# New Machine (garage) Room Setup advice require please



## krisdl (18 Apr 2013)

Hello there

I am presently studying furniture making and I am able to pay my hands a little bit of cash to setup a machine room in my garage, ( I have a 12x10 workshop recently erected next to the garage) I do not presently have any machines and I am looking to take timber from it's rough state and machine it myself to the point that I can start to make the cabinets or chairs or whatever my next project maybe. This is me only using the machines and I would doubt most people would call it heavy work but I cannot afford to spend this money again (baby on the way) so this is my one chance to get a decent setup.

I have £2800 to spend but this includes getting the electrics done to both the shed and the garage, there is absolutely no wiggle room. I have turned to Charnwood as they seem to offer a great range of machines and they come at an affordable price.

The following is my purchase list so far.

W730 14'' Woodworking Bandsaw  £489 
W650 Tablesaw £829
W583 10'' x 7'' Planer Thicknesser £799
W691 2HP Single Bag Dust Extractor £269
W520 Universal Wheel Base x3 £150

Total £2536

As you can see I am at the very top of my budget but I think there might be a bit of wiggle room (discount) if I get all this machinery from charnwood, my question is it worth it? I have seen a nice review of the bandsaw, not seen anything about the table saw I think and the planer thicknesser looks like the one from axminster but I just don't know enough to know for sure. Any advice would be fantastic, my wife has warned me against coming to her with stories of "spend more to get more" what we have is what we have she said, and her word is final!

Thank you for any time you spend looking at my list, I would appreciate feedback.

Kris


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## marcros (18 Apr 2013)

i would look at the secondhand route personally.


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## Newbie_Neil (18 Apr 2013)

Hi Kris,

I don't know much about Charnwood, but I don't think they have the best of names.

To save money, and space, why not do without the table saw and just have a bandsaw? I'd have a look for a secondhand Startrite 352.

Oh, and I would also recommend that you buy the Steve Maskery bandsaw dvd and a new blade/s from TuffSaw.

Thanks,
Neil


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## Lee J (18 Apr 2013)

from your list I'd do without the table saw, dust extractor and the wheelbases. 

Build your own wheel bases and possibly make your own dust bag too or buy a good respirator and a decent shop vac.

£1248 saved straight off.


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## Ed H (18 Apr 2013)

Kris

I was in a similar situation to you about this time last year so thought I would pass on my experiences.

Like you, I had an empty garage (2.4m x 4.9m) and wanted to buy the correct tools to take rough sawn timber and turn it into furniture.

Originally I started buying brand new tools but pretty quickly I realised that you could get much more value for money on the big machines by buying them second hand. Initially I was unsure of going down this road but thankfully it’s been a really good decision. Woodworkers on the whole take care of their tools so when they do decide to sell the tools they tend to be in a good condition (though there are obviously exceptions to this rule). 

Using this approach I’ve now set myself up with all the tools I need (table saw, bandsaw, planer, thicknesser, extractor, morticer) at probably less than half the price they would be new and all have worked as well as I could have hoped (had to change the odd switch/blade but nothing major). All are what you would call “trade” rated as well so they are big, heavy, have cast iron tables etc etc unlike some of the cheaper aluminium built machines available.

I’ve bought most of my tools through the “for sale” page on this forum so that’s where I would advise you to look. It may take a while but you’ll find some great bargains.

I also have a couple of bits of advice based on my experience:

1) Contrary to the other posts I would say a Table Saw is a must. I have the Axminster AW10BSB2 with table extensions and its easily the most used/most useful tool in the shop - I love it. I'd be wary of the Charnwood Table Saw you linked as it doesnt look like the fence locks in at the far end meaning it could move out when pressure is put against it while cutting large sheet goods etc which will lead to an inaccurate cut.

2) If you do get a Table Saw get a good quality mitre gauge as the ones you get as standard on all machines from Axminster/SIP/Charnwood are all rubbish. Osborne MB3 or Incra 1000 are the best – I have the Osborne.

3) Leave yourself some money for clamps, you'll need a good selection.

