The wife just bought me this..........I'll tell her later.

[Graham Orm]

My birthday's coming up, and what do you buy the bloke with every conceivable tool under the sun?.......and yes......I've got enough clamps!

I have a big Bosch sliding mitre saw that I share between site and the workshop. It lives in the workshop most of the time but takes up too much space as I only use it occasionally. I've wanted a small chop saw for a while to replace it with, but can't justify spending £200 plus on a Makita or Dewalt or whatever, when I already have a £400 saw sat there.

I've had a look round online and checked reviews on the various entry level saws out there, usually going to the one star reviews first to find any common faults.

Long story short, I've just nipped to B&Q for this. (It's on offer £58 http://www.diy.com/departments/evolutio ... 20074256:s ). As I'm a metal worker as well as a woodworker, I thought it would be novel. I've given it a go on some 4x2 and it melted through it. The 90 degree accuracy was bob on but the 45 was half a degree out. (I'll fix that one way or another).

Then I tried it on some 1 x 1 box section steel tube. It melted through that too! Just like it says on the tin.....how novel!!! Gloves and eye protection are a must though. It hardly creates any sparks, but the fragments get your hand, and they sting. The big Bosch can stay in the garage now out of my way, and wait until it's needed for a job.

If there's anything drastic to report one way or another I'll come back to this thread and post it.

Mod's...why don't we have a power tool section? I didn't know where to post this.

 

[gasman]

Thanks Graham for that review
How much flex is there when you slide and then when you lower the blade? I have a cheap old Axminster one but there is so much flexion that it is almost useless
THanks Mark

 

[woodpig]

Good find!

I've got an old Wickes saw I've had for ages and have been considering one of those metal cutting blades for it for some time but didn't fancy spending £35 on one in case it didn't work. I then saw these at Screwfix:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-multi ... 55mm/91585

Less than half the price of the Evolution blades and it worked well on some solid 2" x 1" alloy bar. Not tried it on steel yet though.

 

[Graham Orm]

Thanks Graham for that review
How much flex is there when you slide and then when you lower the blade? I have a cheap old Axminster one but there is so much flexion that it is almost useless
THanks Mark

There is a small amount. it shows up if you use the cut handle to turn the saw to change the angle, it does waggle a bit. The turntable is very stiff which doesn't help, I'll attend to that when I get a minute. I won't be able to tell you if it becomes annoying or it affects acuracy until I've used it for a while. I suppose if you're aware of it, that will help avoid it. We'll see.
I'm going to reduce the friction on the turntable so that I can turn it without using the cut handle. Maybe even add a knob at the front of the turntable itself.

 

[Graham Orm]

Good find!

I've got an old Wickes saw I've had for ages and have been considering one of those metal cutting blades for it for some time but didn't fancy spending £35 on one in case it didn't work. I then saw these at Screwfix:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-multi ... 55mm/91585

Less than half the price of the Evolution blades and it worked well on some solid 2" x 1" alloy bar. Not tried it on steel yet though.

Thanks for that, bookmarked!

 

[Willy]

Thanks Graham for that review
How much flex is there when you slide and then when you lower the blade? I have a cheap old Axminster one but there is so much flexion that it is almost useless
THanks Mark

It's not a sliding saw unless I'm mistaken so there shouldn't be any flex on the slide

 

[Graham Orm]

Thanks Graham for that review
How much flex is there when you slide and then when you lower the blade? I have a cheap old Axminster one but there is so much flexion that it is almost useless
THanks Mark

It's not a sliding saw unless I'm mistaken so there shouldn't be any flex on the slide

You're right, I assumed he meant when you move the mechanism or slide the table round.

 

[condeesteso]

Jimi43 will be along no doubt, he just got one too. Seen pics of it cutting ali scetion for some cnc beast and it looks brilliant. Unbelievable for the money - if I had any excuse for a compact mitre saw I'd be down B&Q sharpish.

 

[Stu_2]

Got one of these a while ago, when it was on offer. Nice little rough and ready saw. I also need to cut metal now and again, and this does do the job. I do find it pretty messy, though, but a different messy to the traditional abrasive chop saws. Lots of little hot bits of metal flying about. Great fun