General 650 Table Saw Rant

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 03:12:21 GMT, "David F. Eisan"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>James,
>
>> I didn't find a thing re mounting the on-off switch. There was no
>> hardware for it, nor anything else. There is a loop of tough line on
>> it that is apparently meant to hang the switch on the rail. It's been
>> OK, just not elegant.
>
>Huh?
>
>Do you mean the braided steel line? That is to hold the long pin you can use
>to lock out the on button.
>
>The switch itself is secured to the bottom of the angle iron with one of
>the bolts that passes up into the main front fence tube. Follow?


oops!

Yes I follow now, thanks to one Daved Eisan. I'll check out where I
think I put those parts, in the morning.

Thanks again, Dave-

Can't blame me, without a bit of instruction, who could figure out
those strange parts?! Warn't no instruction- and as has been said many
times, the instruction book is - oh never mind.

James
[email protected]

Delta hollow chisels in the Montreal area ??? Rona l'entrepot and
Reno depot have them in stock. You can also find them at the Delta
service counter located in ville St.Laurent. They even carry 2
different qualities.


"Greg Neill" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "MN Guy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > After some significant soul searching, I ordered the General 650 Table
> > Saw. Here's my experience.
>
> [rant snip]
>
> It's a shame that the machine wasn't better packaged
> for shipping, and the assembly problems are quite
> inexcusable. That being said, by all reports the
> General is a great saw. Do report back when you've
> had a chance to put it through its paces.
>
> I've a local General dealer within about 5 minutes
> walk from my office (Montreal) They've got everything
> set up on the floor so you can take a good look. They
> also move quite a bit of used equipment that comes back
> from their industrial customers on trade-in.
>
> I was chatting with one of their reps about a tablesaw
> purchase a while back, and asked about delivery. No
> problem for local delivery; they'd ship door to door,
> set up, and tune the thing for about $50 on top of
> the machine price.
>
> Two of our BORGs (Reno-Depot and Rona Hardware) recently
> merged, and since then they are carrying General hardware
> including tablesaws.
>
> I guess you could say that there is a marked difference
> between purchasing something on a vendor's home turf and
> dealing from afar. A similar situation exists here in
> Canada if you're looking for Delta equipment. Recently
> I was trying to find a dealer that carries their hollow
> chisel mortisers. It seems their are none to be found
> in Canada - their web site will only locate U.S. dealers,
> even using their "Canadian" search criteria.
>
> Good luck with the saw!

On 22 Apr 2004 06:45:30 -0700, [email protected] (MN Guy) wrote:


>Yes, yes, the fence is installed correctly. And all four holes for

Good for you, man. People with negative experiences with a particular
toy, will feel like they're being accused of something. Sorry about my
contribution to that. "Trying to help without calling names" might be
another term for that :-\

Just look at the dumb idea I had re the power switch!

Now cut wood!

James
[email protected]

Hello there,

> I guess you could say that there is a marked difference
> between purchasing something on a vendor's home turf and
> dealing from afar. A similar situation exists here in
> Canada if you're looking for Delta equipment. Recently
> I was trying to find a dealer that carries their hollow
> chisel mortisers. It seems their are none to be found
> in Canada - their web site will only locate U.S. dealers,
> even using their "Canadian" search criteria.

Federated Tool Supply in London Ontario carries the full line of Delta
Mortisers,

www.federatedtool.com

They are not an e-commerce company, but email them to see what they can do
for you.

Oh ya, I am the sales manager for the company....

Thanks,

David.

Every neighbourhood has one, in mine, I'm him.

Remove the "splinter" from my email address to email me.

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"David F. Eisan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Federated Tool Supply in London Ontario carries the full line of Delta
> Mortisers,
>
> www.federatedtool.com
>
> They are not an e-commerce company, but email them to see what they can do
> for you.
>
> Oh ya, I am the sales manager for the company....
>
> Thanks,
>
> David.

Thanks for that, David.

You should get hold of the web page guy at Delta and
let him know that Federated exists!

Cheers,

-Greg

I agree that it is too bad the fitand finish fo the saw caused so much work.
On the bright side though, if your 650 gives you the kind of service my 350
has then the small investment of the week end will be paid back over the
next decade or two.
You did not mention the blade guard, which is a POS on the 350, makes me
wonder if they did something better on the 650?
Enjoy getting to know your saw.

