Opinions on Electra Beckum & Metabo and Scheppach

[Wizard9999]

All

As I struggle to climb the woodworking learning curve I am casting my eye around at options for machines. Amongst others I have seen various offerings from the two above manufacturers, but don't really recall any discussion here or elsewhere on their relative merits. Any opinions positive or negative would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance,
Terry.

 

[RogerS]

I think you need to be a bit more specific as to what type of machines are you thinking of.

 

[9fingers]

All

As I struggle to climb the woodworking learning curve I am casting my eye around at options for machines. Amongst others I have seen various offerings from the two above manufacturers, but don't really recall any discussion here or elsewhere on their relative merits. Any opinions positive or negative would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance,
Terry.

I think EB have been taken over/merged with Metabo who still provide spares support.
They and Scheppach are amongst the better makes of "bent sheet metal with some solid castings" class of machinery. Some Scheppach motors can be a little strange - I've had some in for repair with windings made from two thinner wires wired in parallel. When one of the pair fail, it leads to some strange effects. OK once you realise that is what happening.
Metabo are now building braking systems into some of their bigger machines in order to appeal to the semi pro workshops where this feature is mandated and I've yet to have an example in my hands to understand quite what their little board of electronics is meant to work. Trying remotely analyse faults on behalf of others has yet to succeed.

I have recently bought a Metabo mitre saws to replace a Ferm one that finally got beyond my repair skills & patience. It is a fixed not a slider and so far very impressed with its accuracy. Can't recall the model number as I'm away from home

I recall that you favour buying new machinery over older cast iron lumps so hopefully warranty will cover any teething problems and buying from AXi or similar should give you the option to return them if your really don't like them.

hth

Bob

 

[Rod]

I've have a Metabo 260 HC (I think - I'm not at home too) which has served me well for a number yrs now.
It's one with the closed in base which they don't seem to sell anymore?
Pretty sure it's got a breaking mechanism too?
I use my Tormek for sharpening the blades.

Rod

 

[Wizard9999]

I think you need to be a bit more specific as to what type of machines are you thinking of.

Fair point Roger.

I was thinking of Planer Thicknessers:
Electra Beckum HC333C
Scheppach HMS2600 and HMS3200

and Table Saw:
Scheppach TS2500

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Terry.

 

[9fingers]

It would be a shame to go away from the xcalibur saw IMHO

Bob

 

[Wizard9999]

It would be a shame to go away from the xcalibur saw IMHO

Bob

Bob

From what I read the Xcalibur is not now a Delta clone (which I think is what you have), but a clone of a Laguna (and seems to have lost the Xcalibur branding)?!? Do you have any views on whether the new version:

http://www.woodfordtooling.com/accessor ... ge-30.html

Do you have any thoughts on this new saw?

Terry.

 

[Rod]

My Deft (no longer available) is a Laguna clone and is a great machine.

Rod

 

[9fingers]

It would be a shame to go away from the xcalibur saw IMHO

Bob

Bob

From what I read the Xcalibur is not now a Delta clone (which I think is what you have), but a clone of a Laguna (and seems to have lost the Xcalibur branding)?!? Do you have any views on whether the new version:

http://www.woodfordtooling.com/accessor ... ge-30.html

Do you have any thoughts on this new saw?

Terry.

I was ahead of you Terry!!
Knowing that the new saw from woodford was a different beastie to mine and that you might be basing your choice on my experience of the delta clone, I sought advice in the other place using my pseudonym of Myfordman and was assured the new machine was even better than the Xcalibur and that one person had even traded in his Xcalibur for the Laguna clone.
You should be able to find the discussion between WCNDave, Bluekingfisher and myself over on UKW
I'd have hated myself if you bought the new one and it turned out to be worse!
Either machine should knock spots off the Scheppach.
Bob

 

[9fingers]

I've have a Metabo 260 HC (I think - I'm not at home too) which has served me well for a number yrs now.
It's one with the closed in base which they don't seem to sell anymore?
Pretty sure it's got a breaking mechanism too?
I use my Tormek for sharpening the blades.

Rod

I don't think I'd like any machine with built in breaking :shock: Possibly why they don't sell it any more :lol:

Bob

 

[Rod]

Stupid predictive text or the drugs?

Luckily it's not broken yet - it does rock though like its on rubber bands when you switch off


Rod

 

[RogerS]

For me at that price point, the three critical things are:

length of infeed/outfeed tables ...the longer the better

how easy is it to get them co-planar as no guarantee that they necessarily are

how firm is the fence. I have a 'thing' about fences.

I went through this exercise a few years back and went down to Tewkesbury Saw where they had a number of P/T's in the showroom. I don't recall if they had the EB but do remember a Scheppach, Rojek and Sedgwick. The first two you could move the fence...it wasn't fixed down that firmly IMO and flexed. The Sedgwick was rock unbudgeably solid. The whole machine oozed robustness and quality. But, of course, at a higher price point. Now I know you prefer new but give me a good secondhand Sedgwick MB (at roughly the same price as a new Scheppach etc ) any day.

You might also consider getting a machine that will take the Turnblade (I can't for the life of me remember if that is the right name or the manufacturer). Essentially you have two edged blades that sit in a carrier and are disposable. Once you have the carriers set-up, you simply slot in a new set of blades when the time is right. No further adjustment needed. If you use 'normal' blades then you have to either sharpen them yourself or send them off to a saw doctor. Whichever...you then have to faff around lining them up when they come back.

 

[Wizard9999]

For me at that price point, the three critical things are:

length of infeed/outfeed tables ...the longer the better

how easy is it to get them co-planar as no guarantee that they necessarily are

how firm is the fence. I have a 'thing' about fences.

I went through this exercise a few years back and went down to Tewkesbury Saw where they had a number of P/T's in the showroom. I don't recall if they had the EB but do remember a Scheppach, Rojek and Sedgwick. The first two you could move the fence...it wasn't fixed down that firmly IMO and flexed. The Sedgwick was rock unbudgeably solid. The whole machine oozed robustness and quality. But, of course, at a higher price point. Now I know you prefer new but give me a good secondhand Sedgwick MB (at roughly the same price as a new Scheppach etc ) any day.

You might also consider getting a machine that will take the Turnblade (I can't for the life of me remember if that is the right name or the manufacturer). Essentially you have two edged blades that sit in a carrier and are disposable. Once you have the carriers set-up, you simply slot in a new set of blades when the time is right. No further adjustment needed. If you use 'normal' blades then you have to either sharpen them yourself or send them off to a saw doctor. Whichever...you then have to faff around lining them up when they come back.

Thanks Roger.

You are right, I prefer the idea of new machines because I lack mechanical know how. However, the recent thread on a band saw on ebay got me scouting around on ebay and it does seem there are a number of examples of relatively new items, of course last second bidding could take them to unattractive prices. However, it seems that the likes of Sedgewick, Jet and even Axminster seem to attract more bidding interest, hence me asking about these two brands. My thinking is that maybe I would look at newish, lightly used items as a way of buying better machines than would be possible if paying the 'new premium'.

As I don't have a workshop yet I'm in no rush, but equally I can store anything I buy in my garage, so thought it worth keeping my eye out for a bargain.

Terry.