Nobex promaster

[david123]

Not a review. Just a few comments
Just to say I bought one a couple of weeks ago, apart from the rubbish instructions for setting it up I am delighted with it. At least the one I have, is spot on.
I found that the trick (if it is a trick ) is to let the saw do the cutting. As an artist I do a lot of picture frames which are almost as important as the picture itself. The E-Act extension and measuring guide once set up correctly are IMO a delight to use.
Expensive? Yes but it does a good job for me and I am very happy with it

 

[MikeJhn]

Better instructions and hints here:
https://www.diyframing.com/articles_ser ... icleID=156

https://www.diyframing.com/articles_ser ... icleID=157

And this video is quite good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGhX-pmnpHg

I found that the saw needs to be clamped or screwed down to a base board to work really well, especially if using the extension, but then it is supposed to be.

Mike

 

[transatlantic]

Is it this saw minus the side extension?

http://www.axminster.co.uk/nobex-proman ... saw-800383

I wanted to get one of these, but it gets awful reviews. Hmmm

 

[MikeJhn]

Yes it is, I read the review on the Axminster site and the reviewer says that there is too much play around the plastic blade guides, mine does not have plastic blade guides and all the ones I have seen also do not have plastic blade guides, they are metal, I don't know what this chap had, but IMO it was not a Nobex, I can almost guarantee that this reviewer did not mount the saw on a base board, I tried that at first and sure enough inaccurate bowed cuts where the result as its difficult to control the saw and blade when the whole thing is wobbling about, just a few simple precautions make this saw a worthwhile buy for accurate mitre cuts.

Mike

 

[skipdiver]

I used to have a Nobex until someone decided they wanted it more and nicked it out the back of the van. It was great for using for small mouldings and skirtings/archi's without having to drag out and set up the mitre saw. As you say, the trick is not to rush it and let the saw do the work, otherwise it would soon drift off square.

 

[david123]

I am afraid this chap did buy a nobex promaster and he did mount it to a base and has had great mitres from it, I have been making picture frames and mitre joints for a long time and do not post my opinions lightly
The actual nobex is the proman 110 couples with the x-act extension. It was a fiddle to get it together but is now spot on. One other thing is to make sure that the blade tension is tight enough, and let the saw do the work.
Hope that helps.

With the board clamped down I had no wobble.

 

[MikeJhn]

David

Are you blade guides plastic as per the Axminster review?

Mike

 

[bugbear]

Yes it is, I read the review on the Axminster site and the reviewer says that there is too much play around the plastic blade guides, mine does not have plastic blade guides and all the ones I have seen also do not have plastic blade guides, they are metal, I don't know what this chap had, but IMO it was not a Nobex, I can almost guarantee that this reviewer did not mount the saw on a base board, I tried that at first and sure enough inaccurate bowed cuts where the result as its difficult to control the saw and blade when the whole thing is wobbling about, just a few simple precautions make this saw a worthwhile buy for accurate mitre cuts.

Mike

My s/h Nobex Champion (date unknown) does have plastic blade guides, and they work a treat!

It is mounted on a board though, and clamped to a Workmate for use. Excellent tool.

BugBear

£25, more than I usually pay for s/h stuff

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

I have a nobex champion as well that I paid a lot for ( about 45quid used)
The handle is broken on it, however ducttape did the trick. ( I still don't understand why they don't make a proper good handle for it because they are aware of the problem).
before I had a proper electric mitre-saw I Had made extension for it and used it for quite some time as my main saw-because you were able to cut so fast with it , however... there's only 1 problem with the saw- that it doesn't cuts 90degree square!
it's fine for small stuff, but if you start to cut something larger it just doesn't have the accuracy you would expect from a 160pound manual saw- Pathetic!
I still use it from time to time for some small pieces when I want really good cuts.

 

[bugbear]

Mine cuts perfectly square, size no object.

BugBear

 

[MikeJhn]

So does mine, width, height or thickness no problem, it cuts perfectly at any angle, as long as the cut is not rushed I don't even have to use the guillotine to trim the cut.

Mike

 

[transatlantic]

I don't suppose you can disable the preset angles can you? say for example if you wanted something just off 90 or just off 45? I suppose you could always do that with a shim though. I have some Scotia I need to install.

 

[bugbear]

The handle is broken on it, however ducttape did the trick. ( I still don't understand why they don't make a proper good handle for it because they are aware of the problem).

Woodwork to the rescue!

http://www.woodworkinfo.site88.net/tour ... bex_handle

BugBear

 

[MikeJhn]

I don't suppose you can disable the preset angles can you? say for example if you wanted something just off 90 or just off 45? I suppose you could always do that with a shim though. I have some Scotia I need to install.

The problem is there is no clamping action to lock the saw in place, you could bypass the indents, by putting a piece of ply over them, but you come back to the problem of trying to lock the saw in place, I have no doubt it could be done with a couple of small clamps, but have never tried.

Mike

 

[bugbear]

I don't suppose you can disable the preset angles can you? say for example if you wanted something just off 90 or just off 45? I suppose you could always do that with a shim though. I have some Scotia I need to install.

The problem is there is no clamping action to lock the saw in place, you could bypass the indents, by putting a piece of ply over them, but you come back to the problem of trying to lock the saw in place, I have no doubt it could be done with a couple of small clamps, but have never tried.

Mike

The old 202 and my Champion have a very positive friction lock. It's still difficult to make a setting "near to" a detent though, since the saw very much wants to go in the detent.

BugBear

 

[skipdiver]

When i was window fitting for while, i used my Nobex to trim out bay windows and if the angles were not quite 90 degrees or 45 degrees, i would have a selection of window packers to hand in various thicknesses from 1mm upwards. Strategic placement of packers between the piece to be cut and the fence, would allow you to alter the angles slightly, depending on where you placed them and what thickness packer you used. It worked a treat.

 

[MikeJhn]

Much better idea, keep the saw in the indent and pack out the piece to be cut, good one Steve, having never tried to cut other than on the indent I have never had to improvise, but sure I would have thought of that as well. :roll: =D> :wink:

Mike

 

[transatlantic]

Much better idea, keep the saw in the indent and pack out the piece to be cut, good one Steve, having never tried to cut other than on the indent I have never had to improvise, but sure I would have thought of that as well. :roll: =D> :wink:

Mike

Hey! I mentioned the shim idea in the original question!

 

[MikeJhn]

I thought you meant shim the saw, sorry for the misunderstanding, credit where its due. =D>

Mike

 

[transatlantic]

I thought you meant shim the saw, sorry for the misunderstanding, credit where its due. =D>

Mike

haha. Thank you.