Recommendation on Combination Jointer Planer? And Tiny-Shop advice

[dbhost]

I have been doing some looking into the Jet bench top multi function machines since you posted this. You might want to look into the reviews online on these. I have seen the magaine reviews of the big 12" floor models and they are all good, but the reviews of the bench top units are really bad, problems such as non coplanar tables, and warped fences...

See this Lumberjocks review...

A pity, the idea of a bench top sized combo machine is VERY appealing...

[tkarlmann]

Looks like he got a bad one ...

I have been doing some looking into the Jet bench top multi function machines since you posted this. You might want to look into the reviews online on these. I have seen the magaine reviews of the big 12" floor models and they are all good, but the reviews of the bench top units are really bad, problems such as non coplanar tables, and warped fences...

See this Lumberjocks review...

A pity, the idea of a bench top sized combo machine is VERY appealing...

Actually, it looks like the whole thing might just be a POS. However, one of the commenters, who also had a bad one, actually three of them, was invited down to the factory -- to have one made especially for him. Thing is, the factory is in Nashville, TN -- which happens to be only 70 miles from me! Two possibilities: 1) the DESIGN is poor, leaving no hope whatsoever, and 2) they were put together poorly for some reason(s). It sounds as if JET could do better from a design standpoint, but also the manufactuing was poorly done.

Sounds most likely to be a Lost Cause. Might be worth a call to Jet. What do you guys think? Am I trying to polish a turd?