Does anyone have experience with or opinions about Central Machinery tools? I’m specifically interested in their 14″ bandsaw, 6″ jointer, and hollow chisel mortiser. Prices seem too good to be true.
Thanks!
DGW
Does anyone have experience with or opinions about Central Machinery tools? I’m specifically interested in their 14″ bandsaw, 6″ jointer, and hollow chisel mortiser. Prices seem too good to be true.
Thanks!
DGW
Metabo HPT's dual-powered plunge router offers the option to plug in an otherwise-battery-operated tool for production work.
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Replies
Harbor Freight? Keep looking.
PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
that a question for knots.
If it seems to good to be true than..... Well you know the rest. This case is no exception. Very low end equipment.
Doug
Harbor Frieght... LOOK FOR MORE BETTER....
Shoulda just said look for a place that sells off shore junk...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Edited 7/23/2004 10:43 pm ET by IMERC
Fine woodworking reviewed the jointer in their tool issue last year. I got the powermatic. ;-) Most of their stuff is sub-standard, and priced fairly for what you get. The one exception we found is the 8"x28" table Mill-Drill for $800. I asked a machinist friend to take a look at it for me, and he ended up buying one himself as an extra machine. At the time we bought, it compared fairly well to the same model built by Jet in terms of runout and play, but for half the price.
Harbor freight is a good source for inexpensive tarps. I usually limit my purchases to items that I need to use once or twice, and the cost of purchasing the harbor freight is about the same as getting it for a day from the local rental place, such as a set of 4 pipe wrenches for $10.
HF is generally good for tools that have no or few moving parts. From my experience, fewer things move, especially powered by electricity, the better. On that vein, I saw a very nice anvil there... :)
There are a few isolated gems among the items at HF. Unfortunately, you need to know specifically what they are. Some pro painters claim one of the Harbor Freight HVLP guns is really good and a terrific bargain. Unfortunately, I don't remember what number it is. A pro mechanic friend of mine said that one of the air impact wrenches is an exact copy of one of Ingersol Rands impact wrenches and at least the ones he had purchased worked just as well. Again, I don't remember the number of it.
I picked up a spot welder at HF on sale for cheap as the brand name ones were about ten times more expensive. Haven't had a chance to use it yet to see if it actually works, however. I did notice that the Hobart wire feed welders were more expensive than the one I purchased at the local welding store.
The general word seems to be that the simpler the devices you buy the better the chance you have of getting a good one. I have bought a few things and found they usually get the basics mostly right but fit, finish and features are often lacking. Loose fasteners common.
For the most part I have been able to get fair accuracy, real precision is often beyond the capabilities of the designs, after a bit of adjustment and tightening. A few holes needed to be filed to remove overpour in the casting. Nothing a person reasonably good with their hands couldn't handle.
These sorts of machine tools are decent starting machines, spares or alternates when you have something to do that might mess up you good tool. If your used to high end machinery you will be disappointed in these. If you have nothing better they are a step up from making do with hand power tools and jigs.
I am fortunate enough t have a HF store in Lex.KY. I can tell you, don't buy anything ya think good from a catalouge or web site. You have to go and SEE it.
I have a few low expectation purchases from there, and that's all I expect. All tho, diamond blades and grinding disks were a good deal..that kind of stuff...a major machine? probly not.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
I work about 5 minutes from a Harbor Freight. I like to go in and look around once in awhile. I was looking at a saw there once and started laughing out loud. Too much! What a total piece of crap! On the other hand they had a skil hd77 on the clearance shelf for 95 bucks, still sealed up, and new not rebuilt. So there are goodies there as well as complete crap. I would not order anything from them, but the stores have a very liberal return policy. All the machinery has a cheap look to me, but some may actually perform OK. I don't like using cheap tools, gives me the willies.
Dubya,
I own one of those HF 14" band saws as well as a made in the USA Delta. Absolutely no comparison. Keep away from it. It's junk. I(f you want, I'll post comparison pics. Did I mention that it was junk?
Jon
ok post pictures
Brownbagg,
Since you asked:
Also note how cheap and flimsy the HF table is (and it had a .040 twist to it when new which I had to machine out, AND it came with a plastic blade insert, (I made one up out of aluminum. In addition, despite it's 2HP rating, it feels more like 1/4HP even on 250V. Like I said, junk. All I use mine for is to cut up boards for firewood.
Jon
BTW, the trunion also has a crack in it, which I've seen others on Knots mention they have had happen to them.
Wow! Leave your computer for a day and look at all the mail!!
Thanks for all the input. We are getting a HF out here near Utica, NY and I was being hopeful...
Does anyone have any good sources for good used machinery that won't break the bank?
Thanks again,
DGW
> Does anyone have any good sources for good used machinery that won't break the bank?
Google "Old Woodworking Machines". It's a web discussion site for guys who fix up vintage machines. Sometimes they'll sell a finished project to make room -- and cash -- for another.
-- J.S.
If you are in or near a rural area, check auctions. Diners, family style restaurants, general stores, etc near me have display racks for auction notices. Also, our county farming newspaper publishes an extensive auction calendar. Look for the one that say house and contents.
No one wants to stand for hours in someone's yard in the snow, so there tends to be a rush of them in the spring. If you've studied carefully, you'll be able to check 3 or 4 previews on a Saturday morning. I've even found various lots of good, stickered hardwoods.
Avoid "tunnel vision regret". I have, more than once, come to the realization that I missed a good buy on something useful because I was too focused on some specific need.
The first place is to look in your paper. And if you have a Woodcrafters or Rocklers or similar they sometimes have a corkboard with posted for sale.
Also if you have a local woodworking guild check there newsletter and they might have an annal swap and shop.
And most online forum has classified sections.
Beside Knots.
Some that I know of are;
http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?Cat=
http://www.woodmagazine.com/wood/category.jhtml?catref=wd38
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/
http://www.woodcentral.com/
http://www.allwoodwork.com/messegeboards/index.php
http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum/dcboard.pl
Thanks for all the links (and to John Sprung too). I scan the classifieds both on an off line like religion, and hit the auctions when I can. Did very well with some small stuff not too long ago, and made a friend out of the old carpenter who was looking for a sawdust free future (actually that was his doctor's order not his choice).
DGW
reason why I ask is, I bougth a HF couple month ago. I would like a grizzly or delta but could not pass the $185 new at HF. I have not even used it yet. I guess it good that its a delta copy. Sear sells part that will fit it. Not saying it a great saw just a good deal on one.