Axminster Table Saws - What happened?

[electrogear]

I've been out of woodworking for about 6 or 7 years (kids and 2 house moves have a lot to do with it!) but I am now finally getting around to setting up my workshop and in the business for a table saw. I used to have an Axminster TS-200 with the sliding carriage and extensions. I seem to remember paying about £400 for it on a special offer. Anyway, looking at their website now they don't seem to do any hobby stuff, it's mostly industrial, and anything that resembles what I had looks to be about 4-5 times the price!

Any tips? I don't really want to go much over £500, and I would like a cast iron bed too!

 

[MikeJhn]

The TS-200 replacement is this: https://www.axminstertools.com/axminste ... saw-104926 but recently Lumberjack tools have been getting good reviews, but I don't know anything about their table saws: https://www.lumberjacktools.co.uk/produ ... w-lum00205

 

[electrogear]

Thanks! I knew I wouldn't regret posting here! The lumberjacktools one looks great. Looks like I'm going to have to up my budget! Shame about the lack of sliding carriage but the specs sound much better than the Axminster. I'll do some research. A couple of gripes I had with the TS200 were the poor tolerances in the manufacturing of it. The T-tracks were all different depths and the blade ran out by about half a mm which was very noticeable when sawing long lengths of timber. So for a better quality saw I don't mind losing some features.

 

[sammy.se]

At the risk of telling you something you already know - have you considered a track saw setup instead of a table saw?
I also have the TS200 with the sliding carriage, but since I got myself a tracksaw, I use the table saw less and less. I guess it really depends what kind of projects you are working on.. I'm using mostly sheets at this point, but the table saw still has it's uses for me, e.g. ripping long strips

 

[Selwyn]

What tracksaw do you use Sammy?

 

[ScaredyCat]

I've been out of woodworking for about 6 or 7 years (kids and 2 house moves have a lot to do with it!) but I am now finally getting around to setting up my workshop and in the business for a table saw. I used to have an Axminster TS-200 with the sliding carriage and extensions. I seem to remember paying about £400 for it on a special offer. Anyway, looking at their website now they don't seem to do any hobby stuff, it's mostly industrial, and anything that resembles what I had looks to be about 4-5 times the price!

Any tips? I don't really want to go much over £500, and I would like a cast iron bed too!

Well, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGk5wSpICzY becuause it's exactly what you're taking about. It's a little more than you wanted to spend but it's a full kit.

This product: Axminster Craft AC216TS 216mm Table Saw £529.96
Axminster Craft Sliding Table Kit For AC216TS Table Saw £133.99
Axminster Craft Cabinet Stand For AC216TS Table Saw £109.96
Axminster MB-518 Light Duty Mobile Base £61.96

You could make your own cart and save about £170..

.

 

[OM99]

Well, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGk5wSpICzY becuause it's exactly what you're taking about. It's a little more than you wanted to spend but it's a full kit.

This product: Axminster Craft AC216TS 216mm Table Saw £529.96
Axminster Craft Sliding Table Kit For AC216TS Table Saw £133.99
Axminster Craft Cabinet Stand For AC216TS Table Saw £109.96
Axminster MB-518 Light Duty Mobile Base £61.96

You could make your own cart and save about £170..

.[/quote]

For the price Axminster are asking for the hobby saw i would rather buy the lumberjack one it does look like a lot more saw for the money if you ask me. ( the prices of saw on axminster site seems to have pretty much doubled in 4 years)

 

[sammy.se]

What tracksaw do you use Sammy?

I have a parkside (lidl!) tracksaw at the moment (which cost me £70).
I also have have used a dewalt, which is much, much better, but almost 5x the price!

 

[ScaredyCat]

For the price Axminster are asking for the hobby saw i would rather buy the lumberjack one it does look like a lot more saw for the money if you ask me. ( the prices of saw on axminster site seems to have pretty much doubled in 4 years)

Each to their own, but that lumberjacks one only has a 12 month warranty though. You could of course look at iTech stuff if you really want it to look the part. But then, there's a bit of price creep going on here...

I'm happy for you and others to test out the lumberjacks one for me though. :lol:

.

 

[transatlantic]

here is a video of the lumberJack one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq7GgGahx6M

I was considering it, but to be honest, a 12 month waranty tells you all you need to know. Probably poor internal components not built to last.

 

[Petey83]

Tracksaws are great for sheet goods but of no use for thin strips like you might want for board making and box making etc.

