Consumer Alert - MAG-1000 Balancer Imitations

Since approximately the late 1980's a few companies have attempted to copy the originality, quality, and precision of the MAG-1000 blade balancing instrument. None of them have succeeded.

For over 60 years professional lawn mower dealers, landscapers, lawn mower manufacturers, and blade manufacturers have trusted Magna-Matic precision lawn mower blade balancing instruments.

We have created this page as a consumer alert, because often the copies have used our name, directly copied our base bracket casting, colors and over all look of the MAG-1000 in an event to fool the consumer into buying a product that is of sub-standard quality for a premium price. It is not uncommon for the copies to be sold for as much or more than a MAG-1000 Original Lawn Mower Blade Balancer.

We often get phone calls asking the following questions:

• Why does my balancer not hold the blade on the magnet anymore?
• Why did my balancer loose "magnetic power"?
• Why is my balancer not very sensitive?
• Why do I get inconsistent readings?
• Why is this new balancer not as good as my old one?

The answer to all of these is: If the base bracket casting does not have MAGNA-MATIC BLADE BALANCER cast into the aluminum, you have mistakenly purchased a low-quality copy.

The copies of the MAG-1000 in the market place are not near the quality of a Magna-Matic balancer.

• Strength of materials
• Machining tolerances
• Sensitivity (accuracy)
• Magnet strength and life
• Longevity of construction

Here you can see just how closely they have attempted to copy the "look" of the MAG-1000 even down to the casting shape "turning blade logo imprint." All the copies are made outside the USA.

We have tested every copy we have come across and none of them come close to the MAG-1000.  The two main factors are the poor manufacturing tolerances, balance accuracy (sensitivity), and weak magnet power. Here are some items to look out for.

• Magnet barely holds a light push-mower blade (dangerous when using heavy commercial blades)
• Magnetic chuck moves over the cone with no resistance, sloppy machining leaves the slide very loose and therefore very inaccurate.
• You can hear a "zipping" type of noise when you move the magnet over the cone quickly. You are hearing the deep machine lines from poor machining practices.

Often the copies are sold by large catalog style companies who are just mass distributors with several tiers of mark-up. At one time all of these distributors sold the MAG-1000, but in the search for greater corporate profits and lower product quality, the mass distributors now sell foreign copies. They are able to buy it for less and sell it for as much or more as the MAG-1000 increasing their profits, but sticking the consumer with something they will have to throw away in 1-3 years rather than a MAG-1000 which will last over 50 years (with basic care).

Here is a current list of the mass distributors selling the copies, or the MAG-1000.

Domestic

• Oregon - sells foreign copy
• Stens - sells the MAG-1000
• Rotary Corp - sells the MAG-1000

International

• Ratioparts (Germany) - sells the MAG-1000
• Motor Snelco (Netherlands) - sells MAG-1000
• Atterton & Ellis / Berhard Ltd (UK) - sells MAG-1000

Please note: Magna-Matic does not support, repair, or sell parts for the copies. To our knowledge there is no domestic repair or support for the copies. Magna-Matic will not accept returns of the copies in exchange for our product.

Lastly all Magna-Matic products are repairable, and even balancers from the 1950's can be reconditioned and repaired.