Record Max126 or Bestcombi 260

[Anonymous]

I am contemplating purchasing either a Maxi26 plus or Kity Bestcombi 260 (exactly like a 2600 apart from the label?}, both sub-£2K new.

Does anyone give a comparative view, They both seem to me to have different advantages, but I'm not sure which way the balance goes.

I have looked through existing threads and couldn't find anything that provided an answer. I have a Kity 419 table saw with sliding carriage, so compromise of being able to use spindle moulder or saw only is not a real problem.

Thanks.

 

[houtslager]

for that money you could get better single machines 2nd hand, and geerally better quality. BUT it depends on the total amount of space you have to fill with toys, :wink:
wish you fun .hs

 

[jasonB]

I've got the pre 260 Bestcombi- 200mm planer and find it works well for me, all the things in my albums have been made on it. Best to cut 18mm MDF down a bit as a full 8x4 is a bit big for it (and me) at that thickness.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v156/jasonballamy/

As you already have the 419 I would have thought a separate planner/thicknesser and a spindle with router collet spindle would be a better way to go, the footprint of these two machines would be the same as a 260

 

[Alf]

Welcome to the forum, dunworkin. 'Nother vote for seperates here; I'm certainly not going to recommend the Maxi. :roll: What's the reason for looking at the combi route?

Cheers, Alf

 

[ProShop]

There's this on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20789&item=4380379014&rd=1

or this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 28990&rd=1

or

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=57219&item=5974504171&rd=1

even this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=20789&item=4381003147&rd=1


hope this helps

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses, folks.

I'm thinking of a combi because it gives me a larger saw table than the Kity 419 and other functions without adding too much to the footprint. Unfortunately space will be a problem. The belt swapping is a minus compared to the 3 motor Kity 260, but the swinging arm on the Maxi saw looks like a better bet than the Kity.

Just missed a Maxi on Tuesday on Ebay by 5 seconds and £20. Never tried Ebay before and I probably need to brush up on tactics.

I'll check around the separates again, but I'm likely to come back to my original thought.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi dunworkin

I've just been looking on the Record Power website so that I could point you at the forum where users made their comments about the Maxi. This forum has now been removed from the Record site. :shock:

This is the part of the Record site dealing with universal machines: -

http://www.recordpower.co.uk/index.pl?s=knowledge&ec=26

You should be aware that everything is now sanitised by Record. :roll:

Cheers
Neil

 

[woodshavings]

Hi dunworking

I have a Maxi and are quite happy with it. The belt changing is not problem, takes about 10 seconds !
The sliding table and swinging arm support works well.
The weakness of the Maxi is that the fence only clamps at one end and you need to be careful that it han't moved. Also, it is fixed at 90 deg so you cannot bevel when using the planner.
Overall though, I consider it a good machine and if space is limited, I would recommend it. However, it is *****heavy to move, even on its wheels.
HTH
John

 

[Alf]

...the fence... is fixed at 90 deg...

Hah! Wish mine was. :roll:

I can't honestly agree that the Maxi's good for a limited space. You have to get all round it to use it, and you can't wheel it out of the way in the mean time 'cos it's so ****** heavy. But then John and I have thrashed out the pros and cons of the Maxi many a time and oft, and we ain't never gonna agree. :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Alf,

You said "'Nother vote for seperates here; I'm certainly not going to recommend the Maxi.". Anything specific?

 

[Alf]

Ach, I used to have a handy email ready for folks who asked that one, but I've lost it* and it's so long since I even thought about using anything but the P/T bit of it, I can't recall what I said. As far as the P/T goes though; it's difficult, bordering on impossible, to accurately adjust the tables straight and level; the guard is hung from corner of the outfeed table, and naturally pulls it down the whole time; the fence isn't square and there's no apparent way to adjust it (I've resorted to a wooden shim which I keep "Velcro-ed" to the fence when not in use so I don't lose it :roll: ); if you don't have the saw blade set to the right height the thicknesser table will foul on the motor; the thicknessing scale was off, but that's okay 'cos it just peels off so I could reposition it... :roll: ; the manual is utterly terrible and a waste of paper; the knob to lock the infeed table merely tightens it slightly, so any pressure on the infeed table (like the weight of a piece of wood) changes the depth of cut, often with "hilarious" consequences as the cut is then too deep and the board is in real danger of being shot back past your ear... Well you get the idea. ](*,)

What annoys me most of all is the way "Record Power, Sheffield, England" is emblazoned on it in big yellow letters, when it's no more from Sheffield than I am.

Well you asked. :wink:

Cheers, Alf

*Edit. Found it again, so for the benefit of the archive:

For your amusement, here are my ramblings about the Maxi. Just my
personal opinion, obviously:

> > "To be fair, I haven't ever used it as a spindle moulder so I can't
> > comment on that. However, it is my only planer/thicknesser, so I
> > *have* to use that (and the T/S when I must).
> > My main gripes are:
> > The manual stinks.
> > The fence flexes and doesn't stay square, and there are no instructions
> > on how to adjust it. I've been reduced to shoving shims under it and
> > clamping a block of wood at the other end to keep it still.
> > The adjustment for the tables is finicky and almost impossible to
> > get at.
> > The manual stinks.
> > The outfeed table drops of it's own accord because there's no positive
> > stop to prevent it (just bolts in slots)
> > The infeed table height adjustment is extremely hit or miss, and the
> > clamping knob to hold it firm doesn't work.
> > The given depth of cut possible is overly optimistic. Anything more than
> > one millimeter and the motor stalls.
> > The thicknessing scale was 3mm out, until I replaced it.
> > Did I mention that the manual stinks? ;~)
> > The saw blade tilt is adjusted with a lever which gives practically no
> > control over the angle.
> > Every time you remove the crosscut fence you have to reset it square
> > to the blade. But it always slips into the (incorrectly) placed "90 deg"
> > stop, so I've never yet got it square. That's why I hardly ever
> > use the T/S.
> > The tablesaw insert has to be bent to insert it in the table. It then
> > *stays* bent and never lies flat again.
> >
> > I think that'll be enough to be going on with ;~) Certain aspects of
> > the Maxi may have changed (ours is about 5 yrs old, now) but I really
> > doubt that it'll be enough to make any difference. Really, save
> > yourself before it's too late and get something -anything- else."

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Alf.

So you like the Maxi, then...apart from a couple of minor things. :wink:

I know what you mean about the over-zealous claims to be made in Sheffield, but I will be taking it to France eventually, so it would feel at home. Combis seem to be pretty popular over there. The last time I was in the equivalents of B&Q I saw 2 Lurems (3500€ and 5000€)and a Bestcombi 2000.

I've seen a Kity 439 p/t advertised at £275 and a 429 spindle moulder with sliding carriage at £400, so maybe that's the sort of route I should be thinking about. Even if I sell them later for something bigger and better I won't lose much.

Thanks all.