I'm in the market for a Mitre Saw. I've come across a 210mm saw at
toolstation.com , their number is 50193, but it seems very cheap and
i've never heard of toolstation.com before. Would I be better off
spending a bit more and getting it from b&q.

On 18 Jul 2003 11:20:06 -0700, (Steve) wrote:

I'm in the market for a Mitre Saw. I've come across a 210mm saw at
toolstation.com , their number is 50193, but it seems very cheap and
i've never heard of toolstation.com before. Would I be better off
spending a bit more and getting it from b&q.

It really depends on what you want it for.

For decent work with a mitre saw it needs to be quite solid so that
cuts are straight and repeatable - e.g. there is no play in the
bearings and mechanism. This involves the base and supporting pieces
being reasonably beefy and any adjustable parts accurately made and of
good quality. Needless to say this costs.

Also, some work requires two angles to be cut simultaneously. This
implies a compound mitre saw which adjusts in two planes. This one
does not look like it has that facility.

If you just want very occasional use and accuracy is not too important
within a mm or two - e.g. if you were cutting materials for a deck or
something, then this level of saw may be good enough.

If you want something thatr will last, be more versatile and accurate
- e.g. if you want to do regular and decent work then something better
would be needed.

You can get reasonable "own brand" PRC or Taiwan produced products in
the £100-150 range. The good branded products such as Makita,
DeWalt, Elektra Beckum etc. start just below £200.

If you are looking for quality, it is better to go for a sturdy
product rather than something with gimmicks like laser guides.




..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

that looks very, very similar to one that I bought from B&Q for 49 pounds
it has never worked properly. cuts are inaccurate and unrepeatable.

Beware!


"Andy Hall" wrote in message
news
On 18 Jul 2003 11:20:06 -0700, (Steve) wrote:

I'm in the market for a Mitre Saw. I've come across a 210mm saw at
toolstation.com , their number is 50193, but it seems very cheap and
i've never heard of toolstation.com before. Would I be better off
spending a bit more and getting it from b&q.

It really depends on what you want it for.

For decent work with a mitre saw it needs to be quite solid so that
cuts are straight and repeatable - e.g. there is no play in the
bearings and mechanism. This involves the base and supporting pieces
being reasonably beefy and any adjustable parts accurately made and of
good quality. Needless to say this costs.

Also, some work requires two angles to be cut simultaneously. This
implies a compound mitre saw which adjusts in two planes. This one
does not look like it has that facility.

If you just want very occasional use and accuracy is not too important
within a mm or two - e.g. if you were cutting materials for a deck or
something, then this level of saw may be good enough.

If you want something thatr will last, be more versatile and accurate
- e.g. if you want to do regular and decent work then something better
would be needed.

You can get reasonable "own brand" PRC or Taiwan produced products in
the £100-150 range. The good branded products such as Makita,
DeWalt, Elektra Beckum etc. start just below £200.

If you are looking for quality, it is better to go for a sturdy
product rather than something with gimmicks like laser guides.




.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

"Steve" wrote in message
om...
I'm in the market for a Mitre Saw. I've come across a 210mm saw at
toolstation.com , their number is 50193, but it seems very cheap and
i've never heard of toolstation.com before. Would I be better off
spending a bit more and getting it from b&q.
--------------
I got one of these a little while ago:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...72827&id=19638

(just in case the link is mangled it's a Ferm KZ250 from Screwfix, quote num
19638)

It chomps through pine, 4x2, 3x2 and even 4x4 (if I turn it over) with no
difficulty at all and the cut is repeatable and remarkably clean if you don't
rush it. However, It is not good enough to simply take an angle off a protractor
and set the machine up to that. I tried that on my current project and was out
by 3 degrees. Only test pieces so no drama. I don't know yet whether it's the
saw gauge that is out or this giant protractor cum saw guide thing that I have,
so for now I just transfer actual angles to an adjustable bevel and true the saw
to that. Probably what I should have done anyway.

But, once set-up it is repeatable, definitely has the oomph for the job and does
feel like it can take it all in it's stride.

But what I really want (as well as the big CMS) is one of these:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...72827&id=15059

On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 01:40:27 +0100, "gandalf"
wrote:

But what I really want (as well as the big CMS) is one of these:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...72827&id=15059


Wouldn't we all! Given that's an 8 1/2" blade, can you imagine the
workshop real estate that thing must eat though?


Take Care,
Gnube
{too thick for linux}

I also have a Ferm KZ250 (from Screwfix)... and am very pleased with it.

Upto now I've only been cutting pine for fairly rough jobs... before
embarking on any projects using hardwoods and where the finish is really
important, I think I would invest in a decent quality blade and with a few
more teeth.



"gandalf" wrote in message
...

"Steve" wrote in message
om...
I'm in the market for a Mitre Saw. I've come across a 210mm saw at
toolstation.com , their number is 50193, but it seems very cheap and
i've never heard of toolstation.com before. Would I be better off
spending a bit more and getting it from b&q.
--------------
I got one of these a little while ago:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...72827&id=19638

(just in case the link is mangled it's a Ferm KZ250 from Screwfix, quote
num
19638)

It chomps through pine, 4x2, 3x2 and even 4x4 (if I turn it over) with no
difficulty at all and the cut is repeatable and remarkably clean if you
don't
rush it. However, It is not good enough to simply take an angle off a
protractor
and set the machine up to that. I tried that on my current project and was
out
by 3 degrees. Only test pieces so no drama. I don't know yet whether it's
the
saw gauge that is out or this giant protractor cum saw guide thing that I
have,
so for now I just transfer actual angles to an adjustable bevel and true
the saw
to that. Probably what I should have done anyway.

But, once set-up it is repeatable, definitely has the oomph for the job
and does
feel like it can take it all in it's stride.

But what I really want (as well as the big CMS) is one of these:
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...72827&id=15059