Bandsaw @ Aldi from Sunday

[j]

Aldi have a bandsaw available from sunday for £49.99.

This highly versatile machine is ideal for fast, accurate, curved, cross, rip, mitre and bevel cutting in all types of wood.
Powerful 350 watt motor
No load speed 1500rpm
Cutting capacity at 45° approx. 45mm and at 90° approx. 85mm
Cutting speed 15.6mm/s
Blade length 1425mm
Throat 190mm
Table size 300 × 300mm
Equipped with no-volt safety switch, dust extraction outlet and adjustable blade guide
Includes parallel fence, mitre gauge and two band saw blades
Unit weight: 17.55kg

 

[Anonymous]

I'm sure that I will be shot down in flames but here goes.

Who really buys rubbish like this, £49 for a bandsaw, I will vertually garantee that something will break on it within 3 months if used reasonably often, yes its got a warrenty but its all the hassle of sending it back etc.
I doubt there will be any accuracy or power.

I have bought cheap power tools in the past and 95% of them have not lasted 6 months or if they have were so bad they weren't worth the cheap price.

Still haven't learnt my lesson though

I bought 4 corded drills from focus 4 months ago for £7.99 each, 1 was faulty to start with, 1 sounds like breakage is imminent, 1 broke when dropped from 5 ft, one still running.

No more cheap power tools for me, (until the next offer :lol: )

 

[davy_owen_88]

I agree with you senior, it looks very much like the cheap Draper bandsaw I used to have. Not very accurate, under-powered, tiny table, terrible dust extraction... I could go on, lol.

Then again, for someone who has limited needs for the bandsaw (no resaw use, thin materials, small components) then this might be very useful.

Davy

 

[Scrit]

OK, Senior, I'll have a go!

I've bought one or two items from Lidl. To date the vacuum cleaner is proving well worth the money when I'm out fitting and seems almost as good as the £250+ industrial item it replaced. Maybe I'll feel different after I've had it for a year. The set of four bevel edge chisels have similarly been a success - amazingly they hold their edges and I'm a hell of a lot less bothered about somebody nicking them than I was about losing even one of my Stanley 720s (drive by there, Alf!..... :wink: ). My backup screwdriver set is another Lidl purchase and has got me out of a hole more than once, whilst the combination wrench set I carry in the van is £7.99 worth from Lidl (or about the price of a single Sykes Pickavant spanner at January sale prices). On the downside there's been the set of four pliers of which I've managed to break two to date (never realised how strong I was :lol: ).

Overall I've had a few duff items from Lidl but generally I have to say that the stuff does what it claims to. Although I don't think, somehow, that I'll be replacing my cast-iron Bursgreen bandsaw for a Lidl just yet........

When do you reckon they'll start doing spindle moulders? :?

Scrit

 

[Paul Chapman]

While some of their stuff is not very good, other items are excellent. I bought a really nice stainless steel garden fork and spade last year which was a fraction of the price you would normally pay. Excellent quality - although I had to shorten the handles. I think they were made in Germany where everyone seems to be 7ft tall :shock:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Shultzy]

This is the sort of price that allows those thinking about starting woodworking to "get on the ladder". Not everyone can afford to buy £300 bandsaw just to see if they enjoy woodworking.

 

[Anonymous]

Please note, I was talking about power tools, lots of moving parts, electrics, bearings etc.

Can't really do a lot wrong with a cheap fork, apart from make it too long :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Surely you start woodworking with a few hand saws and chisels.
If you start by buying this bandsaw, you probably won't enjoy woodworking as you will constantly be trying to set it up, a bit like buying a cheap jigsaw and wondering why you find it difficult to cut a straight line.

 

[mel]

i like the bit on the box that says "full aluminium base"
and "includes two bandsaw blades"
you probably wont be able to get blades without having them made anyway
you get what you pay for

on the up -side , but not in the description
does it come with the safety goggles pictured
and a three year warranty {probably written in chinwaness}

 

[LyNx]

i can't see anything wrong with it. You have to start somewhere and if you like the idea of a bandsaw but dont' have the budget....

 

[Anonymous]

I'd be tempted to take a punt!

My bandsaw is used mainly for resawing and is set up accordingly. On the odd occasion I have to cut a curve in thinnish wood I can't generally be bothered changing bandsaw blades and so reach for the scroll saw or jigsaw.

This would probably do a better job than either - and for the price would more than justify the expenditure

Just my thoughts
Brad

 

[WoodStoat]

Or it could be fitted with a knife blade and used to cut up the Sunday roast.

 

[Alf]

i can't see anything wrong with it. You have to start somewhere and if you like the idea of a bandsaw but dont' have the budget....

... you can get hopelessly frustrated by this one and then stop wanting a bandsaw ever again? :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[LyNx]

hehhe. it's not THAT bad

 

[woodbloke]

I learnt my lesson with cheap tools, powered or otherwise a long time ago...what's the expression..goes something like 'always buy the best tools you can afford' or something like that. Buying cheap kit like this bandsaw is likely to put a potential enthusiast off rather than encourage - Rob

 

[Colin C]

If this bandsaw is like the charnwood one that I had ( friend has it not and is happy with ), the most important thing is to set it up right as I did get a good cut from the one I had.
I got one bigger one when I started on my own and the friend has my old one works for himself but does not need big one

 

[dedee]

While some of their stuff is not very good, other items are excellent. I bought a really nice stainless steel garden fork and spade last year which was a fraction of the price you would normally pay. Excellent quality - although I had to shorten the handles. I think they were made in Germany where everyone seems to be 7ft tall :shock:

Cheers :wink:

Paul

Paul, if used correctlly the long handled garden forks & spades, that seem more common in Europe, should put less strain on the back when in use. Longer levers.

Andy

 

[wizer]

i've been looking for one of thos long handled spades for ages, b&q never have them.

 

[dedee]

Wizer, I have seem than over here but not sure where, probably either Ruxley Garden Centre or Polehill .... & Lidl or course.

Andy

 

[woodbloke]

WiZer wrote:

long handled spades for ages

Wonder if Philly's got some...probably :lol: - Rob