Cheap bandsaws (again)
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- Опубліковано 28 сер 2024
- Hi everyone! In this (slightly long) video I take a look at the Screwfix Titan bandsaw as an alternative to the Aldi. Also some folllow-up to the previous video, hence the longer vid. Enjoy!
Previous bandsaw videos:-
£80 Bandsaw vs £200+ Bandsaw - • £80 Bandsaw vs £200 ba...
Axminster HBS200 bandsaw unbox & set up - • Axminster HBS200N band...
Also bandsaw blade change - • Bandsaw blade change #142
Cheap bandsaw, worthwhile or just a waste? - • Cheap Bandsaw - worthw...
Aldi bandsaw max capacity rip in Oak - • Aldi Bandsaw max. capa...
Bandsaw onsite, a surprising success - • Bandsaw onsite - a sur...
Axminster BS200 manual - goo.gl/RAcr2B
Scheppach bandsaw - goo.gl/HI8kAI
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Used/featured in this video:-
Festool Midi extractor - amzn.to/2tCIN3Q (US: amzn.to/2rKNIOx)
Aldi bandsaw - goo.gl/BpaVhN
Titan bandsaw - goo.gl/rZgEdA
Axminster bandsaw - goo.gl/eMkB4k
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![Aldi Ferrex 10” Bandsaw 12 months on [video 475]](/img/n.gif)
S1 and S2 ratings, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt today is the difference - thanks to you and fellow subscribers. In my electronics world (where I originated from) we used continuous power ratings for components. At that point you quickly learned the price difference between it will go all day versus it goes up in a puff of smoke. Thanks Peter.
Thanks Mike. Yes, it was something I learned from my outstanding subscribers, too! Fortunately for my usage, it’s pretty academic, but interesting nonetheless. 👍
Only just discovered your channel today, what a breath of fresh air. Objective reviews which are really useful for beginners like me. Thanks
Thank you, and welcome! Be sure to check through the back catalogue - and don’t skip the adverts... 😆👍👍
Edited to add - if you’re interested in entry-level bandsaws, I have a playlist with all my bandsaw videos collected together 👍👍
Very many thanks for a very interesting video Peter. I purchased a cheap bandsaw from Argos last year - £59, but unfortunately had to return it as it kept shedding the bands. It was identical to the Aldi saw you have. Since then I bit the bullet and bought the Titan and have to say that apart from the table itself, I am very less than impressed. I cannot tension the blade properly at all and am currently in discussions with a blade maker to try different sizes.
Thanks for your great work
Sorry to hear. The blade length does seem to be a bit of an issue for the Titan - I’ve had a couple of people suggest my blade being too long as the reason my quick-release blade tensioner doesn’t work! For blades, try Ian at Tuffsaws - very helpful, knowledgable, and generous with his time. Makes fantastic blades, too!
I bought the Titan Bandsaw last year, and it's been fettled. The blade was upgraded to a Tuffsaws 6tpi carbon supertuff, makes a huge difference including 15mm square solid aluminium bar cutting(!). I replaced the door opening screws with knobs and threaded dowels. My fence was set parallel to the blade cut and the clamp tensioned, doesn't move now. Blade drift was solved with slowing down the material speed and a lot of practice. Hope this helps, and great informative video.
Thanks Nick! Yes, a fence and blade upgrade is planned. But fan of Ian at Tuffsaws👍
Thank you Peter for reassuring me I bought the Aldi band saw . As I'm a retired bricklayer I've been doing bits and pieces and now spend hours everyday hiding from my wife in my shed . I only paid £60 for mine happy days 👍
Great price! And thanks! 👍👍
Well Peter had a look at this review last night and based in all your comparisons I went and bought an Aldi this morning at 9am Special buy .... I'm looking forward to using it. Thanks once again for the great review.
Cheers Ger! It’s a great little bandsaw👍
Hi Peter, I've just got one of these, Titan have fixed the fence issue themselves, maybe even the slackening doobery, the fence on mine grips the front and back if the table and is solid when done up :)
Aldi currently have a DIY special buy event, for those who don't know. Cordless drill, scroll saw, digital calipers amongst other things. 👍 no band saws yet though. Thanks for the review, Peter. Interesting as ever!.👍👍
Thank! I’m not in the loop with the Aldi specials, so good to know 👍
Thank you. I shall check it out. Looks like it could be a nice fathers day present
👍
Peter, Thanks so much for posting , I have watched many of your videos and find them first class, after watching your reviews, I have bought the Aldi one, ordered it on line and was delivered within 3 days, haven't put it together yer, thats my job for tomorrow morning, keep posting big thanks once again from Garry in South Yorkshire UK
It’s a pleasure Gary. Enjoy your bandsaw - they’re great little machines, and simply astonishing for the money 👍👍
Hi Peter, The instructions for the band saw must have been written by a doctor as I didn't undertsand a thing lol, I came onto youtube and watched an American expert who set up a very large bandsaw but with the same principle, within 10 minutes I had mine set up pretty much spot on, thanks for the tip, and thanks to you I saved over 100 quid on a more expensive machine .
Nice one, Garry, well done! 👍
The purpose of the leaver that removes the tension on the blade is
a) to prevent imprinting the blade on the rubber tire when the saw is not being used for long time. Those imprints result in uneven wheel surface that create vibration and lead to lower cut quality
b) prolonging blade life by removing stress from the weld when the blade is not being used
Due to slight variation in blade lengths the tensioning mechanism must be used every time when changing blades.
