Aldi Bandsaw ( new model) coming soon. Buy it or choose other model

[kgill]

Hello again everyone, first I'd like to thank everyone for their help and advice so far and possibly ask for some more!

I should probably also start by apologising for the length of the rant that follows....

So I finally managed to get time to try and set up my bandsaw - god I wish I could just give up my job and do woodwork for a living!

Anyway upon unpacking the saw (I've already posted about the wonky base on my unit similar to a number of others on here) I noticed the table bed of the saw is also out of line... in a big way! The left side of the table from the slit for the blade is about 2-3mm lower than the righthand side!

Now I'm not wasting time venting my spleen about build quality etc. I think it is what it is, which is CHEAP and with that comes the inevitable consequences.

I can sort of force the table into line when I slide the table extension over the runners. It just means the extension then becomes pointless, which for my purposes is no big deal. HOWEVER on closer inspection I also noticed the right side of the table has a shallow point running parallel to the slit for the blade - hope the pictures explain what I mean.

My impulse was to return it and be done with it, but I just can't find an alternative that's not twice or 3 times the price!

Does anyone know if this kind of thing would be covered by the warranty? If so there was talk about Scheppach on here about them running this - anyone had any experience they could share?
I'm basically after a machine with a decent depth of cut. I'm hoping to be able to make bigger bandsaw boxes and more importantly re saw thick stock into thinner boards to make conventional boxes and draws etc. so it's the depth of cut I need NOT the throat width.

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A (DECENT!) BANDSAW WITH A DEPTH OF CUT 120MM OR MORE THAT DOESN'T COST £350+?

If I do keep the bloody thing I'll probably have to attach some sheet aluminum over the whole table and sacrifice a couple of mm cutting height. And I'm just trying to work out if it's all worth it or should I just go whole hog and shell out for a lumberjack or record power or something.

What would you do?

Thanks

K

 

[xraymtb]

Hello again everyone, first I'd like to thank everyone for their help and advice so far and possibly ask for some more!

I should probably also start by apologising for the length of the rant that follows....

So I finally managed to get time to try and set up my bandsaw - god I wish I could just give up my job and do woodwork for a living!

Anyway upon unpacking the saw (I've already posted about the wonky base on my unit similar to a number of others on here) I noticed the table bed of the saw is also out of line... in a big way! The left side of the table from the slit for the blade is about 2-3mm lower than the righthand side!

Now I'm not wasting time venting my spleen about build quality etc. I think it is what it is, which is CHEAP and with that comes the inevitable consequences.

I can sort of force the table into line when I slide the table extension over the runners. It just means the extension then becomes pointless, which for my purposes is no big deal. HOWEVER on closer inspection I also noticed the right side of the table has a shallow point running parallel to the slit for the blade - hope the pictures explain what I mean.

My impulse was to return it and be done with it, but I just can't find an alternative that's not twice or 3 times the price!

Does anyone know if this kind of thing would be covered by the warranty? If so there was talk about Scheppach on here about them running this - anyone had any experience they could share?
I'm basically after a machine with a decent depth of cut. I'm hoping to be able to make bigger bandsaw boxes and more importantly re saw thick stock into thinner boards to make conventional boxes and draws etc. so it's the depth of cut I need NOT the throat width.

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A (DECENT!) BANDSAW WITH A DEPTH OF CUT 120MM OR MORE THAT DOESN'T COST £350+?

If I do keep the bloody thing I'll probably have to attach some sheet aluminum over the whole table and sacrifice a couple of mm cutting height. And I'm just trying to work out if it's all worth it or should I just go whole hog and shell out for a lumberjack or record power or something.

What would you do?

Thanks

K
View attachment 123117View attachment 123118

It doesnt look like you've put in the bolt at the front of the slot in the table? That helps pull them up to the same level. Worth doing (if you haven't already) to see what difference it makes.

 

[Droogs]

send it back stating the problems and get a full refund. If you have to wait to save up a bit then so be it, it took me 3 years to save up enough to buy my bandsaw and that is only a little Scheppach from Screwfix bought when on special offer. I waited 5 years to get my excalibur scroll saw and that included all the family chipping in instead of xmas and birthday gifts over that time they gave me some money instead that went into the fund.

 

[kgill]

It doesnt look like you've put in the bolt at the front of the slot in the table? That helps pull them up to the same level. Worth doing (if you haven't already) to see what difference it makes.

No I haven't attached that bolt, I'll give it a go in a min and report back. Thanks

 

[kgill]

send it back stating the problems and get a full refund. If you have to wait to save up a bit then so be it, it took me 3 years to save up enough to buy my bandsaw and that is only a little Scheppach from Screwfix bought when on special offer. I waited 5 years to get my excalibur scroll saw and that included all the family chipping in instead of xmas and birthday gifts over that time they gave me some money instead that went into the fund.

Fair point well made, thing is I'm on a promise to make some stuff as Christmas presents. Plus as the petulant (50 year old)child that I am I want to play with my new toy now!

 

[Footplate2012]

I'm now dreading getting mine out of the box at the weekend. I can live with and work around a bent corner, but if it turns out to be a total dud I'll be requesting a full refund and then save up for a decent one. And lesson number 1 learned.

 

[thetyreman]

the bolt is missing on your bandsaw table @kgill that's why it's not flat.

 

[accipiter]

I just got a response from Aldi - advising how to return it for a refund if I want to. No partial refund offered.

