Tablesaw and P/T recommendations - what do you think?

[Digizz]

I visited Isaac Lord today and got the following recommendations for new kit (for general funiture/cabinet making):

TSPP250 Record 10" Table Saw
I was initially asking about the TS2000 but the guy in the shop recommended the Record over it as 'more professional'. It's also cheaper - but heard it's made in the Far East?

HMS260 Planer/Thicknesser - read the review here so pretty happy with that - unless there's something better?

RPD58 Record Pillar Drill (Sheffield made apparently) - a bit pricier than I was thinking of spending at £489 - anything better and cheaper? This model looked like it may be overkill?

50021 Draper belt and disk sander - he said to ignore the draper badge as this model was pretty good. ???

31-120 Delta 12" disk sander - dunno about this as he didn't have it in.

What do you think?

Ta.

 

[SquareCircle]

digizz
I have a TS 2000. It is my second saw bench, the first was an Electra Beckum. To start off with, I was not overawed with the TS 2000 (slide carriage was not cutting dead square) until some advise from users on this web site and some decent support from the guys at NMA got it set up correctly. Now I think that it’s awesome. Would highly recommend it. Have never used a Record, but IMHO I don’t think that it is particularly intelligent to describe the Record as ‘more professional’. Sounds like meaningless sales patter.
I also have the HMS 260 (I appear to have collected a workshop full of Scheppach gear sb, p/t, bs and de and cannot complain about any product) The p/t was a recent purchase (2nd hand) and still think that it’s the best piece of machinery in my shed. Its simple, and does what it is supposed to do beautifully. So long as you think that a pT is the way to go, don’t think that you can buy better for less than a grand. .
Don’t have experience with the other products to offer a view.

Happy shopping, buy the best you can afford.

 

[Guest]

I don't know the Record drill but Record have a poor reputation on the forum.Have a look in the Axminster catalogue or on their web site,or Rutlands, you should get some idea of what you need.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Digizz

If you are thinking about the Record tablesaw,I would recommend you have a look here: -

http://www.recordpower.co.uk/tisql/topic.asp?forumid=9&topicid=650&nodes=650

and here

http://www.recordpower.co.uk/tisql/topic.asp?forumid=9&topicid=744&nodes=744

If you still want to buy one then the Fox is a lot cheaper and, we believe, the same saw: -

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1042&start=0

It's just so sad.

Neil

 

[Gill]

Hi Digizz

Why would you need two sanding stations :?: You can only break one at a time .

I wouldn't regard a tablesaw as essential. However, I'm not a cabinet maker . Personally, I'd go for a bandsaw but if you still feel the need for a TS there seem to be better buys on the market than Record.

Have you thought about buying a 1/2 inch router? They're very useful beasties, especially mounted in a table and/or fitted with rebate cutters. Fit a dovetail cutting bit (which can be used in conjunction with a dovetail jig) and you'll be away to the races...

Drill presses are very useful but I'm not sure they're the most frequently used piece of kit in the workshop. Perhaps a squint at the Screwfix catalogue might help you come up with a suitable, cheaper, alternative that you could replace as and when you feel the need. Shouldn't cost you more than £50 if memory serves me right. I think they also have a drum sanding attachment for their drill presses (about £20?) which might overcome the need for any sanding station at the outset.

Yours

Gill

 

[Anonymous]

don't forget that isaac lord are not the cheapest for tools. but you can generally haggle with them


take a look here for a cast iron saw for not much money. someone has been to see them i think and they sounded pretty good for the money (£1000 ithink)


http://www.woodfordwm.co.uk/

 

[Digizz]

Thanks everyone

I was wondering about the Record machine. Shame that Isaac Lord didn't have a complete machine either - the fence adjuster mechanism was missing and they didn't have the optional sliding carriage.

I did have a brief look at the TS2000 at the woodworking show - seemed to be pretty robust to my inexperienced eyes. I'll go that route I think.

Sander - I'll just go with a combination belt/disc rather than two - any suggestions?

I probably won't spend more than £200 on a pillar drill - I've needed one for other metalwork and electronics jobs in the past so probably is worth spending more than the £50-60 cheap ones. Again, any recommendations?

Ta.

 

[sawdustalley]

Hello,

For the drill press, have you thought about the axminster range of white ones? I haven't used one personallu - but then I've never heard any complaints from anybody either:

http://www.axminster.co.uk

 

[Alf]

Digizz,

Hmm, a Record Far East over the Scheppach? Sounds like someone may be having trouble shifting the Records. :wink: Lots of people seem happy with the Scheppach (takes all sorts I s'pose...) but I do like the look of those Xcaliber jobbies Kostello linked to. More and more I tend to favour "brick privvy" type tools over "ooo, what a pretty paint job" ones :wink:

P/T, well you've read the glowing recomendations. An improvement? Well, something bigger, obviously... :lol:

I've bored everyone with this before, and I'll do it again. The pillar drill is a jolly useful bit of kit, but -just for once- you don't need to get the most expensive to get something worth having. At least for woodworking. For engineering/electronics type stuff you might well find it would be worth the extra, and Record ones have been very good in the past. Now? Who can say. I have one of the APTC floor standing medium duty ones, and it's fine. I use it much more than I expected; until you have one you don't realise how handy it is.

