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

[xraymtb]

I’ve spent more time tonight trying to get things working. Ended up backing the tension off a lot and taking the guides completely out of the way. Got it cutting almost straight now - an odd 1mm drift towards the fence over the first 5mm or so then straight from that point on. Guides might help stop that.

It’s a lot less tension than I thought though - adding more just makes it drift loads and difficult to adjust.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Mine appears to be 'square' so guess I am one of the lucky ones . Took a while to fettle however to get things all working correctly (table pin and position, fence, guides, tension etc) but this is what to expect on all these machines as part of set up however. Table extension still needs lubrications. If any one part is not set up well then the whole saw does not work well. As much as I don't like the courier (hate!), the damaged units look more like quality control issues rather than transport damage to me but I am only going by the pictures here and not my unit so just an 'opinion'. Having had a play now with supplied blades (surprisingly not bad at all) and Tuffsaw (excellent) I am quite pleased with purchase. My only comment (and is probably un fair) I would have liked a lever on back to put on / take off tension but hey this was £150 at the end of the day. I don't feel I am getting the tension at it's optimum atm and I don't have much confidence on running my 1/2" blades successfully in the future but the saw was always going to have some limitations.

 

[accipiter]

@Nic Rhodes
Glad to hear that you've more or less got yours sorted - along with others that have also and not experienced any damage issues.

With the table extention,when assembling mine, I noticed what appears to possibly be a piece or black metal acting as a tension spring (?) Maybe that needs to be slightly slackened off? When assembling mine I had great difficulty in getting the extension table attached. It is still awfully tight so I think I need to take it off and try to loosen the spring tension plate. May be all you need to do?

I agree with you about having to get stuck in to set it up - after all it's £150... but I don't expect to have to fight with Aldi customer service to resolve the *damage* issues... or the very poor QC (on mine with the wheels anyway). After all I and others considering taking a partial refund are actually saving them money in not having to come and collect and then decide what to do with them... and being prepared to *try* and straighten out as best as possible the bent bases, even if "only" a corner in some cases.

I'm not sure if my blade mounting has also been affected along with the bent up corner - the back of the blade appears to be out of line with the front and possibly too far forward in the bed blade slot? The blade will not cut a straight line even when against the fence - it wanders off line - and I've yet to work out how to adjust the blade to left or right. It does cut vertically though

Still waiting for the CS to get back with a better offer of 20% instead of the 15% already put forward.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

Agree, i would have expected to have received better service from Aldi than many have received here. Bit disappointing and taken the shine off this purchase.

 

[Lard]

I am f*cking fuming!

An hour ago, and out of the blue, I received another email from XDP stating that they’ve been here to try and deliver for a second time. They stated no one was in so left a card.

I’ve been here all the time and can see the front gate. No one‘s been (again).

Phoned Aldi (again) and, amongst other things, asked why they couldn’t ring xdp directly….”unable to sir” etc etc. She then said she’ll write another email to XDP asking them to try for the 3rd time……I said c’mon, they’ve made up two deliveries already and will do the same for the third…..she’s replied “yes, if they do that it will be returned to our warehouse where it will be unable to be sent back out”…..why not? (I asked sarcastically)…..blah blah blah…anyway, let me have your head office number please…..”no sir, we don’t have one….everything comes through to here”. Hmm, let me have the name of your MD then?….”no sir, I’m ending the call now…..”

No other option but to bite the bullet and ring XDP directly (but at £0.45/minute plus connection fee)…..several minutes later (having listened to recorded messages) I’m informed that they DO NOT allow either anyone expecting a delivery or anyone querying a delivery to speak to anyone in person and if “you decide to use any of the telephone extension selections you will still be unable to speak to anyone”….., instead, you should go to their website/use their app to sort out any problems (been there, tried that…impossibility).

Tried posting a lengthy rant on the Aldi facebook page but got ’posting failed’ message.

I can only surmise that being out here in the wilderness (Abergavenny ) means that it’s apparently out of the way for the driver who can’t be arsed to drive here and so only delivers to a batch in an area that he can get around in a reasonable time…..what other reason could there be? I’ve been reading other stories about how phantom cards have supposedly been written to cover the driver’s backside……it makes no difference to them but means that I don’t get to purchase the bandsaw.

