I know several other individuals that have had similar experiences. While the product is fantastic, the customer service is left greatly wanting. I believe this is why they handed that off to third party providers, just to be able to shift the blame. The summary I get from yours and others experience is to go ahead and design the system yourself, spill your own blood, order the product needed, and end up with a much, much better experience.

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

This is basically what I learned so I agree.

One of your biggest virtues (imho watching your videos) is your patience. Whether with your own mistakes or others, you seem to navigate through the ebbs and flows. That is challenging when you are constantly striving for perfection, and will accept nothing less. I commend you for keeping the lines of communication open…the lack thereof is usually where things fall apart. Kudos on the system…maybe someday!

@FortressFineWoodworks

5 ай бұрын

I truly appreciate that. It sounds like you value patience and communication as well! Good luck with things and thanks for watching!

@marshallsnyder2364

5 ай бұрын

@@FortressFineWoodworks I’m still working on both…and I’ve been playing in the woodworking sandbox for 40 yrs. It’s a marathon, not a sprint!

Grizzly has the same pipe fittings and system and web based dust collection design software.

@FortressFineWoodworks

2 ай бұрын

Do they? I didn't know that. Thanks for the tip

@Realism91

2 ай бұрын

@@FortressFineWoodworks I'm assuming their compatible but haven't looked into it.

This is absolutely bonkers. Thank you for the heads up.

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

Just sharing my experience. Thanks for watching!

Oneida sells a quick clamp system (similar to, or is Nordfab) and they also have spiral pipe and connectors that is 3/4 the cost for pipe and have the cost for elbows. When I installed my dust collection system based on a Oneida commercial separator, I went with spiral pipe and connectors. Oneida sells a non Nordfab pipe to Nordfab type clamp adapters that work nicely with the spiral pipe. I have since converted some of my drops to Oneida’s quick clamp system to make the pipe to hose connections. Cheers

@FortressFineWoodworks

4 ай бұрын

Thats a great idea! I hope people see this comment for that awesome tip! Thank you!

@alholston-smith7631

4 ай бұрын

Thanks, Oneida also has a duct design service available, and it is free if you buy the parts you need from them. They designed my setup, and it has been great. Cheers

I'm designing my own and will order the parts and install it myself. But it's close to $5,000 for the material. I figure 900 per drop! I've also read bill Pentz about 10 times. If they gave you a price why did it turn out to be 50 percent more? Plus all the extra parts? They don't take those back do they? Next time try Oneida

@FortressFineWoodworks

Ай бұрын

That's a good idea. Then you won't have extra. It cost more because they added on a bunch of parts that I didn't need.

That is insane the cost of all that, I just did my shop in Spiral that I got from the HVAC wholesaler and I paid $800 for all the 10" 8" and 6" pipe and all the elbows and fittings. plus they were all 10' sections so it went up fast. I had all the y's and blast gates already, My collector is a 7.5 hp oneida. with buying the collector used and piping I have half of what you have into my whole system as what you have into pipe.

@FortressFineWoodworks

4 ай бұрын

Yeah you have a good deal then. Nordfab isn't cheap

Great 'buyer beware' video! I'm nowhere near needing a full up system like you, but now I know. I think you're in the right here on this because for $12+k you paid for the right to call it like you see it. I'd add that you got to the heart of it at the end of this video - companies, all of them, are focused solely on profits and shareholder value, and aren't paying employees what they're worth nor are they investing in key aspects like customer service. It's pervasive and spans every segment of the economy. One last thought - that extra material will come in handy when you inevitably need to expand for more tools. Costs will be higher in the future, so in theory you'll regain some of that bulls**t tacked-on cost.

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

You are exactly correct. Covid really destroyed good companies. People are lazy and unthorough these days. I am keeping every extra piece as an investment for future updates. Thanks for watching!

Had almost the same experience wite Oneida as the distributor and design consultant. Ended up with a ton of extra parts, after I redesigned it myself, they would NOT allow me to to return.

@FortressFineWoodworks

3 ай бұрын

That's very annoying of them. I'm sorry you had such a struggle.

Thank you!

@FortressFineWoodworks

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching

Damn!!!! My shop is about 1/3 the size of yours and my quote was $5200. I just ran with their drawing (with some modifications) and bought a lot of the parts on EBay and brand new from Grainger. I’m also only using 4” and 6”. If I went by their parts list I would have over bought a lot of pieces

@FortressFineWoodworks

6 ай бұрын

Yep exactly. You played it smart!

I'm shocked and sorry you had these problems with Nordfab - and to read others here had problems. I've built two ducting systems with Nordfab, but Nordfab UK and used their direct sales team. I can't praise them enough. Ducting isn't rocket science (it's flow dynamics haha), and such a great product should have great service too. Love your work, and I'm glad you have great dust extraction. Me too lol. M 👍🏼

@FortressFineWoodworks

5 ай бұрын

I'm glad you are enjoying yours. It's a great product

My therapist would have skipped compassion and had me work on my anger issues. After the last video of yours that I watched, I went to the Nordfab sight to see how much the systems were... in Canada you can spend over $400 for one length of pipe! I about shat myself. Awesome system but you Americans really have it good! LOL

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

Your therapist is a hardballer! I didn't realize how expensive they were in other areas. That's literally insane. Thanks for sharing the info!

Hey man. Although it pased some time since this video I just wanted to let you know for the future. There is some other video on yt of installing nordfab parts. And that guy created a bunch of Nordfab duct parts in 3d for sketchup. So it would be much easier for you to just assemble thos components in your sketchup model and just send them a list of needed parts. Awesome videos though. Take care

@FortressFineWoodworks

5 ай бұрын

That is a grand idea. Now that I know how the system works, that would be useful. Where do I get that info?