"patriarch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] (MN Guy) wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> > After some significant soul searching, I ordered the General 650 Table
> > Saw. Here's my experience.
> >
> <snippage>
>
> > Perhaps the Delta or Powermatic would have been the better choice.
> > I'll keep you posted.
> >
>
> OK. Now's the REAL challenge. Forget all that s##t, and make some
> sawdust, which is the reason you bought the cabinet saw to begin with.
>
> You have our sympathy. Many of us have been there, and worse. But nobody
> can give you your weekend back, even if they wanted to.
>
> Patriarch

"Luigi Zanasi" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> Let's see, I got mine at Crappy Tire (Canadian Bebelle to you). #
> 55-5924-2 for the Mastercrap one, but they also used to (& still
> might) carry the Delta.
>
> Lee Valley has it too:
>
>
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=1&page=41702&category=1%2C180%2C42334
>

Ah. I was looking for a dedicated mortiser, rather than
a drill press adaptor/attachement.

> So you can drive up the 417 and get yours.
>
> As does my Home Hardware store (ex Beaver Lumber - Le
> Castor Bricoleur to you).
>
> And there is a Delta service centre somewhere in the industrial
> boondocks of the West Island. I was there a few years ago. Try the
> yellow pages.

Thanks.

"Daniel Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Delta hollow chisels in the Montreal area ??? Rona l'entrepot and
> Reno depot have them in stock. You can also find them at the Delta
> service counter located in ville St.Laurent. They even carry 2
> different qualities.

Well, live and learn. Strange I don't remember spotting
them there. I'll have another look-see.

Again, it's interesting that the Delta website's
distributor lookup page for Canada fails to note
these outlets.

Thanks.

[email protected] (MN Guy) wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> After some significant soul searching, I ordered the General 650 Table
> Saw. Here's my experience.
>
<snippage>

> Perhaps the Delta or Powermatic would have been the better choice.
> I'll keep you posted.
>

OK. Now's the REAL challenge. Forget all that s##t, and make some
sawdust, which is the reason you bought the cabinet saw to begin with.

You have our sympathy. Many of us have been there, and worse. But nobody
can give you your weekend back, even if they wanted to.

Patriarch

"Greg Neill" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

<more snippage>

> I guess you could say that there is a marked difference
> between purchasing something on a vendor's home turf and
> dealing from afar. A similar situation exists here in
> Canada if you're looking for Delta equipment. Recently
> I was trying to find a dealer that carries their hollow
> chisel mortisers. It seems their are none to be found
> in Canada - their web site will only locate U.S. dealers,
> even using their "Canadian" search criteria.
>

In November and December, in the US, you couldn't locate a Delta hollow
chisel morticer either. No stock to be found for this neat holiday gift.
(Yes, dear. Just tell the man you want the thing that drills square holes,
like on Norm's show. No, I don't particularly want a Jet. ;-) )

They finally came in mid-January, but were sorta scarce again thereafter.
Demand/supply balancing is always a gamble, in any industry. No one wants
too many of anything, especially when 'the suits' are talking about closing
facilities and selling companies.

It's rather a shame that I ended up cutting all the mortices another way.
I really ought to set up the Delta, before the warranty runs out....

Patriarch

> Are you SURE you put the fence on right?


>OK. Now's the REAL challenge. Forget all that s##t, and make some
>sawdust, which is the reason you bought the cabinet saw to begin
with.

Yes, yes, the fence is installed correctly. And all four holes for
the front rail line up after using the notch in the top rail, one of
few worthwhile instructions. But the two holes that that needed to be
screwed to the table were quasi-misdrilled and undersized. And if
that were the only complaint, I'd be quite happy.

I wrote a letter to General outlining the experience. Call it
therapy. And yes, I have moved on. I now have a perfectly dialed in
saw with a perfectly flat surface. I'm getting the JoinTech
SmartMiter Sled dialed in today and plan to start cutting some wood
this weekend.

On Thu, 22 Apr 2004 11:25:25 -0400, "Greg Neill"
<[email protected]> scribbled:

>Ah. I was looking for a dedicated mortiser, rather than
>a drill press adaptor/attachement.

Ah. I should have read your post more carefully. Sorry.

>> And there is a Delta service centre somewhere in the industrial
>> boondocks of the West Island. I was there a few years ago. Try the
>> yellow pages.
>
>Thanks.
YAMW

Luigi
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 15:37:57 -0400, "Greg Neill"
<[email protected]> scribbled:

>I guess you could say that there is a marked difference
>between purchasing something on a vendor's home turf and
>dealing from afar. A similar situation exists here in
>Canada if you're looking for Delta equipment. Recently
>I was trying to find a dealer that carries their hollow
>chisel mortisers. It seems their are none to be found
>in Canada - their web site will only locate U.S. dealers,
>even using their "Canadian" search criteria.

