Issues with Shopmaster owners

[TeaManMachine]

Anyone have any issues with the owners of the Company that produces and sells the Shopmaster machines?

I had one heck of a time. It took almost a year to get delivery of my machine. It arrived without all of the extra tools that I ordered with the machine and it didn't have a vice which was listed as a standard piece of the tool. I emailed JT at ShopTask many times. I have a folder dedicated to the email conversations there were so many. A couple of the tools were substituted by others because they said they were no longer available and this is what they had as a substitute, others just never sent. I would go long periods of time with no communications, then would hear something usually an excuse for not replying or not sending a tool I purchased. Finally they stopped replying all together. I never did get the vice or approximately $100 worth of tools I purchased. I sent them multiple lists of what they sent to me, and what I didn't recieve. I was very disappointed since I had read so many good reviews of them. My experience sucked!

[jdclark]

I think they have had machines in stock for the past couple of years- when did you order your machine? I got my machine 3 years ago and it was delivered about 10 days after I ordered. A couple of back order items came by UPS within a couple of weeks. I've had few technical issues over the past few years, but had no problem getting help from JT.

[TeaManMachine]

I'd have to look for exact dates, but I think it's been in storage for about 2-1/2 years. It's been in storage since I got it. I got busy building a house, then workshop, so no time to even set it up. Just tried to get all my tools and what the machine was supposed to come with, and didn't have any luck. Mine was one of the last ones that came from the old plant in China. They kept saying it was shipping, then there were problems, then shipping, then problems. This went on for nearly a year. Some tools came before the machine, some things with, and some after. Just didn't get all, and they didn't seem to care...

I truely wish it would have been a better situation. At first they seemed like great people, but turned cold, then very cold, non existent. I assumed they put my mail on a banned list or something because correspondence stopped.

[Timbob]

I paid for mine on a Saturday and it shipped out the following Thursday, one day earlier than it was supposed to. It arrived the next Tuesday, complete and fully functional -- essentially position, plug and play. No issues so far, and it does what I want and expected. I am very pleased.

I have never waited more than 12 hours for an email reply. On occasions where I have phoned, I got an answering machine only twice. The other times, JT was helpful and answered all of my questions. He did not make any kind of a sales pitch, but let the machine sell itself. These communications were made before and after I made payment, and there was no difference pre and post payment. He did not seem in a hurry to get off the phone, or in any way give me the brush off.

In terms of ease of purchase, communication, etc, this was one of the easiest I have ever experienced, especially considering it was a fairly big ticket item.

I'm sorry to hear your experience was less than ideal, but you may want to try him again. I get the impression that he is a stand up guy, and will make it right for you.

Good luck!

[jdclark]

Sounds a bit suspicious- he claims he ordered about 3 1/2 years ago, yet just showed up here yesterday- my PM bounced back.

[Bell 430]

I ordered(My company) a bridge mill about the same time frame hes talking about, it took mine 12 business days to get to me, the funny part is the machine was sitting at the trucking company for 3 days, so I guess the delivery time was actuall 9 days, I have no complaint about that. as for contacting JT I have had ABSOLUTELY NO problems. I agree with Timbob, I've never waited more then 24 hours for a response, there has been several times I've had JT respond to an E-Mail on the weekend.

[TeaManMachine]

Sorry, I've been away from my computer for a while so I haven't been able to get on this site.

Not sure what you mean JDClark about me ordering my machine about 3 1/2 years ago, and just showing up yesterday.....

If you mean to this site, yes, I just ran across it while I was researching drives and motors to see if I may be able to upgrade my machine to drives rather than belts. I saw a specific area dedicated to Shopmaster and decided to see if anyone else had issues. I'm happy you have not, but can't say the same myself. By the time I got my machine, I had moved and had to put it into heated storage. I actually just got it out yesterday and moved it into my new workshop. I hope I have good luck like I've seen here on setting it up and starting to make metal chips...

I ordered my machine just about the time the Patriot came out. My machine was the last ones that were built in the old factory in China. JD kept saying that they were having problems with shipping and the factory was having issues. Something to do with the factory being paid, but them not using the money to pay the shipping company. I'd have to go through my string of emails to see exactly what it was. I started following up about every week or so, changed to every couple weeks, then at least once monthly.

I guess if the shipping times actually were as good as you guys say yours were, I'm even more dissapointed. I was definitely strung along then. I'm not out a bunch of money, probably around $100 worth of stuff, but being a professional myself, the business practices I saw were less than desired.

