Thread: GMC Platinum 235 saw

Wonder if it was a test for the market? Guess only Triton would know that one. Gear up a small production run - test the manufacturer as well, then sell them to cover cost. Not saying this happened, or happens. Just a hypothesis.

Found the product number for the Dewalt saw that's pressed from the same mould as the GMC Platinum - it's DW389. I've actually seen these two saws side by side and the only differences are:
1 - Yellow plastic rather than blue (& different branding of course)
2 - Nothing else I could find.
If in doubt I found a pic at http://www.justtools.com.au/prod598.htm
A chippy friend reckons some Bunnies still have the DW389 but he thinks it's hilarous he paid something like $300 for a yellow version of my $99 saw (I bought it before the current clearance). I guess the bright colour makes it easier to find in the dark but hey my GMC's not getting lost hanging under my bright orange beast.
Brian - I'm pretty sure I've seen your red triton doppelganger at a Cashies - I think it was a Milwaulkee?? but I thought to myself at the time it looked exactly like a Triton.

Is the web address I included above an illicit outside link? Sorry if it is.

Not at all Toddles

Here's a thing.

The two guys who are GMC were tool design engineers (I think) for Black & Decker, who own.....Dewalt.

Brian you were right - I found your Ruckman. Aussie made though - check out the pics. I'm told it's not uncommon for a larger company to avoid going through complete product development by aquiring another company with a product close to what they're looking for. Perhaps George liked the Ruckman and bought them out?
The essential difference beside it's redness seems to limited to be it's quite flimsy pressed steel baseplate (flexes noticeably) and the depth adjustment stability features - it wobbles all over the place in anything but it's deepest position (and still slighty even then) and while the lever is in exactly the same place it's only about 50mm long. Triton seem to have taken an OK local product with a innovative dust extraction feature on the guard and a whopping gusty motor and made it (what I think) is one of the world's best 235mm saw.
PS: That Dewalt is $399 at Bunnies! Stuart - I think those GMC guys ran off with the moulds - see if you can grab the GMC and compare it directly with the Dewalt at Bunnies (I'll stop obsessing over this now - time to move on).

That sure looks like the Triton guard!