YIKES! Wlke Going Out Of Business??!!
JMartinsky
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
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Replies
It sounded to me like they are going to stay in business, but won't be marketing their line of machinery any more.
So Bridgewood may be a thing of the past, but Wilke will be around to support the customers that have their machines.
At least that was my read. I don't know anything beyond what was posted on sawmillcreek.
-Tom H. Ventura, CA
Dear Tom,
If that is the case, then what income will that business see? If they are not selling anything, there is no money in customer support. I emailed them yesterday about an unrelated subject and I haven't heard back yet.Best,John
Well, according to the original thread at the Creek Wilke plans to do service and repairs. Probably a lot more margin there than in importing equipment that is identical to many of your competitors, often at cut-throat pricing.
JH
Hi John-
Their web site indicates that they sell other tools -- Porter Cable, Delta, General, etc. They bill themselves as a "Full service machinery dealer." So I presume they have revenue from those other products as well as the repair & spare parts sales that would come from supporting the customers that bought Bridgewood equipment.
-Tom H. Ventura, CA
Why am I not surprised! They seem to make very good machinery but on the several attempts I've made to purchase from them, their shipping costs were so high that it wasn't prudent for me to purchase from them.
I just spoke with Curt Wilke of Wilke Machinery. Have gotten to be friends with him as he is an old car enthusiast and I work for a "muscle car" company.. Year One, Inc.
First... he is not going out of business! He will remain open and hopes to be there for years to come with machinery repair and service and hopes the current scenario of having to give up Bridge-wood and York-craft will not interfere with the fact he has been doing that for many years!
He did not have a problem with the manufacturer in China (and they are Taiwan based and does Grizzly.. SF.. Delta) Jen-teng (sp?.. and only the YC mortisers came from a separate source abroad). The problem lies with continuos "bouts" with the trading import-export company who has made it such an over-bearing situation to get stock in timely manners and several other scenario's with them that Curt finally threw his hands up and said, "Enough to enough"!
So.. parts for existing should be had for the asking by those that have the machines according to word straight from the "horse's mouth".
BTW Brownman... Curt had no major freight cut as some larger companies with the over the road carriers. He recently got flat rates for East of the Mississippi that brought things in line.. but there were no cut rates available to him west of such making truck freight to the west coast out of sight and spoiling the excellent prices. I suppose at this point and under the circumstances.. that is irrelevant.
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Dear Sarge,
Thanks for getting to the bottom of things. That is still too bad, but I am glad that they will still be around, in some capacity.Best,John
Edited 5/31/2007 6:11 pm ET by Jmartinsky
Sarge,
I got the same response from Wilke when I called about the same situation. Import hassles and frieght costs were killing his business. I have 5 Bridgewood machines that I bought since I retired (3yrs) so I was a little more than concerned. Curt said he plans on being around for as long as he can make money ,so I hope the best for him, he is a good guy. I replaced a PM66, a PM100 planer and a DJ20 jointer and I never neeeded a new part for thaose machines in 25 yrs so I guess I shouldn't be too stressed about parts. I have had my BW machines for 3 yrs. and if something is going to go wrong it usually does in the first month.
Terry
Morning Terry...
Kudo's for you on several counts..
(1) Other than standard fare belts.. knives.. etc. not likely. The majority of the machines you have will probably inter-change with other Jen-teng parts in the un-likely case you did need them.. even if Curt W. decided to take a hike, which he has every right to do. There are no guarantees if you purchase an airline ticket in advance that the airline will be there tomorrow to deliver. That's reality.. so face it!
(2) I have never seen a metal part that could not be machined in the worst case scenario. With you having a farm you probably understand that. It wasn't always that we had instant part replacement and next day shipping. If the tractor broke.. you fixed it and you had the common sense and ability to do it without calling 911. My.. my.. have things have changed with our dependencies on others. ha.. ha...
(3) Having BW machines after dis-continuance is not all bad. I have a Ryobi BT 3000 TS and Ryobi dis-continued it a year or so ago. There are 1000's of them out there as it is an excellent machine within it's limits regardless of what others opinions of Ryobi are. There is even a dedicated web-site for the saw (BT3 Central) and I am a regular poster there.
I just retired my BT 3000 from ripping over 40,000 linear feet of up to 2" hard-wood. Still running well when I got the Factory Reco Uni-saw at a steal. I have it in my back shop with a 3/4" dado stack ready at all times and surrounded it with extensions for the rare occasions I do use sheet goods. It has a small slider, riving knife and crown guard that makes life safer with sheet goods.
