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Author Topic: Highland park  (Read 13146 times)

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55fossil

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #15 on: December 25, 2018, 04:32:25 PM »

    Last year I ordered parts for two old saws from the new HP.  Everything was received in less than 2 weeks. I called in the order and all went really smooth. I have heard more good than bad about new HP equipment.
    Lortone:  I have worn out a couple 18 inch Lortone saws, 1970 era builds. They were great for the money.  Never had a saw yet that did not wear out split nuts. They are meant to wear out so your shaft and motor do not.
    Same shi.. with cars, phones and other new equipment.  Build it cheap, quick and light weight. Low bid gets you .....   right.  So, I am glad the New HP at least kept the design.  And guess where the metal came from to build your car, refrigerator, and other stuff.  Maybe you got lucky and got some metal out of Cascade Steel that recycles old American steel into new American steel but not likely.
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Slabbercabber

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #16 on: December 26, 2018, 06:27:53 AM »

Some steel used here comes from China but it is universally poor quality and manufacturers are very careful about where they use it;  Stressed and wear parts are never made from Chinese steel in this country.  Even in China steel is imported for high quality products.  Castings from China are also total crap.  They just haven't figured wout how to build metal processing equipment.  At to those split nuts, if they are brass, they are not the same as the Original Highland Park parts.  The originals were bronze.  That is a huge difference in wear resistance.
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Downwindtracker2

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #17 on: December 26, 2018, 10:22:04 AM »

I hate to disabuse you of that notion that stressed steel parts aren't made of Chinese steel. I worked in a wire mill. One of the products was precast concrete strand. It's the stuff that reinforces those concrete overpass beams. Because Chinese rod was so cheap,(Chinese government subsides) even with the down time from process breakages , Chinese 1080 was used, it was cost effective. Chinese strand imports (even greater Chinese government subsides) pushed us out of the market and the plant closed down. I retired. Think of that when you drive on the freeway.

When we made wire for aircraft carrier cable, we used Japanese steel, and only with certain batches. Batch to batch, steel quality will vary.  Mind you over half the batches of Kobe Steel were allowed.

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55fossil

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #18 on: December 26, 2018, 12:02:23 PM »

    Back in the day, 1980's, I worked in metallurgy, ie Eddy Current non-destructive testing of steel for industry. Steel for bearings, camshafts, transmissions and more. I will say " some companies" did test the crap out of our steel for some products. The fun of watching red hot steel flying over your head while it went from 8 inch square to 1/4 inch rolled wire is hard to describe. All it took was good management or a bad lawsuit and industry would start testing. Yep, USA Steel and it had defects too. Pretty sure we still test important stuff before it goes into cars and planes. You can usually have cheap or good, rarely both. Not sure how much testing anyone would do for a 10 dollar cast iron part for a rock saw?????
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ivanhoe

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #19 on: January 11, 2019, 07:36:41 PM »

Just found out highland park moved 5 minutes away from me. Might be time to start looking into getting a rock saw. Thoughts? Anyone use the their new saws.
Thanks
Mike

I realize I'm a bit late, perhaps on this but in answer to your question. My first slab saw was/is a Lortone LST 12 the bearings needed to be replaced. I decided to clean it, take it apart and replace the bearings. The design, I found is not user friendly. The project was completed and is satisfactory.

With that said I decided to purchase a real slab saw. I purchased a 16" Highland park slab saw. You may be thinking why not a larger saw. First of all, it is made to last. I have found, is well made, durable, and most affordable compared to other manufacturers. This SC had to get the crate to my basement, unload it and assemble the final apparatus. Then as I found out, the 16 inch will take about as large/heavy a rock as I can handle. After having the saw for a while. I reviewed the Highland Park 12" and decided with the additional features this saw has, better construction, added features as opposed to the LST 12. I obtained one of these saws also.

