Delta magazine editors were invited to Jackson, Tenn. this week to get an insider’s view at the factory where the newly invented Unisaw is manufactured. We also got a more detailed look at the company’s flagship woodworking machine.
As we entered the facility, we were guided through the engineering offices and past a display of vintage tools. While most of the tools were housed in showcases, there were a couple that stood openly on the floor, too big to be behind glass. The original Unisaw, which dates back to 1938, was one of the machines. It is shown above alongside the new design. This 1938 Unisaw was the first to use tilting-arbor tables. (Earlier saws had tabletops that tilted while the blade remained vertical.) The older table saw was very similar to the one we have today, at least from the outside.
We went back to the conference room to give a brief introduction about how Delta re-invented a table saw. It has, to my knowledge, significantly changed the machine and the term “re-invented” does apply.
What is the best way to reinvent a tool? It all started with research. Those on the sales and engineering staff not only approached woodworkers for information, from individuals to woodworking groups, but also those involved in the distribution line. Jackson was able to take the comments and incorporate them into the product.
After the prototypes were ready, the company consulted more than 1000 users in 30 cities for feedback. The folks at Delta made another round of adjustments to arrive at a final product that was on display at the 2008 International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta. The final design has been slightly modified since then.
We were given a better view of the Unisaw and Delta officials explained that the Jackson facility houses engineering, manufacturing, and sales teams under one roof. This allows a close working relationship within the company. The team can ask the tooling staff any questions they may have during design. If manufacturing hits a snag during prototype work, its a short walk to work with the engineer to resolve it. This allows Delta to maintain high standards.
The facility was toured and it was clear how these strict standards are maintained. We were shown how heat treating, quality control and painting are done. Finally, we were allowed to go onto the Unisaw assembly line and were shown all the steps involved. For security reason we were not allowed to take pictures. The company provided all photos for this story.
The tour was impressive. The idea was that woodworkers would be more comfortable purchasing if they were allowed to see behind the scenes. I wonder just how different these processes are from company to company. To produce a tool, there are certain standards. However, maintaining that standard is where the differences stand out. If youre designing, building and assembling in the same facility, standards may be easier to control than they might be if the machines were built overseas. Standards can still be maintained, even though they are possible.
These are some facts about the Deltas Jackson facility as well as about Unisaw.
The facility is more than 100,000 square feet, with one-third of that space attributed to Delta and Biesemeyer fences. The company uses over 4 million pounds of bar stock each year, 181,437 kilograms of laser-cut steel, and 68,039 kilograms of rolled steel to produce the parts for DeWalt, Porter-Cable, and DeWalt tools.
The new Unisaw has 380 different components (many components such as bolts are used multiple times to arrive at the total number of parts in the saw).
Saws are scheduled to ship in late March or early April 2009; pre-orders will be accepted beginning in February.
The saw’s price is currently set at a 3-horsepower, 91.5 cm-fence system. (No saw will be sold without a Biesemeyer fence system.)
And Ive saved the best for last.
The saw’s cost is eighty percent from domestic parts.
In my next entry, Ill cover the Made in America aspect.
