I have never bought a large machine sight unseen! But after careful digging I came to the conclusion that it was from the same assembly line as two others I have seen. For $200 less than the lowest competitor, I took the gamble and ordered the Yorkcraft 20″ planer. It arrived mid-day Friday.
Slipped the hydraulic lift truck driver a $20 bill and he rolled it into my shop without any questions ask. It was bolted to a 2″ pallet that was strapped atop a 5″ pallet. It was my job to get 770 lbs. down alone and that I did with the help of a 2 1/2 ton hydraulic jack and some oak used as levers. The crate came off and from all pictures I’ve seen I was expecting to see an off-white. But it was light shade of grey, not that it mattered.
Assembly time took about 5 hours with a large part of that getting it carefully off the pallet and cleaning the cosmoline from cast iron surfaces. The rest went like clock-work.. well almost. To get it off the main pallet down steps of various thicknesses of stock, you have to mount the front foot caster first to take advantage of the on-board rear casters. It comes for the most part assembled from the factory with the exception of that foot caster.. extension tables and the hand crank for height adjustment.
No foot caster and hand crank to be found as I checked every box twice. Pondering over a cup of coffee the thought came to me that for pay-back by a communist country for supporting the Taiwanese democracy, they might have hidden a box inside the enclosed motor case assembly. Pondering over a cup of coffee often reaps rewards that result in much less frustration. When the motor case door was off… Bingo!
Now for the extensions. I laid out all the bolts.. nuts.. washers.. etc. in the greasy little bag and off to read the the owners manual and assembly instructions The owners manual simply states, “Assemble the extension tables with the hex bolts, washers (not pictured)”. What detail from the manufacturer!
I assembled the front extension table with hex bolts and washers as stated. A quick check with a trued LV 24″ trued straight edge technically confirmed what my eyes had already alerted me to. The front edge of the table was about 3/16″ lower that the meshed rear to machine body table. I was going to have to loosen the bolts and shim under them with washers or fender shims to bring the leading front edge of the table up. But… before I did I pondered over coffee. Pondering over a cup of coffee sometimes reaps rewards!
I viewed under the table with a flashlight and found a threaded hole below each of the 3 attachment bolt holes not mentioned in the manual. I went to the un-labled parts assortment and found 6 large 12 mm set screws. Bingo! The tables were assembled front and rear meshed to perfection with no more than .004 off in flatness with those set screws doing a much better job than shims. The main machine tables had extremely good grind. The extensions were ground to a slight degree less with attention to polish. But I was actually expecting less on a $1049 machine. Well done over-all!
To assemble the hand wheel, the owners manual states, “Assemble the hand wheel on the height adjustment crank shaft”. What detail! I had to go the exploded parts blue-print to see if we needed washers.. collars.. etc. Found the washer.. collar and key-way shown but could not find the bearing shown in between in the exploded view in tbe assortment. Determined by looking at the machine that it was a print error and not necessary to have a bearing.
Installing the belts was next and the owners manual was clear on that. Pulled the belt-pulley case cover and found the 3 Deyun belts (available at any Chinese Auto Zone) already installed and with the proper 1/4 finger tension mid-belt. The pulleys were already aligned perfectly from the factory and the motor was in place and secure. I was impressed.
Pulled the head of the cutter-head housing and checked the knives for proper adjustment. Perfect… Checked the chip breaker and rear pressure bar for the proper .002 and .004 and perfect from the factory. The bottom rollers were found to be perfectly set and the cutter-head checked parallel to main machine table. I was impressed..
Installed a 30 A twist lock plug and fired it up. Got the normal thump you can expect with a 5 HP motor on start-up with 3 new belts. I let it run for about 30 minutes occasionally turning it off and on to seat the belts to the pulleys. It got quieter as expected as the belts heated and did some stretching. Ran some scrap 12″ stock through (widest I had.. send 20″ stock for test) and excellent results as was expected after all alignments had been checked.
The only thing that I found that was not good work was cosmetic and not really relevant. The machine came out of the crate without a scratch.. but the chrome plating on the crank handle would not win contract to do Show Car bumpers and chrome. It had excessive flash and runs. Again not important to the function of the machine but the Chinese have a lot to learn about applying triple chrome plateing it appears to me.
All is well with the U.S.S. Yorkcraft. Those 4 big 20″ guns are ready to blow some smoke at serious hard-wood contenders while sitting on a “battle-ship grey” base. Full steam ahead and d*mn the torpedoes!
