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Author Topic: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!  (Read 11646 times)

doorframe

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...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« on: November 20, 2010, 12:08:58 am »

My first build is nearing..... the beginning! The plans are blown up to scale, the raw materials are virtually there, the ESC and radio are sorted, the motor + prop + shaft are (hopefully) on their way, and I've got loads of ideas flying around in my head. BUT I just can't face all the cutting out by hand with a fret saw. So it will have to be an electric one :-)) Trouble is there is no way on this planet to convince the darling wife A.K.A 'My Little Handbrake' of all the advantages to be had for a mere £60 or so >>:-(

I'm no stranger to making the tools I either can't afford or won't use often enough to warrent the price. To date I've made a linisher, a much BIGGER linisher, a 12" disc sander, a recipricating bobbin sander, a morticer and more jigs than you can poke a stick at. I've also rebuilt a turn-of-the-century R and A lathe, 2 saw benches and a 1946 Junior Whitehead band saw. Obviosly, none of them would find their way into a precision workshop but they do quite nicely in mine!

So in typical style I will be making an electric fret saw out of bits and pieces from the 'odds' box. The only expense allowed is the blades as they're comsumables, and as it all revolves around the blades they will be required first. So the question is this... can I get away with just 1 size as a general purpose blade, say 14 or 18 Tpi, or is a range of sizes a must?

Please give me the benefit of your advise so I can order some from Fleabay and get stuck in ok2

Cheers

Roy


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50mm

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2010, 09:56:14 am »

instead of wasting $$  on rubbish from fleybay just save up some cash and buy the right tool, issues you have is home made tools are prone to breaking and or causing accidents your putting your own life in your hands ( or cutting them off!) i cant understand why not waiting a little bit longer for a tool is worth risking your body parts!

i don't doubt your 'bodging' ability's but when it comes to saw blades i wouldn't want my fingers anywhere near anything that was build from scrap.
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dodgy geezer

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2010, 11:52:07 am »

I remember spending an age in the late 60's trying to convert a sewing machine to a fretsaw. And then later on, mounting a cheap jigsaw inside a box with a tensioning arm above it to drive a fretsaw blade....

None of them worked very well. And now cheap machines are readily available from China. They're not top quality Swiss or German engineering - but they come at low cost. And when the market is temporarily flooded, after a major shipment comes in, the price can drop enough to be a throw-away item.

If I see tools going at those prices - say, £25 for a fretsaw, I will buy one if I can. That's how I ended up with the two chopper saws I have had for about 6 years - unused until this year, when they earned their keep royally building a garden shed....
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Colin H

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2010, 02:36:13 pm »




I have used both power and hand tools all my working life and can't resist a good tool shop. I just love to have a nose around to see if there is some little gadget or widget to make life easier.

However I have come to realise there are horses for courses. Drilling brick or concrete every day my power drills get a lot of work so I buy the best. Once or twice a year I have to cut a work surface to fit a sink therefore I don't spend good money on a jig saw. My jig saw could be described as mediocre at best.

I do agree with the comments above for the sake of £50/£60 for a half reasonable fret saw I could not consider spending valuable time trying to bodge one up. Mine came from Machine Mart some 2/3 years ago and has been invaluable.

Colin H.
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doorframe

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2010, 08:45:43 pm »

Of course, you are all correct. Buying one of the budget machines is exactly what I should (and want to) do. But if it happans it won't be anytime soon..at least not this side of Xmas. I do really get a lot more satisfaction using the machines I've built over the one's I've bought so the decision to build is not a difficult one. Having said that though, the Erbauer at £49.99 is unbelievable! A week ago it was in stock at £89.99, and now it's out of stock at £49.99.

Excuse me for being a pessimist, but i wonder... is it out of stock because it's £49.99, OR is it £49.99 beacause it's OUT OF STOCK?

Roy.
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Perkasaman2

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #6 on: November 20, 2010, 09:42:38 pm »

Hi doorframe, Many users are quite disappointed by the cutting performance of these power reciprocating fretsaws or scrollsaws and they are only 'accurate' cutting quite thin materials. I bought a Rexon some years back with great expectations but was quite unprepared for it's performance and it has been boxed/shelved for some years.
They are fine and accurate cutting thin materials in their comfort zone, but I quickly returned to my super accurate/quicker, but venerable vari-speed jigsaw, equipped with a fine tooth short scrolling blade. These scrollsaws can be excellent,  but try out a machine if possible to gain a realistic expectation before you run the gauntlet. (If your heart is absolutely set on one, send me a pm.) 
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Colin H

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2010, 09:59:33 pm »


At the moment Screwfix are putting deals on all the time, as a long standing customer I get emails every day with offers on all types of kit.

