High End Table Saw

[the_rws]

I am trying to find good options for high end table saws, back in SA and in the US you can easily pick up products like Powermatic and high end Jet tools or Saw Stop. Besides importing a few big tools myself, where would be the best place to find these in UK or Europe, or alternatively euro made products that are of similar or better quality.

All the stores I have looked at seem to only stock entry level or mid range gear, not what I want for a long term dream shop build.

Any advice much appreciated.

RWS.

 

[Jake]

Martin, Altendorf, Panhans, and maybe Felder - all much better than the ones you name.

 

[MikeJhn]

Table saws here: http://www.axminster.co.uk/machinery/sa ... aw-benches

Panel saws here: http://www.axminster.co.uk/machinery/saws/panel-saws

Mike

 

[pcb1962]

http://www.ukhammer.co.uk/

 

[RobinBHM]

You try a machinery dealer like Scott and Sargeant, who are dealers for SCM, Martin.

If you are looking at the high end for a home workshop hobby use, then felder, mimimax (SCM) or maybe the itech machines from Scott and Sargeant would be good options.

Many machines are now Chinese made, even Felder I believe, only the top end industrial stuff, like Martin, SCM, Panhans are European (that pesky exchange rate is making them more top end by the day!)

As is always mentioned, you will get far more for your money 2nd hand.

 

[heimlaga]

High end saws are for instance Steton and Panhans and Altendorf and SCM l'Invincibile and Martin in the full size. If you want something smaller in the top segment you are likely to end up with a secondhand Jonsered or a Wadkin PK or a Kölle.

If you go down one step we are talking about Moretens or Felder or Sedgwick.

If you go down yet another step you end up with a cabinet saw with or without an aditional sliding table. German made Rapid is my personal favourite in that segment among new saws. Ejca L18 and L20 which was also sold as Luna L18 is a great saw.
Secondhand Wadkin-Bursgreen 12 AGS and 10 AGS are very popular as are Umia. Secondhand Manko is also a great saw though they don't turn up where you live. I have certainly forgotten at least a dozen names in this segment.

If you go down yet another step you may end up with a Powermatic or a Jet of the models sold in USA.

 

[YorkshireMartin]

I am trying to find good options for high end table saws, back in SA and in the US you can easily pick up products like Powermatic and high end Jet tools or Saw Stop. Besides importing a few big tools myself, where would be the best place to find these in UK or Europe, or alternatively euro made products that are of similar or better quality.

All the stores I have looked at seem to only stock entry level or mid range gear, not what I want for a long term dream shop build.

Any advice much appreciated.

RWS.

Can't help with your question but....when you're all set up will you hold a forum day so we can all come and have a play :lol:

 

[geoffshep]

There's a thread running in this very section about a saw which looks very much like those North American models:

table-saw-harvey-hw110lge-30-imported-and-reviewed-t96453.html

 

[woodbrains]

I am trying to find good options for high end table saws, back in SA and in the US you can easily pick up products like Powermatic and high end Jet tools or Saw Stop. Besides importing a few big tools myself, where would be the best place to find these in UK or Europe, or alternatively euro made products that are of similar or better quality.

All the stores I have looked at seem to only stock entry level or mid range gear, not what I want for a long term dream shop build.

Any advice much appreciated.

RWS.

Can't help with your question but....when you're all set up will you hold a forum day so we can all come and have a play :lol:

Hello,

I was at Woodford tooling a few weeks ago and the nice lady there old me they were no longer doing machinery and concentrating on just tooling. If they have any of these saws left in stock then move quicly!

TBH the suggestions of Panhans Altendorf, Martin etc. Although fabulous machines is not really whet the OP wants. Production machinery is not needed here, but the sort of old fashioned 10 inch cabinet saw the likes of the Wadkin 10AGS. Sadly, there really is not a lot like this anymore in Britain. Sedgwick do a fine 12 inch saw of course and this is about the only British made offering available. Administers TSCE 12 R is in a similar vein but now as I has put up prices yet again, I'm not sure the massive price tag is justifiable. Looks a good machine though.

Mike.

 

[heimlaga]

I know but I just wanted to pout things in proportion.

There is a lot more than British or Chineese.
For a good quality cabinet saw I would suggest for instance a German made Rapid or a Swedish made Ejca L18 or L20. Just as I wrote before.

 

[woodbrains]

I know but I just wanted to pout things in proportion.

There is a lot more than British or Chineese.
For a good quality cabinet saw I would suggest for instance a German made Rapid or a Swedish made Ejca L18 or L20. Just as I wrote before.

