Axminster TS-200

[david123]

I bought one of these a couple of months ago and have only just put it together ( as we have the house back on the market, my small workshop is full of overflow from the house, consequently I left it in its box but couldn't resist setting it up in the garden a few days ago).
It came out of the box and was put together in an hour or so. I checked it out and did a few small adjustments and ran a few bits of Oak and Ash through it and am (at this early stage anyway) delighted wit it. I have not yet replaced the blade that came with it yet but it seemed fine. On the test pieces that I cut I was happy with it, it handled crosscutting 2" oak with ease.

It seems, from reading the reports before buying, that there are a few rogue machines out there. I was happy with the fact that Axminster would replace it if it was not satisfactory.

So far (after my short test) I am a happy bunny.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Pleased to hear it. I owned one a few years back that was less then satisfactory. The side table was bowed as was its replacement and wait till you try and rip a long piece of thick oak!! The motor will literally grind to a halt with you vascillating between....agh...kick back....agh, burnt out motor...agh what do I do.

However, Im pretty sure as a result of my dialogue with Axy they dealt with the bowed side table because they admitted all their stock was bowed (so they stopped sending me replacements) and I think they dealt with the supplier. I've heard other posters report their's was flat so I guess thats solved now. On the motor issue, its horses for courses, just dont overload it. I sold mine on flea bay and got a very handsome 2nd hand value for it so it didnt owe me anything

 

[JakeS]

The motor will literally grind to a halt with you vascillating between....agh...kick back....agh, burnt out motor...agh what do I do.

The simple answer being "whack the off-switch with my knee", surely! ;-)




For what it's worth, if I was one of the people talking about table flatness - I certainly have in the past - I didn't get the impression at the time that we were talking about the side table! I've only checked the main table on mine, the side-table - being a cheaper pressed-steel affair - I wouldn't expect to be that flat anyway. I'm not sure it needs to be, so long as it's not convex such that it tips the workpiece up towards the blade?

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

As I recall the switch was on the side rather than the front. I remember...I had the change hands...the right was the pusher and the left was the fence clamp. When it stuck...I quickly transferred the right hand to hold down the workpiece to prevent kick back and wacked the off switch with the left (which Im pretty sure was round the bend making it impossible for knee access).

Anyway...no harm was done cos I was quick.

It was the pressed steel side table that was bowed...it was terrible to be frank. It really tipped the stock into the blade, particularly sheet goods. In fairness Axy were brilliant about it...they didnt resist at all, fully agreed it was out of order on the strength of a pic attached to an e mail. Sent me a replacement by courier, next day. It was also just as bad and the chap went and hunted through the warehouse stock....confirming that all their stock was similarly poor quality. (Thats why I'm pretty sure my complaint facilitated them fixing the systemic problem with their chinese source). They basically said...did I want my money back....I said I'd live with it. In the end I threw the pressed steel "volcano" away and made a home-made one out of reinforced mfc which worked fine. But it made me understand the adage buy cheap buy twice!!

The saving grace was the decent 2nd hand value I got for it. So this is not intended to dampen any enthusiasm. I clearly had a naff part and theyve fixed the problem since. I think the motor issue is just about appropriate tools for appropriate jobs and shouldnt detract from the saw. Personally I wouldnt have another but then my experience is unusually bad. As the OP said....rogue saw.

I sincerely hope the OP has years of trouble free cuts from it

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

you know with hindsight I think that experience was what defined Axy for me. They couldnt do enough to help. So many suppliers are suddenly "busy" when the post sale problems come round...Axy are the opposite.....truly a mature business in terms of understanding long term customer value

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

The post script to this woeful tale is the upgrage was the 10" Axy clone (cant remember the model number AW something but its the SIP, Itech etc one).

Next time I buy it will be a sedgewick or similar monster. But axy 10" is a mighty fine piece of kit. If only.....longer arbor......dado cutters......no...lets not go there!

 

[david123]

Well!!!
I guess that's told me.
Actually It will probably be fine for work I do, mainly no thicker than 2" hardwood and usually short stock. I also have a makita 600 plunge saw and track for cutting down sheet material so I am not to bothered on that score. I had to do a bit of fettling ( good Yorkshire word that, you can sort just about anything with a good fettle) but it now cuts true and I am happy with the results. Not unpacked the extension or sliding table yet. We will see.

 

[Tim_H]

I have had an Axminster TS 200 for a couple of years, I think it is a good tool for the price but it is a hobby machine, which is fine for my very amateur needs. I think you are right about using a track saw as an alternative to cut down sheet goods though.

