Nice Jointer, But Keep Dreaming.....

That is a bummer. Service like this does not bode well for the long term viability of the company. I think that you made the right choice in going with another brand given the run-around that you have already gotten.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Hmmm, I was thinking about getting the 6” model (I dont think my shop can fit an 8”) now im second guessing my decision. I am going to a tool show in Muncton in 2 weeks and Steel City is going to be there so this gives me some ammo to shoot at them to see what kind of answere they come up with. They are a new tool company as it is and hiving this kind of production problem this early in the game could be very bad for them. Thanks for the post.

-- A hammer dangling from a wall will bang and sound like work when the wind blows the right way.

i need a new jointer and im not going to mess around anymore with tiawan boat anchors , im going to get a martin jointer and be done. check out thier website and watch the video, german technology at its best

-- blaine von hagen

Vonhagen , there is a good deal on a used Martin on WoodWeb right now.

-- rob

I have a 12” Grizzly helical head I’m pleased as could be with it .I’m sure German technology is better but I had to stretch to buy a Toyota of jointers so I knew I could not afford the Mercedes. It does a fine job for me even though it’s made in Taiwan.
I have talked to a number of people who have had to wait for a shipment to come in for there equipment but 3 months is over the top. Enjoy your new jointer PHRed

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Stay away from that one. what happens if you ever need parts and repair. Be glad it didn’t come through.
cast Iron has been around along time, it’s more mature in tools world.

-- Router è ancora il mio nome.

I had the same problem last spring with a Steel City dust collecter I ordered, they seem to have trouble producing the products they sell. so I cancelled my order and bought a Clear vue.

-- Smitty!!!

Bummer , sounds like you got over pretty quickly, and will have a jointer in your shop tomorrow. I am looking forward to the review of the general. I really would like a jointer, I am financially a ways off from getting one. But in the event of a windfall, I think the 10” helicak Grizzley is my current choice. Unless that windfall is lottery size that is. Hope you enjoy your new machine. I love the feel of that oily stuff that everything wiil be coated in. I only love that smell in my shop.

-- As the Saw Turns

I agree with A1jim,

I also have a spiral cutterhead grizz jointer the G9860zx it’s a monster jointer. No doubt germans are fine machinests and them martins are prob real nice. But like Jim said for U.S. Designed jointer made in Taiwan, this big boy suits me just fine for my industrial needs.

-- "I don't cut wood. I machine it!" G.M.

I am positive I seen a granite jointer at the Edmonton show on Friday. I bought there 8” industrial jointer last year, it’s a great machine. I was a bit unsure of the granite and how it would stand up that’s why I went with the industrial model. I hope that Steel City can get things straightened out, they seemed so promising a short time ago. I’m sure you will be happy with the General, which was my second choice.

-- Mike

I am looking for a new 8” jointer. I have had a Delta 37-190 for a long time. I am now looking at the grizzly line very seriously.

-- I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food. ~ W. C. Fields

for those of you that need a jointer but are low on funds you might try the “joint ability” http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/jointabillit.htm they have been bought by RBI and have raised the price quite a bit but for a 5’ it is $220 still maybe within range of some of you. I just looked up RBI and they have been bought out by Bushton Manufactoring, so I don’t know the status of the” joint abilty” now, but it is a very good alternative to a jointer, if you also have a router, they made a 5’, 8’ and a 10’, you may find one on e-bay, or you could make one yourself, check out the site above to see what it looks like and it should be easy enough to make, I made a 10’ one myself once and it worked out pretty good. I will look around and see what I can find on this tool and then post it on here.

-- Smitty!!!

I never heard of that one

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

I live in Edmonton :) The Steel City had a 6” jointer there at the show.. if they had an 8” i would have bought it ;)

It seems that the production problem is only with the 8” jointer.

-- But honey.. this new power tool will pay for itself when we re-do the kitchen!

I have had HUGE concerns with granite table tops since that idea started floating about. Your experience with Steel City and their production problems just reinforces what I thought. Granite just is better suited to counter tops instead of power tool table tops.