4) Finally, for your wheeled base have a look here http://www.rutlands.co.uk/workshop-&-po ... obile-base

Good luck and be sure to post your future projects up on the Forum.
Cheers
Ed


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## krisdl (18 Apr 2013)

Ok wow thats a lot of info and it came in fast!

I should have said that the Steve Maskery DVD set was on my purchase list from the start.

I really was looking at the 2nd hand market but I am in the south-west (cornwall) and I am so far down that is is nigh on impossible for me to get time off to drive up and get machinery where it all seems to be selling collection only, I also don't have a vehicle to move it in. The other thing about used machinery that scared me was in my experience they always come with issues and nobody selling is willing to tell you about them and I'm not knowledgeable at the moment to deal with those issues.

I find it hard to source good quality hardwood in cornwall, and the used machine market down here is non existent so in my eyes it seemed like going down the new route would be better because at least I would have a company to call if something was terribly wrong.

I am finding it hard to stray away from new for the reasons mentioned above, am I wrong or just not looking because i look on the for sale forum nearly everyday for months and nobody is willing to courier the big machines it seems and I completely understand that.

I will look into some used machines and see if it is viable but I really appreciate your time and effort folks it has me thinking and I'll have to do a bit more of that before I'm ready to drop some cash although the baby is due in June and I should be set up by then.

Kris


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## riclepp (18 Apr 2013)

Hi Kris

I agree what others have already mentioned. I have bouhgt a fair amount of second hand tools on the forum and I have never had a problem. In comms with the sellers, thay have so far been gracious to hang onto stuff untill I was able to get there and get it, or I arranged it to be colleted and delivred for a few extra quid. So it is still worth looking and asking, most on here are pretty approachable and willing to help, if you ask.

The only new buy I have is the axi plannerthicknesser.

Good luck, oh and do post your furniture when you make it ?


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## Jelly (18 Apr 2013)

Assuming you're planning to do most of the joinery by hand (implied but i'm not sure):

For milling solid wood, a tablesaw is not very useful at all; I'd personally suggest as big a bandsaw as you can justify (the greater the throat depth and the ability to tesion wide blades the better) as the best tool for resawing, and either a smallish Radial Arm Saw* or the biggest capacity SCMS you can afford for cut-to-length, built into a flat bench with a full length fence and you're laughing. Depending on the lengths you're reciving, two or three roller stands would also be useful.


On the other hand, for accurately dimensioning panel products a tablesaw with extention tables is quick and easy; if you were using them all the time, it would be a near indispensible tool.

Are you going to cut enough plywood and MDF to justify spending £900? Would a tracksaw and sawhorses, be better value for money? the 600-700 quid saved could be spent on a Spindle Moulder or used to increase your purchasing power for the other machines.


*Whilst much maligned and somewhat misunderstood, theres a reason that they're still fairly ubiquitous in industry, being able to gang-cut timbers (especially compound angles) is very useful... The ripping facility is also a handy, but deserves respect; failure to setup correctly can make it behave dangerously (specifically, the blade and fence must be parallel and the anti-kick pawls must be engaged fully).


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## chris lewis joinery (18 Apr 2013)

Hi kris
I have a Charnwood spindle moulder and it is the worst thing I have ever bought,it is so awkward to set up and use that it has been put in the corner to gather dust.I agree with the other posts old cast iron machine are the way to go,I have bought all my machines off eBay and have a full commercial workshop for around 5 grand ,it pays to shop around 
Cheers chris


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## krisdl (18 Apr 2013)

God now I have no idea what to do, looking on ebay scares the hell out of me, not only are they nearly all pickup only but they are very very old looking and there is no promise I am not getting fleeced. If I buy something on ebay and they allow me to setup a pallet, how does that work and from what I can see thats another £100 per item. There is also the other point that my funds are limite, and when I say that I mean it my wife will nto budge if she says I'm getting £2800 that is exactly to the penny what I am getting.


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## LJM (18 Apr 2013)

I'd join the gang urging you to go second hand, but I'll add that pallet delivery is pretty cheap, about £40 for a 500kg pallet! So if you can find sellers who are able to put a machine onto a pallet (I've seen a lot of stuff for sale on pallets), then you can get them collected from them and delivered to you very economically.