I'm not sure if I want to try and make it work or not but a partial refund would have made it a more palatable option.

Reply back telling the CS person you know of others with the same damaged goods that have been offered partial refunds of up to 20% (£30) *and a £5 voucher*. Of course you have to decide if you want to argue further with them to do so or just return it.

 

[kgill]

the bolt is missing on your bandsaw table @kgill that's why it's not flat.

Thanks, @xraymtb kindly pointed that out as well. Like I said I can probably make that side flat with the bolt and the rails of the extension part of the table. What I can't fix if the dip in the actual bed of the table that runs parallel to the slit for the blade. I've just finished putting it together and now I've noticed the FENCE ISN'T SQUARE TO THE TABLE EITHER - that IS the last straw. ITS GOING BACK!!

ANY ADVICE ON AN ALTERNATIVE? ANYONE?

 

[Caldosan]

I know this goes against the flow of the thread and I feel for you all who have had problems but Ferrex Aldi and XDP can conspire to get things right. Arrived on correct day, Box undamaged at gone 8pm - poor guy. Put it together this morning albeit without the tuff blades I’ve ordered. Works okay but the new blades should improve things.

 

[Mikey]

I know this goes against the flow of the thread and I feel for you all who have had problems but Ferrex Aldi and XDP can conspire to get things right. Arrived on correct day, Box undamaged at gone 8pm - poor guy. Put it together this morning albeit without the tuff blades I’ve ordered. Works okay but the new blades should improve things. View attachment 123130

I've got to be honest, I was expecting the worst when I found out XDP were the delivery company having read their reviews online, but to be fair my bandsaw arrived right in the middle of its allocated time slot, it was undamaged and the driver was very courteous too. I do agree though, their app is abysmal! I do feel sorry for all those whose bandsaws arrived damaged, and I hope that Aldi sorts out all the compensation/returns promptly.

 

[ObservantGround28]

Was about to start setting up and this is the first thing I saw on the table. Looks like someone took a grinder to it.
Back it goes.

 

[PerryGunn]

How did that ever get out the factory door
Slight lack of QA there!

 

[Droogs]

Me starting to think the boat sunk and they recovered the cargo with a carnival crane

 

[accipiter]

Thanks, @xraymtb kindly pointed that out as well. Like I said I can probably make that side flat with the bolt and the rails of the extension part of the table. What I can't fix if the dip in the actual bed of the table that runs parallel to the slit for the blade. I've just finished putting it together and now I've noticed the FENCE ISN'T SQUARE TO THE TABLE EITHER - that IS the last straw. ITS GOING BACK!!

ANY ADVICE ON AN ALTERNATIVE? ANYONE?

Hi @kgill I believe that the two screws on the top of the fence can be loosened so the fence can be adjusted. Mine was slightly out (top leaning in towards the table) so I loosened the two screws and was able to adjust. Seemed to work. Now the blade is not cutting square along the length of the cut...

I had another (unnamed?) customer service person e-mail me today - they didn't sign the e-mail - offering the 15% (£22.50) and upping the offer with a £5 e-voucher. I've told them to rethink as I'm aware of others being offered 20% (£30) plus the voucher. Also told them to stop messing around and if they don't up the partial refund they can come and pick it up w/c 13th Dec - - - as I'm away next week.

 

[diytoolbox]

Sorry to hear about other buyers and members who had problems with the delivery and the saw. I was getting a bit worried and anxious with mine before its arrival as I was reading the problem cases with the saw and the delivery.

Mine arrived well before the due arrival time, and the XDP driver was very courteous, and careful handling the parcel. He rang the bell, and told us, that he has a large and heavy parcel for us. And then he went to his van and brought the saw, and even told us that he will bring it into the house because it is very heavy. He carefully brought the saw, and put it in the hall.

The box was in good shape, no damage, bash or puncture anywhere. When unpacked the saw seems all OK with no noticeable problems.

I am very pleased, and highly would recommend the XDP courier and ALDI online company.

Just managed to assemble it. Took only about 20 minutes, and all seems as expected so far. Still needing to set it up. I will take time to understand and setting the saw up, watch some Youtube videos, read the manual a few times before setting the bearings, tension and tracking, as I want to do it properly.

 

[murphy]

Just got mine, I had to go out yesterday at 9 am for a while, got back at 12 and a card had been put through the door, (sorry we missed you) then about 4 pm I got an email saying my parcel will be delivered between 8 and 10 am? a bit late for that email, anyway it did come today and the box seemed undamaged, so I opened it to check it was okay and found the base stand was twisted, right under the motor it was up about half-inch so would not sit flat on the bench, I did not have time to assemble it yet, I noticed that quite a few have had the same problem, has anyone managed to straighten the base, and was the rest of the machine okay, we should not have to do this

 

[ObservantGround28]

How did that ever get out the factory door
Slight lack of QA there!

I'd agree with you there. The base damage is possibly done whilst in transit (and I believe that it was before that), but there is no way that the table was because it was packaged underneath the extension. The fence is also showing signs of damage.

 

[Chippymint]

Put simply; save up and buy a quality saw. There are excellent secondhand ones that come on the market. Yes they may need a little bit of work but they will probably out-live you plus it will hold its value should you need to sell it or upgrade.
You will not regret it.

 

[robgul]

11 pages about an Aldi bandsaw!!!!!

Have to say I'm surprised at the possible quality issues - I've bought quite a few tools online from them, including some heavy machines, with no issues at all.