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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    38

    DETROIT TOOLS

    What's happening with Detroit Tools- they were the CNC division of Smithy, but their website is empty.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    281

    Re: DETROIT TOOLS

    I looked at their CNC line a few times and it appeared to be a "shotgun" approach to the market. They were essentially some off the shelf Chinese machines with the Smithy name slapped on. Reviews were not very good and they tried a software called Easy-Trol which was quickly withdrawn. I think they found themselves falling behind in the hobby market with their 3 in 1 machines essentially being the same old designs from the 80's and guys like Tormach moving ahead with more sophisticated machines for the serious hobbyist. Bigger companies like Harbor Freight and Grizzly were grabbing off a lot of the low priced 3 in1 market as well. In the past they tried a knock-off of the old Shopsmith woodworking machine (perhaps the origin of their name) as well as a Chinese made bulldozer, all of which disappeared from the market. Looks like the big CNC machines are going to follow those other products into history as well.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Posts
    1424

    Re: DETROIT TOOLS

    Their website is back.

    From my perspective, one of their problems is they try to market every single CNC machine that one or more chinese manufacturers make. There product line has a lot of overlap, and it is difficult to see why you should choose one of their machines over another. They should pick maybe 2 lathes and 2 mills, and focus on those.

    With a lot of machines, and a small customer base, it would be difficult for them to provide good customer support for every single machine.
    Tim
    Tormach 1100-3, Grizzly G0709 lathe, Clausing 8520 mill, SolidWorks, HSMWorks.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Posts
    38

    Re: DETROIT TOOLS

    Quote Originally Posted by tmarks11 View Post
    Their website is back.

    From my perspective, one of their problems is they try to market every single CNC machine that one or more chinese manufacturers make. There product line has a lot of overlap, and it is difficult to see why you should choose one of their machines over another. They should pick maybe 2 lathes and 2 mills, and focus on those.

    With a lot of machines, and a small customer base, it would be difficult for them to provide good customer support for every single machine.
    I agree, if you look at their history, they are essentially a copycat company - every product they have ever offered was either a copy of someone else's or just an off the shelf Chinese product. They are based in Ann Arbor Michigan where the local university is a hotbed of Chinese students and visiting engineers. Wouldn't be surprised to find that they are partially owned by the Chinese.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    281

    Re: DETROIT TOOLS

    The CNC Detroit Tools division is dead- they came up against Tormach who are extremely knowledgeable in that field, and simply could not compete by slapping their name on some Chinese clones. They have essentially retreated back to selling those old 1980's 3 in 1 designs and trying to fill the gaps by calling the same machine by a bunch of different names. With China now on the verge of economic collapse, it may be only a matter of time before they find themselves without anything to sell.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    152

    Re: DETROIT TOOLS

    Agreed,
    They recently posted a video about the " New and Improved" Granite machine which was essentially the same one they have been selling for years with a new keyed switch. This new switch suddenly transforms the machine into "industrial grade". Ironically, a switch with a key is just another potential problem with the key being something that can get lost or broken.

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