As to the Erbauer this is Screwfix's own brand. I bought a kit some three years ago 18 volt combi drill, 18 volt jigsaw, 18 volt torch, three batteries and a charger for less than £100-00p.

As I said above the jigsaw does not do much work but I have cut 45mm work tops with it.

The combi drill is another kettle of fish it takes loads of hammer masonry drills up to 15mm, spade bits up to 32mm and hole saw though wood up to 50mm. It is in use every single working day. The sizes I quote are well above the manufacturers recommendations but it copes very well.

The only problem I have is that one battery as died completely and the other two are on the way out but they are £40 odd to replace.

Therefore I am checking all my emails waiting for the drill & battery pack itself to come on offer when I shall immediately buy another.


Colin H.

Colin H.
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Bryan Young

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2010, 11:21:03 am »

Hi doorframe, Many users are quite disappointed by the cutting performance of these power reciprocating fretsaws or scrollsaws and they are only 'accurate' cutting quite thin materials. I bought a Rexon some years back with great expectations but was quite unprepared for it's performance and it has been boxed/shelved for some years.
They are fine and accurate cutting thin materials in their comfort zone, but I quickly returned to my super accurate/quicker, but venerable vari-speed jigsaw, equipped with a fine tooth short scrolling blade. These scrollsaws can be excellent,  but try out a machine if possible to gain a realistic expectation before you run the gauntlet. (If your heart is absolutely set on one, send me a pm.) 
I also bought a Rexxon "fretsaw" about 3 years back A heavy beast, and not cheap. I've used it perhaps 3 times. I'm much happier with my mini Proxxon jigsaw and the larger bandsaw. I have wondered if these machines are ony ever used to make those interlocking duck toys. BY.
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doorframe

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2010, 11:46:55 am »

I would only want it for intricate cuts in thin material. My bandsaws and jigsaws would take care of any thing heavier or straighter. I'm suprised that some have found them to be under-performing as they all look like wonder-tools in the youtube vids. I've not had any opportunity to actually try one for myself. If I paid good money and then found it to be a piece of junk I would be ever so slightly miffed. That's why I've been watching fleabay for the past few weeks hoping one will come along locally for a price I cant resist, but they all seem to go for nearly new prices, and with £15 postage on top!

Colin H.... depending on the battery they are quite simple to re-cell. I've re-celled most of mine over the years. If you can grab some suitable batts from fleabay as doners it's a very cheap fix. Also, many batts can be bought back to life just by using a better charger. I have a DeWalt 9107 rigged up as a universal charger. I's a pure Delta Peak charger (it ignores any internal NTC or HDR in the batt pack) and has resurrected many of my batts. I'm out of the construction trade now so my cordless tools tend to be left for months inbetween uses which is a nightmare for the batts. If the dedicated charger won't wake them up I just stick them on the DeWalt and it's job done.

Oh Dear.... I think I'm starting to sound like a TIGHT-WAD!!!!!! :embarrassed:

Roy
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Colin H

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2010, 10:23:27 pm »



Roy,
Thanks for the heads up will have a look round at what to lay my hands on and give a go.


Colin H
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dodgy geezer

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2010, 12:18:50 am »


Colin H.... depending on the battery they are quite simple to re-cell. I've re-celled most of mine over the years....
 

I use these people for replacement batteries - I have had good service and cheap prices so far...

http://www.strikalite.co.uk/prodcat_type/2/ALL/0/NiMH_Tagged_Rechargeable_Batteries.html
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ZZ56

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2010, 01:21:14 am »

I would only want it for intricate cuts in thin material. My bandsaws and jigsaws would take care of any thing heavier or straighter. I'm suprised that some have found them to be under-performing as they all look like wonder-tools in the youtube vids. I've not had any opportunity to actually try one for myself. If I paid good money and then found it to be a piece of junk I would be ever so slightly miffed. That's why I've been watching fleabay for the past few weeks hoping one will come along locally for a price I cant resist, but they all seem to go for nearly new prices, and with £15 postage on top!

Colin H.... depending on the battery they are quite simple to re-cell. I've re-celled most of mine over the years. If you can grab some suitable batts from fleabay as doners it's a very cheap fix. Also, many batts can be bought back to life just by using a better charger. I have a DeWalt 9107 rigged up as a universal charger. I's a pure Delta Peak charger (it ignores any internal NTC or HDR in the batt pack) and has resurrected many of my batts. I'm out of the construction trade now so my cordless tools tend to be left for months inbetween uses which is a nightmare for the batts. If the dedicated charger won't wake them up I just stick them on the DeWalt and it's job done.