I am not disappointed and I don't miss the coolant showers I used to get when the off switch would kick on my LST 12 when adjusting rock in vise for a new cut.   You will not be disappointed. I still have the Lortone LST 12 that I would be willing to sell/part. These two (2) new highland park saws will last longer than I will. Hope this helps. They are user friendly and customer oriented. Keep us posted and updated as you search this out. IV   
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brentnewton

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #20 on: February 16, 2019, 01:32:11 PM »

OK .. I'm just reporting in feb of 2019.   I just bought a Highland Park 14" ... its all the same saw as the design was never patented or there patent has expired.  Looks just like the covington 14 I just gave away best I can tell (I don't have it yet). I called, talked to a helpful rep .... ordered saw, they said about two weeks .. ti was about two weeks and go a call it was shipping.  Good comunication.... maybe they are getting their act together.  I sent several emails ... and go replies promptly.  Kelly .. the rep .. kept me update on when it was going to ship and when she was going to charge my card for the remainder (had to put down a deposit). Overall .. ti was a pretty positive experience.  They were very communicative.  I just hope I like the saw.
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brentnewton

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #21 on: February 20, 2019, 10:04:02 AM »

So, assuming this 14" HP saw does arrive sometime soon ... I'm inclined to go ahead and get whatever spare parts I might need for the duration.  What do I need to order ... split rings for the feed I know ... does the feed screw wear out?   Am assuming I can find a mother ... and the bearings are just standard pillow blocks ... right?  Are the HP parts exclusive to the new HP?   I know this particular design has been manufactured by several folks .. so will say a split ring from someone else like Covington fit the HP saw??
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Downwindtracker2

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #22 on: February 20, 2019, 04:14:32 PM »

Just looking at the web page, they do have great web pages. I would say No. They use a twist to engage. That brass nut might be their own design, it's really clever, but it's not the common plier  type clamp. I would think about stock piling a few.
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brentnewton

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #23 on: February 21, 2019, 05:24:21 AM »

I will stockpile a few .... and see how long that takes to do.  They have quite a few videos up on youtube about their saws ... you'd think they would have the customer service thing down better.  Kelly is most definitely an improvement ... but she ain't the one shipping the saws.
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irockhound

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #24 on: February 21, 2019, 08:25:19 PM »

Got my 2 blades today just shy of 5 months - I think thanks to the forum.  I think it is a bit too coincidental that I should get the first Email in over 4 months the day after I comment on their service.
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brentnewton

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #25 on: February 22, 2019, 09:37:56 AM »

I'm going to send "asshole" email today ... probably put me on the bottom of the list.
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brentnewton

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #26 on: February 22, 2019, 09:53:01 AM »

I don't like to do the asshole thing.  But I did it.  We'll see where out goes.  Last saw I buy from them.  Can't give a good recommendation.  Has to catch up to them sooner or later.  They act like they have so much biz that they don't care .. recipe for disaster.  You get complacent .. someone eats your lunch.
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brentnewton

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #27 on: February 22, 2019, 09:59:02 AM »

And I tried to call ... got the "we are helping the customers" crap ...
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Downwindtracker2

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #28 on: February 22, 2019, 11:56:38 AM »

I think they are using a different business model. Global sourcing , call center?? answering, and using the web for sales and instruction. Just from my brief exposer , I don't think they have it all tied together yet. I haven't used Alliexpress yet, but from what I've heard it seems to work. And Amazon has taken a few of my dollars.

Rockhounding in BC is almost a  seniors passion. Young families are uncommon on our events. So you have to question the future of a lapidary equipment supplier. Maybe by minimizing the overhead they can survive . They have a very extensive product line.   

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brentnewton

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Re: Highland park
« Reply #29 on: February 22, 2019, 12:55:59 PM »

Well .. my asshole email must have shook someone up.  I got an email from the shipping guy "Mani" .."I'm not sure what you are referring to.  And if there has been a lack of customer service somewhere we do apologize for that.  We have many orders that were placed before yours and to be fair, we have to get those orders out first.  Your order will be going out today via UPS and USPS." Damn ... they must be shipping saws non-stop :).  Uh ... no really customer fuzzies there.  NEVER tell a customer ... I'm not sure what you are referring to ya know.  THEN .. I get emails from John Rowland ... they are shipping.  So its Kelly on the front end and John (Mani) on the back end .. which is ok if you can make it work .. and a lot of horseshit in between.   Smoke and mirrors .... the wizard of Oz ain't got nothing on the these folks .. only the wizard of Oz don't have my freaking 2K :)
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