Axcaliber MT1 Mitre Trimmer or mitre saw

[Lonsdale73]

Anyone who has read my earlier posts might recall my struggles to obtain true 90 degree and / or 45 degree cuts with my existing (cheap) mitre saw and (not so cheap) table saw. I'm still trying to find a long term practical solution that doesn't require a second mortgage and an aircraft hanger to house the hardware. I've stumbled across an Axcaliber MT1 Mitre trimmer which I guess as the name suggests won't actually cut the timber but will allow me to pare it down to either a perfect mitre or right angle. Anyone have experience who can vouch for its accuracy and consistency? I'd been looking at maybe buying another mitre saw but read many mixed and conflicting reviews about the ones in a comparable price range and I can't justify - or even afford - to spend £300 or more on a DeWalt, Festool etc that I'm not entirely convinced offer any greater guarantees of success. Any thoughts / suggestions / recommendations?

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I have that Axminster trimmer, and it seems to produce very accurate mitres.

Just don't try picking it up by the blade.

 

[marcros]

what size of timber are you wanting to work with?

The results from that axi look perfect, but Sporky must be on about the limit of size- if you wanted to produce something much bigger you may struggle.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

That is a fair point. I've not (yet) wanted to make boxes bigger than it'll cope with - for me, boxes are fairly quick projects in between the long slogs. The specs say 100mm maximum height which sounds about right to me.

The results are indeed pretty much perfect though - almost glass-smooth and definitely ready to glue, no further fettling needed. For jewellery boxes and the like I'd happily recommend it.

 

[marcros]

That is a fair point. I've not (yet) wanted to make boxes bigger than it'll cope with - for me, boxes are fairly quick projects in between the long slogs. The specs say 100mm maximum height which sounds about right to me.

The results are indeed pretty much perfect though - almost glass-smooth and definitely ready to glue, no further fettling needed. For jewellery boxes and the like I'd happily recommend it.

you can see from the pictures that the joints are perfect.

 

[Roughcut]

What about a Mitre Shooting Board?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ypbvcxb-8M

 

[yorkshirepudding]

You say you can't afford a Festool mitre saw but can you afford, in the pursuit of perfection not to have one? I bought one a couple of weeks ago and the first thing I did on getting it home was to do a mitre and a few bevels. Perfect straight from the box.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

They are an awful lot more money though. Six times the price of the mitre trimmer, which produces perfect results, albeit with a bit less capacity.

I have a nice (if not Festool-nice) Bosch blue mitre saw, but I use the trimmer on boxes because it's so darned good. And smaller and quicker to set up. And jolly close to silent.

 

[Lonsdale73]

Thanks for the replies. My main requirement is to produce picture frames therefore size might not be such a limitation. I would need to shift an awful lot of them to cover the cost of a Festool and to be honest, even if by some miracle I was to win the lottery tonight, unless it was something so utterly, incredibly fantastic and even made my bed of a morning, I think I'd still baulk at shelling out all that money for a spinning blade! Marcos, my apologies, I found your foot that I thought I had posted, will do so asap.

 

[marcros]

i had forgotten about that, so thanks.

For picture frames, I would go for the guillotine/trimmer. no question about it.

 

[scgwhite]

I had a fiddle with the Axi mitre trimmer the other day - it won't cut through the timber, but with clean up an average cut into a perfect mitre. I was impressed...

 

[deema]

For picture frames you need a Morso guillotine, preferably one with both extension tables. The better RH extension table has the marked gauge and allows you to perfectiy size and produce picture frames. An under Pinner is also a god send.

I bought mine off off a picture framing business that was ceasing trading off eBay. I paid £500 for the Morso, but I do know that they hold their value. They are I believe the Festool / Wadkin of Guilatines. I know it's more than you are looking to pay, but I do see them occasionally on eBay at the price level you have indicated, usually without the side extensions. The side extensions can easily be made as there are two bolt holes on either side of the machine and nice flat machine surfaces to attach home made extension tables to. A tatty machine can easily be serviced and spares are easy to obtain as they are still made.

 

[Lonsdale73]

. I paid £500 for the Morso.

I think you got lucky. I encountered the name Morso when looking into the MT1 and yes they look impressive but so was the price tag! And there's the question of space which I've already run out of.

 

[marcros]

they do come upon eBay at reasonable prices. I bought one for about £250 although it was well used and only had one extension.

I sold it because of your second point- space!

 

[Lonsdale73]

Bought the Axminster and took it for a test run today. Despite all the warnings of sharp blades and my extensive experience of sharps from 10A scalpel blades through industrial guillotines to th OH's tongue I still managed to cut myself. Had worse paper cuts but enough to bleed over the nice bit of wood I was trying to trim. Think really I should have bolted it to something or at least clamped it down but being a prat notwithstanding I have nice mitres, first attempt. Keen to ensure each pair matched exactly I taped the pieces together for an overall height of 80mm so took it close to it's limits and perhaps made things harder than needed to but seems to have worked

 

[Lonsdale73]

Almost two years since embarking on this voyage of woodworking discovery I have my first completed frame that's completely square thanks to mitres cut accurately to 45 degrees. Not the fanciest of frames suits the subject matter. And it's a start.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

Nice! Simple but clean and elegant.

I do love my mitre trimmer.

 

[Lonsdale73]

Nice! Simple but clean and elegant.

I do love my mitre trimmer.

I take it you mean the frame and not the mucky pup?