Axminister - How is the quality?

[danildo]

Hello!

Recently purchased my 2HP dust extractor from from Axminister. Before i bash my product. I would like to say that their support so far have been really good. They assisted me on product advice and have been helpful when it came to the issue i have had.

I live overseas so everything is ordered from the internett. I can't check the products before i purchase. I am struggling to find many reviews on their products. I figured i would ask here!

My 2HP dust extractor `have been a mess. I really hope this is because i was just unlucky, and recieved bad unit.
The welding came of after an hour of use and it broke. Behind the weld there were rust all over. I assume the entire metal thing is rusted then behind the paint. The external fine filter ( seperate order ) i recieved also had a lot of rust. The wheels for the base plase was clearly used, covered in dust and scrapes ( The wheels came in a pre-opened plastic bag ).

They have asked me to return it for a full refund. After that i could re-order the item. They will cover all return shipping, as well as having the package picked up at the door. They also offered me a partial return if i could fix it myself as an option.

Experience with the quality and most importanly, longevity of the products? I know they offer a 3 year guarantee, but i take care of my products and hope they last longer than that.

My experience has me hesitant on buying their products again. But i would really like to try out some of their stationary disc sanders, drill presses etc. The reviews on the website does seem honest.

Side note: I am used to Dewalt and Milwaukee. For me, that is good quality. My drills, saws and planer still holds up almost 10 years later. I do take care of my products like blow them. Lubricate them and keep them from getting wet. ( That did sound really sexual when i think of it )

 

[Argus]

Interesting first post from 'London'.

 

[clogs]

welcome aboard.....
Axminster is just another Chinese outlet......
been told their wood lathe chucks are made here but u dont buy them everyday.....
easy to offer paid refunds when there's a huge profit to be made.....
I tend to buy my machines andexpensive items from European manuf and where not direct from China.....
I'm not anti China just DIY/machines/gear sold as prof or semi prof quality.....
the general stuff and odments are the same as everybody else's.....
been a long time since I used Axi.....went to the showroom once.....not impressed.....it just convenient......
not easy to find machines in one place anymore.......
Nice shiney paint, bit like the old Brit Leyland showrooms, looks OK on the surface but carp underneath.....
I'm sure there are many happy with their prurchases......but have they tried other manufacturers.....
If Carp is cheap enough it' doesn't matter.....
pay the extra and buy qual.....I say....and if u cant afford new buy used, plenty of nice machines out there.....

 

[Doug B]

From my own experience the quality of Axminster’s own brand machinery has been decreasing for years, I first started buying from them around 20 years ago & still have one of their machines from around that time & it’s still working fine. I wish I could say the same of later purchases suffice to say I’ve not purchased any of their own brand machines for 8 or 9 years due to the decline in quality.

Your experience doesn’t surprise me, at one time of day it seemed every week there was a thread started on here praising Axminster for their excellent customer surface as they’d fully refunded or replaced a tool free of charge, it used to make me smile, for me good customer service starts with supplying goods fit for purpose not using your customer as quality control.

The final straw for me was a thread on here again praising Axminster for fully refunding the cost of one of their batteries being sold at a large discount. I myself had bought the same type of battery it to didn’t work & it turned out 9 folks who I knew of via the Internet also bought the same batteries & were fully refunded when found to be faulty. I can’t believe Axminster didn’t know there was a problem with their batteries as they were refunding customers no questions asked, that isn’t what I call good service.

 

[danildo]

Interesting first post from 'London'.

Darn, does not seem like i can change it! I am not sure if it automatically chose since my PC's timezone is set to London, or if i chose it myself! I am from Norway

 

[danildo]

welcome aboard.....
Axminster is just another Chinese outlet......
been told their wood lathe chucks are made here but u dont buy them everyday.....
easy to offer paid refunds when there's a huge profit to be made.....
I tend to buy my machines andexpensive items from European manuf and where not direct from China.....
I'm not anti China just DIY/machines/gear sold as prof or semi prof quality.....
the general stuff and odments are the same as everybody else's.....
been a long time since I used Axi.....went to the showroom once.....not impressed.....it just convenient......
not easy to find machines in one place anymore.......
Nice shiney paint, bit like the old Brit Leyland showrooms, looks OK on the surface but carp underneath.....
I'm sure there are many happy with their prurchases......but have they tried other manufacturers.....
If Carp is cheap enough it' doesn't matter.....
pay the extra and buy qual.....I say....and if u cant afford new buy used, plenty of nice machines out there.....

Thank you! I was sure i was buying quality. But perhaps i was misled was price. In Norway Axminister is the highest price range dust extractors you can get : 700 pounds + 300 for filter for the extractor.. I did order it from the UK as i got it for around 600 total with fine filter. included shipping + VAT. Any other options to reccomend? Record power sells one, it's less powerful and more expensive, but perhaps it's more quality controlled?