The Lumberjack one has caught my eye, it'll be a few months before I have the pennies saved but it looks a step up b from my Bosch site saw

 

[ScaredyCat]

here is a video of the lumberJack one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq7GgGahx6M

I was considering it, but to be honest, a 12 month waranty tells you all you need to know. Probably poor internal components not built to last.

Thanks, I hadn't been able to find a video on it myself.

.

 

[Bodgers]

Thanks! I knew I wouldn't regret posting here! The lumberjacktools one looks great. Looks like I'm going to have to up my budget! Shame about the lack of sliding carriage but the specs sound much better than the Axminster. I'll do some research. A couple of gripes I had with the TS200 were the poor tolerances in the manufacturing of it. The T-tracks were all different depths and the blade ran out by about half a mm which was very noticeable when sawing long lengths of timber. So for a better quality saw I don't mind losing some features.

I also used to have a Ts200 and now have the Axy AC216TS.

The top is much improved, I have no issues with the mitre slots and they are now more of a standard size.

The fence is a big improvement and the blade mechanism is now on trunnions like a proper cabinet saw.

It is a decent upgrade.

You still need a dedicated rip blade (something like a Freud 24tooth) for full depth hardwood rips as the motor isn't the most powerful. Perfectly fine with the right blades.

 

[electrogear]

At the risk of telling you something you already know - have you considered a track saw setup instead of a table saw?
I also have the TS200 with the sliding carriage, but since I got myself a tracksaw, I use the table saw less and less. I guess it really depends what kind of projects you are working on.. I'm using mostly sheets at this point, but the table saw still has it's uses for me, e.g. ripping long strips

Worth mentioning, thanks. I do want a track saw, but for the most part I want the ease and speed that comes with a table saw's quick release fence/stops. The only time I really see me wishing I had a track saw is when I'm doing cuts >1m i.e. cutting full 8'x4' sheets which is not very often. I've actually managed through a house renovation with just a mitre saw and handheld saws but I reached an impasse the other day when I started building a cabinet in the garage and realised how much easier it would be with a table saw rather than rough-sawing and then planing the edges to get a straight edge!

 

[electrogear]

Well, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGk5wSpICzY becuause it's exactly what you're taking about. It's a little more than you wanted to spend but it's a full kit.

This product: Axminster Craft AC216TS 216mm Table Saw £529.96
Axminster Craft Sliding Table Kit For AC216TS Table Saw £133.99
Axminster Craft Cabinet Stand For AC216TS Table Saw £109.96
Axminster MB-518 Light Duty Mobile Base £61.96

You could make your own cart and save about £170..

.

Thanks, that's very helpful! With the speed that I make stuff, it's probably more cost effective (vs my time) to just buy the stand/base! :lol:

 

[electrogear]

Thanks! I knew I wouldn't regret posting here! The lumberjacktools one looks great. Looks like I'm going to have to up my budget! Shame about the lack of sliding carriage but the specs sound much better than the Axminster. I'll do some research. A couple of gripes I had with the TS200 were the poor tolerances in the manufacturing of it. The T-tracks were all different depths and the blade ran out by about half a mm which was very noticeable when sawing long lengths of timber. So for a better quality saw I don't mind losing some features.

I also used to have a Ts200 and now have the Axy AC216TS.

The top is much improved, I have no issues with the mitre slots and they are now more of a standard size.

The fence is a big improvement and the blade mechanism is now on trunnions like a proper cabinet saw.

It is a decent upgrade.

You still need a dedicated rip blade (something like a Freud 24tooth) for full depth hardwood rips as the motor isn't the most powerful. Perfectly fine with the right blades.

Thank you, you've given me a bit more confidence. It seems there's a lot of love for both the Axy & the Lumberjacks saw, but not enough reviews out there for the latter yet for me to trust it. I get the feeling the guy in the youtube video above has been paid to do a review, he's a bit too gushy about it for my liking!

I do like the look of the lumberjacks saw, but the RPM does worry me a bit, it could be a sticking point (literally!)

 

[John McM]

Don't know where you are but a quick search on eBay pops up a Fox cast iron saw for £650. Not mine. It's generic SIP, Itech and multiple other badged the same. Cast iron strong and accurate. I'm very pleased with mine

 

[electrogear]

Don't know where you are but a quick search on eBay pops up a Fox cast iron saw for £650. Not mine. It's generic SIP, Itech and multiple other badged the same. Cast iron strong and accurate. I'm very pleased with mine

I've searched for "fox saw" - highest price first, and nothing comes up for that price?

 

[John McM]

Just search table saw and filter on used

 

[John McM]

Ther is also now a SIP bidding at £100. They're the same saw. Solid and no nonsense