Thread: What's up with Jet?

Chinese New Year doesn't start till the 12th Feb

Ok So since when is Jet in Australia run by Chinese ????

The machinery comes from Taiwan/China.

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

The machinery comes from Taiwan/China.

So Jet Australia hasn't any stock ???

This is advertising something you don't have and from previous experience is illegal in this country or was.

He ordered in December long before Chinese New Year oh thats right Aussies close up for 4 to 6 weeks don't they.

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

Gripes with Jet:

1. Ordered a 2HP dust extractor in December....its nearly mid February and I'm still waiting for the thing. Got told the reason there's a wait because of the Chinese New Year. Surely someone at Jet should have factored in the Chinese New Year and stocked up on a few dusties to carry them over. Made the mistake of paying up front for the machine....learned my lesson the hard way there.

2. Enquired about some parts for my Jet 10" table saw. It's taken Jets Head Office on the east coast nearly a month to reply to their office here in Adelaide as to availablity and price of the items. Now that Ive actually ordered the parts can I look forward to another month long wait till they arrive??? Its obvious they don't carry any spares in Australia for what is a current model piece of machinery. Has anyone dealt direct with overseas Jet suppliers for parts?

So I have my new drum sander which I cant use until I get a dustie and the second hand table saw cant be used either until I get the two metal plates that are part of the blade guard assembly.

Not good enough Jet....

Easy to fix. Walk with your wallet and buy another Brand.

Unfortunately as I pointed out in my post Ive already paid the full price for the dustie.

In the case of the Jet saw parts....I don't have alternative options. There must be hundreds of these saws around Australia but little or no spare parts held in country.

I have also put in an order for a Jet product that is currently being advertised on the back of the current issue of Australian Woodworker ..... obviously with a different store than your own but I cant get an expected arrival date ..... tried a few times but no direct answer to the question. Luckily I am not in too much of a hurry and haven't bothered to push it.

From looking at the back of the Australian Woodworker there seems to be a growing Jet "Network" in Australia ...... not much good if they cant get hold of the stock.

Jet dealer here in Adelaide is also an antique supplies business.

.......Carbatec are directly across the road.

Call me paranoid but I get the feeling that Jet are running a "just in time" style business. Minimal stock held in their shops and stock to fill orders coming from Taiwan/China as the orders get placed.

I had the same issue with parts for a JET 6" jointer last year. One of the blade adjusting cams in the cutterhead broke (not surprising if you saw the design.....). Went back to Major Woodworking where I bought the machine - they just put me onto JET Head Office (Melbourne). The required part wasn't in stock. I was given the choice of waiting for it to be included in their next shipping container from China (!), or paying an exhorbitant "shipping fee" to have the part sent out directly. I should add that the part concerned was about the size of a 5 cent piece, and weighs about the same....

In the end I had to convince them to send the part by airmail post - left to JET I'd probably still be waiting. Dismal service. Apart from consumables (e.g. blades) I suspect they hardly keep any spare parts in country.

Frankly, you'd get just as good, if not better, spares support out of Carbatec for one of their own machines. I've bought JET machines in the past, but certainly wouldn't pay the price premium again.

Um I actually switched to Jet machinery after getting the run around from Carbatec last year over a bandsaw blade order. I did pop across the road to Carbatec last time I was at the Jet agent and it looks like they're carrying alot more stock than last time I was in there. They even had a 2HP dustie sitting on the floor.

I think it's a shame they don't take the australian market more seriously.

The Jet machine's i've used I've been impressed with. But they are expensive, and are hard to track down.

I plan to buy a 14" Jet bandsaw... but I might keep my cash, till it's getting loaded onto the trailer.

I just emailed Jet in the US and received a reply within an hour informing me the part was available and I can order it over the phone using my credit card.

Local agent waits 4 weeks for a response to an email to Jet Head Office Australia....I wait 1 hour for a response to an email to Jet US.

Originally Posted by kiwigeo

I just emailed Jet in the US and received a reply within an hour informing me the part was available and I can order it over the phone using my credit card.

Local agent waits 4 weeks for a response to an email to Jet Head Office Australia....I wait 1 hour for a response to an email to Jet US.

Local agent and Aust Head Office need a boot up the ####.

When you get the part (but not before), write to them with a copy to US Head Office and tell them the experience. Who knows it might convince Jet Aust to do something about what appears to be a chronic problem.

All the Jet stores are supplied by the main office in Brisbane.

So any complaints should go there first then to Tiawan as the main manufacturer.

Since Jet Australia took over there has been more delays

Judging from the staff manning the Jet stand at the last WWW show, 'Jet Australia' is just a front company for the old 'Woodman Group' - Gregory Machinery/Major Woodworking Equipment among others. They seem to have done a 'deal' with Jet's parent company to stop the other local companies importing direct (so I was told) - strangely prices are up & service is down compared to when there was actual competition in the local market