Metabo optal 26 - combination machine

[Escudo]

I am considering purchasing the Metabo optal 26 machine for my small workshop and would appreciate views / endorsement or otherwise.

I am quite limited to space (3mtrs x 1.7mtrs) and thought this compact machine would be just the job. I am however concerned by the following matters;

1. The cutter block does not have a tersa system like the record model.

2. The tables are made of steel not cast iron or aluminium is this good or bad?

I have had my eye on a scheppach planer (hms 2600 ci) and could get this and the scheppach table saw (ts 2500 ci) for just about the same outlay around £2,400 or the smaller saw (ts 2010) for a lot less.

I could just fit these two machines in my shed with a reorganization but it would be tight and I would have to lose some bench space.

I am a hobby woodworker with limited experience but would like to have use of these machines to increase my workshop capabilities.

Separates or the universal????? Advice and possibly other suggestions would be very helpful.

Thanks, Esc. :?

 

[johnnyb]

i have a maxi 26 (same machine, more motors) made by lurem. utter garbage, total c/.p. the manufacturers think the problem was the inconvenience of swapping belts that was the problem. the actual problem is poor design and manufacturing swapping belts was a burden but did not make the machine scrap. that was the fences. do not touch this machine. with 2400 to spend take you time and choose wisely. combination machines are at best a compromise and at worst useless. you will rarely use the spindle moulder, forget tenoning. remember the ability to crosscut large sheets is only useful if the result is ACCURATE and square. buy a cast iron table saw(£1000) a separate lyndhurst 8 inch planer(£700) a dewalt 733 rework thicknesser(£270) and a jessem router table and a router. these will be infinitely superior and will hold their value and last you out. if you buy the lurem you will be bitterly disappointed IMHO.

 

[johnnyb]

PS sorry, the sheppach machines a very well thought of on this forum. i found the maxi to be space hungry as the morticer sticks out one side and the sliding carriage the other. the table material is not really important as long as it is flat. i suppose aluminium does not rust a distinct advantage. if you must have a combo record now do a rebadged minimax as you say, although record never offer good value and are overpriced. ps guarantees are pointless on a rubbish machine. it may be a reliable rubbish machine.

 

[Anonymous]

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[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Escudo

Welcome to the forum.

There are a number of tales of woe, on this site, relating to the Maxi. Unfortunately the Record site is now sanitised, so I would not suggest that you look there.

I would recommend that you use the search facility on this site (at the top of this page) and type in keywords such as: -

combination machines

maxi26

separates

You must ensure that you select "search for all terms".

Good luck,

Neil

 

[Adam]

I have had my eye on a scheppach planer (hms 2600 ci) and could get this and the scheppach table saw (ts 2500 ci) for just about the same outlay around £2,400 or the smaller saw (ts 2010) for a lot less.

My last workshop was very small, and I found that the exact seperates you mentioned have worked out very well for me.

Adam

 

[ike]

I was very impressed by the Kity Bestcombi 2000. Although I bought separates in the end because I'm not so limited on space as you are. The Bestcombi is a mechanical melange of the separate machines they make i.e. the excellent little 419 saw (which BTW is in the same size/spec bracket as the Scheppach 2010) etc. Kity kit is solidly designed and well nailed together IMO.

cheers,

Ike

 

[Freetochat]

Escudo - I owned a Maxi 26, and it was the worst purchase I ever made, and eventually it was ruturned on a 'not fit for purpose' dispute. After 2.5 years I got most of my money back. I have seen some magazine reviews, and frankly, I cannot believe that they have reviewed the machine that I had. Having been so disappointed, I eventually bought a set of Hammer separates, but of course there is quite a price difference. The old saying ' you get what you pay for' is quite correct in this case. What cause me the most dismay is that this machine was heavily critised publically, but Metabo just gave it a paint job, very little change in manufacture, and back on the market. In my mind this raise questions of the company. As mentioned previously, the Record site is sanitised. The forum had many tails of woe, and I wrote a review which was not published. Save your money and avoid being disappointed.

 

[Alf]

Welcome to the forum, Esc.

Have the "Record"* Lurem Maxi - hate it. Loathe it. Detest it. The thing might have been designed with the idea of making it impossible to adjust for accurate work, and the manual? Ack, pile of junk. Horrible, horrible thing.