The lever is there only to take the tension off when the saw is not in use and put it back on the same preset amount before use.
It is a useful feature (if it works)
Hi Peter, another good review. I recently purchased the Titan band saw and like you found the fence was a bit iffy. I re engineered the clamping section of the fence because I found that when you applied the cam lock that it pulled the clamping lug up at an angle so the surface area of the clamping force wasn't enough to lock the fence solidly. That's easier to visualize than it is to explain. The blade quick release on mine worked very well, I noticed on your's that the gap between the top wheel and the case was much larger than on mine which would suggest that the blade length may be slightly shorter which would pull the blade away from the release cam. The stock blade I had worked perfectly but its longevity was not great. I purchased a Starret blade to go with the bandsaw of the suggested length but found it was slightly to long and could not be tensioned at all so I re-engineered the top wheel carrier to accommodate the new blade and all worked well. It appears that blade lengths are possibly more of a hint than an accurate statement. I hope with these minor fettlings in place that the bandsaw will do as it should for a long time to come. Hope yours comes good in the end.
Hi Kev. Thanks so much for the detail, that’s really helpful. I need to dig around the fence some more, certainly; hadn’t occurred to me that the blade length may be off though, good catch! I need to play with it a bit more, figure out what’s going on - hey, maybe there’s a video in that! 😂👍
Wow, Peter, I loved your vlog about your ALDI bandsaw...then you did the comparison video...THEN this one!! SO MUCH information. THANK YOU. I’m 50 this year and want to add this to my collection of tools...I’m going for the Titan. X
That said the scheppach does sound tempting!
Thanks! These vids are a couple of years old now; Axminster have introduced an entry-level bandsaw with a cast iron table at around the same price as the Titan; if I was buying today, I’d be giving that one serious consideration 👍👍
Peter Millard ooooOOOoooW! That’s THE deal breaker! Once again...THANK YOU sir. Do you know, I find it REALLY refreshing to watch a video from the uk, I have absolutely nothing against any other countries’ Vlogs...it’s just the different terminologies,measurements,screaming music and shouting I can’t bare. 🤯🥴😬🥴🤯 Your channel is like sunlight on a crappy day! You don’t mig weld too do you? 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂😂...Axminster does have some terrific stuff. #subcribed 👍🏼
Gail Pengelly Thanks Gail, that’s really kind of you to say, and I really appreciate the kind comments. Actually I am booked onto a welding course, as it’s something I’ve always wanted to try, so watch this space! 👍👍
Peter Millard, ME TOO, I got a mig welder for my 49th birthday...I’ve made a couple of bits but I REALLY want to master it. Our eldest granddaughter did an engineering cause & reckons tig is the easiest to get to grips with. I just can’t find a UA-cam’r that is a concise as your videos. I will indeed watch this space. Thank you again.👍🏼🤟🏼👍🏼
Very interesting video. I learned a lot of it. The S1 and S2 is now totally clear to me. Aldi is not in Slovakia but Lidl is. In some countries (not in Slovakia yet) Lidl has an online-shop,
where many things (among which also tools) can be bought the whole year around. I can imagine Aldi does the same if they want to be competitive.
For my Scheppach I made a kind of "barrier" to stop fine sawdust going into the inner part of the height adjustment system. It consists of two pieces of wood in which are
small magnets (ordinary, not rare earth) to keep them in place. It´s not perfect yet but at least I can see how the sawdust "flies" because I painted the wood green.
I'm satisfied with the fence of the Scheppach. The table itself is another story. It is magnetic so that is a great advantage (the fence is not magnetic) and can be put at an angle
(what I did not use till now). The lack of a mitre slot and mitre gauge is a disadvantage. Maybe I should try to make a table for the Scheppach myself, one day.
On the whole I'm satisfied with the bandsaw and I hope I can use it many more years.
Thanks Hans! Yes, the Aldi/Scheppach are pretty amazing for the money. Plenty you could do with them to improve, but I think the table’s a sticking point! 👍
I don't remember anymore how the table is screwed/mounted to the chassis. I connected it 10 months ago and that was it.
I should take a look if it is a "mission impossible" or not..
In the video I noticed that also the Titan has a 1400 mm blade. So all three band saws have the same blade length.
Thanks for another incredibly helpful review, Peter. I only subscribed last week but have blasted through a raft of your content, and taken delivery of a Benchdogs rail square with 5% discount . The best bit so far was your use of the phrase, ‘fannying about’! Not heard that for ages……..
Thanks Ady, and welcome! Lots of back-catalogue to catch up on! 👍👍
Hi Peter, I have had some great work out of the Titan bandsaw and continue to get as such. However, as you say that came after a bit of fettling. I sorted the fence by inlaying the lower grabs with sticky backed cork sheet and it is now rock solid. I would also like to mention that the top yellow knob tensions the blade whilst the lever on the back de-tensions the blade by pressing DOWN and not up. So the cammed wheel shouldn't reach the top section, it presses down to ease off tension. It therefore DOES work! Keep up the great videos.
Thanks. As I mentioned in the video, the de-tensioning lever doesn’t work on mine. It gets to the point where something looks like it’s about to happen then the handle hits the bodywork and won’t go any further - this is right at the end of the travel, so there’s clearly something awry. Glad yours works for you! I changed the fence on mine for a cheap Axminster one - see videos #294 & 294 👍👍
I bought the Aldi band saw and found it had really bad vibration. I had to balance the top and bottom wheels which improved the operation of the saw. It didn't take much to balance the wheel and I used hot glue as weight, which worked really well.
