Sand in new Chinese tools

jmarkwolf said:
Good input everybody, but I should clarify my question a little.

Do any of the common retailers provide any value add, such as maybe do some in-coming and quality inspection and some cleaning before re-badging and tacking on a surcharge and re-shipping, etc?

Since my original post, I found some Youtube videos regarding dismantling, cleaning and re-assembling lathe of chucks. They're a simpler device than I had imagined.
Click to expand...
My experience is that the retailers do little or no incoming quality inspection. I base that on multiple purchases from Grizzly and from Tormach. In both cases, machines arrived in the original overseas shipping crates with no evidence of being opened. A few years ago, we bought a horizontal band saw from Enco. The saw was branded MSC and had a power switch mis-wired so the saw could not be powered up.

The same holds for portable power tools. Every one that I have bought in recent years was boxed and sealed overseas.
 
For the purpose that it is being used for, doesn't really matter about the TIR which can be adjusted out or balance, typically problems with the cheaper chucks. I haven't purchased chucks from Shar's but their other products I have purchased seemed to be a bit better as far as finishing and grit. But it is all about what you choose and what you pay. Also they are very good about returning products if there is a problem. I have also purchased a chuck from HHIP (returned it because of the TIR), similar products to Shar's. As far as QC, that is up to the manufacturer not the distributor. When I had issues with the HHIP chuck previously and spoke to the US distributor, they stated they do not check anything, but they would ship me another chuck if I wanted.

I had a Chinese 4J independent 8" chuck that came with a lathe, it had some grit and casting was uneven making it useless for the lathe because of balance issues. Cleaned it up and worked fine for the rotary table. Probably the only thing that matters on a rotary table is the jaws are ground true to the chuck back so there is no wobble when rotating the chuck. I use a Chinese Superdex rotary table which came with a set-tru 6" 3J, and I use the 4J independent for odd shaped parts.

If you do not pay much for the chuck, you will most likely need to clean it up and dress-up the edges, etc. no matter who you buy it from. If you pay a little more HHIP has Vertex chucks made in Taiwan, should be a bit better. Shar's also has some higher end chucks, but I can't see spending more for this indication. Other possibility is to pick up a higher quality lightly used chuck.
 
I haven't found foundry sand in my stuff, but a good friend kept finding sand in his crankcase on a cute little India-made oilfield engine he'd just bought new. He tore it down to the castings, and needle gunned 15 lbs of sand out from under the paint on the inside of the motor. Oopsy-doopsy-QC?

This was 10 years ago, haven't seen anything like it since, but now that I know it is possible, I check if I can before buying.
 
At times I've thought about picking up an old dishwasher at Habitat for Humanity or a similar store. I've seen them for as low as $40 or $50. Find a place in the shop and use it as a degreaser. Can't quite justify it, though. Wouldn't need it that often, and don't have that much extra space near the existing plumbing. Ah, well ...
 
Unless you're rebuilding equipment, a parts washer is not a necessity. However, having one (or a suitable substitute) is a God send when you need it. Same thing with a surface plate, it usually supports my coffee and calipers but it also is my reference surface for scraping.
 
I purchased a Sanou 6" 4-jaw. Nice chuck, no sand. I did have to lap the jaws to free them up (they were a very consistent, very tight fit) and stone a few sharp edges.
 
Surely the chuck is going to fill up with fine swarf and metal particles in use?........are you never needing to clean it out ,ever.?........I have to regularly dismantle my chucks and pressure wash the big bits outdoors......and one is a 20" pratt 4 jaw......As soon as you spin them ,the water is thrown out,squirt in some oil,and youre good for another month.
 
Machines and tooling with sand! Buy enough, you have a shop AND real estate.
Or a place for kids to play.
 
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