Axi MJ12-1600 Panel Saw or Jet JTS 600

[Drudgeon]

Afternoon all,
I am looking to upgrade my Festool CS 50 and looking at either of the above, does anyone have any experience of either and could offer any meaningful comments on which would be the best way to go??

I love my festool but unfortunately I've gone into a larger working space and the festool is slightly undergunned for what I am doing.

Many thanks
Dan

Edit: Sorry numbnuts Sunday afternoon and not paying proper attention put this in the wrong section. Sorry (hammer)

 

[tomlt]

Ive got the mj-12 and its a beast, but a massive beast! Its 8ft wide with the fence extension and sliding table in place, and about 6ft deep with the table locked, using the sliding table really needs 8ft infront and 8ft behind the saw, in my 7.5 long x 5.5m workshop its working envelope occupies half my shop, but its size is an advantage, its quiet, solid, powerful abd dead accurate once set up which is pretty easy, id recommend it *if* you have the space.

I looked closely at the jet too, its much smaller in area but still very capable and was very nearly the one I bought, it was only the fact I wanted a 12" saw that I bought the mj12, in some ways its massively overkill for what I need, but it is a great bit of kit. I think you'd struggle to beat it without spending at least twice as much.

Tom.

 

[Drudgeon]

Hi Tom,

Many thanks for the reply, my workshop is virtually the same size as yours at 7.5 x 6.5m, I loved the look of the MJ12 when I had a nose down in Sittingbourne, as a dedicated panel score with the separate scoring blade, how do you find it for standard use, i.e. can the scoring blade be dropped or do you just use it regardless? If that makes sense?

The Jet looks nice, but for me to upgrade my current saw, if I went for the Jet, I would be getting a more powerful motor and larger blade, but table top would be no bigger than my current, so I struggle to see that it would be worth my while, I tend to do a lot of boardwork, MDF and ply, hence the appeal of this machine.

Dan

 

[gwr]

Hi Dan iv just been looking at the Axi mj12-1600 and the scoring blade can be dropped below the table but dont think it can be disengaged.Looks a good value saw.

 

[Drudgeon]

Thanks,

Yes I also jus had a read through the book and noticed that, it does look incredible value for the size of it, I was looking at one in Axminster a couple of weeks back, the sliding table can be pushed through with your little finger and is soooooo smooth.

Now need to get selling my Festool. #-o

 

[dexter]

I`ve got the Jet 600, had it for over a year now, it`s a good powerfull piece of kit and has served me well but it`s sliding table travel is limited. You would strugle to cut much more than 600mm and a full 8x4 sheet is out of the question.
On my saw the clearance between th blade and the sliding carriage is about 10mm! So when ripping the tonge off t&g boards the tonge invairiably falls between the blade and sliding carriage! I recently saw the same model in the Axi showroom at Warrington and there was virtualy no clearance between the blade and carriage.
When I got back home I had a good look at my saw and could see that I could get the same clearance as the showroom saw but It`s going to involve stripping it apart and hopefully moving the whole motor assembly and then the cast iron table top over towards the sliding table and then setting the blade, table, fence and carriage square and paralell.
FWIW every now and again I wish I had a 12inch blade capacity.

Dex

 

[tomlt]

Dan,

In all honesty I've not used the scoring blade, it was set below the table when I hot it and there it has stayed, one day I might have a need for it. I will say that when I got my saw it came with a 300mm 80 tooth axcaliber blade, far better than what the saw was advertised with, I dont know if this is std or I was just lucky, either way it cuts sooo smooth, ive ripped 2" softwood on it without issue too, although thats a bit crass with such a fine blade, ive found it works on everything I've thrown at it so far.

As good as it is, it does have 2 frustrating points, the blade guard is a bit naff, its massive and tends to get in the way more than anything, especially if you want to do narrow rip cuts. Secondly the dust collection hose to the blade guards isn't very big, so doesn't actually collect much dust. You will need a big dust collector, min 1000m3/hr. I thought id get away with my nvd750 at 300m3/hr because its got lots of "suck", but I was wrong. I tried my 850m3 axi chip collector and that was much better, but still not enough. On my list is either the jet dc1600 with fine filter or one of the axi cyclones (who have a new trade range out).

Regards, Tom.