Interesting! I’d have just chucked it back to them! 👍
Love it. Try clamping the fence down on the TITAN. I wish that when you mention the price in pounnds you could tell us in US funds it would be. If that's possible
Thanks Peter, I learned a lot. The Aldi app is a great way of keeping track of the special buys as they come on line.
Thanks Juliet! There’s an app for that, lol! 👍😂
I have the Mastercraft (sold by Canadian Tire), a dead ringer for the Titan. The problem I have is with the lack of adjustability of the guides and thrust bearing. Very little available adjustment if you want to go to a 1/8" (3.125mm) blade.
I just picked up a MasterCraft bandsaw and going through it for the first time. Yes those tiny little metal nubs for the guides are difficult to work with
Now that watched the video a bit, you're right, it's exactly the same. The only minor difference I can see is the on/off switch
You can possibly make a larger cam obviously with maximum + minimum clearance and include any obstacle close , half a yingyang sort of shape without the pointy tip
I have enjoyed watching you strategy forward no noncentral diversions PS I really new at all of this but I love it
After reading your very good review and thank you for that, I purchased the Titan, and I thought like you that the blade tension release lever did not work, but I found at least on my one, if you turn it anticlockwise as far as it goes until it touches the tracking knob it does work even with the tension knob set as far as it will go on maximum tension.
I agree with you about the 15 turn door screws, I have modified mine and now has (32mm diameter) large knobs the same style as the others on the machine with now only 4 turns with a circlip fitted into a groove in place of the squashed washer that they fit.
The last mod that have made was to fit a ( about 32cm long) flexy LED light that can be directed towards the blade as required.
Thanks for that update Raymond, very useful. I’ll take another look at the tension quick r lease, but I’m pretty sure it didn’t do anything on mine, whichever way I turned it! 👍
Thanks Peter for your reply. As the release lever is turned anticlockwise the rubber roller moves Downward (and not upward) resistance is then met (keep turning) as then it Compresses the spring all the way until it meets the tracking knob and then takes tension off the band.
Hi Peter,
The so called wobbly fence on the Aldi is fine. All I needed to do was "spin" the cam lever until it was tight enough to grip the table firmly, then clamp the fence in place.
BTW, did you notice that the Aldi appears to have no drive belt but seems to be direct drive. (one fewer problem area).
Thanks Mike. It was the Titan that had the particularly poor fence, btw - the Aldi wasn’t great, but it didn’t affect the cut. And no, can’t say I noticed the lack of a belt - I haven’t owned the bandsaw for a little while 👍
Had my Titan for three years now, still original blade, mainly used for pine but some oak and hard plastic ! As for the fence ,set it up on day one and not touched it since. I can remove it when required and when put back is tight enough to pull the saw around the workshop with it (mobile table !) The mitre guide was sloppy in its channel but fixed that so all in all am more than pleased with it . What do people want for less than £100 !
Exactly! I think it's a brilliant little saw for the money! 👍
Great review Peter,Could i suggest keeping both Bandsaws,The reason been is to fit a resaw blade in one and a scrolling blade in the other,It saves a lot on set up time .Plus they are only small so easy to store.
Thanks Iain! Yeah, still pondering that one! Really tight on space though, so we’ll see 👍
Peter, turn quick release tension handle all the way to the anti clockwise (away from the beam) to relase tension. It doesnt push on the top plate, it pushes on the bar behind the wheel. You show it coming to a stop on the video. Interestingly i dont get tension as low in the adjustment as you, so now i need to do more fettling. Also, i made knobs and shorter bolts for the doors. Sure there is more but cant remember.
Thanks. The quick release lever does nothing at all on mine - it doesn’t bear against any part at all, there’s no ‘feel’ in the lever that you’d expect when it engages, it’s ‘floppy’, disconnected somehow. Need investigating, certainly 👍
Glad you've done that video Peter been considering the titan saw was nice to see a comparison and how well it cuts
Thanks! Yes, cuts really nicely without the shonky fence. Upgrade due soon, I think 👍
My cheap and cheerful B&Q bands I have had for a couple of years hasn't been used much because it drifts like the Titan. I might just give a block of wood a go to see if it fixes it.
Thank you Peter, great review.
Thanks. I did a makeover in this after about a year, made a big difference. 2-part series, P1 here - vid 293 Bandsaw Makeover P1 ua-cam.com/video/EGgwDYl7T9M/v-deo.html
@@10MinuteWorkshop I'll check them out.
Many thanks.
Good review peter. The fence was the first thing I ditched when I bought mine but the saw has always done what I’ve asked of it.
Thanks! 👍
Thanks loads Peter, I'm looking to purchase a bandsaw in the coming weeks so this has been a great help. Cheers 👍🏼🍻
Cheers Pete, glad it's helped 👍
Regarding the wobbley fence!! Someone used doublesided tape to stick an aluminium ruler to the bottom of the fence which took the play out of tge fence. After that, the cuts were square!
