Craftsman Router

It's a Craftsman...

Dick

This is a woodturning (lathe is the tool) so you can probably find a more appropriate group. Since we are all woodworkers of a fashion, your router question is not totally foreign.

I go along with Dick - it's a Craftsman not that every Craftsman fails right out to the box. If you search around on forums you will find generally poor comments on the quality of Craftsman power tools plus the fact that some of them won't take industry standard accessories. Craftsman tools had a good reputation many years ago but quality has suffered along the way with changes in manufacturer and specs. Also, unless it was on sale you frequently can get better tools for less money. Billh

Gill,

I have an old Craftsman 1 HP router that I bought for $38.88 about 30 years ago. Its still going strong. I also have a Porter-Cable Model 690, also listed as 1 HP. There is no comparison. The Porter-Cable leaves the old Craftsman in the dust. I usually try to avoid Craftsman power tools. Your experience is a bit extreme, but not unheard of.

Barry

Two of the 5 routers I have are 40 year old Craftsman. They are the ones I reach for when I have a delicate or difficult job. Two features the old Craftsman have that the PC 690 doesn't is a much handier switch plus a work light.

Walt Conner .

Have the light on my 30 yr-old Craftsman and it is a nice feature alright. Billh

You must have about the same model I do. I love the trigger switch on the right handle.

Barry

Hi

First I must apologized for posting to the wrong group. Since I am new at this I didn't realize this group was for wood turning only. Many of you did answer my question and I am very greatful and endebted to them.

Your answers were must appreciated and I will take my router back to Sears and obtain a replacement. Try to get a replacement although it is still on the waranty. Sears my just want to service it - this is also OK by me.

Thanks guys

No apology necessary, Gill. While this is a turning group, I've discovered that, by and large, this is the most flame-free group on Usenet. These folks are typically gentlemen and ladies, and happy to help anyone sincerely in need, regardless of the topic. And turners may they be, there is undoubtedly a wealth of experience and knowledge among these folks about a great many topics.

My experience with Sears is that they generally don't want an unhappy customer. A few sales associates may not demonstrate this characteristic, but most do. If you don't get satisfaction with the first individual with whom you speak, see someone else. I've never had a problem getting my problems solved with any Sears product. Then again I tend to be a *squeaky wheel.*

Max

Dale

Two features the old

Well I think that some Craftsman stuff, table saws for instance, are starting to come back. I haven't used one of the new ones but I have examined some which appear to me to be at least as good as some models of Jet for example on which quality, fit/finish have never impressed me.

Had high hopes for Craftsman lathes a few years ago when new cast iron models replaced the single tube one but from looks and what I read, they are junk.

Walt Conner

that is quite a few qualifiers to try to say something slightly positive about present day Craftsman

away back when they were good solid tools today they are cheap plastic junk - and I think you feel the same way

Dale

Actually, I have an old Craftsman lathe of about that same vintage. I wouldn't "walk a mile" for it, but it is cast iron construction and pretty solid.

Barry

Walt I have one of those 15" Craftsman lathes with the variable speed and I think it is a great rig and a super value.

I remember having an experience with them concerning a major appliance that boiled down to "we don't care". From that day forward, I don't buy things from Sears. I don't make a crusade of it, I just don't spend money there any longer. There's plenty of other retailers to do business with.

My dad use to work at Sears and a customer brought back a Montgomery Ward circular saw and swore that he bought right there at that counter. My dad said it looked like he got it out of a garbage pile. All beat up and dirty. After telling him he could not exchange it because it was not a Craftsmans, he had to get the manager and after hearing the same story the manager said to exchange it for a comparable prices saw. Anybody for garbage picking.......

Ken Moon Webberville, Tx

Ken When I first had the Craftsman lathe, the original model had a gear to gear reduction from the motor to the shaft and the gears were noisy. Others had a problem with this but I wear hearing protectors most of the time i ma in the shop so this was not an issue with me. However, the new model uses a Reeves drive and a belt/pulley system for driving the spindle. No noise problem. I did manage to break the drive belt through no fault of the lathe. (a) I turned a piece far larger than and unbalanced than I should have, thus putting strain on the belt. (b) OOOOOPPSSS! I left the spindle lock on and turned on the lathe. Bye bye belt. I resolved the problem with a new drive belt and not leaving the spindle lock on when turning. :-) By the way, the manufacturer sent me the new headstock free of charge. Hard to beat service like that.

By the way, I looked at the parts diagram for the 15" Central Machinery lathe sold by Harbor Freight

I don't feel that they are any more junk then many of the other brands out there including several Jet items that I have examined in particular. Just that Craftsman gets all the blather but no ones mentions the Jet and Delta "Crap" that is also out there.

Walt Conner

well perhaps, but that wasn't the point

if you had made the above statement in the first place, you would not have seemed to be 'defending' Craftsman quite so much

I think there is a lot of frustration on the part of people who are aware that there was a time when you could wander into any Sears and buy good, solid, American made tools that were moderately priced, and would perform well for a life time

Craftsman is trying to still trade on that blatantly no-longer-deserved reputation - much to the chagrin of many makers of sawdust

certainly there are many brands of low quality tools and certainly other brands do/have done the same thing

but, if you kill your wife, the excuse "well, my neighbor killed his wife too", is not too likely to get you acquitted

Dale

including several Jet items that I have examined in particular. Just