I’m f*cking livid…..I’m stuck inside a system that will not let me speak to anyone or arrange anything and I’m completely unable to interfere with whatever mood the van driver is in and feels like doing….Aldi’s appear to know what XDP are like and are unwilling to do anything about it (or so it seems). Based on my latest telephone conversation they also seem to not be bothered if deliveries are simply returned to their warehouse.

My only outlet is to rant away on here…..so here I am…..I’m amazed I haven’t launched this iPad before now.

Does anyone have any other suggestions or alternative contact means for either XDP or Aldi?

 

[southendwoodworker]

I had a good play with mine this morning, mines seems to be working fine now, even though dented


To get mine to cut straight and well I had to do:
- adjust the tension on the blade
- get the top and bottom pairs of the bearings nice and aligned
- adjust the tracking on blade


To get the extension to slide on, and then slide well enough:
- loosen the screws on the rails slightly - front left hand side and right hand side
- adjust the black slide thingy on the front


To get the table level and extension level:
- tighten the screw that is on the table near the front
- tweak slightly the sliding rail guides


To adjust the fence:
- theres a couple screws underneath it that needs a tweak
- a thumbscrew at back of fence that needed a little adjustment

 

[southendwoodworker]

I am f*cking fuming!

An hour ago, and out of the blue, I received another email from XDP stating that they’ve been here to try and deliver for a second time. They stated no one was in so left a card.

I’ve been here all the time and can see the front gate. No one‘s been (again).

Phoned Aldi (again) and, amongst other things, asked why they couldn’t ring xdp directly….”unable to sir” etc etc. She then said she’ll write another email to XDP asking them to try for the 3rd time……I said c’mon, they’ve made up two deliveries already and will do the same for the third…..she’s replied “yes, if they do that it will be returned to our warehouse where it will be unable to be sent back out”…..why not? (I asked sarcastically)…..blah blah blah…anyway, let me have your head office number please…..”no sir, we don’t have one….everything comes through to here”. Hmm, let me have the name of your MD then?….”no sir, I’m ending the call now…..”

No other option but to bite the bullet and ring XDP directly (but at £0.45/minute plus connection fee)…..several minutes later (having listened to recorded messages) I’m informed that they DO NOT allow either anyone expecting a delivery or anyone querying a delivery to speak to anyone in person and if “you decide to use any of the telephone extension selections you will still be unable to speak to anyone”….., instead, you should go to their website/use their app to sort out any problems (been there, tried that…impossibility).

Tried posting a lengthy rant on the Aldi facebook page but got ’posting failed’ message.

I can only surmise that being out here in the wilderness (Abergavenny ) means that it’s apparently out of the way for the driver who can’t be pineappled to drive here and so only delivers to a batch in an area that he can get around in a reasonable time…..what other reason could there be? I’ve been reading other stories about how phantom cards have supposedly been written to cover the driver’s backside……it makes no difference to them but means that I don’t get to purchase the bandsaw.

I’m f*cking livid…..I’m stuck inside a system that will not let me speak to anyone or arrange anything and I’m completely unable to interfere with whatever mood the van driver is in and feels like doing….Aldi’s appear to know what XDP are like and are unwilling to do anything about it (or so it seems). Based on my latest telephone conversation they also seem to not be bothered if deliveries are simply returned to their warehouse.

My only outlet is to rant away on here…..so here I am…..I’m amazed I haven’t launched this iPad before now.

Does anyone have any other suggestions or alternative contact means for either XDP or Aldi?

I'm not a sympathiser of companies, so I am not trying to defend aldi, but I think their support team are probably limited in what they can actually do - not via policy, but because XDP are a pile of poop and impossible for aldi customer services to even contact.

Aldi should never have tried to save a few bucks by using XDP, they messed up bad on that. Their reputation is being dragged in to the dirt over it.

Anyway, XDP are currently in control and theres not much that aldi can do at the moment. You gotta wait till XDP does their next attempt, if they even bother.