I'm tempted to get a second bandsaw - I use my monster one for ripping and changing blades is a real PITA when you need them set up very precisely - a little cheapo with a 1/4" for scoll work would be a real luxury. BTW ALL cheapo manufacturers quote the INPUT wattage (bit dishonest marketing BS) which is usually 20 to 30% more than the actual output wattage - Axminster and proper brands dont do this - they'll all have equal motors, Titan here isnt direct drive which means less stress on the motor and a gearing advantage but a slight drop in power (though its less likely to stall)
I love how in the 1st video you were like “nah, don’t really use a bandsaw, meh” and now you have 3 😂
Not any more! 😂👍👍
A very honest video Peter. Thank you for your time.
Cheers Peter. Conclusion up this Friday (tomorrow) 👍
Good advice for all New bandsaw owners-BIN THE STOCK BLADE! Cheers Peter👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
Yes, absolutely! Always interesting to see how they cut with the stock blade though, as it’s an easy upgrade with instant results 👍
Nice review. Very helpful. Fannying about! Great vernacular 😁😁😁
Thanks! And yes, absolutely 😂👍
Thanks! And yes, absolutely 😂👍
Re the fence issue, here’s a nice comment from a Scewfix reviewer... Some people mentioned that the fence is wobbly. It is, but there is an extremely easy fix: Just slide a 1mm packer underneath on the far end of the fence (furthest away from you) before you tighten it. I got a bunch of plastic packers from Screwfix which have served me for all kinds of purposes, but you could just as well use some thicker cardboard. Problem solved. Axminster also sells a fence upgrade for 14 quid which you can bolt to this saw and should improve the fence even further, but with the packer tip, it's perfectly fine for rip cuts. "
Hope this helps.
Thanks. If you take a look at the next video in this series (#149) I draw those exact conclusions. Video coming shortly about the fence upgrade. 👍
Peter Millard thanks Peter. I'm just about to buy the titan so look forward to you video.
Peter, the problem with your fence is simply because it is not locked down tight enough. unlock it, turn the locking handle one full turn clockwise lock it down, the fence should now hold rigidly, if it doesn't give it one more turn until it does. I had a 15 year old axminster band saw which finally gave up the ghost so I bought a titan and I find that it is much better than the old axminster.
Hi David. I appreciate the thought, but the fence play really isn’t because it’s not locked down tight enough! I can ignore the quick release and turn that screw as tight as I can, and the fence still pops up off the table. There are a couple of little plastic lugs that hook under the table to keep it located, and there seems to be a lot of wiggle room there: no matter how much I tighten it, in use it shifts. If I decide to keep it, there’ll be a fence and blade upgrade in its future! 👍
Using the Sheppach Basa 1.0 just swapped the blade for a much thicker one & what a huge difference it makes much nicer cut on thicker materials. Thanks for your video if room here would allow I’d opt for a taller Record Power machine but I’ll make do with this.
Thanks Tony! Yes, blade upgrade is on the cards 👍
I have an Aldi bandsaw (the older version with curved top), it still works fine for me.
Another really enjoyable informative and well put together video. Thanks
Thanks! 👍
The rip fence should lock if you tighten the locking lever , I have the aldi and it isn’t great ,I think if you’re going to invest in a band saw I have a good one from SIP with a depth of cut at 8 inches ish for around £500 but it’s a solid machine and very useful in the workshop ,I’ll send a picture of it soon.
Great video Peter very well explained nice to see these entry level bandsaws compared. I ended up with a Scheppach HBS30 very similar to the HBS20 except it has a 350 watt motor
and extendable bed 300 x 300 to 520 mm. It's also supplied with 3 extra blades 6, 10 and 14. It performs very well for hobby work and light diy.
Nice! And thanks! 👍👍
A bit late I know, but having been after a Bandsaw for a few months and waiting for Screwfix to get the Titan back in stock. Today I received notification that Axminster have their AC1400B back in stock and with £45 off. So not as cheep as the Workzone or the Titan but with my rough maths not much more when you have to buy a new fence for the others. I don't work for Axminster but thought it was worth a mention. Greg
Good to know, thanks Greg! 👍👍
Haha in the second shot you look like a giant against the tiny bandsaws. Love this video
Oh man you just keep giving!!! More of these please! I love reviews :) Testing of cheap/no name stuff is really fun to watch. Maybe some patreon thing could support you buying, testing, selling to keep a healthy amount of reviews going. Sorry for grammar .. brain is squashed after work and English is not my main language (latter is a bad excuse though)
Thanks! Patreon link in the description of every video, and at the end of every video. Very grateful for all the support, but always room for more! And your English is perfect! 👍👍
Thank you Peter for the info
Another good review Peter. I have the Titan and as you say it needs a bit of Ferlinghetti to achieve good results but once it's set I am achieving good results. I found adjusting the 2 little pins that the blade runs through made a big difference. For what I need it for it is a very handy piece of kit for the money. Downside, finding more room in the shop to keep it 😩
Cheers pal
Yeah, getting the blade guides set up snug makes a big difference, and I'm amazed how much I use mine! 👍👍
Really useful comparisons here, Peter. Am considering the Titan for my own shop, so very keen to hear how you got on with the Axminster fence upgrade.
Thanks! Axminster fence upgrade is sat in the box it arrived in due to work madness just now - there'll be a video in due course, I promise! 👍
@@10MinuteWorkshop Did you ever manage to get the Axminster fence fitted, Peter? And any joy with getting the tension adjustment lever to work?
Peter Shaw Nope - still in its box! I think I might have said at the time I don’t use the fence much, and this proves it, lol! I’ll get onto it soon, I’m sure. 😬👍
Nice compare, I have the new Scheppach with casted table, it's much better than the old one. If you bay a power tool within this price section, you have to know that you have to tune up and improofe some parts by your self. Nobody can expect high quality for less money.
