# GOBSMACKED WITH DISBELIEF - Can this really be true?!!!



## sawdustjunkie (Sep 12, 2013)

Did you return it for a refund?
What good is it without new sandpaper?


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## LepelstatCrafts (Jan 16, 2011)

I just looked at what I believe is the product instruction manual. It says that it is hook and loop. You should be able to just pull it off the pad. It does say that you can use different attachments too. The section starts on page 8 (manual). I could be wrong though.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

Just to clarify, I called Skil's tech support department, and theytold me point blank that the accessories have to be replaced when the sandpaper is worn out on them. This does not refer to the main sanding pad, only the 8 contoured accessories, which was why I was considering buying it in the first place.


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## MarkDavisson (Apr 26, 2009)

You can order just the replacement sandpaper from Amazon.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

I wonder if you got an idiot on the phone at tech support.

This review shows the accessories with hook and loop sandpaper.
This site shows the accessories with the sandpaper removed. They've got the hook and loop backing.

I don't know if it's a good sander, but a simple Google search would have been a better idea before you posted this. Maybe you should change the title to something like "Skill tech support guy is a moron" instead of warning everybody about a product you haven't ever used. Just my opinion, nothing more.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

A great example of how hiring minimum wage tech support can cost a company a sale.

The father of an old classmate of mine used to work as a product engineer for Skill and after years of service, was fired and lost his pension during one of the companies sales/bankruptcies. They purged the payroll of good people long ago.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

Well, the support person double checked with the parts manager at Skil, I overheard the conversation. They both were very firm about the fact that the sandpaper was hard fixed to the accessories and could not be replaced. I argued with them that that did not make any sense at all, that no engineer would be stupid enough to make sander parts where the whole accessory needed to be replaced rather than just the sandpaper, but they insisted that was the case.

Respect, Stumpy, I'm a huge fan, and by the way, could you please tell me the name of the band that you use for your theme music, I really like it.

RE: " This review shows the accessories with hook and loop sandpaper." Well, to my eye, it does not clearly show hook and loop sandpaper, only accessories with loose sandpaper. You may very well be right, but it's still not clear in the pictures how that is attached without the paper removed, at least I can't see it, but,

RE: " This site shows the accessories with the sandpaper removed. They've got the hook and loop backing."

Y'know,.. You are right!! It does by all appearances seem to show that it's hook and loop.

I did do what I thought was an exhaustive Google search and a thorough search on Skil's website to find out the answer, I must not have used the right search parameters, because I didn't get the results you did.

I guess the only way to settle this is for me to go out and buy one and find out for myself.

I will do that later on today, and I will post the results and some really closeup pictures here.

If it turns out I'm wrong, I'll find some way to make this review reflect that.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

Clearly we have a case of morons running the show. It's probably just a call center which contracts with several companies, and they just look in some manual to give you answers. If anything, it says something about the customer service one might expect if he was to buy this sander!

The song at the beginning is a closely guarded secret! You are not the first to have asked


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## MarkDavisson (Apr 26, 2009)

Stumpy, it could have been a poorly-answered question. Or a poorly-asked question. Or a well-answered question that was misinterpreted.

It is not clear to me that this is a case of morons running the show.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

I can assure you that it was not a poorly asked question. I was crystal clear and repeated myself several times in a variety of ways.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

The highly trained support people probably think that the hook side of velcro is actually the sandpaper.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Still don't know why people "review" tools that they have never used or just opened the box and it's worth 5 stars just because they bought it. 
Perhaps we need a "Preview" section here where folks can post "he said she said" comments about things they might buy in the future or not at all but must express their "thoughts" about the tools anyway.

*1 star* on a tool that you haven't even held in your hands is a pretty silly review , but, whatever.
Welcome to Lumberjocks "review" section where no product knowledge is required to post "reviews".


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

Wow Dusty, pardon me for living.

It was my intention to share what I thought was relevant information with the community, and I reviewed this because of the issues stated, the abysmal response of the customer service department, and what appears to be a very bad design if what they told me is true, which is a lot more than you have accomplished today with your snide comments and attacks on my character.

For your information, you cannot post a review without hitting the star button, otherwise the website will not let you post. Had I had the option, I would have given it no stars.

As far as product knowledge goes, I spent 30 minutes examining the box's information panels at Lowe's, I spent 30 minutes on the phone with their tech support people, and then another hour at home researching it on the internet.

I'm sorry if that does not meet your criteria for product knowledge, but at this point I certainly know more about this product than you do.


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## NoThanks (Mar 19, 2014)

Don't sweat it Jerry. It's easier for some people to try and knock you down than help you out.

I understood what you were trying to do regardless of the type of accessories. 
If anything I would hope that, because of your post, 
someone that has one might chime in so we could all find out first hand.

You did all you could do without actually buying one just to find out. I wouldn't buy one just to see.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

Thanks Iwud4u, I appreciate you reaching out and your understanding. I just really try to be a useful member of the community here.


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## Bitmugger (Sep 29, 2009)

Just FYI.

Here's a link to replacement hook and loop sandpaper including the pads for the accessories. The engineers were clever in that all the accessories only requires a few different pieces of sand paper to cover all them.

http://www.amazon.com/SKIL-73114-Octo-Sandpaper-Asst/dp/B000H167WW/ref=pdcphi_0

Still I've had many gimmicky tools over the years that turn out to never have any source for replacement consumables, you are wise to check into it.


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

I consider Jerry's "review" to be about the knowledge level of Skill's customer service and tech. support.

