Archived from the Tools In Action forum (All others not listed). This thread is read-only.
Haven’t heard any comments on either of those two brands. Both are clearly better quality than HF but their prices won’t make it so difficult to then buy the materials for your next project.
Shop Fox makes a rather large benchtop drill press well suited for working wood and light metals plus it comes with a built in reciprocating drum sander function. The speeds range from those well attuned to drilling larger holes in wood (and some phenolics) to those usually best for metalworking.
Steel City also makes some rather competitively priced power tools. I have yet to own or use one personally but have been in touch with one of their factory reps who tells me they are currently working on an 8″ version of their current 6″ benchtop jointers. would be interested in hearing from anyone who has used any of their tools or any tools from ShopFox as well.
I’ve seen a lot of Shop Fox stuff. Seems to be a step above HF.
I have no dealings with Steel City, but have wondered about them myself.
Steel City oem’s some of the other brands bench top stationary power tools.
Never heard of either of them, but based on what you guys say, I might have to give them a shot.
DR99 wrote:
Steel City oem’s some of the other brands bench top stationary power tools.
That’s my boy! Who’s making the damn thing is the question I always ask myself.
I knew I’d rub off on you eventually.
I’ve been checking on the Steel City website for updates in their product line but have seen nothing of the 8″ bench jointer I exchanged emails with them about last year. Anyone else out there heard anything?
I think perhaps a better bet would be to upgrade to a cabinet table saw (keeping the radial Arm saw, of course), something with belt drive and more precise control over blade angle, and use that for jointing. Then concentrate a few bucks into a good helical head planer and a two stage dust collector.
I hadn’t been on Steel City’s web site since this thread was new.
I was checking out their 13 inch planer with a helical head. It goes for about $599.00 I think. I need to track down some reviews.
I never buy anything without a review, then I read the reviews and have to look somewhere else. Damit
chadlanthier wrote:
I never buy anything without a review, then I read the reviews and have to look somewhere else. Damit
That has happened to me.
Apparently Steel City did not come out with the 8″ jointer I’d hoped for. Guess I’ll have to go buy and make do with one of those 6″ bench top machines. I really would like to be able to joint a 2 x 8 without having to both buy and then make room for one of those $1,000 to $3,000 aircraft carrier.