 

[danildo]

From my own experience the quality of Axminster’s own brand machinery has been decreasing for years, I first started buying from them around 20 years ago & still have one of their machines from around that time & it’s still working fine. I wish I could say the same of later purchases suffice to say I’ve not purchased any of their own brand machines for 8 or 9 years due to the decline in quality.

Your experience doesn’t surprise me, at one time of day it seemed every week there was a thread started on here praising Axminster for their excellent customer surface as they’d fully refunded or replaced a tool free of charge, it used to make me smile, for me good customer service starts with supplying goods fit for purpose not using your customer as quality control.

The final straw for me was a thread on here again praising Axminster for fully refunding the cost of one of their batteries being sold at a large discount. I myself had bought the same type of battery it to didn’t work & it turned out 9 folks who I knew of via the Internet also bought the same batteries & were fully refunded when found to be faulty. I can’t believe Axminster didn’t know there was a problem with their batteries as they were refunding customers no questions asked, that isn’t what I call good service.

Thank you for your reply. That really sucks to hear. I was hoping i would get a machine that would last a long time. It was 700£ after all with the fine filter. A cheap dust extractor would be 150£, which i consider '' china quality '', altho most things are made in China anyway. Are there any other quality products you can reccomend, most interested in dust extractors, but any stationary machine with a good quality brand is of interest.

 

[Droogs]

Hi danildo, you don't say how recently. It is possible you have been unlucky and received a machine from a batch that is a "covid victim", in that it was part of a shipment that has been at sea a bit longer than it was meant to be due to travel restrictions for everything and has ended up sitting outside for a good while. Yes Axi do have a good rep but it is dropping in terms of the build quality of their own branded kit. They are generally quite quick to try and resolve problems. I think their CS department is still old school mindset where the customer is king but the procurement side of things are basically bean counters looking to make the quickest fastest buck. I have bought a lot of their stuff over the years and they used to be my first stop shop; unfortunately they are now my last place to look if I can't find anything anywhere before I stain my soul at Rutlands.

If you do choose to take their offer insist that they do a full inspection of the kit before shipping and get in writing that they will cover the costs of any local repairs if the replacement is a dud.

 

[Blackswanwood]

I don’t begrudge Axminster seeking to grow and adapt in recent years but do think it’s a shame that they have let their reputation slip in the process.

 

[Doug B]

Thank you for your reply. That really sucks to hear. I was hoping i would get a machine that would last a long time. It was 700£ after all with the fine filter. A cheap dust extractor would be 150£, which i consider '' china quality '', altho most things are made in China anyway. Are there any other quality products you can reccomend, most interested in dust extractors, but any stationary machine with a good quality brand is of interest.

My own extractor though still going strong is no longer available, for the kind of budget you mention I’ve heard good reports about Jet extractors & their Vortex cone system.
https://www.jettools.com/us/en/p/dc...hp-1ph-115-230v-2-micron-canister-kit/708659K

 

[craigs]

I dont use Axminster anymore, the last straw was a bloody great big scratch across the bed of my new SPT260

 

[marcros]

my personal sample size of not many (and all bought secondhand, which may filter out those that have developed early defects) has been positive. To be fair though if the welding has lasted 1 year, it is highly likely to last for 20. My machinery is 10+ years old and was trade rated or higher at the time, so may not resemble the current offerings.

 

[TheTiddles]

Their stuff is ok, but they have a habit of sending out rejects and trying to get away with it. They’re perfectly nice about exchanging it, but it’d be nice not to have to!

In my case it was a router plate with a dent in, the anodising was over the dent so it was a manufacturing defect. The packaging had the remains of the tape where it had been opened once and re-closed, hence my assertion it was pre-rejected.

The mood music in this thread is notably different than it would have been a few years ago, anyone else thinking that?

Aidan

 

[Padster]

I have to say my own personal experiences have been very good, I have a Bandsaw & combined disk & belt sander, I'm very pleased with both and have experienced no issues so far but there is no real longevity yet as both are less than 18mths old.
Personally I have used Axi because I have one reasonably nearby and can go and look feel and touch (pre lockdown) and ask people questions who appear to have good knowledge and are very helpful - the personal touch makes a difference and for me I would pay a little extra for being able to do so. The internet is great but experience and the personal touch are getting rarer.
I fear for how much longer we will be able to visit stores with knowledgable people, when cost cutting continues... The experience may go with the older employees as they are generally of a more senior age, and life experience and younger non-skilled people are taken on, or worse the move to internet trade only continues.
That said on the positive side of internet... we have forums like this where we can share experiences and hopefully give balanced guidance.

Padster

 

[marcros]

The mood music in this thread is notably different than it would have been a few years ago, anyone else thinking that?

Aidan

Yes it is. I am not sure whether it is because good customer service is now expected from all companies so is less of a differentiator than before, or whether quality has deteriorated over the last 5 years. Quick delivery and easy returns are not valued as much as they once were, and in stock and right first time is maybe more important.

