ALDI have got the table saw. Again

[Turbo]

I would strongly urge anyone NOT to buy one of these table saws - they are rubbish.

I had the identical Parkside version of this saw & the first time it got heavy use the motor burnt out. :x
It was still under warranty, got in contact & they sent out a new saw. It arrived damaged but not a problem, we can send another. Waited weeks as it had to come from Germany, it was damaged too! Sent another one, damaged as well. :evil:
At this stage I was fed up, for 3 months I had no working saw. I offered to build a working one from all 4 broken ones & that's what I did.

This is one of the damaged saws.

The table on the one I built is far from flat despite a lot of fettling & it will never be flat due to the design & construction. It is formed from 4 aluminium extrusions bolted to a thin folded steel frame. The fence is very weak & it will bend at the slightest pressure.

I have given up on the saw & I have purchased an old cast iron vintage saw, collecting it this week. The parkside one will be used for rough work & firewood.

 

[whatknot]

Firstly, your Parkside table saw is not the same as the Aldi table saw , even the Aldi saw sold today is not the same saw as I bought from Aldi about 14 months ago and looking online there are clearly different versions of the Parkside table saw

You obviously had a bad experience with both Lidl & the saw but that does not mean every person buying the Parkside saw will have had the same experience

Personally I can only speak for Aldi's version

I ordered online, free delivery, it was delivered promptly and undamaged

It works as I expected it to, the fence is as solid as I would have expected it to be

If I were going to put it to heavy use I wouldn't have bought it but would have looked for one made for the task

So far the Aldi version I have is doing what I expected it to do

I would strongly urge anyone NOT to buy one of these table saws - they are rubbish.

I had the identical Parkside version of this saw & the first time it got heavy use the motor burnt out. :x
It was still under warranty, got in contact & they sent out a new saw. It arrived damaged but not a problem, we can send another. Waited weeks as it had to come from Germany, it was damaged too! Sent another one, damaged as well. :evil:

 

[Turbo]

The original saw I bought was never that great but they changed their design & the replacement saws were even worse. The frame & table are nowhere near as rigid, the blade height adjustment is very basic and it allows the motor & blade to move around even with everything clamped up.

 

[devonwoody]

Mine arrived at 7pm last evening, carton looks in good condition but I will not bother to open until the warmer weather in the Spring.
I see the spec mentions 73mm depth of cut on box and I have a lot of 3x2 and 4x2 softwood to use so will be using for garden maintenance type works replacing trellis in its old age, might even get some picture frames for my old oil canvases that were never framed.

Keeping my fingers crossed after all those frighteners above, 3yr guarantee at my age is all I need for a tool of my
period of life.


BTW, I asked the carrier if he had many to deliver and his reply was loads.

 

[MikeJhn]

I will be interested to see how accurate the mitres are for your picture frames? never found anything yet to cut a true 45deg mitre straight off without lots of trial and error and adjustment, I use a mitre guillotine to trim after cutting on the table saw: https://www.axminster.co.uk/axcaliber-m ... mer-951813 much quicker in the long run.

Mike

 

[OscarG]

I will be interested to see how accurate the mitres are for your picture frames? never found anything yet to cut a true 45deg mitre straight off without lots of trial and error and adjustment, I use a mitre guillotine to trim after cutting on the table saw: https://www.axminster.co.uk/axcaliber-m ... mer-951813 much quicker in the long run.

Mike

Just curious, you ever use one of those fancy table saw mitre cutting sleds? Seen a few youtube vids of people making them, wondered how accurate they are in real world for pic frames etc

 

[MikeJhn]

There as accurate as you make them, but not a good edge for gluing them together, it seems to glue better with a clean edge, but then according to the size of the frame I biscuit or dowel them as well.

Mike

 

[devonwoody]

I returned my aldi table saw and took a full refund owing to a plastic moulding inside the motor compartment broken before delivery, no quibble from Aldi.

 

[Andrew1]

My 2p worth, i would ask the CEO's of Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury as to the perceived quality that ALDI and alike offer. As 95% of their business is repeat customers, they cant be doing that bad. As many have pointed out, it is what fits your need based on how much you can, or want to spend. To be fair some of the "got to have Brigade" cant use either the cheap or expensive tools they own. Add to that the purpose for what the kit is required doesn't necessitate the need for expensive equipment. Look at any pastime or profession, there are those that have and those that make do. Next we will all be saying Hamilton only won because he was in a Mercedes, whatever next

 

[sammy.se]

I have a lidl 20v Impact Driver - it's had months of continuous DIY use, and holds up VERY well against my Makita. No regrets there.

I also have a Lidl (Parkside) track saw - for occasional use it is well worth the money! £70 for the saw, plus £15 for extra rails - again, no complaints. Have used it to trim lengths of skirting board and loft flooring boards.

Lidl chipboard screws - excellent as well.

Pillar Drill - heard horrible feedback on that so I gave it a wide berth.

So, I think it depends on what tool specifically. As someone who buys expensive and inexpensive tools, I can tell you that some of the parkside/lidl stuff is incredible value for money. Impact driver (£25 i think) is the perfect case in point.

I have an Axminster TS200 table saw with sliding carriage. I'm coming around to the idea of getting rid of this an setting up a tracksaw station, mainly for safety. I hate the idea of kick back and losing fingers!!