-- Trying to follow the example of the master.

I got thinking after I posted that it may have been the six inch jointer at the show, but I never really went over and checked it out, to much other stuff to look at you know how that goes. I was very close to buying the General Model 80-200L – 8” DELUXE JOINTER last year. I have a couple of general machines, never had an issue with one. The Steel City jointer is the only machine I have from them and like I said before it works great. It’s too bad there having production problems..

-- Mike

“woodsmithshop” http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/jointabillit.htm This tool is only for Edges , you can’t flatten a board with it…..Most likely the reason that Phred wants to spend around $2000 on an 8” machine : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

I’ve got a tiny 6” antique that sits in my shop and gathers dust for the most part. I understand the need for a joiner; especially when you are mating uneven or rough boards. But, I just don’t use mine that often. I can’t even imagine ever needing something that will cut more than 6” wide.

~DB

-- He said wood...http://hickbyassociation.blogspot.com/

If I was just trying to be a hobbyist woodworker, I agree, a 6” would be more than fine, however due to a wrist injury that I have from working on computers what seems like 24/7 for the past 13 years, I have decided that I need to start planning for another career. Which will hopefully be Cabinetry/Woodworking, and having the 8” will just be a joy to work with.

I found that with the last kitchen I built that 6” just was not enough, and 8” should be just right :)

-- But honey.. this new power tool will pay for itself when we re-do the kitchen!

steel city makes nice stuff – at least what i have seen was really nice – but – you ran into the problem – they have had “production issues” since the beginning 3 years ago – your story is the same story I have heard for a while … I wouldn’t expect them to be around for the long haul…

Dusty, you are right, I don’t use a jointer often enough to flatten a board, so I did not think of it, I use it mainly to edge joint a board.

-- Smitty!!!

The local wood supply store said they may stop selling SteelCity due to the quality and realiability. There is a question as to whether they are going to be around much longer too.

-- Jim, SE Tennessee

I agree with dbhost, the granite tops for woodworking tools is overkill.

-- Don, Pittsburgh

Wow, sorry to hear they are having such production problems, sometimes that comes along with innovation.

I have a SC bandsaw and couldn’t be happier, hope they get their jointer production back on track.

My 8” 3hp helical head Grizzly’s been great. I’ve had it about a year, jointed all kinds of wood and haven’t had to rotate the carbide cutters yet. Plus it got here in about a week. Also, right now they’ve got free shipping. I’ve looked at granite table saws and jointers and they just dont’ work for me. The possibility of dropping something heavy on it and breaking it keeps coming to my mind. Also, magnetic jigs won’t work on them. Mind you I’m not knocking anybody’s stuff, but that’’s just me.

-- Carl Rast, Pelion, SC

Don’t set any pizza boxes on it. The wife will never forgive you.

-- RJ, Tampa Fl, RJMETALWOODS.COM

I know the reason for Granite surface blocks in precision measuring, but I have always felt that granite on a woodworking tool was akin to putting an eagle decal on the hood of a Mercedes. What practical purpose does it serve?? If it was the right thing to do, I think it would have been done long ago. Black granite may be hard, low expansion coefficient, low porosity, yada yada yada. Guess its for braggin rights!!! LOL A kind of mines bigger than yours kind of thing.

-- Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy-May all your dovetails fit tight and right the first time

What noone is telling you is that Steel City is going out of business so if anyone is thinking about buying any of their machine I would definitely look elsewhere for machinery. I can not say where I got this info but is the honest to gods truth.

-- There is no growing in knowing where your going

Granite machine surfaces are a bad idea in a shop anyhow. Anyone that has ever worked with it will tell you that.
It may be hard and heavy but can not take the abuses a shop machine takes as it tends to be very susceptible to chipping or just plain cracking if it gets knocked with anything.

-- There is no growing in knowing where your going

Dang, this is too bad. I’ve been happy as can be with my steel city tools but this makes me a bit concerned about future customer support should I need any. Thanks for the post, especially the part about the cutters being propietary to SC. BTKS