Jacobs arbor marking

Yes, thanks Ketan. Good to know my Spidey sense hasn't deserted me although a little frustrating to know I could've sourced, in this case, the identical product elsewhere for half the price.

Exactly what's wanted, but that trust is often misplaced! Paying extra might get you a better product, or you might just be paying for the name on the packaging. Bling.

Brand-names are bought and sold freely, and it's unwise to take them at face value. A brand-name might indicate a place of manufacture, or a degree of quality. Or not. They most certainly aren't a guarantee, and even good names don't last for ever. The original Jacob's bit the dust in 1991, when they were taken over by Matco. The Jacob's brand was an asset, but how it was used in relation to quality was down to the newcomer. As they too have been taken over, the link back to classic Jacob's is tenuous.

Chaps who get hot under the collar about CE marks sometimes fall hook line and sinker for an old brand-name belonging to a global corporation they've never heard of! In this example, Jacobs happen to be owned by Danaher, or perhaps their spin-off Apex Tool Group, which is a joint venture with Cooper Industries. Apex own many tool brand-names including: Weller, Sata, Cleco, Lufkin, and Jacobs. Danaher have about 50 divisions including Matco, Leica Microsystems and Nobel Biocare. This network of firms are multinational, with factories in many different countries.

I'm afraid if the country of manufacture and quality are important, it's unwise to assume that a brand-name means much. The branded and generic products may be exactly the same item, the branded version might be better, or it might be inferior. Check before buying!

One advantage of buying generic is I don't worry about any of this. Usually buying unbranded from a reputable supplier, not too cheap, works out OK. When it doesn't I try again. So far the warning 'Buy cheap buy often' hasn't bitten me as a hobbyist. I would take more care buying critical tools if I depended on them for a living.

Dave

Totally agree..but..if someone is selling a named product....you wouldn’t be happy if you received a fake...

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... We could have a forum; where people post and discuss their findings, for the common good.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 27/02/2019 13:14:02

The problem remains that these days that if it’s not direct from the manufacturer, there’s no proof of its authenticity...

One would hope that the owner of a brand name associated with quality would ensure that only goods worthy of that quality were being sold under that brand name, otherwise it would be a waste of purchasing the brand name in the first place if its reputation took a nose dive and made it worthless.

Hi Michael,

I am a little unsure about where you are coming from with reference to this topic. However, I will try to clarify with reference to ROHM sourcing for this particular product:

1. Cost of outsourcing for this generic product is cheaper for them, then producing in-house.

2. the quality of the 'vanilla version' from ROHMs source Chinese factory supplier for this product is good. However, the same product is made by many other factories in China and India, available in any packaging you like, and cheaper than this factory.

3. Regarding your point about taking the next step and quality starting to decline..... this has already started for this product, as certain buyers start to move away from this factory. For example, price increases for this product from this factory have increased by 8% ~ 15% (depending on buyers purchasing from this factory). Other 'non-volume' products from this factory have increased in costs between 15% ~ 30%... within a short time. As yet ARC has not moved away from this factory, but this factories future is uncertain, as the seriously big boys decide what their position will be.

Add to this, the main buyers are still American. They have high import duties to pay for Chinese origin goods. In light of this, some American companies have switched supplies to cheaper factories in China, as well as in India. For the buyers who have switched, some of them have switched blindly - especially to India, without any understanding for the quality as well as the consistency of the products they have ordered. So, in this instance, difficult to say what will happen.

Ketan at ARC.

Hi Chris,

For the ROHM product which you purchased, you got a good product. It would be difficult for you (as end user) to know if the half price product you might have purchased came from this specific factory, or a good known source. ROHM knows exactly where their product comes from, just as ARC does, for this product. So, in some ways you should be happy with your purchase rather than feel frustrated.

Ketan at ARC.

Let's put it this way. I paid 3 times what you charge for the same arbor so if it came from the same production line, I might feel some frustration.

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Ketan,

I note that in quoting my post, my points 4,5,6 have been re-numbered 1,2,3 ... but that's of no great concern.

Where I was coming from was an attempt to explain [to Dave S.O.D.] my remark about the 'bean-counter' ... my six steps were a 'timeline' which potentially ends with the situation that you describe:

Having 'sold his soul to the devil' ... our heroic bean-counter then realises that a few more coppers could be saved by buying-in something a little worse and a little cheaper.

MichaelG.

Ah...um...agreed.

Ketan at ARC.

Understood, thanks,

Ketan at ARC

The one that the thread was originally about. A jacob's fit arbor ostensibly made by Rohm. The clue was that my post was all about Rohm

Perhaps in this case "Quality remains long after the price is forgotten"

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But that IS NOT what the thread was originally about ... Chris joined-in, because he had a similar [not identical] experience to John.

• John bought a 'genuine' Jacobs item
• Chris bought a 'genuine' Rohm item

MichaelG

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 27/02/2019 14:35:32

Here is one I hoarded earlier:

Suits you Sir

Ketan at ARC

A 1/2" chuck on a 1MT arbor? That's bold. I hope the tailstock barrel is near perfect.

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That just happens to be what I acquired, Chris

... I have no intention of using them as a pair !!

MichaelG.

RDG sell these together....