Well done by Wilke and definitely fair priced! chinery! A 5* star effort on those counts IMO. But…. whoever wrote the miserable excuse for an owners an assembly manual would get a serious challenge by Jr. High WW and Machine Shop students. For someone purchasing that was less than patient and unacclimated to machinery.. Wilke would probably be getting a call on Monday morning with someone shouting about how their extension tables “droop” on the outer ends! ha.. ha…
BTW.. whoever said that a Grizzly G0454.. Shopfox 20″ and a Yorkcraft YC 20 P were the same.. They must be color-blind! … wink :>)
Regards…
Sarge.. jt
Edited 3/12/2007 12:23 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
Edited 3/12/2007 12:25 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
Edited 3/12/2007 12:31 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
Edited 3/12/2007 12:37 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
Replies
Sarge, congratulations. For those with some machinery savvy, plus some interest there is a whole lot of treasure out there east : I mean 20 inch planeing capacity for a very very small price. Folks need to think about this: how many hours does the average "westerner" have to work for the price of one of those machines (not very many). Some may need a tweak or two to get them right but that is about all. Not very long ago a 5 horse 20 incher would have been "industrial" territory and price- not available for the home woodworm unless very rich or able and willing to resuscitate Good Old Iron.
I have said this before- folks are getting a whole lot of machinery for peanuts these days, but they still winge about prices. I don't see how it can continue for ever- the makers are getting better and better and will be asking for their share sooner or later. Make saw dust while the sun shines.
P.S. Just looked at the pictures- can you live with that colour(,) ?
See my 900 lb shaper there-it came that Chinese military clay green colour, but after thorough inspection and being suitably impressed with the quality I reckoned it should be the colour of good machinery-which is medium to dark green- so I re-sprayed a brand new machine. That was 12 years ago. I have gotten madder since.
Edited 3/12/2007 2:16 am by philip
The missing picture:Philip Marcou
Phillip,
That's an unusual green color on that shaper.....
By the way, why do you keep your fire hose in that box?;)
Lee
Lee, I had that duco left over from an XJ6 Jaguar that I had ....
The cardboard box covers the electrickery meter- I try not to see it.Philip Marcou
Phillip,
I completely understand. I try not to look at my electrickery meter as well. After a few months of not looking, it stops the merry-go-round, though. Then the hand saws and planes come out to play. Ha Ha!
Cheers,
Lee
Morning Phil..
Color is not an issue.. but since you mentioned it, it comes in a shade lighter than all the Steel City grey I have taking up floor space. It gives a nice contrast. So.. if there is a contest to see who can best color coordinate a shop count me as a contender. ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..
I agree about having some decent machinery out there if you can weed out what is good and what is not. And I agree at a very fair price. I could have paid $700 more for the same thing with a few up-grades like 4 speed and digital read-out. But table size is the key here if the working components are up to snuff, IMO.
And you're correct as to the manufacturers holding a price line and just how long. That is happening in Taiwan at the moment. The workers want more and that's why the manufacturers are re-opening plants in China where an employee gets paid what the government says you will get paid, which isn't much. But eventually the same thing will happen there and that's why I'm investing now to put things into place at what is now the low price before full retirement in 2 years.
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Philip
My favorite cure for poor colors in machinery is Hammertone Green, or Hammertone blue (my new favorite) from Sherwin Williams. Durable as heck, and nearly impossible to scratch. Nice job on the shaper. It's good to see you like to make other tools besides those fantastic planes look purty. <g> Now, if I could only afford one....
Jeff
Agreed- green hammertone is most versatile, and you can also slap it on with a brush if hard pressed.
There is another paint I have not seen mentioned here- black self etching primer-posssibly it has been disappeared because of toxity. Fastest way of cleaning dirty machinery (,)Philip Marcou
Philip
Huh. Never heard of the black primer stuff. I learned of the hammertone paint from an old timer near me that rehabs old industrial ww equipment for a living. He restored my jointer for me, and has helped me with the acquisition of a few others. Green hammertone is definately the most used equipment color, but I prefer the hammertone blue.
You must have used a different brand of hammertone than what I have. I checked the can, and it states on the label that it must be sprayed, FULL STRENGTH, without thinning, in order to get the hammertone look. Without spraying it, it states that it will be a flat blue color. Next time I'm working with it, I'll brush some on metal and check it out.
Take it easy, mook.
Jeff
Outstanding Sarge. You've got yourself a first rate chip maker there. Not sure what your chip/dust collection is, but I hope it's up to the challenge of processing what comes out of the chip chute!! I have once or twice forgot to hook up the vacume hose to the planer before running material, and the volume of chips blowing out the chip chute is truly something to behold!! I bought myself a Jet 16" thickness planer that looks similar to your 20" planer with the most obvious exception being roller outfeed tables where you have very nice cast iron outfeed tables. Quick question, what's the condition of 'snipe' on your material coming out of the planer? I've never had ANY trouble with snipe and shake my head at some folks suggestion that they just sacrifice the first and last 3"-4" of their boards due to the 'inevitable' snipe they get. I don't get any from my thickness planer, nor my jointer. But at any rate, well done. Enjoy.
