anyone own a AXMINSTER TRADE AT260SPT?
- Thread starter craigs
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city17
Established Member
Don't own it myself, but Andy from the Woodgrafter has done a few videos on it, quite detailed as well.
I've just taken delivery of one a couple of days ago (ordered before the price rise fortunately). I haven't really spent a lot of time with it yet, but my initial impressions are generally favourable. Overall it seems solidly put together.
It is very quiet which is great, and so far the finish it leaves seems good. I put a pretty gnarly piece of oak through it and although it wasn't completely free of tear out it probably would have destroyed my old bench top p/t!
A couple of niggles which I need to look into:
- The fence goes out of square as I move it across the tables (e.g. from back to front). I think it's something to do with the fence mounting bracket/clamp but I haven't looked into it properly yet. If I can't fix it, I can work around it.
- I'm getting a tiny bit of snipe from the thicknesser. I need to see if I can adjust that out (not sure how I would) or change my technique. I don't think it will be a big problem.
I've had a bit of a go at checking and adjusting the outfeed and infeed tables (there is another good video in the woodcrafter series on that and also an Axminster one). It's not a super easy process but mine wasn't very far out and I think I've improved it with very little effort. I'm going to build an adjustable base for it so that I can get it level on my very uneven floor. I'll leave final adjustment until I've done that. I also need a more reliable straight edge to do it properly.
It is very quiet which is great, and so far the finish it leaves seems good. I put a pretty gnarly piece of oak through it and although it wasn't completely free of tear out it probably would have destroyed my old bench top p/t!
A couple of niggles which I need to look into:
- The fence goes out of square as I move it across the tables (e.g. from back to front). I think it's something to do with the fence mounting bracket/clamp but I haven't looked into it properly yet. If I can't fix it, I can work around it.
- I'm getting a tiny bit of snipe from the thicknesser. I need to see if I can adjust that out (not sure how I would) or change my technique. I don't think it will be a big problem.
I've had a bit of a go at checking and adjusting the outfeed and infeed tables (there is another good video in the woodcrafter series on that and also an Axminster one). It's not a super easy process but mine wasn't very far out and I think I've improved it with very little effort. I'm going to build an adjustable base for it so that I can get it level on my very uneven floor. I'll leave final adjustment until I've done that. I also need a more reliable straight edge to do it properly.
keep us posted, i think delivery is 3-4 weeks at the moment but im not convinced by the split tables as it seems 2 things to go out of whack, that being said Axi stuff is supposed to be good for the money.
I’ve had mine for about a year. Once It’s set up it’s good, I followed the Woodgrafters video which is posted above. Well worth following his example which enabled me to get it damn near perfect, within 0.10 all the way round. Spiral blades seem to be lasting well, I haven’t had to turn them yet. Make sure you use the locking handle for final pass on the thicknesser, I don’t get any snipe at all, a little when I don’t use it.
Thanks. By locking handle, I assume you mean the "lift and shift" leaver next to the thicknessing table height adjustment wheel?
What is the handle which you pull out for planing and let in for thicknessing? The manual doesn't explain what it actually does. Does it engage/disengage the rollers?
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I have a P/T that is similar to the Craft version, and the handle engages the friction rollers for thicknessing.
Hi
It is essentialy from the same factory as the Record PT107 but with a few differences, ie spiral cutter block, different clutch lever and a nice readout behind the height wheel. The fence is the same and as Nick pointed out goes out of square as there are just two small screws holding it in place. The biggest issue you have avoided by having the spiral cutter block, I had to fit the replacable knife system to overcome it. Tables just keep an eye as they do occasionally need tweeking but overall not bad for the money.
It is essentialy from the same factory as the Record PT107 but with a few differences, ie spiral cutter block, different clutch lever and a nice readout behind the height wheel. The fence is the same and as Nick pointed out goes out of square as there are just two small screws holding it in place. The biggest issue you have avoided by having the spiral cutter block, I had to fit the replacable knife system to overcome it. Tables just keep an eye as they do occasionally need tweeking but overall not bad for the money.
Farmer Giles
The biggest tool in the box
What's the dust extraction like? I'm still wrestling over buying a Wadkin BAOS and fitting a Shelix helical head or just buy one of these or the iTech 260S equivalent, I'm in no rush.
I was looking at the itech, 3-4 months delivery from scosarg. from everything I have looked into seems that they are much of a muchness
Farmer Giles
The biggest tool in the box
I had a chat with the wife and she agreed to let me spend some cash on a new planer given I'm keeping my old Disco for another year, selling my old ELU/DeWalt 1150 planer, an Axminster NVD750 vacuum and probably an AGS12 in a couple of months. Axminster are now on back-order with no lead time shown, it was showing a week yesterday for both the 260 and the 310 machines.
The smaller iTech 260 is on 52 day lead time with SS and I have a lot of planing coming up including some pippy and burr oak for a dining table so I've gone for the iTech 300C - you may as well get hung for a sheep as a lamb! It should be shipped end of next week. Its single phase so should be easy to move on if I ever want to.
I just need an 120 to 100mm reducer for extraction and another 16 amp socket fitting.
Cheers
Andy
The smaller iTech 260 is on 52 day lead time with SS and I have a lot of planing coming up including some pippy and burr oak for a dining table so I've gone for the iTech 300C - you may as well get hung for a sheep as a lamb! It should be shipped end of next week. Its single phase so should be easy to move on if I ever want to.
I just need an 120 to 100mm reducer for extraction and another 16 amp socket fitting.
Cheers
Andy
Farmer Giles
The biggest tool in the box
I believe they are all spoken for as they have been on back-order. Too late now, money spent. Just made sure it will fit through the door without taking the frame out, the door has been out quite a few times. I can hoist it up through the hatch in the floor but this is easier. It has to up 4 steps so I get the ramps off the Ifor Williams plant trailer, strap it to a pallet truck then use a chain hoist on a beam to pull it up the slope.
Farmer Giles
The biggest tool in the box
I have my current PT on a mobile base made from thin angle iron and castors, I think it came from Rutlands but they are all very similar.
I think the new one is somewhat heavier so I'll do what I've done to some of my other machines that need to be occasionally mobile.
I bought a short fork pallet truck if of FB market place for about 50 quid. They are much easier to manoeuvre and store in a small or full workshop. I make a base for the machine by welding up some 50mm box, just high enough for the pallet truck to fit under, then I only need one set of wheels for multiple machines plus I can move other stuff about. You can do similar by dropping the machines onto blocks but I like the base to be bolted to the machine for stability.
I think the new one is somewhat heavier so I'll do what I've done to some of my other machines that need to be occasionally mobile.
I bought a short fork pallet truck if of FB market place for about 50 quid. They are much easier to manoeuvre and store in a small or full workshop. I make a base for the machine by welding up some 50mm box, just high enough for the pallet truck to fit under, then I only need one set of wheels for multiple machines plus I can move other stuff about. You can do similar by dropping the machines onto blocks but I like the base to be bolted to the machine for stability.
