Problem with SWAG Portaband Table

Ted Calver

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Yorktown, Virginia
Just a heads up to anyone considering the SWAG Portaband Table. I received V0.3 for Christmas along with an Incra V27 miter gauge and foot pedal. I was unable to get a decent fit with the Incra V27 miter gauge (purchased through SWAG as being compatible with their table) in the slots on the table. Following Incra's instructions I cranked down hard on the adjusters and the bar still didn't fit the slot. Cranked down even harder, so hard I cammed out three of the hex bolt adjusters and broke the hex wrench... and there was still a lot of slop. I talked to Patrick at SWAG and he said he would call me back, but never did. I called again today. Patrick said that they had looked at it after I called and found the slots in this batch of tables (500) were too wide and they had already talked to their supplier about it. My table slots measured 0.78" to 0.79". Incra's gauge is designed to fit 0.74" to 0.76". He said that if you rotate the nylon adjuster ring so the slot in the ring is perpendicular to the bar and facing outward, you can crank it down enough to get a snug enough fit. I asked if he would send me a table that was within specs and he said he didn't have any because the entire batch is messed up. He was sorry I ruined my adjusters but wouldn't send a new miter gauge. This info is too late for me, I already screwed up my gauge, but might help others. Incidentally, replacement adjuster sets from Incra are about twelve bucks. I hope I can get those bolts out.

That begs the question: Why pawn off a bad batch of tables on your customers rather than sending them back to the supplier.
 
Wow, That's not exactly what you would call customer service.

I had never heard of those before, but it looks like something I could have used (before I read your review).
 
Sorry to hear the news Ted. Bad customer service for sure and bad approach to hoping the problem will solve itself by working out the bad product. Hope people researching this device find this thread through the interwebs and that they get an early warning heads up.

The other bad thing is if he is buying direct from manufacturer then he should be doing some form of incoming goods inspection especially if its manufactured on demand in batches.

So double negative.

The least he could have done was promise to replace yours and at the same time send you a new gauge not just those washers. You found the problem for him on your time and dime and he should be grateful to you not abandon you. Great idea messed up by poor quality and incompetent vendor.
 
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