Want mine? :wink:

On a general combination machine point, the idea they take up less space is a bit moot IMO. Dedicated machines can be kept against walls, pushed out of the way and so forth. A combination machine really has to hog the middle of the workshop and demands a lot of space round to get the best use from it.

Cheers, Alf

*The huge yellow lettering on the side saying "Record Power, Sheffield, England" just rubs salt into the wound - blatant mis-representation IMO, and one reason why I'll never buy Record again.

 

[Anonymous]

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[Alf]

I believe so:

.

 

[Anonymous]

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[Escudo]

Thanks for all your replies gang, what an eye opener.

It seems the consensus is to avoid the optal and in general a combination machine.

I had my doubts, and I am glad I sought further council.

I will give matters further thought and see if I can reorganize my work space to accommodate separates.

I have seen the hammer c3 31 combination machine and that really was a beast...it looked very well made, weighing in at over 600kg. My impression was that the hammer / felder company were a very professional outfit. If I had more room I would go for that machine.

I agree with the view that the slot mortiser is valueless on these machines and also could see limited use for the spindle moulder though I suppose it would be comparable to a router with table?

Choosing machines and kit is a difficult job particularly as so many look the same. (I suspect they are made at the same factory and just rebadged) It is important to get things right as a good machine will give many years of trusty service and pleasure.

Thanks for the responses and kind welcome to the forum all. Cheers. Esc.

 

[Freetochat]

I will give matters further thought and see if I can reorganize my work space to accommodate separates.

Further to my last post, when I had the universal I was always shunting it because I couldn't work easily all around it. I bought a (Hammer) planner/thicknesser and a saw/spindle and positioned them off opposite walls which gave me work space between the machines and now only have to move the P/T forward 100mm to give clearence when lifting the planner tables. For me an altogether better working space in a single garage sized workshop.

 

[Anonymous]

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[ProShop]

I looked long & hard at combi machines, I must have looked at all that was available, but none of them were suitable mainly because imho the surface area of these machines just wasn't large enough for what I wanted to do.

And from what I saw & tried I realised none of them was accurate enough, poor quality fences etc..you set them up and the next time you use it it's misaligned again......

I wanted a spindle moulder, to go with a large saw table and small p/t but didn't have the room, so when I went to a demonstration day by Felder, the guy demonstrating the machines made it all look so easy and the big thing for me was the accuracy of the machines, so I was sold, about 4 weeks later and much agonizing I placed an order for a saw/spindle moulder and a Planer/ thicknesser and although it's expensive compared to other offerings it was by far the best move I ever made. The price is long forgotten, but the quality of the machinery lives on every day.

Even using part combi machines you still have to be well organized, or you'll end up with no hair left .

Like Mr Grimsdale says a spindle moulder is far better than any router table setup, you can do so much more so easily and accurately and faster. And most of the combi's I looked at did have a half decent moulder on them. I have a superb Porter Cable router with electronic brake lovely machine and it's hardly used these days.

What I'm trying to say here is.. don't be put off combi machines, just have a good long hard look & think about what it is you want to do and then go and have a good long hard critical look at what is out there and then decide and if you end up paying a bit more than you planned, so be it, you'll be happier for it in the long run.

 

[Shultzy]

I've read many of the posts on the Maxi 26 saying how bad it is, is it an older version of the Record C26-plus. If not is the C26-plus value for money or not.

 

[johnnyb]

the c 26 plus is a different machine made by minimax. it replaced the maxi. it looks a better machine but i would not buy a machine from record. record could sell coals to newcastle with their glossy ads. at least before forums. wood machines are simple and chinese cast machines are simply superb value especially machines destined stateside. buy these is my advice. how lurem have survived is beyond me. must be subsidised by the government.

 

[Der_Goalie]

how lurem have survived is beyond me. must be subsidised by the government.

Lurem make a massive range of machines - the Maxi is only a cheap entry level machine. Their range runs up to mid level industrial machinery, if they sell a few Maxi26's then all well and good, but they're not really involved in the hobby / DIY market. They survive due to machines like their saw spindles & panel saws.

It's like anything else, you get what you pay for - you're not going to pick up £10,000 worth of machine for £2000. :roll:

 

[johnnyb]

but the maxi only has scrap value as its so poorly made . other machines i cant comment. but the larger 310 version has all the same fences etc and can only be of similar quality? not many other machines seem to enter this country.are they more common in europe. record sold some i believe. anyway rant over.