Wolfcraft Master Cut 1500 worktable - any good?

[Richard_C]

I own a circular saw, jigsaw and router, and use them occasionally by hand. I don't use them enough to justify dedicated table saw or router table, but I do have a proper mitre saw.

I chanced on the Wolfcraft Master Cut 1500 on the Screwfix website and followed up by looking at the videos on the Wolfcraft website. I didn't know such things existed. It looks as though it might be a good multi purpose solution for occasional work. I know it won't meet the accuracy and repeatability of 'proper' kit. It does have a stop button/electric socket built in. Plus I hope to be helping my daughter with a bit of house-face-lifting many miles away if her first house purchase deal goes through and it looks like a useful car-portable workshop.

Does anyone have one, is it a decent compromise or a heap of cheap nasty?

 

[Andy F]

I used to have a Master cut 1000, a bit older I know but the design is much the same. I thought I would be able to use it as a mobile workshop around the house, but found that changing the tools was a pain with knuckle-shredding butterfly nuts next to sharp edges and they were really difficult to align, so it only ever had a cheap circular saw in it. I never got a jigsaw to fit properly and the bosch router I had wouldn't fit at all. I bought a different router and tried it, but it just wouldn't stay still and the bit wouldn't raise up enough to cut any decent depth. I bought an extension piece for the router which improved things a bit but I really didn't consider it a safe way of using a router. I tend to be a bit blase about workshop safety, but I was frightened for the safety of my fingers.

Once the circular saw was clamped in place, it was useful for cutting laminate flooring and small sheets of ply but I was really glad to give it away once I had bought a decent table saw. Any jigsawing was done with the piece clamped to the table and cut in the usual way.

My honest opinion is that for mobile work, you would be better using a workmate or trestles and a board, some clamps and a small site table saw

Hope this helps.

 

[Richard_C]

Thanks.

I thought that might be the case. My router is a Bosch POF 1100 which doesn't seem to fit anything known to man. I have a small workmate, so will probably buy a pair of trestles (that's what I was looking for when I stumbled across the Master cut) and some board to make up a decent flat surface as well.

 

[Beanwood]

I too used to own a 1000. It was really pretty poor. So bad in fact that I just stripped off the power switch and the vice, and took the rest to the tip.

 

[Richard_C]

Thanks both, you've saved me £150 or so. Decided that trestles and a board will serve me better.

 

[Discobob]

I have a bosch mitre saw - nothing standard seems to fit at all - put me off buying a bosch Table saw

 

[clogs]

the forum seems to have answered ur question.....dont waste ur money.....
In the years I have worked wood I have found that a largish ally router table around £100 is good enough....along with a decent 1/2 router will do most anything u need to shape....Mine is a 3HP Hitachi.....buy a decent array of cutters and add to them as needed.....it's a phaff if u need to use it elsewhere, freehand......but I have another.....
I also find it handy to have two circ saws.....a small Hitachi (again) for delicate work and light plywood jobs + a bruiser for knocking down the rough jobs joists and shuttering....plus a few Jig saws.....all mains operated cos I'm to old to buy the newer batt tools....the best is a Festool and the rest is a mix of Makita and DeWalt...they get used depending on the job req of them....
So what I'm saying is apart from the Router table all the rest are used freehand......I do have an antique Coronet table saw that gets dragged around everywhere when the job requires it tho.......
so, some of the above and a couple of Black n Decker fold up type benches will serve u well as it has me for to many years......
all can go in the back of ur car.....
I prefer stacking trays for the tools and add on's plus ext leads.....also the trays make it easy to tidy up at the end of the day.....

 

[MusicMan]

Yep I had one once, long ago. Took up more space than it seemed it should and had the same faults as others have noted. I had a decent Bosch circular saw (which I still have) but is wasn't easy to fit it nicely. I sold it and bought an Evolution Rage. This was an upgrade! (OK I eventually got serious and now have a Wadkin and a small Inca).

 

[cerg]

I am a beginner, and I was thinking of buying this table, but it looks like it is a no go. It is very limiting, and doe snot seem to fit with my tools. I wanted to ask how do you set trestles and a board to use it with the jigsaw? Can anyone please post a picture of their setup, or an explanation?

 

[Mrs C]

I am a beginner, and I was thinking of buying this table, but it looks like it is a no go. It is very limiting, and doe snot seem to fit with my tools. I wanted to ask how do you set trestles and a board to use it with the jigsaw? Can anyone please post a picture of their setup, or an explanation?

Looks like you turn your jigsaw upside down with the blade pointing upwards through the table. Nice easy way to loose a finger!

 

[John Brown]

Where do you get doe snot from these days? I've been using Cuckoo spit as a second rate substitute.


Yes, I know it was a simple typo, I'm not being critical, just couldn't resist..

 

[cerg]

Looks like you turn your jigsaw upside down with the blade pointing upwards through the table. Nice easy way to loose a finger!

Not sure I understand ....

 

[Mrs C]

Not sure I understand ....

The table bit or the finger bit?

Look on Amazon for wolfcraft Jigsaw Table I 6197000 I For precision, stationary jigsaw work and it shows a picture of the upside down jigsaw.

Re the finger bit, the thing is fundamentally dangerous -
- there is no guard to stop your fingers coming into contact with the blade
- the jigsaw will try to cut on the up cut pushing the workpiece away from the table making it more likely to snatch, twist or get stuck completely. At this point you will be grappling to find the off switch and the workpiece will shoot backwards possibly hitting you somewhere you would rather it not.
- all the dust flies directly into your face, you let go of the workpiece to sneeze and again the workpiece gets its own back
- if that isn’t enough I would question how the jigsaw is fixed to the table. Gravity and vibration will both be working against you, at which point you will have a jigsaw squirming round the floor trying to bite your ankles.

Kitchen fitters use jigsaws upside down to get a better finish, however the workpiece they are cutting (should) be clamped down and their fingers are well away from the blade. Bandsaws and table saws all cut on the downcut giving much more control.

Sorry, rant over, however I just can’t see how these things are a good idea.

 

[stuart little]

Where do you get doe snot from these days? I've been using Cuckoo spit as a second rate substitute.


Yes, I know it was a simple typo, I'm not being critical, just couldn't resist..

In my model railroading days, there was a product called 'Frog Snot', probably cheaper than Doe snot which is deerer!