Hello.

Indeed, but they do have to be available in Britain since the OP is in London. TBH if a 10 inch tablesaw is required, then there is nothing available brand new of any real quality. The best option is a used Wadkin 10 AGS. A used startrite 175 or 275 is not a bad saw, either but not quite as nice as the Wadkin. I have used many cabinet saws of the sort the OP wants, and I have to say, nothing new in the UK is quite like a Powermatic, Delta Unisaw or General 10 in tablesaw. That said, these are no longer North American built any more. (Yes, I've used all these saws and many others, but not the Ejca or Rapid you mention, which must be as rare as hen's teeth here in England)

Mike.

 

[heimlaga]

Out here in the sticks it is fairly common for ordinary people to import tools and machines that aren't available or are too expensive locally.

The distance from Åkers Styckebruk where I bought my drill press to the village in Österbotten where I live is around 500 kilometres as the crow flies bit there is a rather long detour involved because the sea gets in the way. 500 kilometres should be rougly the distance from Cologne in Germany to London.

The distance from Hamrångefjärden where I bought my combination machine to where I live is barely 400 kilometres as the crow flies but following the road and ferry network the actual route should be closer to 450 or 500 kilometres. The machine weighs somewhere around 1300 kilos.
400 kilometres from London could be for instance Paris in France or Eindhoven in the Netherlands.

If there is a will there is a way!

 

[MikeJhn]

heimlaga

What is the cost of fuel in Finland?

Mike

 

[heimlaga]

The last reciept I found in my wallet said 1,37 euros per litre for 95 octane petrol.


By the way I think you hit spot on the reason why good machines are considered investments for a lifetime up here.

 

[MikeJhn]

So the UK is still the most expensive country in this hemisphere for fuel, except it seems domestic heating oil, in France domestic heating oil is currently €0.97/Lt in the UK its £0.35Lt, amazing.

Mike

 

[The Bear]

Sorry for the thread deviation, but a quick Q for Mike, where are you getting quoted 35p/l for heating oil? Best I can find last few days has been circa 41p/l (28 sec)

Mark

 

[MikeJhn]

The oil club in my local area, even Boiler juice is quoting £0.38, shop around a bit.

Mike

 

[The Bear]

OK cheers Mike, my local oil club cant get near that and boilerjuice are quoting the 41p in my area.
Mark

 

[woodbrains]

Out here in the sticks it is fairly common for ordinary people to import tools and machines that aren't available or are too expensive locally.

The distance from Åkers Styckebruk where I bought my drill press to the village in Österbotten where I live is around 500 kilometres as the crow flies bit there is a rather long detour involved because the sea gets in the way. 500 kilometres should be rougly the distance from Cologne in Germany to London.

The distance from Hamrångefjärden where I bought my combination machine to where I live is barely 400 kilometres as the crow flies but following the road and ferry network the actual route should be closer to 450 or 500 kilometres. The machine weighs somewhere around 1300 kilos.
400 kilometres from London could be for instance Paris in France or Eindhoven in the Netherlands.

If there is a will there is a way!

Hello,

I don't disagree with you about buying good old machines rather than buying new, less well appointed, imported ones. There are plenty of Wadkin machines available, so importing from mainland Europe would not be necessary, either. (Though I would quite like to see the models of saw you mention as a comparison to British iron, I'm sure they are very good)

But I can sometimes see the reluctance to buy used machines, too. If a person is primarily a wood worker, with no interest in engineering, then an old machine might not be their thing, especially if they have the means to buy a new machine and want the quality of the old, without hassle. Buying new usualky gets the machine delivered to the door by the seller. Getting a truck with a tail lift and a gang of mates to help with lifting is not always readable. If you want the machines to meet current safety regulations, then there is a whole other headache. I have always hankered after a Wadkin since I first used one 25 years ago. But they are almost always 3 phase. Yes it is possible to change the motor, but the shaft is imperial, and hard to come across used and twice as expensive as a metric shafted equivalent. Using a metric shafted motor means the triple Lilly can't be used..... It is not insurmountable, but a hassle, and can easily add more time to getting the thing going than might be tolerable and additional costs that start to approach the price of a new one ( if they existed). Which is why I suspect the OP asked the question.

I will have a nice Wadkin one day!

Mike.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

My company just replaced our panel saw with an Altendorf F45.came to about £23,000 but that's including automatic rip fence and digital fence stops. We got a good deal from A12 Machinery in Witham. They do have some half decent 2nd hand gear although very rarely Altendorf just what people have part exchanged