Charnwood
- Thread starter jg.mit
- Start date
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MARK.B.
Established Member
No better or worse than many others selling the same machines with a new badge or colour , expect to do some fettling to get things just right but that applies to some eye watering priced top end machines as well. I had a SIP PT which has more Clones than Star Wars for 15 years and it produced acceptable results but was a bit of a faff to change over. A friend now has it and even after the way he abuses that machine it still keeps on ticking 
I can't for the life of me ever consider going back to those fold out twin tables.
Whoever designed them needs shooting.
The one piece lift or no lift at all tables are far better.
As for Charnwood.
I bought a table saw from them, then realised nothing fitted into the table tracks.
I couldn't find any Mitre gauges etc and the slot depths are far too shallow.
When I called them the tech chap said yep they've been like that for years, and yes you can't get anything to fit them they are non standard.
Don't you just love service like that?
Whoever designed them needs shooting.
The one piece lift or no lift at all tables are far better.
As for Charnwood.
I bought a table saw from them, then realised nothing fitted into the table tracks.
I couldn't find any Mitre gauges etc and the slot depths are far too shallow.
When I called them the tech chap said yep they've been like that for years, and yes you can't get anything to fit them they are non standard.
Don't you just love service like that?
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i have just bought the Axminster AC250PT. So far, all I have done is checked it for alignment and run a board over the planer to check it out. It did an excellent job. My first choice would have been the Record Power PT107 but they aren't going to be available until June. The AC250PT was my second choice. I don't think I'll regret it. It's pretty solid and good enough for me.
One huge thing it and the Record Power have over the Charnwood is that it comes 90% assembled. The Charnwood sits on a base that you have to assemble, fit to the planer-thicknesser body and then somehow turn it over. Poor design which is asking for someone to really hurt themselves in my book.
From what I have seen of Charnwood's equipment, I think it's OK but there are better options out there at similar prices.
One huge thing it and the Record Power have over the Charnwood is that it comes 90% assembled. The Charnwood sits on a base that you have to assemble, fit to the planer-thicknesser body and then somehow turn it over. Poor design which is asking for someone to really hurt themselves in my book.
From what I have seen of Charnwood's equipment, I think it's OK but there are better options out there at similar prices.
As Mark pointed out there are many machines from the same base machine just with minor differences. First thing is you want a company that has good customer relations who will help if things are not right. Then learn from other peoples experiences and there are plenty of them on these forums.
As for my experience, well I got it sort of right, would I have made the same decision in hindsight, no. So have you owned and used one before, or at least used one? Looking at that Charnwood it is similar to the Record PT107 except that it looks back to front and has the same fence arrangement as well.
Now it has the same blade adjustment method as the Record PT107 which is in my opinion a real pain to set the three knives accurately which is why I said I would not have made my purchase decision if I had known about this. There is a solution but it initially cost £187 for the new holders but the blades are cheaper and reversable at £28 for three but setting blades is now just a case of fitting with no setup so all three are at an identical height.
So taking this into account are you happy with the blade setting and have the space for the two swing out tables. The SD31 has same blades but better for the table lift or you could look at machines with a spiral cutter block which get some good reviews.
As for my experience, well I got it sort of right, would I have made the same decision in hindsight, no. So have you owned and used one before, or at least used one? Looking at that Charnwood it is similar to the Record PT107 except that it looks back to front and has the same fence arrangement as well.
Now it has the same blade adjustment method as the Record PT107 which is in my opinion a real pain to set the three knives accurately which is why I said I would not have made my purchase decision if I had known about this. There is a solution but it initially cost £187 for the new holders but the blades are cheaper and reversable at £28 for three but setting blades is now just a case of fitting with no setup so all three are at an identical height.
So taking this into account are you happy with the blade setting and have the space for the two swing out tables. The SD31 has same blades but better for the table lift or you could look at machines with a spiral cutter block which get some good reviews.