The best I think you can do is visit their trustpilot page: XDP is rated "Poor" with 2.6 / 5 on Trustpilot and leave a review. Try and keep it stern but not ranty. When you leave a review you can provide your tracking number and there is someone from XDP who replies back to the reviews most mornings. Generally its a "sorry, raised with depot" which is lazy, but at least it is one channel to raise it. They seem to reply to the stern reviews but not the ranty ones. I had to rewrite mine a couple times.

Also visit: https://www.aldi.co.uk/ferrex-bandsaw/p/810249541009800 which is the product page, and leave a review and like bernards review down the bottom. Be careful they censor the reviews and didn't like my polite but stern whinge about xdp.

Mine arrived dented but luckily functional. I'm still pondering if I will take the refund.

When I talked to aldi I stressed how disappointed I was that they used XDP and now do not feel like I can shop with them online again, because who knows if they will use XDP again. I pointed out their grim trust pilot review, that XDP are manipulating it to look better than they really are and STILL only ranked 63rd best. And that the review on their website for the bandsaw has 13 people begging aldi not to use XDP again.

 

[xraymtb]

I had a good play with mine this morning, mines seems to be working fine now, even though dented


To get mine to cut straight and well I had to do:
- adjust the tension on the blade
- get the top and bottom pairs of the bearings nice and aligned
- adjust the tracking on blade


To get the extension to slide on, and then slide well enough:
- loosen the screws on the rails slightly - front left hand side and right hand side
- adjust the black slide thingy on the front


To get the table level and extension level:
- tighten the screw that is on the table near the front
- tweak slightly the sliding rail guides


To adjust the fence:
- theres a couple screws underneath it that needs a tweak
- a thumbscrew at back of fence that needed a little adjustment

Any chance of a pic of the blade position on the wheel top and bottom and where it passes through the table? I've managed to get mine cutting 'ok' but it feels like I've pushed the adjustment as far as I can - would be good to know if yours is similar of if I've got other issues before I decide if I'm keeping it.

 

[sawdustandwax]

@Lard There's a depot in Bristol you could try talking to them, you may be able the nearest depot to you

XDP
Website
Directions






Save
Call
1.577 Google reviews
Courier service in Bristol, England


Address:
Unit 7 Lawrence Hill Industrial Park, Croydon St, Bristol BS5 0EB

Hours:
Open ⋅ Closes 6PM

Phone: 0845 682 0185

 

[Lard]

@Lard There's a depot in Bristol you could try talking to them, you may be able the nearest depot to you

XDP
Website
Directions






Save
Call
1.577 Google reviews
Courier service in Bristol, England


Address:
Unit 7 Lawrence Hill Industrial Park, Croydon St, Bristol BS5 0EB

Hours:
Open ⋅ Closes 6PM

Phone: 0845 682 0185

Hi,
Thanks for this. That number is the one I’ve already tried…..if this wasn’t so frustrating it would be laughable.

 

[accipiter]

Ok... I've had it put to me that if I accept the partial refund offer - whatever it may end up being - and keep the thing I could always make use of the warranty when they get new stock?! Not something I'm happy with but it gives time to try and sort it, work/learn on it and then...

I've looked at the warranty card/paper for what's covered etc., and laughed out when I saw it's with Sheppach. Just remember to keep ALL the original packaging to return it in. It does say to do so "in case of warranty claims".

 

[Lard]

I'm not a sympathiser of companies, so I am not trying to defend aldi, but I think their support team are probably limited in what they can actually do - not via policy, but because XDP are a pile of poop and impossible for aldi customer services to even contact.

Aldi should never have tried to save a few bucks by using XDP, they messed up bad on that. Their reputation is being dragged in to the dirt over it.

Anyway, XDP are currently in control and theres not much that aldi can do at the moment. You gotta wait till XDP does their next attempt, if they even bother.

The best I think you can do is visit their trustpilot page: XDP is rated "Poor" with 2.6 / 5 on Trustpilot and leave a review. Try and keep it stern but not ranty. When you leave a review you can provide your tracking number and there is someone from XDP who replies back to the reviews most mornings. Generally its a "sorry, raised with depot" which is lazy, but at least it is one channel to raise it. They seem to reply to the stern reviews but not the ranty ones. I had to rewrite mine a couple times.