Thumbs up for the great content, massive thumbs down for Norfab's service and delivery processes. It's crazy that a company selling a premium product at a premium price would allow an experience like yours. We ship vehicles from all over the country and it is super tough to find reliable and punctual carries, so I feel your pain there!

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. That must be frustrating shipping cars.

So - I see you had a bad experience with Nordfab. I considered going their route with my shop but due to costs being out of my budget, I did allot of research and many You Tube videos later, designed and built my own system. I wish I could show you pics, but instead I will do my best to describe what I did. Intake going into the dust collector is 8". I necked it down to a (2) 6" wye. Everything else, mostly 6" to all of my machines and got as close as I could before necking down to the final machine size. I used 6" thin wall sewer pipe (and yes it was new, not used) and sweeping type connections. I purchased large pipe hangers from McMaster Carr. Hung from small chains. I have a 12' ceiling. I screwed all the connections together and used silver metal tape to seal everything up good. For grounding I connected bare copper wire to each connection at the screw. The screws were long enough to just protrude into the air stream. I wrapped the bare wire around all of the piping in a barber pole design and then terminated it to a metal connection on each machine. Anyway I just thought you might like to here how others have done their dust collection. In closing, would you say that Nordfab customer service "sucks"? Reply

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

I've seen quite a few videos on the same method you used. Which seems cost effective and smart! I think there are two needs; 1. Does the tool get proper dust collection? 2. Is there a ground? And as long as it meets those two priorities, then who cares what you use! Yes, Nordfab was a struggle.

@davidm2645

Жыл бұрын

@@FortressFineWoodworks Yes, sir - I have met the international woodworking dust collection standards as well as the state and local requirements! 🙂 As long as there are no balloons floating over my shop, I'm good!

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

Thats awesome! I wish viewers could post pictures of their setups in this comment section. I'll have to set up a group email or something some time

@davidm2645

Жыл бұрын

@@FortressFineWoodworks Will do, sir!

Sounds like it was quite the experience…yikes. That’s a lot to go through even for the best of products

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

It sure was!

..you way too nice. No product worth that. The hidding behind TRD party not cool. Glad I found this I'll go a diff direction.

@FortressFineWoodworks

4 ай бұрын

I still recommend the product but the service sucks

Who did you use as your nordfab retailer? Don’t they sell through different sellers in the us? That’s who we need to know to avoid.

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

I used Environmental Air Systems. And didn't receive much help from them regarding the process.

@mikemorrison377

Жыл бұрын

@@FortressFineWoodworks good to know. Thanks! I’m looking to put some in in my very small shop. So I’m hoping it won’t cost me a kidney

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

I would count on at least 5 grand

Wow, every aspect of your problematic experience was exactly the opposite of my experience just a few weeks ago. Their design service (with Jay Kravetz of Marked Tree Woodworks and Dust Collection Design) couldn't have been easier, better, and more friendly. Jay was always super available and also offered to Facetime via phone if necessary. And he even threw in a small discount! The trucking company used for me in upstate NY was Estes and they were terrific with notifying me ahead of time. Heck, their driver was even nice enough to bring the pallet up my paved 450' driveway using his motorized pallet jack (yep, he had a liftgate). I was really impressed by the way that their products were shipped (not a scratch, mark, or cut on the cardboard pallet). My system (for 8 machines) used mostly 6" pipes with branches down to 4" for one of my collectors and 8" down to 6" to 4" for the second collector. It cost about $6600 with shipping. I'm a very happy fella. BTW, extrapolating your experience by saying "don't trust large companies" is like saying "I had a bad meal at a restaurant once - don't eat out".

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

I'm glad to hear someone had a great experience! I'd love to say this is a one-time thing, but the simple fact that every single step was agonizing, and Nordfab cost my business real money, this needed to be shared. Period Thanks for watching and enjoy your system

Thanks for this video. This is bonkers. You are not uptight. I just started shopping around for my ducting. I have a smaller setup than you do and a much simpler design. So easy enough for me to part the thing together myself. Will likely avoid Nordfab now. They were a frontrunner because of all the good things you mentioned.

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

Yeah, well my best advice if you DO choose Nordfab, is finding a "worthwhile" distributor that will actually help. Otherwise, it sounds like you have a simple setup, just get whatever works and you'll be in business. Thanks for watching!

Damn, I recently did a massive duct work install but went with more standard spiral ducting, I did use a third party purchaser rather than talking directly to a supplier and ended up with a very similar experience. Wrong parts ordered or forgotten, damaged products in shipping, long wait times and shipping, an overall nightmare of a project. I'm very happy I didn't spend this kind of money on my system I would have ben furious if I was you. The whole point in paying that kind of money for a system like this is to outsource the very time consuming and costly process of designing the duct system, wtf were you paying them for when it was this much of a hassle!?!?!? Truly not acceptable business practice.

@FortressFineWoodworks

8 ай бұрын

Yeah, I'm sorry to hear your bad experience. Unfortunately, our experience isn't their priority

Did you perchance order this stuff after 2020? Because it seems like every employee of every company now is completely smooth brained.

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

Yes this was the end of last year. The world is different now. Thats ok. Im different. Thanks for watching!

Oneida...

@FortressFineWoodworks

10 ай бұрын

haha only one word... Oneida. Thanks for watching!

That Nordfab really sucks ;)

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

It sucks indeed!

Shouldn’t they pay you for doing most of the work for them😅

@FortressFineWoodworks

Жыл бұрын

Hey! Maybe you should tell them that! Haha thanks

boo hoo

@FortressFineWoodworks

5 ай бұрын

I know right?