To be honest here, after what I went through, I was extrimely surprised to see the responses I got. I was expecting something similar.

If they would have actually made an effort to make things right, I would not have had a problem. I didn't even get the vice that was supposed to come with the machine and will have to get one myself now.

TeaMan

[jdclark]

Originally Posted by TeaManMachine Anyone have any issues with the owners of the Company that produces and sells the Shopmaster machines? I had one heck of a time. It took almost a year to get delivery of my machine. It arrived without all of the extra tools that I ordered with the machine and it didn't have a vice which was listed as a standard piece of the tool. I emailed JT at ShopTask many times. I have a folder dedicated to the email conversations there were so many. A couple of the tools were substituted by others because they said they were no longer available and this is what they had as a substitute, others just never sent. I would go long periods of time with no communications, then would hear something usually an excuse for not replying or not sending a tool I purchased. Finally they stopped replying all together. I never did get the vice or approximately $100 worth of tools I purchased. I sent them multiple lists of what they sent to me, and what I didn't recieve. I was very disappointed since I had read so many good reviews of them. My experience sucked!

They had a clearance sale of machines when the old factory closed. The price was 1895.00 and a vise was not included. There was an earlier sale for 1995.00 which included the vise- which one did you buy?

[TeaManMachine]

JDClark, I'd have to look at invoices for it. We are still unpacking all of our stuff and getting organized, so I'm not exactly where it is filed. The flyer I have from when I bought the machine clearly showed the vice. You are right there was a clearance and that is when I purchased. You do seem to know a lot about the history with them....

I'd have to do some real digging to find everything again. Also need to retrieve my old emails from a crashed computer. Hopefully that'll be successful within the next couple days. I had scanned the flyer from when I purchased the machine, but never sent it because they stopped replying to my emails, so I didn't see the point. I should still have that in PDF but again it's on the hard drive of the crashed computer. I also have a list of what I purchased with what I recieved and didn't highlighted. This I did send to them. They actually found a mistake I made on a couple books which I agreed to, but the rest I never did recieve.

TeaMan

[smallblock]

Originally Posted by Bell 430 I ordered(My company) a bridge mill about the same time frame hes talking about, it took mine 12 business days to get to me, the funny part is the machine was sitting at the trucking company for 3 days, so I guess the delivery time was actuall 9 days, I have no complaint about that. as for contacting JT I have had ABSOLUTELY NO problems. I agree with Timbob, I've never waited more then 24 hours for a response, there has been several times I've had JT respond to an E-Mail on the weekend.

I've been dealing with JT for nearly 20 years now. Bought a 17-20 back in '93 and then a Patriot a few years back. Both machines paid for themselves many times over. JT has always been fair on any warranty issues I've had, and never failed to return a call or e-mail.

[wilsonrj22]

Hello,
I purchased my Patriot 2010 in October of that year and live in N Cal. I have family in S.Cal and arranged to stop by JT's in Las Vegas to pick up my machine and haul it back to N Cal in my 3/4 ton pickup. I've had a few really small issues and JT has always responded to my emails and readily answers the telephone. I had a few items back ordered; which shipped as soon as available and when it was apparent availability was not going to happen, JT cheerfully mailed me a refund check.

I'm retired IT manager and this is one of my many hobbies, so I don't spend as much time on my machine as I'd like. I've been taking manufacturing technology classes at my local community college since 2007 and know it if unfair to expect any $10,000 imported equipment to outperform $50-100,000 USA equipment. IMHO- Shopmaster Patriots perform very well in the price point they exist in. Do I have some chatter, yes a small amount. Have I had some small parts quality problems, yes, but not anything you wouldn't comparably see in other brands. Are there upgrades i'm going to do, yes and I was aware when considering my purchase that I would do some; but it is a hobby of mine.

Last, I usually don't take time to post, but thought I could give my experience. JT has always been up-front and very professional; and I believe much of the few negative commentary is undeserved. Some of it even borders on
Troll ALERT

[Quadramaster]

TeaMan,
I have to agree with everyone else. I didn't even buy a new machine from JT, but a 2001 Shopmaster 2000 Quadralift from a friend last year. It had a couple small parts the previous owner broke, but JT was VERY helpful in getting me parts for my 10 year old machine, and the prices were very reasonable. He has always been very responsive, to a number of silly noob questions I asked him. I'm sorry to hear about your troubles, but since none of us has had a similar experience, I might suggest the possibility that your attitude had some affect on your relationship with JT. If I were you I'd try to repair that relationship... Just saying...

Mark -