👍👍
You can tighten the fence up. The cam isn't on a straight rod, it's a screw thread so just turn it clockwise a few times and it should grip the table no problem.
...oh and the Aldi one is being sold by Parkside from Lidl for £70.
Thanks - not my first rodeo, whilst this one will tighten, it doesn’t make it any more stable, sadly. Lidl Parkside tools are often rebadged Einhell, Aldi are usually rebadged Scheppach - I’d be interested to see if Lidl are starting to sell Scheppach. 👍
I had to send mine back because it wouldn't turn on when I bought it.
The replacement they sent me had been dropped or something as the base was bent and the post had ripped away from it on one corner.
The third one they sent me is on it's way now and it has come straight from Scheppach.
...and my bandsaw was delivered today!
...except it wasn't a bandsaw, it was a mitre saw :/
So, still waiting for my bandsaw...after a month :(
@@10MinuteWorkshop Maybe not relevant, but I just bought a Parkside compressor which is made by scheppach aparently.
@@diyengineer811 That's interesting, thanks Mark! Is it any good? I'm looking for a small quiet one... 🤔
Great video peter. I think you've got a secret love for the aldi bandsaw. It was the video that i found your channel. I wudnt part with it. It wud be good to see how long it lasts before it gives up the ghost. They where selling it over here recently. Still haven't bought it yet.
You know what I wud recommend doing a video on. Last year I bought the lidl mitre saw. €80. My old man was using it yesterday & he loved it. He said he owned Makita, dewalt mitre saws over the years & he said, the Lidl one is fantastic for its value. They currently have them on sale at the moment for €60. Probably £40
Thanks! Haha, I do! Really love that little bandsaw, so so useful. Great idea about the Lidl mitre saw! Pair that off against the Kapex, lol! 👍👍
Peter Millard good idea Peter. The auld woodworking gear out of aldi & Lidl aint bad. Some of its rubbish. But there marketing wank is fantastic. You go in to buy a bit of fruit & come out with a shit load of diy tools. Great! You should do a few videos on their stuff. I bought a set of squares yesterday €7. Compared them to my empire one which coast €28. Spot on.
Bought an Aldi bandsaw yesterday. Looking forward to using it soon.
Excellent! Let me know how you get on 👍
Great comparison. Thanks.
Resawing wood on a band saw is a special skill that needs training. Once i saw a good video on that subject on Wood Workers Guild of America.
I do not remember if it was in their "free" part or in their paid membership part. I decided to become a member a few months ago. They have special offers from time
to time, like a membership for 1 year for 4, 7, 9 or 11 USD. It's worth it. Normally a membership is about 40 USD a year.
Yes, it isn’t a skill I pretend to have, but interesting for an ‘unskilled’ user like me to be able to get a decent cut in a basic saw 👍
I'm not good at it either. The heigher the wood the bigger the thrift The video on WWGOA is worth seeing but it is rather technical and it requires in any case
a lot of trial and error. At least I found out why things go (sometimes) wrong. When one knows his and/or the tool's limits things are easier to accept and
whether live with it or start with upgrading.
That's a really useful review Peter. Thank you.
Thanks Andy! 👍
Great and useful review, Sir. Thanks and greetings from Chile.
Thank you! 👍
you should only care for S1 rating when comparing motors. S1 is always quoted but different manufacturers will quote different time duties like 60% 40% and 20% along with the S1(100%). Sometimes you will find S1 ratings on two motors and an S4 rating on one and S6 on the other. And you can't compare S4 to S6
Do a review on the titan planer thicknesser. Available from screwfix for £140. I'd be interested to see your views on it.
Never owned one so it would be a bit of a novice review! Heard good things about the slightly pricier Erbauer though👍
Few good reviews on UA-cam for that p/t, gonna get me one whilst it’s 20 quid off, Rutlands do similar for 180, but it’s probably the same. 👍🏻
Try to get your hands on an old Wadkin
Titan thicknessers are driven with a belt not chain.I had two and the belt broke on both not long after I had them.Decided not to risk another so had a refund. Take from that what you will.
Would love to see a review of this machine, it keeps tempting me with that price. Usually even more tempted when arms are tired from planing...
I’ve just ordered a press drill and promised my wife no more large(ish) power tools. So I hope you are proud of yourself, you’ve broken a marriage and made several power tools and myself homeless!
I bought a Titan brad nailer recently (which is now also homeless) which is far superior to the Stanley it’s replacing which lasted 1.5 uses. I didn’t know it was SF's own brand.
With the bandsaw it’s those spline sized cuts that really appeal to me for the corners of my picture frames. As they are decorative rather than strengthening I’m using a biscuit saw and beech biscuits at the moment. If I had a bandsaw I could make bigger ones which would make the frames more robust.
I commented on another of your videos about my difficulties, but this means any tools I buy have to be portable for me. Do you know a rough weight for the saws please?
Great video, I really like your presentation style.
Thanks Mark! And just for the record, I didn’t make you buy anything - I just made you *want* to buy 😆👍 According to the specs at screwfix it’s 19Kg, but I don’t know if that’s package weight or just the saw. 👍👍
Peter Millard Thanks Peter, much appreciated. Whenever I tell my wife I "need" something she will always question whether it’s a need or a want.