I'd suggest looking at ebay and watching a few items. You'll get a feel for what names attract attention, and figure out what you can expect to pay for a given machine. Then find a few machines you like the look of and do some homework on them, so you understand what you're getting.

And if you feel confident or can enlist some help, read up on how to use or convert 3 phase machines on a single phase supply; good prices can be had on 3 phase stuff so you need not discount it from the off.


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## Phil Pascoe (18 Apr 2013)

Kris, don't forget that sometimes living down the pointy end has it's advantages - anyone living Somerset upwards has to factor in more for transport, which keeps the bidding on anything you see in Cornwall/W.Devon down. I bought a lathe from someone in Torpoint, who obviously drove a diesel - he offered delivery for £20 - and it took two people to move it. Likewise, watch for local small ads. and auctions - people don't travel 100s of miles for them.


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## marcros (18 Apr 2013)

Jelly":3iuvfw2a said:


> Assuming you're planning to do most of the joinery by hand (implied but i'm not sure):
> 
> For milling solid wood, a tablesaw is not very useful at all; I'd personally suggest as big a bandsaw as you can justify (the greater the throat depth and the ability to tesion wide blades the better) as the best tool for resawing, and either a smallish Radial Arm Saw* or the biggest capacity SCMS you can afford for cut-to-length, built into a flat bench with a full length fence and you're laughing. Depending on the lengths you're reciving, two or three roller stands would also be useful.
> 
> ...



I am a hobbiest, so my perspective may be slightly different.

I started a couple of years ago, unsure of what i wanted to make (but with the vague idea of furniture for the house, and beehives). so i equipped my workshop the best that i thought i could given my budget. i thought carefully, and got a separate bench top thicknesser, a floor standing 6" planer, a table saw and various clamps. all spread over a few months. fast forward a couple of years, and I found the table saw to get in the way so I sold it. I bought a radial arm saw cheap, and am in the process of getting that set up. I have replaced the table saw with a big band saw, and I find that to be a most useful tool.

There is a lot to be said in what Jelly has put- in fact I fully agree with it. If I was to start again, knowing what I now do, I would have the band saw, the radial arm saw and i would add a track saw to it (next on my list). The 6" planer is a bit small- 10" would be better (i am going to build a router sled shortly for flattening a table top, and boards wider than the planer). I would keep the same thicknesser. That would cover almost all of my cutting requirements. At the moment, I am struggling to rip cut timber, and process the few sheets of material that I do. The tracksaw would do this. The radial saw will do all of my cross cutting- anything above 300mm can be done with the track saw, or by flipping it over on the radial arm saw. Dont forget that manoeuvring large sections of timber or sheet material isnt easy, so the track saw has the advantages of 1. being able to do it outside, and 2. the saw moves rather than the timber. 

i dont know what you would have to budget for the saws. Radial arm saws seem to go for a couple of hundred used, maybe a bit more. A startrite bandsaw, 750 probably- others would be a bit less, and a track saw is between £220 (Scheppach new with 2 rails) to about £400 new for the Festool with a couple of rails.


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## Tierney (19 Apr 2013)

Hi,

My tuppence worth (I am a hobbyist):

A) 12 * 10 isn't huge, so I would consider trying to make do with fewer machines. Once you have your workbench and a few bits of wood, it can become a pain moving things around every time you need to do a different task.
B) Given the size of your 'shop, you may not be easily able to use your tablesaw to its full potential when dealing with sheet goods. I've got an 18 * 8 shop and have ended up struggling trying to use my table saw for sheet goods and probably done things that weren't safe as a result
C) Sliding cross cut saws need quite a bit of space behind them
D) a flip over saw or track saw (or the old fashioned circular saw with a straight edge set up) is something to consider
E)Old machines are great for build quality, many can be adjusted, but you may need to make a few jigs to get them to work (e.g. My bandsaw doesn't have a fence or a mitre slot, and takes a minute to get going- but it's table is deadflat and will deal with massive timber no problem). New machines (unless you are paying a lot of money) are more likely to be jack of all trades but master of none.

