Replies

1. 
   Dustmight | May 27, 2005 11:09pm | #1

   I own neither, but hear plenty of positives as a good value....not quite General, PM production stuff, fit and finish are a little rough. S/H can get high depending on how far you live from Wilke.

2. 
   gochay | May 28, 2005 12:26pm | #2

   I bought a Yorkcraft 6" jointer last year, impressive enough.  Strange thing I found out later, if I go to Delta's website and look at the instruction book for the 36-195? got exactly the same book-pictures and all.  Anyway, it's a good solid machine, runs smooth.  Has a cast frame motor, most tools have a stamped steel frame motor (much cheaper).  Not to mention it saved me almost $100 over the Delta.  I also bought a Bridgewood saw from Wilke and found it to be a real bargain too, rock solid fence.

3. 
   DougF | May 28, 2005 04:12pm | #3

   I have the Yorkcraft 15" planer and have been very please with it.  Shipping is not more expensive: the difference is that the other dealers are hiding a portion of the shipping costs in the sales price of the equipment.  Wilke charges you the true chipping costs.  I agree with the other poster that the instruction manuals are exactly like the Delta instruction manuals.  The finish is rough but this isn't a beauty contest.

1. 
   reeferman | May 28, 2005 05:28pm | #4

   I have the 6" jointer and have been very happy with it. Setup was straight forward with no problems encountered. If you keep and eye out Wilke usually has them on sale sometime during the year.I bought mine when it was on sale for $299.99.Wayne

2. 
   forestgirl | May 28, 2005 07:02pm | #5

   Someone here (nikkiwood maybe? can't remember) did a price comparison with jointers, using the lowest on-line prices for Jet, Delta, and the Grizzly and Yorkcraft including shipping.  The Yorkcraft came out pretty high, IIRC.  However, it probably does depends on where you are relative to their warehouse.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

4. 
   StorminNormann | May 29, 2005 08:59am | #6

   I purchased a 8" jointer from Yorkcraft last fall and have been thoroughly pleased with it.

   I live in Hershey, PA (less than an hour away) so I paid tax but not shipping. I also bought the floor model and was able to roll it into my trailer already assembled. All together, paid just over $500.

   Suppose I could have gone for a Grizzly following that same local puchase logic but that's a longer trip (3 hrs?) for me and their jointer was more expensive as I recall. The other thing that tipped the scale was that the Yorkcraft model is very simular to Delta's (same Chinese vendor??) and Delta has received good reviews. I couldn't find any reviews of the 8" Yorkcraft otherwise.

   I really like the rack and pinion mechanism. I don't care much for the built in mobility base. It works okay but not great -- not enough clearance from the ground when I'm moving the jointer around but my shop floor is sloped near a floor drain. The adjustment for depth of cut is pretty easy and straight forward. I didn't find tuning the jointer to be especially difficult or time-consuming.

   My thinking at the time I bought the jointer was that a decent 8" jointer was better than an excellent 6" jointer for the same or more money. I haven't regretted that decision at all.

   I didn't have much interaction with Wilke as a company. The dust chute was cracked at the time of purchase so they gave me a replacement. They weren't especially helpful on the sales floor but I didn't need much help.

   Hope this helps.

   _________________________________________________________________
   It is noble to teach oneself, it is still nobler to teach others -- Samuel Clemens

   Steve