The current dissatisfaction seems to be QC related and is backed up with user's evidence. Some of the previous feedback was fanboy stuff.

Maybe Rutland's have taken over the world...

 

[Blackswanwood]

I think their service decline has coincided with them concentrating more on own brand presumably to capture the manufacturing as well as distribution margin. They have recently parted company with Jet and seem to be doing the same with Powermatic. Roll the clock back not too many years and they Clifton, Harry Taylor and Sorby who either have bit part roles or are absent now from their catalogue.

 

[Owd Jockey]

I think this quote from Clogs says it all " Axminster is just another Chinese outlet ". My Axminster experience is having in the past bought a very old M900 second hand lathe and more recently a Hobby Series lathe. A few years ago I bought a small belt sander, which was missing parts, which Axminster sent out to me FOC, the build quality of the tool was poor and I made the decision never to buy power tools shipped as Axminster ever again. But I still purchase some hand tools and other sundries from Axminster.

The way the Chinese system seems to work , is that in the main what they sell is cheap and nasty, using poor quality materials, poorly designed and manufactured. They sell at a low price, even with shipping included. They sell in large numbers and are quite prepared to take the hit on refunds for those purchasers who object to being sold low quality merchandise. I know this because a few years ago I bought a brand new mountain bike for £117, it was on either Ebay or Amazon. The bike arrived and upon examining it I found the brake mounting points, which were welded, were not in the correct position resulting in the brake pads not being able to touch the wheel! I wanted a refund and they came back with a reduced price, I stood my ground and got my money back. They said to keep the bike. Normally, I would have been rubbing my hands at this. But no, its a pile of junk, still cluttering up my garden.

I also had a Vonhaus palm router that I was allowed to keep, because the original was defunct out of the box. I suspect the containers being shipped back to China from Felixstowe do not contain many returned goods.

 

[billw]

Quick delivery and easy returns are not valued as much as they once were, and in stock and right first time is maybe more important.

These days quick delivery is virtually assumed, as are easy returns - blame Amazon I suppose. But those are no use if there's no stock available and brand loyalty has gone down the pan as well so if you can buy it elsewhere, you will.

The way the Chinese system seems to work , is that in the main what they sell is cheap and nasty, using poor quality materials, poorly designed and manufactured. They sell at a low price, even with shipping included.

Well, they only make what has demand I suppose, and if people are OK with low-quality goods for a low price then they'll churn them out. Thank you Reagan and Thatcher for introducing rampant consumerism to ensure the joys of American capitalism could run amok across the planet.

The shipping thing is simple - the reason it is free or virtually free is that your purchase took up a tiny volume of a shipping container. If you divide the cost of the container by the total contents then surprise surprise each item is down to pennies.

 

[marcros]

I think this quote from Clogs says it all " Axminster is just another Chinese outlet ". My Axminster experience is having in the past bought a very old M900 second hand lathe and more recently a Hobby Series lathe. A few years ago I bought a small belt sander, which was missing parts, which Axminster sent out to me FOC, the build quality of the tool was poor and I made the decision never to buy power tools shipped as Axminster ever again. But I still purchase some hand tools and other sundries from Axminster.

The way the Chinese system seems to work , is that in the main what they sell is cheap and nasty, using poor quality materials, poorly designed and manufactured. They sell at a low price, even with shipping included. They sell in large numbers and are quite prepared to take the hit on refunds for those purchasers who object to being sold low quality merchandise. I know this because a few years ago I bought a brand new mountain bike for £117, it was on either Ebay or Amazon. The bike arrived and upon examining it I found the brake mounting points, which were welded, were not in the correct position resulting in the brake pads not being able to touch the wheel! I wanted a refund and they came back with a reduced price, I stood my ground and got my money back. They said to keep the bike. Normally, I would have been rubbing my hands at this. But no, its a pile of junk, still cluttering up my garden.

I also had a Vonhaus palm router that I was allowed to keep, because the original was defunct out of the box. I suspect the containers being shipped back to China from Felixstowe do not contain many returned goods.

This just demonstrates a lack of knowledge of global manufacturing and capabilities. Wherever you have things manufactured, you get what you specify and what you pay for. It is necessary to make various checks along the process to make sure that you get this.

When you have something made in a specific country, it doesn't suddenly make it high or low quality. Buying a bike, which probably cost about £20 to have manufactured had no chance at all if being high quality.

 

[craigs]

I think what we need is a thread similar to the wood yard thread for buying machinery and tools. When i was looking for machines (even with my google fu) its a minefield of places that don't sell the brands you want or their reputation and service is a bit iffy. personally i try to buy once so am happy to spend a bit more, now that doesnt mean i want industrial gear as im only a hobbyist, but it does mean i want something to last and be better built than some of the cheaper stuff.