Everything everyone else has said is valid. Try and think carefully about what sort of work you will be doing and then decide what are the minimum number of machines needed, then decide which of those you are going to use the most and spend the most on that - a new Startrite Bandsaw might set you back £1,000; but, it will last you a lifetime.

You could choose not to spend all your money at once, buy a few things, see how you get on with them, which may mean that you spend it more wisely

Finally don't skimp on safety, buy a decent extractor and make sure you can connect all your machines to it and use a mask also.

Good luck!

DT


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## Roughcut (19 Apr 2013)

Kris you have said you are studying furniture making at present.
Are there not any contacts (lecturers etc.) who could point you in the direction for buying good used machinery? 
Also I think you need to prioritise what you need and not what you think you need.
If I were in your shoes I would get the electrics sorted, then consider insulating your workshop if not already done.
Then I would seriously consider what I really needed to get started and buy 2 or 3 machines and start making stuff.
I have heard many people say only buy something when you *know* you need it, not because you think you *might* need it.
Wise words.


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## krisdl (19 Apr 2013)

I haven't made any decisions yet I just wanted to post and say thank you to all of you for making such detailed posts and to give me other perspectives to view this from. I also probably didn't make it clear, I have a 10x12 workshop that has a router table, drill press and small mortiser in it along with my hand tools and my bench, I will also have a flat area to work with for glueing and clamping. My garage will be where the machines are going, and that is all that will be in there, 3 machines plus dust extraction.

I hadn't even heard of a track saw until just now, and not having use a band saw much except to resaw I believed I needed something with enough clearance to rip some hardwood. The table saw would be used quite a lot or dimensioning and there is perhaps the use of a jig for tenons although I don't have steve mastery's dvd set yet and I guess that would give me an idea of bandsaw or tablesaw for that. The planer thicknesser is an absolute must.

The 3 machines seem to me like they are all needed at the moment, they are what I used to take rough timber to a workable state at college, and I don't know another way of doing it. My college lecturers are pretty thinly spread, there is two of them and they cover all the furniture making students Monday through Wednesday and then on thursday/Friday they cover the Pendennis influx, I have asked about machinery and hammer was suggested but they are very expensive so that was thrown right out the window.

The problem is that if I want to learn about machinery at college they want to charge me for another course, they only go in a very small amount of detail (ie: just enough to get the wood we need dimensioned) I have respect for the machines and I try to practice safety and health care at all times, my wife has already shown concern and asked me to do everything in the safest manner possible.

Although I am a student I am 41 so my days of rushing into things blind are gone, and I take time to know where I am going with all my decisions so that I do not make a mistake or have to repeat something just because I rushed it.

I have yet to see anyone in cornwall selling any used machinery, I look every single day on multiple websites and papers, sometimes I get machinery blindness, when this happens I miss bargains like the Basato 5-2 that went for £480 on ebay last weekend, he had it on a pallet aswell but this nearly never happens though and I have been looking for machinery for a good 8 months.

I really need to be up and going by June (baby due) and this is 75% of the reason I was choosing new machinery, but I see everyones point about bang for my buck and I am really torn now but I still appreciate everyones points of view and it really has made me think twice and consider other avenues.

Back to the drawing board.

By the way I've seen a few prices mentioned and I just don't seem to be able to locate the items for the prices mentioned, ie: Startrite 352 for £750, I have scoured the internet and it's more like £1000. Is there a magical land of used machinery website I have missed somewhere? Or are we talking about one of bargains?

Kris

P.S. this 3 phase to 1 phase conversion, is this something an ameteur could do? and if so what does it cost and is there a guide for simpletons available? Would this run on normal electric supply, or I've read some machinery needs 16amp all of this is completely new to me.


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## LJM (19 Apr 2013)

If you google the 3-phade issue you'll quickly find a breakdown of the options, much more clearly explained than I could do. As to weather it's something an amateur could do, certainly it is! I know people who've done it. But you need to be comfortable with what's involved. But, one option with a smaller 3-phase machine is to change the motor for a 240v one, though of course take advice on getting an appropriate motor.

I know the frustration of missing out on good tools... But you can find used tool dealers online. Equally, stuff turns up in auctions, scrap yards and so on...

