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All in all I'd rate this as one of my better tool investments. I hoped it would be ok without resorting to such system hook up so I wouldn't have to go around the shop each time I used the disk sander adjusting blast gates. That really surprised me. The cast iron table and adjustments are solid and stay in position well. The unit, dust cannister and stand were shipped very quickly and carefully wrapped on their own pallet to prevent damage.
I only wish the adjustment to the table tilt was done by a wheel crank, but I think you have to pay about twice the price to find that feature. I had anticipated possible hooking this unit up to my 2hp dust collecting system. The sander runs true, smooth and is much quieter than I expected. I've been very pleased with this setup. The built in blower and dust cannister collect almost all the dust.
I find the dust collection on the sander plenty good enough and much more convenient.
B Everything was well packaged as usual with Jet and I am sold on them and powermatic for all my tools. No complaints at this time. I added a mobile base using the lift casters from wood craft and they work very well. Others have discussed the merits of this high quality product for those wanting a stand alone disc and belt sander. Whisper quiet and easy to use. There are less expensive models available, I tried a couple but this is the one for me.
After that it has been a great machine, totally reliable. But mine is very sweet.Hope this was helpful. It took me about 6 hours to get the joiner set up, including installing the motor and blades, the fence, and truing up the blades, squaring everything up. It has a brake you just pull a lever to stop the momentum, if that is desired.
The disc sander only required taking it out of the box, IIRC, I think the sanding disc needed to be put on, perhaps. I have no quirks that I have found that need to be changed.I see where someone has had two bad machines. I have done professional woodworking for a dozen or more years and used to sell woodworking machinery.Jet has always had a pretty good product. This can happen, but in my time selling equipment, it was rare, and I am sure this is frustrating, especially when the item has to be shipped back and all. In my experience the Chinese have surpassed the Taiwanese in quality control, although I haven seen or bought any Taiwan machines in a while. Not like the little hobby sanders you see for about $100, that often have a lot of plastic parts and an aluminum table.
I have an old Jet 6 inch joiner that was made in Taiwan. The Taiwan machines including my old Jet joiner were a bear to get set up right. Otherwise it was running in about 10 minutes, and I haven't had to adjust anything on it since.Jet was bought by a Swiss company, and they also own Powermatic (out of Tennessee) now and some other machinery manufacturers.If you need a 12 inch disc sander I think you would be very pleased with this one. I have just not found this to be the case with the Jet tools I used to sell, they rarely, if at all came back, of course they didn't make this tool then. I bought this machine a couple years ago when Jet first came out with it.At that time they sold this model without the stand and dust canister, which is the model I bought, otherwise it is the same.It is a big industrial feeling machine, true, quiet, and strong. (This sanding machine is made in China).
It has a fan on the back of the disc with a chamber that blows the dust out a chute, and I am able to adapt this to my HD shop vac, instead of the cannister and it is very good at removing the dust.The plate on mine is true, the table is cast iron and the machine is heavy, very heavy for one person to lift.
Sure hope the third time is the charm. If not I will get a Grizzly. So I took the 2 and made one. Number 2 the box was in great shape but the sanding face plate had a good 1/4" bend in it. The first arived damaged in shipment and missing a bunch of parts. I am awaiting the shipment of number 3. The packaging was in such bad shape it couldn't be reused. Well it lasted about an hour and the motor started making noise and shaking.
I called Jet tools and they told me that this is excessive and they will send me a new sanding plate which I replaced. I have decided to go ahead and keep the sander and ignore the run out after all. The disc run out was 13/1000 of an inch on the first sander. I hope this review was helpful.
The run out on the new disc sander is 25/1000 of an inch. Assembly was very simple and required putting the stand together and then bolting the sander on the stand. The people at JET Tools and at Amazon were very helpful and they gave me no hassle on replacing the Sander. The dust collector works very well and there is no visible airborne dust. The tool arrived within 2 weeks from Amazon without any damage. The motor is very strong and quiet and it has plenty of power for a home sander. The only negative aspect is the disc run out. The run out was 20/1000 of an inch with the new disc plate.
I recommend this sander except for the excessive run out. I purchased this sander with the dust collector about six months ago. There is no significant vibration. I called Amazon and they send me a completely new Jet 12 inch sander with free return shipping of the old one.
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