Draper. <shudder> Sorry, but I'm predisposed to run away screaming from anything with a Draper badge on. I'd sooner look at the likes of Axminster, maybe SIP (anyone have any info on their quality?) and Charnwood occasionally surprise with some of their kit.

Look into budgeting for a bandsaw soon, won't yah? Oh, and get a good drum sander for the drill press. The Carroll ones are pricy, but very good and you're not tied to buying ready made sleeves.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Digizz]

Just read a bit more about the TS2500. What extra in reality would this give me over the TS2000 for general cabinet making?

I'm planning on making a range of sideboards/coffee tables/lamp tables etc - all for my own house. Simple (angular), contemporary design.

Should I pay the extra £500 or so?

 

[gidon]

Digizz,
I have a TS2000 and find a very capable accurate saw. Choice between it and the TS2500 will not only come down to cost, but also space. The TS2500 is a fair bit bigger. The accuracy will be close on both - although you don't get the micro-adjuster as standard on the TS2500 for some reason. You get the extra cutting capacity, but I have never needed to cut greater than 2" thick wood (I can barely afford 1" thick hardwood!) You can also get the larger capacity sliding carriage (although even more money) with the TS2500 to crosscut full size 8x4 boards if you have the space! Although I don't, even on the TS2000 you can rip full size boards length ways and cross cut the resulting boards, all with the right supports and the very handy sliding carriage.
The Scheppach gear I have and other stuff have looked at is good - and the build quality appears better than anything in its class - although this is usually reflected in the price. And I like the paint job! Takes a fair bit of abuse - some sort of enamelling I believe.
And I'll give another recommendation for the HMS260 - lovely machine.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Digizz]

OK - so I need to give my shopping list to a couple of companies to quote on - any clues to who will give a very good deal for multiple machines?

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Digizz

OK - so I need to give my shopping list to a couple of companies to quote on - any clues to who will give a very good deal for multiple machines?

It might not be quite as simple as that. I would recommend that you get the best prices possible for the indivual items and then go to Isaac Lord and ask them to price match.

You will have the benefit of the cheapest price, but supplied by a local company.

For pricing I would try the following: -

http://www.axminster.co.uk/

http://www.caldertrade.co.uk/

http://diytools.com/

http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/

http://www.itslondon.co.uk/

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/

http://www.msctool.co.uk/ (The cheapest for HMS260)

http://www.rutlands.co.uk/

http://www.toolshopdirect.com/

Cheers
Neil

 

[Chris Knight]

Digizz,

I would leave the sanders out of the equation altogether unless you are very clear what you need them for. I have only just after many years without, acquired my first fixed sander, a bobbin sander - but only because I have started a project for which it is essential.

I am a tool junkie but can honestly say, I have never missed a sander.

They are are most use for the kind of curvy work that a pattern maker would do or a period furniture maker and even then a spokeshave and a bit of sandpaper are usually better answers unless you are trying to break speed records.

 

[Digizz]

Thanks all.

Good list of on-line stores

As to sanders - I hate manual sanding with a passion - Is there one particular electric sander type that you would recommend? i.e. random orbit etc?

 

[Anonymous]

Digizz,

maybe SIP (anyone have any info on their quality?) and Charnwood occasionally surprise with some of their kit.


Cheers, Alf

I have an SIP P/T and it is very good, especially for the low price of <£400. It is basically a copy of the Elektra for £200ish less

I use several pieces of Charnwood kit and would highly recommend them to anyone. Specifically I use their extractor and bandsaw, morticing machine + 12" disk sander and am very happy with all of them.
I live near Leicester which is where Charnwood are based and so buying their gear makes sense for me.

T

 

[Anonymous]

Alf said "but I do like the look of those Xcaliber jobbies Kostello linked to. " I like the look of them to until i read the spec's and saw how much they weigh . I'd need the guy's that built the pyramids to get it down my steps in across the garden :lol: .but having said that the price of em is pretty darn good .

 

[Adam]

Just read a bit more about the TS2500. What extra in reality would this give me over the TS2000 for general cabinet making?

I'm planning on making a range of sideboards/coffee tables/lamp tables etc - all for my own house. Simple (angular), contemporary design.

Should I pay the extra £500 or so?

Digizz,

I have the TS2500, which I cannot fault. It has plowed through some 2 inch oak for me on a recent project and hardly dropped a tone (i.e. the motor didn't slow much at all). I've been very impressed since purchasing it, in fact it has gone up in my esteem, which is always a nice thing on any purchase. The TS2500 does take up a bit more space, but I run mine in a 8 x 10 workshop, albeit in a corner with the right hand table folded down.

I bought mine from a local dealer, (Homewood in worthing) and actually found them cheaper, when you consider the delivery charge of Axminster/Rutlands. Not only that, they set it up before they delivered. Perhaps you might find a local "dealer" could offer you a good price - more so that the big catalogues - but be warned, if they don't stock a particulat brand i.e. Jet, Scheppach, Charnwood etc, they will do their utmost to persuade you to purchase something else "comparable", which may or may not be OK, but if its a Record alternative, I personally would give it a miss.

Adam

 

[Alf]

I hate manual sanding with a passion

Hands up who doesn't hate sanding? Personally I hate powered sanding even more, but that's just me. Have you considered the benefit of planes and scrapers in avoiding some of this dreaded task? Oh, okay, the ROS then. The duo speed Metabo is getting a good press on another thread at the moment.

Cheers, Alf