He definitely had opportunity to try that out first hand :^P


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## Nickdarr (Nov 2, 2012)

http://www.amazon.com/SKIL-73114-Octo-Sandpaper-Asst/dp/B000H167WW/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_text_y

As, Mark pointed out. Here is a package of "Octo" sanding discs and appears to include multiople shapes and sizes. Just my .02¢.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

Thanks Bitmugger and Nickdarr, at this point it's getting pretty clear that the tech support people didn't have a clue as to what was really going on.


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## freddy1962 (Feb 27, 2014)

Jerry, your research probably helped a few people that maybe had the same questions about the product.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

Thanks freddy1962, that was my intention and hope.


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## Nickdarr (Nov 2, 2012)

I appreciated the review. I have looked at the same thing. It is also a nice heads up to be a little cautious when dealing with customer support.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

RE StumpyNubs: "The song at the beginning is a closely guarded secret! You are not the first to have asked "

Hey Stumpy, I wasn't trying to get a secret out of you, I just liked the music and thought if they had any albums out there that I'd like to buy them. Maybe you are a closet Logic Pro genius as well as a woodworking one


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## InsideTheBox (Oct 25, 2013)

I bought my little bandsaw last year at Harbor Freight. Since this was the first time I'd owned this piece of equipment, I asked where I could find new bandsaw blades when the time came - did Harbor Freight carry them or did I have to order them online…?
I kid you not, I was told by the employee that all I had to do was RETURN the WHOLE BANDSAW and they would exchange it for a new one. Really? Wouldn't it be better if they would just come out and admit that they don't know…..


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

> I bought my little bandsaw last year at Harbor Freight. Since this was the first time I d owned this piece of equipment, I asked where I could find new bandsaw blades when the time came - did Harbor Freight carry them or did I have to order them online…?
> I kid you not, I was told by the employee that all I had to do was RETURN the WHOLE BANDSAW and they would exchange it for a new one. Really? Wouldn t it be better if they would just come out and admit that they don t know…..
> 
> - InsideTheBox


Wow, WOW, This is so much funnier than my little story here… My imagination is racing now. YES, no need to change sandpaper, HELL no, I'll just return the sander and exchange it for a new one with the complimentary one free sheet. Wow… I just don't know what to say…

...and now this from my wife "By this logic I guess if your new car runs out of gas you just return it.?"


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I hope they have models with different sized blades: "I'd like to return this bandsaw for one with a 1/4" blade, please."


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Page 8 of the manual. 
You should see a doctor about that knee.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

Hey Jerry, did anybody ever tell you that your avatar looks like a Jeff Gordon mugshot?


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

> Hey Jerry, did anybody ever tell you that your avatar looks like a Jeff Gordon mugshot?
> 
> - StumpyNubs


Well, I never heard of Jeff Gordon before, so I just looked him up. Do you really think we look alike? He doesn't even have a mustache. Maybe you are talking about a different person than this guy?










Okay, he so does have a mustache here










Yeah, he's a lot better looking than I am, and I can assure you he make more money….


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

> Page 8 of the manual.
> You should see a doctor about that knee.
> 
> - Rick M.


Arrh?


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

> Page 8 of the manual.
> You should see a doctor about that knee.
> 
> - Rick M.


Okay, I get it now, as in knee jerk reaction, much like the one you had when you scanned this review without reading it completely and just assumed I had actually bought the thing and therefore had access to a manual. Which I did not, and did not.


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## palaswood (Aug 9, 2013)

Can it really be true?! No.. No it cant.

No offense Jerry, but it seems it took you hours to not find out what a 30 second google search shows:

via Amazon details:
-8 detail accessories
-32 sandpaper sheets..
32/8 = 4 sheets per accessory
Pretty obviously replaceable if you ask me

And most reviews for this tool show only pros, no cons, and 4 or 5 stars.

I'm kinda with Dusty56, and I suggest you should delete this review or remove your erroneous claims. I see what youre going for and I like the motivation behind it, but really this should simply be a forum topic rant about the 1 customer service guy you ran into who works for Skil. Its clearly not a review.

You may turn people off to what is actually looking to be a great product for little money.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

> Can it really be true?! No.. No it cant.
> 
> No offense Jerry, but it seems it took you hours to not find out what a 30 second google search shows:
> 
> ...


Well here is the thing. As the comments and story on this post progress, one thing keeps floating to the top.

The product and it's capabilities are not clearly explained on the box or on the website.

The customer service rep, when asked a simple question replied with an idiotic response which by and of itself turned me off to the product.

As far as you Amazon search goes, the SERPS that you find are the result of your search, which may have been better than mine, but are still an obvious supposition in my book. Good luck with that as a life strategy.

As far as "erroneous claims" goes, I have not made any claims that are erroneous. I have only repeated verbatim the statements that the customer service department made.

As far as a rant goes, well, if you think this is a rant, then you are living in a cotton ball.

You are right that this is not a review, at least not about the tool itself, there is no question about this.

The fact that the customer service department could not answer even the most rudimentary question about their product precludes even the remotest possibility of a review of the product.


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## bhacksaw (May 28, 2013)

Dear Harbor Freight,

I have really been enjoying the cabinet table saw I bought from you last week (can't believe you guys sell cabinet saws!). I have been ripping planks with great success, but now need to move on to the next phase of my project which requires the use of a table sled. I am returning the table saw. Please send me a replacement model without the riving knife and blade guard so I may continue on with the project. Thank you.


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