It’s one of those situations where you have to ask yourself if you can justify paying more to get more, in that would casual use or either non full or semi-professional use merit the amount of money required.
Years ago I looked into getting my first BS having seen what could be done with one and what couldn’t be replicated on the TS.
Being somewhat of a tight-a*se (and only casual user) I looked around and ended up buying the cheap metabo bas 260 which, putting aside some early fettling and learning curves, became a machine that suited what I needed. These days I often found myself looking it and could only see the flaws (bearings, a warp in the cast iron bed for example)…..to a point where I would often find another way instead of using it.
The main reason I’ve bought this new ferrex is due to what others have said on this forum which lead me to watch/read other reviews on the web.
However, having unboxed it yesterday I was immediately amazed to find that, on the face of it, it’s more or less
the same machine as my metabo 260! Same size, same construction (more or less), same motor, same wheels, same pulley, same switches. I’m also assuming (haven’t tried yet) that my spare tuffsaw blades will also fit straight on.
However, I am pleased with some obvious differences and these are
mostly positive upgrades to what I’ve got used to - wheeled bearings, a flat bed, adjustable bed width, increased cutting depth (throat), wider wheels. I would say the only negative difference I can see at the moment is that my old machine had simple twist-knobs to very quickly open the doors whereas this one needs a screwdriver
.
On the basis of all of the positive reviews I’ve read I am justifying the money I’ve paid out (putting aside all the XDP grief for a mo) as it should make a difference to what I can do with this machine and how often I make use of it…..again based on what my personal needs are…..if the machine hadn’t arrived (xdp and Aldi incompetence ) I couldn’t really justify paying out more based on what I would use it for.
At the moment there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with the machine (no obvious dents or twists) and so I don’t foresee having to enter into any more communications with the dreadful Aldi customer services, although I do feel like pushing for a refund gesture out of spite and bitterness!
My experience with XDP and Aldi has definitely tainted the whole episode and will cause me to question buying online from them again. In retrospect the limited stock was the main problem as if I could have bought from anyone else, at a higher, but reasonable price, I would have.
Unless you’ve been in it, the overwhelming feeling of being unable to talk to anyone is horrendously stressful cannot be easily described.
A few of you now tell of not being able to write honest reviews, which is appalling. Its no proper replacement but you can leave an honest review on trustpilot.
. I found that my nut doesn't stick above the table surface even with a quite thick washer from my spares box. Weird 
) a handle with the same thread, which I think came off an old Flymo lawn mower. This makes fitting and removing the table base very easy now. I also had to do a bit fettling to get rid of a few nasty burs too, to enable the table base to swivel smoothly.