Oh Dear.... I think I'm starting to sound like a TIGHT-WAD!!!!!! :embarrassed:

Roy

At one-eighth horsepower and only about 34 pounds, I'd imagine they are too lightweight to do any sort of serious cutting.  I would trust a used DeWalt or Delta before those 'cheap' models. 
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doorframe

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #13 on: November 22, 2010, 09:49:32 am »

Quote
At one-eighth horsepower and only about 34 pounds, I'd imagine they are too lightweight to do any sort of serious cutting.  I would trust a used DeWalt or Delta before those 'cheap' models.

Reading reviews, it seems the manufacturers or vendors like to tell you the 'clearance' below the blade as if that's the cutting capacity i.e. 50mm or so, but feedback from customers put's it at a more realistic 10-20mm. There's obviously a large void between the budget and quality machines. It's definately a case of 'you get what you pay for', but after spending most of last year on a short-working-week (though lucky to still have a job and the same roof over my head while others lost theirs) I'm still playing financial catch-up.

Colin H.... just be sure you dont replace NiCd with NiMh, or vise versa, or you may have charger issues.

Roy
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Lord Bungle

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #14 on: November 22, 2010, 12:49:32 pm »

I was thinking of getting the nephew one of these, and as it would be in in my workshop and I needed to shape some balsa well...... {-)
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3879128.htm#pdpFullProductInformation
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doorframe

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #15 on: December 07, 2010, 06:36:06 am »

Well, one of the MBM members made me an offer I couldn't refuse, but before the sale went through he put me on to this...
 


on a promotion at LIDL for £39.99 starting 6th Dec. OK, it's a Parkside so it's not the most refined, but it's variable speed and comes with 3 yr warranty. Our local LIDL is only 1/2 mile away, so good old Wiffy went and queued for store opening and managed to fight for the 2nd last one. Lot's of very unhappy shoppers at the tills asking if there's any more stock.

It's now hidden somewhere till xmas when I have to give my best 'surprised' expression as I unwrap it. I offered to store it in the workshop till the big day but got the anticipated 'wild stare'.

So a big thankyou to Perkasaman for being a TOP BLOKE :-)) :-)) :-))

Roy
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essex2visuvesi

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #16 on: December 07, 2010, 08:19:47 am »

I was thinking of getting the nephew one of these, and as it would be in in my workshop and I needed to shape some balsa well...... {-)
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3879128.htm#pdpFullProductInformation

Looks a lot like the one I have :)
http://www.thecooltool.com/produktgruppe.php?language=e&status=20&sh_id=15&ptitel=Unimat+Classic
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john s 2

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #17 on: December 07, 2010, 09:10:30 am »

Dear Doorframe.I went to lidl Monday  morning and brought the last scrollsaw.They certainly did not have many. Now all ive got to
do is learn how to use it.First purchase some finer toothed blades jOHN
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Timo2

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rathikrishna

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #19 on: December 07, 2010, 11:17:35 am »

Ohhh...it was great..got some ideas...thank you all... %)
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Perkasaman2

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #20 on: December 08, 2010, 12:02:59 am »

Well done Roy  (+ Mrs Roy ).  :-) 
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doorframe

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #21 on: December 08, 2010, 06:35:14 am »

As John S says, a nice selection of blades is next, but John can you tell me what it takes... pinned or unpinned or both? Also, can the blades be fitted at 90' for longer cuts?

I've always worked to 'minimum of 3 teeth in the work' so as high TPI as poss will be needed for the really thin stuff. Screwfix do 10, 15 & 20 TPI Pinned. I wonder if 20 TPI will be high enough?

What do you guys use?

Roy
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john s 2

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #22 on: December 08, 2010, 09:04:00 am »

Dear Roy.As supplied the saw has a pinned blade.Also a packet of spare blades.The blade can be mounted at 90 degrees.There is
also a pair of adapter clamps witch appear to enable machine to take unpinned blades.I will be doing my first cutting job today.
A tapered block for a motor mount.Lidl have a return policy so i suppose you could buy a machine and return if not suitable John.
 
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doorframe

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Re: ...those lovely new tools I want - BUT CANT AFFORD!!
« Reply #23 on: December 08, 2010, 01:26:37 pm »

Hi John S

I almost guarentee you could just resell it on fleabay and turn a profit. I've been watching fleabay for quite a while now waiting for one to come up local at a nice price, but it's all new at double the price, or old at the price of a new one!!

Let me know how it performs ok2

Roy
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