Also visit: https://www.aldi.co.uk/ferrex-bandsaw/p/810249541009800 which is the product page, and leave a review and like bernards review down the bottom. Be careful they censor the reviews and didn't like my polite but stern whinge about xdp.

Mine arrived dented but luckily functional. I'm still pondering if I will take the refund.

When I talked to aldi I stressed how disappointed I was that they used XDP and now do not feel like I can shop with them online again, because who knows if they will use XDP again. I pointed out their grim trust pilot review, that XDP are manipulating it to look better than they really are and STILL only ranked 63rd best. And that the review on their website for the bandsaw has 13 people begging aldi not to use XDP again.

Hi,

I’ve just left a nice trustpilot review (thanks for that)…I’ll try the Aldi review link later.

 

[southendwoodworker]

Any chance of a pic of the blade position on the wheel top and bottom and where it passes through the table? I've managed to get mine cutting 'ok' but it feels like I've pushed the adjustment as far as I can - would be good to know if yours is similar of if I've got other issues before I decide if I'm keeping it.

Is this what you're after? I can't easily take more, just let me know.

This is my first bandsaw, so I am not an expert on all of this. My understanding is that its only really important to get the blade on the top roller right. The bottom wheel is less important. I found that adjusting the tracking on the top, using the adjuster on the back, meant I also had to tweak the tension. There is a second nut on the back tracking adjuster which i had to move a lot.

Don't forget that there are two bearings in the arm (see photo), and two hidden underneath the table.

 

[accipiter]

@southendwoodworker would you take a photo with the top bearing guides raised up so the blade and slot are more visible please? Also one from the side showing the blade width/position in the opening? That would help me to know if mine is too far forward... possibly caused because the top part is leaning forward slightly and that's why the blade is too far to the front of the opening. TIA
(Because of the bent up back r/h corner)

 

[southendwoodworker]

@accipiter here you go. if these aren't helpful, take a picture of your saw, and I'll copy that position when I take my photos

 

[accipiter]

Great... Thank you. Looks like my blade is in the same position in the opening as yours.

I've checked/done the roller guides again just to be sure... found the bottom back guide well back - it had come loose. I'll do a couple of cuts tomorrow to see ipf it is better but my blade does look slightly off and I can see the side of the blade slightly instead of just the blade thickness. As though the back of the blade needs needs adjusting to the left to realign.

Thanks again

 

[robgul]

With all these reported XPD woes I remembered being a victim when I ran a bicycle shop (one of a small group) - central warehousing used XPD to deliver bikes to the shops - I cannot recall even one occasion when a delivery was made to my shop on the right (contracted delivery time) day. The so-called tracking system was a total joke - and damaged/opened packages were common.

I'm pretty sure that XPD is really a whole group of individual franchised businesses rather than a corporate outfit as, for example, DPD.

I feel your pain.

 

[xraymtb]

@accipiter here you go. if these aren't helpful, take a picture of your saw, and I'll copy that position when I take my photos


View attachment 123270View attachment 123271View attachment 123272View attachment 123273View attachment 123274View attachment 123275View attachment 123276View attachment 123277

Thanks. Those are exactly what I was hoping for.

My blade looks like it runs in a similar position - small amount of drift but it gives me some confidence it’s the setup or the blade and not something more fundamental with the machine.

 

[southendwoodworker]

Great... Thank you. Looks like my blade is in the same position in the opening as yours.

I've checked/done the roller guides again just to be sure... found the bottom back guide well back - it had come loose. I'll do a couple of cuts tomorrow to see ipf it is better but my blade does look slightly off and I can see the side of the blade slightly instead of just the blade thickness. As though the back of the blade needs needs adjusting to the left to realign.

Thanks again

I have just realised that my bottom one can slide back and forward too. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll adjust mine.

 

[murphy]

I managed to straighten the bent base, I put a piece of 40mm thick oak I had, under the base and bolted the saw to the oak, when I tightened the bolts it pulled the base back to where it should be, so the steel base is very thin and easy to bend