Hello sir. Nice review. If you don’t mind I would like to say that your information on the tension handle is a little off as it is designed to release the tension by pushing down on the mechanism not up. If you are in front of the saw you turn it clock wise & it presses down making the wheel move down. There is no need to move the tension knob on top. I only realised this the other day whilst changing my blade. Thanks. Mark.
On the Titan? Thanks, I understand what it should do, but mine simply does nothing. 🤔
Peter Millard I have just been out to check mine as it did nothing also. He is correct. If you pull the lever/cam down it removes tension. Good shout UKCD. 👍🏼
I'll take another look, but in this video, at around 9.40 I show that the cam the lever moves doesn't make contact when the blade is tensioned. It literally just spins around.
Peter I will do a short video to maybe better explain what I mean.
OK, thanks. My bandsaw’s pretty inaccessible right now, so I’m working from memory, and from the video, lol!
My aldi tracking feature for the wheel is useless now, had it two years, changed the blade on it, and it tracks the blade off. The metal on it is cheap and flexible and it got use for the price. However on a new job at the moment which I need my saw for. Not very happy with it now. It was ok for ripping but nothing finessed.
Thanks for teaching your experience. I want a cheap used saw but local used market is dry at the moment. I’m considering a new WEN 10 for 250.00 US.
Just to follow on from what Peter said re the Aldi's availability, although they can appear and disappear throughout the year, they tend to always show up in the runnup to Fathers Day (as do their famous chisels). Also, not to complicate things any further, I would be fascinated to know how the new Record BS9 would compare in this company. Can we tempt you to a fourth bandsaw Peter?
Thanks Ian - hadn’t made the Father’s Day connection, duh! Oh my, another bandsaw! I think, on reflection, it’s time to finish this up and move on tbh - leave something for another UA-camr to cover, lol 😂👍
There’ll be one Aldi per local area that is a dumping ground for unsold special buys from all the other stores. I went yesterday and there was 3 bandsaws randomly there. They were a special buy here in Australia a cpl months ago. I might buy one
Really interesting video Peter. I am still deciding between a new saw or buying a used, heavy saw and rebuilding it. I'll let you know!
If you know what you’re doing then a good used saw will be a great project 👍
Well - it looks like I am bidding on a project bandsaw and we'll have to see how that works out...
I have a delta bandsaw of this size, got it for a tenner on a carboot, it has a cast iron table, i use it for models and pens, i found screwing a 1"x2" block of squared off wood to the mitre and letting the saw cut it off is alot better for small cutting jobs, i did not like the gap between the blade and mitre
Good tip, thanks! Also a Delta for a tenner!! Bargain! 👍
This was the video I was waiting for, thank you Peter 👍 unfortunately I'm in the Midlands, otherwise I'd be bidding on them bandsaw, but... given I'm not to fussed about the fence, I think I might have a look at that titan saw, thanks for including the oak cut with a decent fence, based on the cut with the stock fence, I think I would of just left it ☺🗜🛠
Thanks Mark! I figured it had to be better than it was, and was so pleased with the rip cut against the length of timber - better than the Aldi, and with the stock blade too! I’m not a big fence user either, but always interesting to see how they fare 👍
I just had from Amazon a WEN 3962T 3.5-Amp 10-Inch Two-Speed Band Saw with Stand and Work light. for $335 us dollars. Don't know how that will compare
Hi Peter, I just stumbled across your video and found it really interesting and informative. Just off to Spain for a few weeks, but a band saw is on my shopping list for when I get back! I did like the hack that the Baron Rouge passed on - nice one mate! So it will possibly be the Titan from Screwfix as I already have a Titan table saw and have found it absolutely brilliant and a must have for any newbie woodworker. However, and please correct me if I am wrong, but I was of the impression that a band saw was better suited for cutting curves rather than straight edges, however I can see the benefit of having the band saw as one is able to cut far thicker pieces of timber than on the bench saw. Kind regards, Michael.
Thanks Michael, and welcome! Yes, bandsaws are good for cutting curves, which is why cutting a thin straight line is particularly challenging - and a great test for general set-up. This video is a couple of years old now BTW - Axminster have a small bandsaw at around the same price as the Titan, but with a cast iron table, just FYI. I think that would be the one I'd go for if I was buying now. 👍
@@10MinuteWorkshop Yes! Just had a look at the Axminster P1400B saw - looks like it could be a good deal. We have an Axminster outlet in Basingstoke, might be worth a look at when I get back!
Aldi is selling the Workzone one at the moment. 23/09/2018. £79.99 and free delivery
Thanks Tony! Yeah, they do free delivery on anything over about £20 I think. Just be aware that the current version only comes with a 1-year warranty, apparently, not the 3 years of the one I tested👍👍
Really useful thank you
The bandsaw are back in ALDI and are priced 79.99 as of today 03/06/2018.
Yes, thanks! 👍
S1, S2 reminds me of how amplifiers and speakers are rated. Cheap stuff usually quotes that they can handle for a very short moment or with lots of distortion giving huge amount of watts while expensive pro stuff always quote the continuous high quality level.
Yes !That’s so true, and the perfect way to describe it, thanks! 👍
Yes, when looking at amplifier output, decent equipment will quote the RMS power (root mean square) where as cheap equipment quotes PMPO (Peak Music Power Only).
