graduate_owner
Established Member
Basically I think the 100 hours figure just gives you an idea of build quality and longevity. They also used to state - few, if any, periods of continuous use. Charnwood used to say the same about their hobby kit. Only the buyer can decide whether the extra cost of trade kit is worthwhile. Perhaps for a pillar drill for example, 100 hours would be fine, whereas a lathe would be used much more often, with continuous use. Finally, my hobby pillar drill from Axminster does have some small run out, so perhaps it's not just build quality affecting longevity but also accuracy.