Let's see, I got mine at Crappy Tire (Canadian Bebelle to you). #
55-5924-2 for the Mastercrap one, but they also used to (& still
might) carry the Delta.

Lee Valley has it too:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=1&page=41702&category=1%2C180%2C42334

So you can drive up the 417 and get yours.

As does my Home Hardware store (ex Beaver Lumber - Le
Castor Bricoleur to you).

And there is a Delta service centre somewhere in the industrial
boondocks of the West Island. I was there a few years ago. Try the
yellow pages.


Luigi
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 15:37:57 -0400, "Greg Neill"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"MN Guy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> After some significant soul searching, I ordered the General 650 Table
>> Saw. Here's my experience.
>
>[rant snip]
>

I recently bought a General 10-185L contractor's saw with 52" rails. A
very good review in Fine Woodworking got me going on that one.

The saw is terrific. I didn't get any of the shipping damage I had
nightmares about because a VERY kind salesman located at the
distributors, 100 miles away (Syracuse, NY), had a sister in my town
(Rochester NY) and came to visit her and also deliver the saw.

I had a battle with the rails, The hole alignment is hell to "read"
correctly. My other half pointed a certain mark on the rail that was
meant to line up with the saw blade, and it went well from there. I
hadn't been able to get more than 2 holes lined up till then. After
that I got all 4, although I had to file two a little for a better
fit. I didn't file the threaded part :-\

I did realize that the rails fit isn't precision machinery.

Also, the manual still blows. It has for years and General makes
promises and who knows if that means anything?

I didn't find a thing re mounting the on-off switch. There was no
hardware for it, nor anything else. There is a loop of tough line on
it that is apparently meant to hang the switch on the rail. It's been
OK, just not elegant.

It does sound like you missed on the rail holes. Whatever, it's
running now, right? Sorry about the shipping damage. I thought freight
companies were kind of expected to deliver stuff in about the same
state it was shipped. Talk about stupid-

James
[email protected]

James,

> I didn't find a thing re mounting the on-off switch. There was no
> hardware for it, nor anything else. There is a loop of tough line on
> it that is apparently meant to hang the switch on the rail. It's been
> OK, just not elegant.

Huh?

Do you mean the braided steel line? That is to hold the long pin you can use
to lock out the on button.

The switch itself is secured to the bottom of the angle iron with one of
the bolts that passes up into the main front fence tube. Follow?

David.

"MN Guy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> After some significant soul searching, I ordered the General 650 Table
> Saw. Here's my experience.

[rant snip]

It's a shame that the machine wasn't better packaged
for shipping, and the assembly problems are quite
inexcusable. That being said, by all reports the
General is a great saw. Do report back when you've
had a chance to put it through its paces.

I've a local General dealer within about 5 minutes
walk from my office (Montreal) They've got everything
set up on the floor so you can take a good look. They
also move quite a bit of used equipment that comes back
from their industrial customers on trade-in.

I was chatting with one of their reps about a tablesaw
purchase a while back, and asked about delivery. No
problem for local delivery; they'd ship door to door,
set up, and tune the thing for about $50 on top of
the machine price.

Two of our BORGs (Reno-Depot and Rona Hardware) recently
merged, and since then they are carrying General hardware
including tablesaws.

I guess you could say that there is a marked difference
between purchasing something on a vendor's home turf and
dealing from afar. A similar situation exists here in
Canada if you're looking for Delta equipment. Recently
I was trying to find a dealer that carries their hollow
chisel mortisers. It seems their are none to be found
in Canada - their web site will only locate U.S. dealers,
even using their "Canadian" search criteria.

Good luck with the saw!

On 21 Apr 2004 10:25:22 -0700, [email protected] (MN Guy) wrote:


>a. The fence rails necessitated drilling the holes larger to fit the
>bolts that hold it to the table. The holes themselves appeared to be
>misdrilled as the hole overlapped another one, making redrilling
>difficult.

I bought mine in December and drilled nothing to install the fence
itself. I did have to drill a few holes in the table board.

Are you SURE you put the fence on right?

>b. The rails for taper-head screws had no taper,

They did on mine.

Barry