Great vid, just had text to say my Titan bandsaw is available for collection... some fettling and fence making for me over the weekend 👍🏻
Nice one Richard! I’d be very interested to hear about your ‘out of the box’ experience, see if it matches mine. Hope it goes well! 👍
Hi Peter, quick play on bandsaw today, short session as blooming cold (Boiler packed up, so shop heaters moved into the house, Just in time for the big chill 😣) . Bandsaw, easy setup, table is solid and rack & pinion adjustment is very good. Fence is garbage as you know 😀, less blade drift than you but still too much. I will probably make one. Fyi, the quick release handle on mine works, it does not touch at the top like yours, (not sure its sypposed to) but dropping handle left or right, moves the black metal casing which tightens the blade. Hope that's clear? Thanks Richard
Good video yet again Peter. I hadn't even considered the Titan to be in the same league as the Axminster, but with the right fettling, I guess it is (although I hadn't with the Aldi one either)!
Thanks Jim, and thanks so much for your intrepid work re. the S1/S2 classification! As I say in the vid the Axminster is absolutely the best machine of the three, but for half the price the Titan is surprisingly capable, admittedly with some tweaking. Very impressed with the stock blades on all these too, didn’t really expect much from a max depth rip cut in Oak, but they all did well 👍
As always a great video Peter - today was had a particular relevance to me as I've been looking at the Titan bandsaw to add to my Titan collection (table saw / planer / plunge saw). Maybe Titan don't do fences very well, I love their table saw but it's fence is terrible. I'd be very interested to know if you found a good fix for the bandsaw fence (other than a block of wood) as otherwise it sounds like a great machine that would appeal to a large percentage of your audience, maybe a great topic for one of 1 - 2 minute workshop tips if you find a good solution ?
Thanks! I have a blade & fence upgrade planned for the Titan, wether I decide to keep it or not, I think it’ll be a worthwhile experiment. And yes, with a bit of tweaking & fettling, the Titan cuts really nicely. 👍
Also interested to hear how you get on with the fence upgrade - thanks for the useful comparison videos
Pleasure - will keep you posted re the fence upgrade 👍
I did see somewhere sombody talking of a fix for the titan fence. I think it referred to the use of a 1mm spacer to fill the gap between fence and table.
Really good post this Peter thank you. Would you happen to know the size of the tiny screw holding the plastic insert plate in? I dropped mine in the workshop never to be seen again! Titan bandsaw.
Sorry John, I don't own any of these any more.
Great review! Land fill material. Global problem!
Hi , thanks for the reviews , but i notice that the Titan motor is offset rather than being direct drive as per the other two . is there a reduction in blade phrephial speed on the Titan ? , Mathias Wardle commented on his page that the direct drive ones where a bit fast
I’m afraid I’ve no idea - this video’s a few years old and I don’t have any of these bandsaws any more - but I certainly didn’t notice any difference between them in use. 👍
I find the input and output power ratings very confusing. Some of the stat blurb given only gives one rating, so it could be either. It would be great if manufacturers only gave the out put power which is the important one.
key things required in a bandsaw: Cast iron table - not pressed steel or aluminium. Ceramic or ball race blade guides which are accessible and therefore easy to setup for good blade alignment. A rack and pinion adjustment for the blade height. A motor with a power rating of 400W+. If you intend to saw anything where repeatability of cut is important, cheapo bandsaws are a waste of your time and money. For your ongoing health, dust extraction.
I was thinking of getting the Aldi band saw for cutting my catapults out of plywood which is 18mm but just struggling which one to get as I only have £120
The Aldi is great, as long as you use it within its capacity. It’ll deal with 18mm Ply easily, though I’d suggest budgeting for a blade upgrade before too long. I have a few ‘budget bandsaw’ videos in a playlist - may be worth taking a look as I explain my reasons for moving on from the Aldi after 6 months 👍👍
Were can i get a new blade for my Aldis band saw, and what size? Mine snapped!
I look forward to seeing a pillar drill review if you ever make one keep up the good work be well
Thanks! Don’t think I use a pillar drill enough to have much of an opinion I’m afraid! But certainly something to consider! 👍
Bought the parkside one from Lidless today for £70. 350 watts and seems fine.
Sorry Lidls.
on the titan bandsaw could grub screws be added to the fence thighting attachment to eleminate the play on the fence.
Not that I could see - I t’s just a really sloppy mechanism. I’ve bought a third-party fence, we’ll see how it works out 👍
Aldi saw available online free delivery if you spend over £20
Yep, great value👍👍
Great reviews Peter, I've just watched all 3 of these, as I'm teetering on the edge of getting my first bandsaw in the next few weeks, and here in Australia, Aldi have got stock for the time being.. It's priced at $129, which I guess with currecny conversion, is around the 80 quid you paid.. I don't care much for the thin tinny table and lack of miter slot though, seems like they could have borrowed the cast version from the Axminster..
With regards to that, and the fact that those 2 are so structurally similar, could you not switch the tables..?
I plan on doing a lot more fine woodworking, so my current setup of an upside down mounted $90 jigsaw through a sheet of half inch ply, is not cutting it any more, (bad pun intended, sorry)
I don't really have a budget as such, so I'm also looking at a Hare and Forbes branded bandsaw, model BP-255, for around $470, the plus with that is the proper, solid table with -accurate- fence and miter slides, 152mm height, and 245mm throat, as well as a few accessories, but it is 4 times the Aldi price..
Decision, decisions..
