On 26 Nov 2005 20:42:50 -0800, wrote:

There is a high-end retailer of woodworking equipment here in SE
Michigan, a place that actually assembles their showroom equipment
"professionally" because they know it reflects well on the equipment if
it looks like it all fits together.

I was in there this past week getting some fingerprints on their stuff,
and they had a bright shiny Delta 36-717 on display. This is one of
the new hybrid saws Delta was eight months behind schedule bringing to
market.

Someone recently posted a question regarding this saw, and not many
people replied with answers.

Well, based on the store owner's answers, I can tell you Delta's long
march down the Black and Decker drain is well on its way.

He said the assembly of the saw was a nightmare. The fence didn't fit
at all...he had to tap all new holes in the wings to get it onto the
saw. He also said none of the rest of it went together right at all
either. One bad fit after another...an excersize in frustration.

His words, his experience verbatim.

Who here thinks Delta can save themselves?

Sounds like an opportunity for a dealer to start stocking NOS (new old
stock) Delta parts and for manufacturers to start exploring the possiblity
of building OEM-spec replacement parts for the real iron that Delta used to
build.

As for the Delta brand, given all the commentary given here, including
the thread on no longer stocking old parts -- it looks like they are intent
upon following the path of Craftsman -- exploit the name for all it's worth
for as many years as possible until buyers start to catch on to the
"value-engineering" taking place. It will probably take a while, there are
going to be a number of years where the average Joe is going to look at
tools at the local Borg and say to himself, "Wow! I had no idea I'd ever be
able to afford a *Delta* [insert tool here], and here I thought I'd only be
able to get a Black & Decker!" More than likely, for the average Joe, that
Delta will be better than he could have gotten in a really cheap brand, but
will no longer have the quality to satisfy serious hobby woodworkers or
smaller volume professionals. In fairness to B&D, if they are looking for
high volume, this is probably the way to go; while some of us are very much
value and quality-oriented buyers for good WW equipment, we are a small
minority compared to others. Since B&D ruined their name years ago, their
only choice is to find another untainted name to take down the same path.

If I look at my buying habits regarding electronic equipment, I probably
fall into the "average Joe" category in that realm, so I do understand
people looking for the best quality they can afford at a cheap price.
Unfortunately, what is happening to Delta is hitting me in my "serious
hobby" category -- I don't like that.

As someone with a shop full of Delta tools, I know that my satisfaction
with their quality started going way down after buying the hollow chisel
mortiser -- Delta is no longer #1 on my list of preferred tool suppliers.



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If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

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