MLCS Woodworking has changed names

[LCHIEN]

I was surprised tonight. Thought my browser was hijacked because the usual MLCS WW site was not coming up on the first two tries, and then this came up by automatic redirection of the URL
Looks entirely different. Lost my comfort factor of a familiar website.
MLCSWoodworking.com is now H Valley Tools HValleyTools.com

[LCHIEN]

Ah. the Kicker is that MLCS free shipping is gone bye-bye.
Now shipping by First class mail is $5.10
Apparently if you are a "member" you get free shipping on orders over $75.

That's a deal breaker.

MLCS used to be my go-to router bit supplier. I used them for 20 years for

• free shipping and decent prices
• top notch customer service
• easy to follow familiar catalog and web pages and instructions
• consistent quality

I feel like I've lost 2 of the four with the other 2 now unkowns.

[leehljp]

Remembering name changes are difficult for me. I added the new "link" but changed the Bookmark name to "MLCS-HValley Tools" . . . so that I would know what to look for. I also moved the bookmark to the same place as the old one. That helps me considerably.

Also, Penn State Industries, probably the largest Pen turning supply company was directly related (owned?) to/by MLCS for eons. I am wondering how it is now. The pen turning industry and turners are using laser engravers on a large scale and have been for the past 8 - 10 years. HValley offers the same basic laser engraver types that Pen Turners use.

[LCHIEN]

you don't have to remember, the old URL for mlcswoodworking automatically redirects.
The new management/owners will probaby keep the rights to the URL to prevent anyone else from using it and redirect it to channel all their old customers to the new site.

[leehljp]

Yes, I know that redirecting works, but only for so long. I have numerous URLs that were bought out by others and they did re-direct for a while but after two or three years, it became more of a problem than needed. Changing URLs early works much better in the long run.

[Jim Frye]

Another tool company bought out and products being re-engineered to be more "cost effective". Look at all of the familiar tool brands that are now part of some conglomerate giant.

[LCHIEN]

Formerly top notch MLCS Customer Service clearly gone to heck in a handbasket now that its H Valley Tools.

They haven't answered a question I left on their "contact us" page 5 days ago.

so


20 years ago or so one of the woodworking magazines had a 20-30 manufacturer router bit shootout testing one profile from all of them with a CNC router to see how many feet they would do before the quality declined. At the time MLCS bits impressively came in second only to premium bits costing 2x like Whiteside and Amana so I was impressed. But I haven't seen such a comparison for a long time so I don't even know if that quality level is true anymore.

[leehljp]

I remember that article, which was great, and a great test too.

[nicer20]

Formerly top notch MLCS Customer Service clearly gone to heck in a handbasket now that its H Valley Tools.

They haven't answered a question I left on their "contact us" page 5 days ago.

So sad to hear ....