As to your choice of tool, well only you know what you genuinely need. But it sounds like it would be beneficial to you to read books, watch DVDs, talk to other wood workers, whatever it takes to understand the full potential of each machine; I had a conversation with someone about machine choices only today and we agreed that one well chosen saw can take you an awfully long way; a typical college workshop has a good choice of big machines, so why not make use of them?! But when space and cash are at a premium, you may be able to find other ways of doing things... 

Such as a track saw and some means of holding sheets to be cut. You can search this site for guide rails and find a thread on making your own very cheaply (£30 max, for 5' and 9' rail) and decent second hand circular saws can be had cheaply (£25 for a Makita 5903 for instance). With this it would be easy to work outside too if you wanted.

Finally, as others have said, get some extraction! Nose cancer doesn't sound nice to me... Again, search here to find simple and cheap plans to make a workshop air filter and a cyclone (from a dustbin and a monkey bucket) to save your wife's vacuum (sorry, awfully sexist) when used as an extractor.


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## LJM (19 Apr 2013)

A few links that may be useful:

http://www.rondeanmachinery.co.uk/Used- ... -for-sale/

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Startrite-301 ... 2ec78062d5


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## krisdl (20 Apr 2013)

LJM":38uoj3rg said:


> A few links that may be useful:
> 
> http://www.rondeanmachinery.co.uk/Used- ... -for-sale/
> 
> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Startrite-301 ... 2ec78062d5




Already emailed that guy on ebay last night LJM last night to see if he would be able to pallet it, I don't really know how that all works. Any suggestions on which company to use would be great.

Unfortunately they don't like you using the college machinery for much more than your doing at college and I want to do a lot more than that, I already has some oak sitting here waiting, both some air dried and some kiln dried.

I have the whole garage and while it's just a normal size I think if the machines or at least 1 or 2 of them were on wheels that it would work pretty well. I have never reallyt messed with electrics so the thought of switching motors over seems well beyond me but I will look up the 3 phase issue.

I have talked with some other woodworkers, but they are all really on a hobby level and I want to take it further than that, the only other people I know are from a joiners and they just use machines all day long, great big honking green monsters.

I am also on a bit of a deadline so end of june sorta time. thank you for all your replies going to search the internet now 

Kris


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## onlinename (20 Apr 2013)

I would avoid going Charnwood. I have been researching quite a bit over the past few months on table saws as well as other things you mentioned and I read quite a lot of mixed reviews about Charnwood machinery. Specifically there was a guy on here that returned a 650. If you search for the post you will find it. 

I would look into Axminster table saws. They might be a bit more expensive but from my understanding they are very good build quality and their customer service is top.
Personally I went with a DeWalt DW745 for 389GBP because my shop is quite small and needed the mobility and space it provides. 

I think you should look into the machinery prices a bit more because you have a good budget to start with and as the guys mentioned you can get great second hand machinery for the same money. 

FIY I also read somewhere that the dust extractor you have chosen sometimes doesn't pick chips up very efficiently.


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## custard (20 Apr 2013)

It costs a lot of money to make a woodworking machine that's up to professional standards of accuracy and reliability. 

Unfortunately it costs a lot less to make a "woodworking machine shaped object".

Think very, very hard about what you really need to make your furniture accurately and efficiently, then hunt it down in the second hand market. It'll be a lot of graft, and you won't have the instant buzz of spending two-and-a-half grand in one phone call; but you'll end up with something worthwhile that you can sell in the future for what you paid for it today.


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## LJM (21 Apr 2013)

Hi,

I wasn't so much suggesting you use the college machinery, but pointing out that through your course you've learned methods appropriate to the range of equipment available, but you can very probably achieve a great deal by doing things slightly differently, with fewer machines.

I know a guy who has a long standing, successful furniture workshop in wales, with hardly any machines. I know many others who have fewer machines than you'd like (we'd all like?!), and yet produce excellent work.

I thimk Custard put it succinctly; buy cheap machines and they will not be up to the standards that you are now used to, and you will spend a great deal of time over coming their inadequacies. This is frustrating at best! they'll be depreciating assets, where as a good solid secondhand, even vintage machine will hold it's value and more importantly will make you money more quickly.

