# Kobe scroll saw from Cromwell



## donwatson (3 Aug 2018)

Hi All,
Has anyone any experience of the Kobe scroll saw that Cromwell Tools have on sale ???
I have a friend who wants a scroll saw, he has around £100-£150 to spend. Any suggestions ??

take care
Don W


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## Claymore (3 Aug 2018)

........


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## AES (4 Aug 2018)

FWIW, I agree with Claymore. I think (do not know, but only think) that just about all scroll saws at around that price come from the same one or two factories in China.

E.G. I had an Einhell (not the current model) and it too suffered from exactly the problem that Claymore describes. The fact is that if the arm is bent/twisted (my guess is that being cast, and only cast in "pot metal" as well) when they cool after casting they distort - sometimes! That's the 64,000 dollar point - they don't all do it, but there have been many instances reported on just this Forum, and it's also a fact that because of the type of metal used, and the design, your chances of successfully straightening a bent arm are very very slim- FAR more likely it'll snap if you try it, and no one will honour a guarantee if they see you've taken your new machine apart and started bending stuff in the vice!

OK, with a bent/twisted arm they WILL still cut, but not with any degree of accuracy. Again the E.G. of my old Einhell: I fixed it up as well as possible and gave to it one of my wife's girlfriends where she does enjoy learning with it - to SOME extent. But it will NEVER be able to cut properly square (which to be fair, I did tell her).

But assuming you/your mate wants a machine that does the job properly, then without even knowing that particular machine from Chronos, my best guess is that at that price it will be pretty similar to all the rest at that price, so you've most likely got "pot luck" as to whether or not you'll end up with a satisfactory machine.

Just as Claymore says, if the budget is limited to that 100/150 quid level, then you'll be MUCH better off looking for a second hand machine. Some do pop up here from time to time, and there's the dreaded bay, and other on-line auction sites too of course.

The makes to look for IMO (in no particular order) are Axminster Tools "own brands" (they're based on Hegner and Excalibur designs), Hegner, Excalibur, Delta - and probably a couple more that I can't think off right now.

HTH


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## donwatson (5 Aug 2018)

Thanks for that Guys. I have a Parkside and after some fettling it has been running very well indeed. Some problems with the cam blade tensioner but still running after a couple of years.
It looks like he would be better with the Axi products then


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## AES (5 Aug 2018)

Yeah, as already said, it's a pot luck really. Glad your Parkside (Lidl I think?) machine is OK. Thgere are apparently a number of people who've found the cheaper machines quite OK. But as you say, QUOTE: It looks like he would be better with the Axi products then UNQUOTE: simply going on reports here, and other things I've seen/heard, the chances of getting an OK machine seem to be better with Axi.


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## donwatson (7 Aug 2018)

Yeah, I am going to meet my friend today and will recommend the second hand Axi.

Don W


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