But.. with the dis-continuance there are thousands that still have the saw and need parts. I could part it out on-line at the site with-in a day (as many do with an up-grade) and make twice or more what I originally paid for it 5 years ago. It is more valuable to me though in the role it has been given.
(4) Kudo's for being retired.. That phish's me off (envy) as I won't for another 2 years unless the stars and moon change alignment and that is possible. Maybe I could buy up Bridgewood machines and start a salvage yard. I have seen several people that did that in the "muscle car" business.
Years ago Ted Stephens over in Alabama accumulated and piled up 58 acres of Mopar "junk". He was the local "laughing stock". 35 years latter TS has assets of several million $$ because of that junk he piled up. I suppose "he who laughs last, laughs loudest". ha.. ha... ha.. ha..ha..
So.... keep in touch and we'll consider our own Bridge-wood-York-craft web-site for inter-changing product ideas and sources of parts.... or in the case that we don't panic and discover that we just don't need them as I suspect.......
Just go do what you can about those "ash" trees all around you there!
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
sarge - do you think that mean they'll be selling out of their stock of stuff in York, PA at bargain basement prices?
I'm on a project in York for a few more weeks, may have to drive down one week instead of flying and fill the truck up!
(I promise I won't compete with you for that floor standing mortiser!)
Morning Kummell...
He pretty much already has as the last group of 15" planers never made it there and he is out of 20"'s also as I got one of the last 3. He did not have the Yorkie mortiser or I would have purchased it yesterday and had my father-in-law or BIL in Pa. pick it up as they are moving here in September despite the fact they know I will probably "tar and feather" them. ha.. ha...
Curt said there are a few Bridgewoods on E-bay in the store section I believe as I am not a web guru for sure. He said he put no reserve on them and whatever the highest bid is regardless of what it is.. is what they will sell for + shipping.
That might be an excellent avenue for anyone that is keen with wheeling and dealing on-line. The BW PBS series Band-saw comes from the same factory as Laguna and is basically the same machine with exception of re-saw height and guides. The jointers are basically the same as Grizzly.. Delta.. etc.
They are not in on Saturday.. but if you are in the area I would drop by just to see what he has and make an offer if any and you are interested. The worst answer you can get is NO and that has no out of pocket cost as I see it.
Regards and good luck...
Sarge.. jt
Sarge,
Thanks for the first hand update on Wilke machinery. And BTW I did finally purchase a Felder sliding table saw. I'm picking it up at the AWFS wood show in Vegas in July. I'll be reorganizing the shop until then so I can fit it in. Your shop seems to be coming along nicely as well. I'm kind of wondering if any one from this knots forum, who will be attending the show in Vegas would like to meet up and for lunch one day during the show. I think it would be kind of fun to see some of the faces of those we chat on line with. I'm guessing that not to many of you from the east coast would would be coming. It's only a five hour drive for me and I have a daughter that lives there which makes it all the more worth it to go. Perhaps I'll pose this question to ALL in the coming weeks. Happy woodworking to you!
Danny
Morning Danny...
I would love to go to Vegas as it is the #2 show in the country just behind the IWF in Atlanta every two years. But... as you stated, most on the east coast find it too far to travel especially since the price of gas has risen drastically. Used to be you could catch a gambling junket (and nobody can monitor if you gamble so it could be used for transport) for under $200 round-trip.. but that is pretty much "gone with the wind".
Enjoy the Felder as I'm sure you will. As I see it, you're "Moving on up to the apartment in the sky", huh! ha.. ha... ha..ha..ha..
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Edited 6/3/2007 7:29 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
hi Sarge, Spirit from ATL to LAS is $254 including the taxes. You want me to book it for you. Just send me your CC number.
I got PHL to LAS for $354. That was about the cheapest I found from there.
Thanks for the great info on Wilke. I really like that company.
Danny, Congrats on the new saw. A bunch of us from the FOG usually meet up at the Felder booth during the show.
take care,
John
Morning John...
Nah.... I can wait on the next show here in Atlanta even though I would like to see Vegas now as things have changed radically I understand since I was there years ago. I'm just not sure I ever again want to see a little old lady on the brink of exhausion pulling two slot handles at once, always expecting the next pull to be the arrival of the "mutha lode" dropping in her lap! :>)
Regards...
Sarge.. jt
Edited 6/3/2007 9:54 am ET by SARGEgrinder47
John, I wonder if Mark or Matt would change the title of your thread should you request it. It's unfortunate to have a complete mis-statement (not intentional, I know) blaring away. Some readers won't bother to review the posts and find out about the actual situation.
Just a thought.
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