I understand time is against you (i had to convert a room with no plumbing to a kitchen between my daughter being born and coming home from hospital, so i do empathise!). But slow down your decisions and so make the right ones for you. 

As for swapping a motor, this can vary in complexity from a simple swap out to something more complex, and so the value of doing it can only be judged against the value to you of a particular machine. But as an example, i just bought an old table saw with a dead motor. Took that to a local motor specialist (repairers of any and all motors, turbines etc) who gave me a quote for repair and a price for a new motor. they were able to match the flange size, so it would fit directly where the old one did and selected an output spec and rating appropriate to the application. So the point is, don't be daunted by these little challenges; they seem complex, you learn a little and then things fall into place.

Good luck with this. And i hope the avalanche of information and opinion is not overwhelming; i guess you would have been a happy man had you received a resounding 'yes' to your initial shopping list!


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## LJM (21 Apr 2013)

Forgot to mention pallet delivery; i just googled it when i was in need of it, so can't recommend a particular firm. Typically, I think, they'd expect to collect a pallet of goods and drop said pallet at it's destination. But all you can do is ask! Some may well offer a more complete service, providing a pallet, loading it etc. I would stat, as you have, by asking the vendor if they can put it on a pallet.


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## krisdl (21 Apr 2013)

Ok well, this post led to me completely rethinking things. After pointing out to the wife that I don't want to be rebuying in 1-2 years or even own a piece of rubbish that won't cut or plane correctly I came the the decision that it must be one good item at a time. This has led me to the first of the 3 machines and my choice at the moment is the Hammer 4400 Bandsaw, it looks like a really good band saw and I cannot afford to be replacing whatever I buy any time soon.

Does anyone have anything horrible to say about the Hammer 4400? I was looking at startrite 352 or 502 but am I right in deducing that they are now owned record power so the new ones won't be the same build quality right?

Again thank you for all your help because you have all probably saved me from making an awful choice.

Kris


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## carlb40 (22 Apr 2013)

Kris there have been a few threads this year on Hammer on here. They seem to be good tools once you get them. Apparently they are not something you can order off the shelf so to speak. You order, you get given a delivery date ( normally many many weeks wait). Then on that date it doesn't arrive. Have a search on here and read through some threads.


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## marcros (22 Apr 2013)

i have not used the hammer, or the startrite. Both were on my list though, because I viewed them as kit that i should never ned to upgrade. In the end i got a cracking deal on a large secondhand axi bandsaw so went with that.

Both the above are said to be great bandsaws. With the Hammer, you are buying into a system, much like with festool. extension tables fit various machines for example- useful when you come to buy more kit. There seem to be few used hammer machines about, but I believe that Hammer themselves sometimes have some. Delivery dates may slip, but once you have it, you have it. Double the stated delivery time, and if it is earlier it is a bonus!


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## Jelly (22 Apr 2013)

With you budget you could buy some really good machines second hand from a dealer.

These reconditioned examples from JMJ should give you an idea: £1200 for a Sedgewick PT 10*7 cast iron P/T and £1600 for a substantial bandsaw.


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## wallace (23 Apr 2013)

I reckon don't buy new as its generally pants unless you spend serious money. I tried the new stuff a few years ago, rexon bandsaw, axminster morticer, cheap planer thicknesser. Now a couple of years on that stuff is all gone replaced with old stuff, wadkin PK saw £400, 18" planer thicknesser £500 wadkin pillar drill £100 even a wadkin EQ spindle moulder £500, the last thing I got was a wadkin RAS for £160 yes some of these needed tlc but I could never afford comparable new stuff. Of all the machines I have bought they have all worked which is just testament to how well these machines used to be made. I have used a pallet courier called national pallets for loads of machines and get a machine collected from anywhere in Britain for £50. If you can get a coverter to change your 240 supply to 3 phase then that will open up the door to some big boys machines. I sold a very nice 6" wadkin planer for £200 recently. There are cheap good machines out their
Mark


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## jhwbigley (23 Apr 2013)

Second hand gets my vote. 

