Jet jts 600 or Charnwood w660

[Nathan Sakke]

Hello. Looking at these 2 table saws, they seem to have the same spec but the Charnwood is £500 cheaper. Is the jet worth the extra money?

Nathan

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Nathan
I have no idea, BUT.
Just because two machines have the "same" spec, it does not mean that they are built equal. A spec will tell you things like the dimensions, capacity, power, supplied accessories. It will not tell you what the handles feel like, how well the fence works, how much noise it makes, what the general finish is like.
And these things matter, they really do.
I don't know what these saws cost, but if there is a £500 difference, then neither can be cheap. So I would STRONGLY encourage you to go and see them in the flesh, preferably working. It's not as easy as it used to be, because there are fewer bricks-and-mortar outlets than there used to be, and even if you do find one locally, they may not stock both saws.
But do some real-world research (as opposed to just online), before you part with that sort of money.

 

[Nathan Sakke]

Thanks for your reply Steve. Yeah I agree. I’d love to go and have a look at them in store but I don’t live in the uk. I am going to have them deliver the machine to a shipping company for delivery.

Nathan

 

[Steve Maskery]

Ah. Then that is a difficulty.
FWIW, both brands have a reputation, and it should come as no surprise that Jet's is better than Charnwood's. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the differences are worth £500, does it? It may be, it may not.
I really don't know what I would do in your situation.
What is more important to you, the price or the quality? If price, buy the Charnwood. If quality, buy the Jet.
If value for money.....

 

[Nathan Sakke]

I’m all for buying better quality but not being able to see them for myself I was hoping someone with experience of these machines could shed some light.

 

[user22161]

Worth checking out Poolewood, they sell Charnwood stuff usually cheaper than Charnwood. https://www.poolewood.co.uk/product/cha ... beam-w660/

 

[sunnybob]

From personal experience of shipping new stuff to me in Cyprus. Axminster has far and away the best prices.
I have a couple of JET machines, and they are as well built for the money as you could want.
I have a charnwood belt sander, and the build quality is lacking.

So my preference (not advice, but preference) would be to buy the JET

 

[Nathan Sakke]

Worth checking out Poolewood, they sell Charnwood stuff usually cheaper than Charnwood. https://www.poolewood.co.uk/product/cha ... beam-w660/

Yes I noticed that. The saw is about £100 cheaper.

 

[Nathan Sakke]

From personal experience of shipping new stuff to me in Cyprus. Axminster has far and away the best prices.
I have a couple of JET machines, and they are as well built for the money as you could want.
I have a charnwood belt sander, and the build quality
So my preference (not advice, but preference) would be to buy the JET

Thanks sunnybob. I’ve had a planer/thicknesser (their trade series) from Axminster and got them to deliver it to a shipping company with no problems.

I’m leaning towards the Jet as you get what you pay for I guess!

Nathan

 

[Steve Maskery]

FWIW, I have an Xcalibur, but until I actually got it, the Jet was on my shortlist. Probably a different model back then, but even so.

 

[Woodmonkey]

I have the charnwood, and given the choice between those two machines I would get the Jet.

 

[Nathan Sakke]

I have the charnwood, and given the choice between those two machines I would get the Jet.

Thanks for your reply, I am leaning towards the Jet as I do have the funds. May I ask why?

Nathan

 

[sunnybob]

Axminster use TNT couriers for world wide shipping. from them straight to you (except when they sent mine to asia instead of europe).
easy tracking of the parcel as well (I knew exactly when mine went astray).

But my story is mildly amusing as an after dinner conversation, I have used axminster since sorting the problem and have no other issues.

 

[Nathan Sakke]

Axminster use TNT couriers for world wide shipping. from them straight to you (except when they sent mine to asia instead of europe).
easy tracking of the parcel as well (I knew exactly when mine went astray).

But my story is mildly amusing as an after dinner conversation, I have used axminster since sorting the problem and have no other issues.

Now that’s a long way round!! Lol!

I get them to deliver it to a shipping company in Folkestone for delivery. It’s was a third cheaper than Axminster quoted.

Nathan

 

[Nick.]

Not that I'm biased at all...

I launched Jet with Axminster & I'm now working with Charnwood launching Laguna...

I'd say wait 6 months & get a Laguna Fusion 3 - pricing TBC, but similar to Jet anticipated.

Hi Mods - am I on dodgy ground mentioning this? If so, please delete & tell me off - I'm easy if so, no probs, just wanted to mention it as another future option OP may want to consider - they are good saws for sure.

Cheers all
Nick

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Nick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZh1UjbAS3o

Very nice looking, I must say.
Well-designed guard, left-tilting blade, on-board storage of Stuff, paddle switch where you want it, easy removal of riving knife, proper level rise & fall of the blade, three-point fence.

All excellent.

So why does the vid then go on to show ripping a 2" board with no guard and no short fence? Aaarrgghhhh!
Such a missed opportunity to get EVERYTHING right (instead of just quite a lot of it).

 

[Myfordman]

Not that I'm biased at all...

I launched Jet with Axminster & I'm now working with Charnwood launching Laguna...

I'd say wait 6 months & get a Laguna Fusion 3 - pricing TBC, but similar to Jet anticipated.

Hi Mods - am I on dodgy ground mentioning this? If so, please delete & tell me off - I'm easy if so, no probs, just wanted to mention it as another future option OP may want to consider - they are good saws for sure.

Cheers all
Nick

Nick, Will the UK laguna model be equipped to take a dado set? If so then I think you will have a product to challenge the Xcalibur but without it the machine will join the mediocrity of Uk saws.

 

[Nick.]

So why does the vid then go on to show ripping a 2" board with no guard and no short fence? Aaarrgghhhh!
Such a missed opportunity to get EVERYTHING right (instead of just quite a lot of it).

Hi Steve, that's our cousins across the pond for you - we plan to make European vids when we launch it & we won't be showing dodgy practices like that - Cheers.

Nick, Will the UK laguna model be equipped to take a dado set? If so then I think you will have a product to challenge the Xcalibur but without it the machine will join the mediocrity of Uk saws.

Hi Myfordman - that's the longer term plan as we know there is a high demand for a dado compatible saw like this - we are looking into adding the relevant guarding to get it CE approved as a standard option. I know when I was involved in the Jet Supersaw that quite a few people just bought a longer arbour from the States to convert it. Cheers

 

[Steve Maskery]

Nick, that is all good to hear.
It has long frustrated me that there is no one "perfect" TS out there. That looks as if it could come close.
Does the fence pull back for ripping?

 

[Nick.]

Nick, that is all good to hear.
It has long frustrated me that there is no one "perfect" TS out there. That looks as if it could come close.
Does the fence pull back for ripping?

Hi Steve - there will be a sliding sub fence on it from the details I've seen so far, so yes, you can pull that back to correct position for ripping.
Fingers crossed I'm hoping to be showing it at Harrogate later this year so if you're visiting feel free to check it out.
Cheers,
Nick