Edited 3/12/2007 2:42 am by jeff100
Afternoon Jeff..
No snipe from 12" white oak @ 48" length. But.. too early to tell as to longer stock. This machine has a 55" bed and supported that almost entirely.
I have a Delta 13" 2 speed that doesn't snipe if you support it properly going in and coming out. So.. I think bed length and human error has more to do with snipe if the machine is tuned than the machine itself. A slight dip or rise of the hand in the wrong direction will get it at the very start or finish on a shorter bed machine as I see it.
Even though I agree and hardly ever get snipe.. I still rough size it 3-4" longer than what my plan calls for and cut to length latter. Stickily taking out insurance with the price of going for more stock if a boo-boo occurs! Just my game plan..
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Dear Sarge,
Very Cool! I'm glad to hear that it all worked so well for you. Thanks for the review & the pics.
Best,
John
Afternoon John..
Thanks and you're quite welcome, sir!
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Sarge,
Over the past two months I've really enjoyed and have learned quite a bit from your tool write-ups. It seems you've replaced your bandsaw, table saw, jointer, planner ..all big boy toys. But, what you have not shared and has me most curious is...who's paying for all this coffee your drinking? And if all this is in preperation for retirement ..will your kidneys support all this new equipment?
Afternoon BG...
Whos pays for the coffee is the part time job with "muscle cars" that I now have to get ready to go too. :>)
I don't know about the kidneys.. heart.. etc. I learned in VN to just live one day at a time and treat it as your last.. cause someday you will wake up to find that it is! And that's a fact! ha.. ha...
Off to play with 65 GTO's, Chevelles and Camaros...
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Imagine that, color co-ordinated tools. My shop looks like a fruit bowl ;-)Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Evening Bruce..
Most of my cabinets and bases are home-made and I love to paint (??), so they have no choice but to be whatever color I make them. With a BS and jointer from SC which is grey.. and a reco Delta Uni-saw that is grey.. and the edition of the Yorkie which turned from what I thought was off-white to grey, well....
BTW.. the porch and floor paint I use on the the floor is grey and I used light grey on the concrete lower walls (white on sheet-rock above as the light colors reflect light better) so... the shop by chance and not choice is turning grey. :>)
But there's always a black-sheep in every family (that would be me in my family that marches to the beat of another drummer on occasion) that spoils the party. "That be" my means of cross-cutting as the SCMS is.. well... should be say... odd green at the least! ha.. ha...
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Edited 3/12/2007 7:17 pm ET by SARGEgrinder47
I got kind of tired of Gray while in the USN. Repainted my Old Walker-Turner lathe OD Green with a gloss clear coat, Ironic that we change colors.
Those Crawdads and tobasco sound great. But McIlhenny is the only tobasco I use.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Hot sauce is like bar-be-que, Bruce. It's all good.. just some is better than another depending on "your" taste buds.
BTW.. the tent party is open invitation to any that show up. Just bring food and beer.. I'll supply fire and electric. ha.. ha....
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Off to play with 65 GTO's, Chevelles and Camaros...
C'mon Sarge, It's bad enough you have new tools but do you have to rub the muscle car stuff in our face too? Ha Ha, just kidding.
Maybe I should move to the Atlanta area, and I could start training to take over your musclecar position when you retire. I wouldn't need most of my woodworking equipment, I could just "drop" in over at your place, say... everyday?
Cheers,
Lee
Evening Mapleman...
Throw a tent in the truck and c'mon over! And if you would slightly detour down to S.E. Louisana on the way.. grab a case of Tabasco and some fresh craw-fish. We'll eat good and tell lies when you get here and then blame it on the beer! ha.. ha...
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Sarge,
Sounds like a plan!
Lee
Way to go, there, Sarge!! Be very careful. Next thing ya' know, that driver will be showing up with a 20" jointer to team up with that monster planer you have there. Then, and this is where the real fun starts, you'll be completely dissatisfied with store bought skinny, wimpy 8" to 12" boards, and you'll be taking delivery of a Woodmizer band mill, happily slabbing away at 8/4 18" wide planks, flitching to your hearts delight, starrily gazing at all the new posibilities of working with wide slabs. Then, you'll be building a new woodshed to house all of your new favorite treats......
Sorry, I got a little carried away there! That's what happened to me, anyway.....
Enjoy,
Jeff
Afternoon Jeff..
I think I'm finally "good to go".. well maybe a DC to handle what is already sitting in hopefully what turns out to be their final resting place?
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Dear Sarge,
Now that you have had the "Yorkie" for a while, do you still like it?