1k bought these three. 





Now 1/3 of the way to replacing them with Wadkin  

JH


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## krisdl (24 Apr 2013)

Wow that some serious machines for 1k John, and thank you for the links Jelly.

My worry with the 2nd hand was perhaps someone might sell me a dud and I wouldn't have anyway to deal with that situation other than to pay out again and thats just not going to happen.

Looking at the type of machines you are all talking about sure gives me a bit of hope though, I am going to have a look around and see what is on offer and come back as ask your opinion if you don't mind.

Thank you for the updates this is a quick post before I have to shower and get out of the house.

Kris

EDIT: John how on earth did you get such a bargain please tell me? I look at the price of machines and I can see posts from 2010 where the price of these machines was a huge amount lower than they are now. What happen that machines jump in price so much, example was a Startrite 401, used to be £1400 new now I see them at about £2000 and of course the used price has followed, what happens to make a £600 increase over 2 years? I feel like I'm missing something or is it just greedy companies?


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## Phil Pascoe (24 Apr 2013)

Not so much greedy companies as deliberate currency devaluation, Kris.


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## krisdl (28 May 2013)

I don't know if posting on this older topic is braking any rules I really hope not as it make sense to update via the post I started.

I took the advice of the majority and went the used machines route, I purchased a Basato 5-2 bandsaw and a sedgwick 10x7 pt (blue colour, not sure if that denotes age) and they are both in pristine condition, I have a little under what I had to spend and left some for electricity for my workshop and garage (luckily after a £1000+ vat quote a friends said he will do it for a lot less, its what he does for a living).

Bad news is my wifes car just died, it is a volvo v50 and it looks like the fuel pump so now the electrics are postponed until a later date so we can afford to fix this car arghh it never stops. I will be looking for a table saw to get me by so if anyone has any recommendations of something that will do the job for a while I would gladly take the advice it has to be cost effective if you know what I mean and it will not be permanent.

Thank you to all that helped me with advice and direction

Kris


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## MickCheese (28 May 2013)

Kris

Updating older posts is a good idea I think. Lots of threads just stop and I am often wondering what happened next!

As for a table saw, my advice would be to stick with the bandsaw until you have the funds to purchase what you want.

Mick


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## mind_the_goat (28 May 2013)

Here's an off the wall idea. A friend of mine brought a top quality plunge saw and rail system as his first power tool. It easily covers the function of both a table saw and a mitre saw. Okay, you can't cut curves but it has the extra advantage of not taking up space when not in use, and you can take it with you to site if you ever need to.


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## John51 (28 May 2013)

I love my Festool saw and track. A bit fiddly for doing small crosscuts but there are plans out there for cross cut jigs for it. It is so well designed for dust extraction that a Henry vac is good enough.

btw, what's your budget for timber? No point spending the lot on tools and then having nothing to cut.


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## goldeneyedmonkey (2 Jun 2013)

+1 for buying 2nd hand. Take your time on doing your research on machines that could fit the bill. You've come up trumps asking on here first. Also do your research on eBay sellers, their feedback is a good indicator of how they do business, so start there, see what kind of things they sell in their recently sold items and the reaction they have got from the buyers. Also when searching for machines click on the "completed listings" button on the left hand side and you can see what similar machines have sold for recently. 

I would see what machines other people use to make the same kind of furniture/ pieces that you would like to be producing and follow their lead. I've been impressed with Scheppach, Sedgwick & Startrite machinery. You can't go wrong with a Startrite 352 bandsaw IMHO (as has previously been mentioned).

With regards to transporting machinery either get a man with a van for a day/ weekend and try and pick up a couple of machines in a day, that could save you a bit. But I have used Brooks Transport before and they were no more than £50 each to transport a Sedgwick planer/ thicknesser and a Scheppach TS4010 table saw, which are both pretty heavy and rather awkward sizes/ shapes to transport. Their prices have probably increased a bit in price since 5 years ago. You will have to get the seller to palletise the machinery, but that shouldn't be an issue really, it's not hard to do.

Good luck with it all. Cheers _Dan.


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