Interestingly the power switch on mine is at the front on the LHS and responds well to a knee stop if required! I just have the bare bones saw and I am in the process (prolonged) of building a workstation for it due to making it up, messing it up and then redesigning it. There are some fantastic WIP from Roger and Wizer on this and other woodworking sites about fettling the saw and building a workstation. If I had paid more attention I would not now be redesigning my dust collection! It is also worth looking at Kity 419 threads as the TS 200 is a Chinese clone, I think I actually found the companies website that sell it many Google's ago.

Good luck with your TS 200 I am enjoying fettling mine as much as using it.

 

[david123]

Hi Tim
Nice to see another Yorkshire man on here (I was born in Keighley, most folk say "never mind" when I tell them that ). We do like to fettle, us Yorkshire men.

My switch is on the r/h side. I will have a troll through the the Kitty threads and see what else I can fiddle with

Thanks for your input mate.

 

[Tim_H]

No worries Dave, I am fairly sure there are some more Yorkshire folk lurking on this forum, I have only just joined and I do not have the knowledge or skills of many on here being very much a hobby woodpecker and DIYer.

I would be interested in how useful you find the sliding table as I have not decided if that would be a useful addition. I know that Robert in his major wip redesigned his so he could easily remove and reattach his if space was an issue but he is a much better metal worker than me.

On the settling front (good word ) so far I have made an aluminium zero clearance plate, sealed for better dust extraction, made a new riving knife and am still building the workstation with side table. Oh yes and I am fitting the Axminster band saw fence upgrade as I find the existing fence ok but not brilliant.

I suspect I will probably get my workshop (garage) sorted and then end up not making anything substantial other than more jigs and cupboards and workstations for the workshop!

 

[Tim_H]

That should read "hobby woodworker" not "woodpecker" but maybe my predictive text knows more than I do!

 

[marcros]

I had a kity 419 and found the sliding carriage to be very useful- more so than the table extensions, although I was short of space. I have now got a RAS so probably wouldn't buy the carriage now.

 

[JakeS]

I would be interested in how useful you find the sliding table as I have not decided if that would be a useful addition. I know that Robert in his major wip redesigned his so he could easily remove and reattach his if space was an issue but he is a much better metal worker than me.

For what it's worth, I find mine invaluable for cross-cutting. Partly that may be because - despite having acquired all the necessary materials - I still haven't made myself a cross-cut sled. Then again, maybe I haven't made myself the sled because I find the sliding table good enough!

The one complaint I have with it is something that is rather unavoidable - if you set the slide up such that it slides a decent distance in front of the blade so you can cross-cut wide workpieces, the slide rail sits exactly where I'd want to stand, meaning I have to operate the saw more from the side than I'd prefer. I guess this encourages the use of push-sticks more, and it doesn't seem particularly unsafe, but from a comfort point of view it could be better. The other alternative is to set it up so that you don't have so much available space in front of the blade, which means that about half of the length of the slide is wasted. On mine, at least, it's not really feasible to loosen off and slide it along the mounts to change its position when you like, as I then need to readjust it for height and angle and so on.

 

[david123]

great comments ,thank you.

Looking forward to moving and getting set up.

 

[Tony Spear]

I haven't looked to see if it's archived on here, but Wizer (late of this parish) did a major tune up of a TS200 some time ago and did a comprehensive WIP about it.

He doesn't post here nowadays as he has his own forum:

http://thewoodhaven.co.uk/phpBB3/index.php

He's a bit of a technowizz so he may well have it archived somewhere.

 

[david123]

Hi Tony

Just found that thread, it is here

fettling-an-axminster-ts-200-tablesaw-t38719.html

Not read it yet as its 12 pages long. will get down to it later.

 

[Tim_H]

Dave

Here are some of the threads I have found useful,

Wizers is definitely worth a read.

I would also recommend in no particular order:

table-saw-mods-overhead-dust-extraction-lots-of-pics-t16758.html
table-saw-router-table-station-t56105.html
table-saw-router-table-wip-finished-t21814-15.html
latest-purchase-kity-419-ts-t44827.html

There is also a really good one by RogerMP I think which I can not find!

Basically I have borrowed everyone else's ideas, and tweaked them, although I am not as yet incorporating my router table. Time for that later.

Happy fettling.

 

[david123]

nice one Tim
I have made a note of them.
Shame there are no library type slots to keep information on individual tools and setups in one place. Just a thought that has probably been mooted on here a lot in the past.

 

[Tim_H]

Dave,

I agree it would have saved me a lot of time if there had been a grouping of all the TS 200 mods but the search actually threw up lots of interesting diversions and if you ask most people will give you some help if not post links.

On a related note I have just started a post on my TS 200 workstation in the projects section if you are interested.

 

[david123]

I certainly am Tim.

Thanks for the heads up mate