Here's the link by the way:
www.machineryhouse.com.au/W950?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1PmAt_Ss2gIVhQoqCh2aPQv3EAYYASABEgKsc_D_BwE
Anyway, sorry to ramble, it's nearly 2am, so probably best I go to bed now.. Thanks again for your reviews, and look forward to seeing more in the future..
Hi Gene & thanks! The Aldi is a great little machine for a beginner, or as a first bandsaw, but I think if you know what a bandsaw can do then you're probably better off going for something else, as I think you'd soon outgrow it. But for the money, it's excellent, as long as you use it within its capacity. And no, sadly, the Axminster table used a completely different mounting system, so they weren't swappable. That Hare & Forbes looks like a tidy machine - but as you say, at a much higher price. Best of luck with the decision - let me know what you go for. Cheers, Peter 👍
I have just looked on the Aldi site today (1/7/19), and the saw is on show and apparently available.
Thanks! Just be aware there seem to be a few quality control issues with the current model - a few folks have reported problems with the blade staying on the bottom wheel. 👍
goo.gl/search/weather+today+jaipur+rajasthan
☀️ It's 6°C in Jaip
Do you think the titan will get some good 4-5mm thick cut from some stabilised wood blanks,
These are 60mm high , 80mm long ,
Id like to get as many thin slices out of these blanks/ blocks as possible, if i use some 3" thick wood for a stable fence like you did,
I have a few blanks id like to almost veneer some pieces from at anything from 3mm-4mm , and 5mm thickness
for a couple of home projects,
It should be OK, though it’s not the kind of thing I use it for tbh. I’d recommend you change the blade for something from Ian John at tuffsaws.co.uk - he’ll be able to advise on the best blade for the job.👍👍
Always second hand for me - professional quality for less than budget new. Whatever you get it is only as good as the blade and getting a few decent quality blades will transform any machine. Amazing how cheap tools are these days, when I was starting out this budget gear just didn't exist.
Wonder how the small harbor freight 9 in band saw would stand up to comparison?
Hi Peter. Just thought i'd let you know the 3/8 blade from bedford saws fits the titan like a dream so it now re-saws so much better. I also bought the 1/4 inch blade from bedford saws and it cuts like butter. i think it was about £8.50 a blade. Just need a better fence now. Any recommendations.
I bought (but have yet to fit) the cheap one from Axminster (£13.50 if I remember right) which should work well - but as I say, I haven’t done it yet. I usually recommend Ian John at tuffsaws.co.uk for replacement blades, but always good to have another source, thanks! 👍👍
Yeah i looked at tuffsaw. There wasn't much difference. So i picked the slightly cheeper one. cheers for the fence details.
Cheaper versions of any type of product have always been available, and if you need that product, and you’re budget restricts you, you do your research and get a balance of best/most for your money. What you won’t get is quality, ie works for you not against you, is not lacking in essential features, does the essential task without compromise or flaw, built to last. Again, for any type of product, there is a starting price where all the factors that effect quality are met. A 100 years ago, if you could only afford cheap shoes, that’s what you bought, but importantly, nobody tried to actively encourage you to buy cheap shoes with claims that they were as comfortable or as durable as more expensive shoes. Now we are in the age of making cheap copies (to be blunt) and convincing people that they are as good as the quality version. This is an area of modern consumerism, an industry that runs parallel with ‘real’ manufacturing, ersatz products. Yes, I’m caught up in it, we all are. The thing is, even when we can afford the quality level product, we pursue the cheap copy, because it’s there. Built around the blade of any bandsaw, is precision and versatility, and only one of these three can meet those requirements. A mitre guide, a table that tilts, a rigid table, a fence that locks solid, these are essential for the bandsaw to do what it was designed for.
the problem with all 9-10 inch bandsaws is total lack of power. they bug down with anything over 1/2 inch thick especially on turns.
Excellent video, thanks.
Thanks! 👍
What would you suggest buying now? I noticed that a lot of these bandsaw reviews get dated quickly since the models get discontinued for some reason.
The Triton is still available - though obviously, the saw you buy today may well be different to the one I had here. I replaced mine with a larger (10”) Aldi Ferrex model which is doing OK. I have my Titan away after some upgrades, and it’s still going strong afaik. 👍
I have the Ryobi version which looks exactly like the Titan but different paint & I spend more time setting it up and cleaning it than cutting, dust collection is very bad after few cuts you will need to open those 20 turns screws and to find out that dust is sticking everywhere including the doors. I would not recommend it to anyone.
Appreciate the heads-up on the Ryobi, but I’d be very careful about assuming that because things look the same on the outside, that they’re the same on the inside. I’ve run the Titan since this video was made (18 months or so ago) without any issues, the first 12 months of that as a stock machine without even a blade upgrade. Works great 👍
@@10MinuteWorkshop Thanks for your reply PM you are right could be that internals are different but should be the same mold externally at least. Even those textures on the door internal side look the same. The saw does cut and has used it for wood and 1-2 mm thin aluminum as well with a bimetal blade but the frustration of squaring the blade and the fence and quick dust build up inside around both top and bottom wheels are what makes it not a great experience for me.
Sorry Peter, forgot to ask....
When deciding between the Aldi and the Titan, what importance did you attach to the fact that the Aldi has a metal rising blade guide yet the Titan just has a plastic guide, and does it matter?
Doesn’t matter a scrap to me, for my usage - though as I say, I’m not a heavy bandsaw user, so it may make more of a difference to others. 👍
So the tension is an F#
you can buy them on their website all the time