Best,
John
PS. I take it that you are a military man, so thank you for your service, I hope that you had a wonderful Memorial Day!
Morning John...
"Now that you have had the "Yorkie" for a while, do you still like it"?..JM
Love it as it is does the same things that a more expensive model does. I have been challenged to run across any stock wider than 14" so far, but that sweet-gum in my front yard might become the victim as it's roots threaten my water and gas lines from the street. If so... the 20" sits in a 3 point stance awaiting the snap. :>)
I would recommend most of the York-craft machinery I have seen personally as Curt Wilke has it priced right, IMO. Not much I don't need at this point as a friend of mine that is a customer service rep at Dewalt Service Center here in Atlanta has me a factory re-conditioned DW 788 20" scroll saw on the way purchased in his name. I got a real deal on that.
But... I do have my eye on the "Yorkie" floor model morticer. Good deal at $599, but I put in a word that if a "demo model" becomes available to give me a call. The Shopfox benchie still preforms admirably, but I would like the more efficient X-Y table to cut time slightly as I near retirement and traffic gets heavier in my shop. Not a biggie on that one, but "if the price is right"!
Thanks for the salute on military service. I am not retired military. The Sarge is a name given me 9 years ago when I went to work for Year One with old muscle cars after closing my own company. So many Johns... only the original John gets to be John. "I spoke to John".. reply..... "Which one as we have 14 in various departments scattered over 300,000 sq. ft.". You get the picture.
I did my 3 years of active and 3 years of reserve from 66-72. When I walked away in 69' and back to civilian after 3 years of active I had just returned from VN as a Sergeant with "P" Co. 75th Ranger Regiment. The question was.. do you want to re-enlist and do career? I gave that some thought and calculated I was currently making $13.88 a day as a Sergeant and that included $55 a month combat pay.
Hmmmmmm.. no brainer as I decided to take a shot at the outside world and walked away with plane ticket to Atlanta.. $375 in my pocket and 2 bronze stars and a purple heart I had just been given from shrapnel entry from a rocket propelled grenade in a human wave attack.
Turned out to be the best choice "for me" as I hash over it! ha.. ha...
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Edited 5/30/2007 9:33 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
Edited 5/30/2007 9:35 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
Thank you for your military service, Sarge.
Paul
Evening Paul...
You're quite welcome, sir!
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Dear Sarge,
Thanks for your reply, I'm glad to hear that you like it, as I may take the plunge myself. I have an upcoming job that may justify it. I had heard that it was on back order, so I may have to wait, but I think that I will go for it, if this job comes through.
Thanks again, for your military service. Some of the treatment of the Vietnam Vets was atrocious. Even as kid I thought that you fellows got a bad deal. I know that you may not see yourself as a hero, but to me and others, you are. Most of the WW2 vets will be gone soon and it will be to you that our youth looks at, for the guidance and wisdom in times of War. You were never forgotten.Best,John
Dear Sarge,
I just read that Wilke is going out of business?http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=58882Best,John
Evening John...
I just read your post as I had Moh's surgery around 3 PM to take a basil cell cancer (non malignant sun related style) off the inner opening of my ear. I don't do codeine or other narcotic pain relievers so I just slept for a long while.
I haven't opened the link and read the deal on Sawmill yet, but will in a few moments. Interestingly, I almost called Curt yesterday morning on the floor morticer. Sorry to see them go down if that truly is the case as he had everybody beaten on price and the customer service was admirable from them.
The 15" planer has been on back-order. He had 3 of the 20" when I got mine on hand and the current back-order may really be a tip to what has been reported about the machinery sales going down. You might consider the Grizzly as it will come as close low-ball price as can be had at the moment if that is the case. Same machine.. different color!
Be interested in developments in the Wilke rumor... Am I concerned about getting parts? Nope.. don't expect anything to break and if it does I will either fix it.. machine it or call Grizzly and get a replacement. Or from the sounds of it Wilke will continue to service (I edited after reading the thread on SCreek).
Do I feel "ripped off" about paying $1120 for a 20" Grizzly err..ugh... York-craft planer if the company knew they were going to get out of the machinery side of the business? Nope.. couldn't be happier with the price I paid.
Would I still take the York-craft mortiser at a "steal price"?.. Yep.... I'll be on the "horn" tomorrow morning to see if they still have one and if so.. send a brother-in-law in Pa. after it with a pick-up truck and cash in hand if the "price is right". ha.. ha...
BTW.. thanks for your thoughts on veterans. I am a member of 75th Ranger Reg. and society of 5th Infantry Div. and you are correct about the WW II vets and Korean (they got over-looked also) slowly fading from existence. And I have met some fine ones indeed at yearly re-unions. They have my highest respect!
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Edited 5/31/2007 12:46 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
Edited 5/31/2007 12:51 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
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