell me what more could a customer hope for? What is all this jazz about products being "flagged" and customers unable to visit the plant? Doug and I must be on different planets. Is there another Shopsmith in some other parallel dimension?

dicksterp · Post by **dicksterp** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:30 am

Back in July at the owner's weekend they gave us a tour of the manufacturing facilities. One of the areas shown was a space about 20' x 25' where they assemble the planers. This area was used to assemble 3 or 4 different SPTs. When they had orders and parts they would have one of their assemblers come over for the day and build SPTs. It was not a full time job.

Remember guys, Shopsmith is basically an assemble shop, not a manufacturing facility. Most parts are made by outside vendors with Shopsmith doing only limited machining inhouse.

These statements represent my feelings based on my observation and 40+ years in manufacturing.

doug45601 · Post by **doug45601** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:08 am

The forum is all yours!