I Bought ALL THE WEN TOOLS! Let's Review.
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- Опубликовано: 1 июн 2024
- Testing and ranking every WEN woodworking tool for my budget shop. For 10% off your first purchase, go to: squarespace.com/makesomething
There's a reason why WEN tools are cheaper than the big name brands which we go over in detail. But besides one MAJOR issue I would feel comfortable recommending any one of these tools to the budget minded woodworker.
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WEN Tools Reviewed (Affiliate Links)
Drill Press: amzn.to/3tZvcHQ
Bandsaw: amzn.to/3S9EUiU
Thickness Planer: amzn.to/48IjD6O
Jointer: amzn.to/3Sq4scP
Miter Saw: amzn.to/492uWGC
Belt & Spindle Sander: amzn.to/3Sowbe2
Plunge Router: amzn.to/492uuIq
Trim Router: amzn.to/4929PEE
Track Saw: amzn.to/3Hutmln
Guide Rail Track: amzn.to/4b7xLYU
Circular Saw: amzn.to/3u7AFfx
Palm Sander: amzn.to/3Spxidd
Table Saw: amzn.to/3vGGbGt 
Хобби
UPDATE: Wen is shipping a new planer to me this week.
UPDATE 2: New planer has been delivered. Will unbox it this weekend.
UPDATE 3: New planer works perfectly. 5 Stars.
hoping you do an updated review on that performance. I was saddened that you weren't able to do it for this video due to factory error because I was thinking of getting that one.
I got the same model, bought it cheap to see if I'd use it enough to buy a fancier one - and don't feel I need the fancier one! It does a great job, lovely finish, can go straight to joinery. Next step: replace the HSS bits with carbide.
What's crazy about this, and why I'm thankful for this video, is as a complete beginner, I would never know that was supposed to be there! I would just assume it was a pain in the ass to use, or I wasn't good at using it! Thanks for sharing!
I have a few Wen tools in my shop, I blew up the guide bearings on my portable bandsaw and out of warranty they still sent me parts for no cost
I hope you revisit the planer when you get the new one
Being a single dad with 5 kids I had to quit my job and for the first time in my life at the age of 42 I had to be home for my son who's non verbal due to no day care in my county here in west Virginia so I've been woodworking to make money and with that said I don't have the money to buy the red or the green tools so I've found that Wen products are right with my budget and from my experience they all work and get the job done. Love your videos thanks for taking the time to make your videos. Be safe God bless
There is no shame in making a sound business decision! I wish you all the best, your kids will learn a lot from you I am sure! 👍
Your choice of WEN tools isn’t going to impede your woodworking. I’m a WEN tool owner and I haven’t any regrets. BTW your a good dad taking great care of your son.
Plot twist: you’ll learn more about yourself from your children than they necessarily learn from you.
@@danervin2530 you are so right sir. I’ve learned so much and I’m truly blessed
Hey man do what you have to do! I recently became a stay at home dad just financially made sense. But man you can get some good quality tools and not spend a bunch of money no matter what others say! I am starting my woodworking as a hobby but FB marketplace has some great stuff for cheap too
i have numerous Wen tools, and none have failed me. ive had them for years, and im STILL blown away at the quality to price ratio.
same! I've also had GREAT luck with Poppco as well; they're at least as good as Milwaukee.
I had the wen planer, that was a piece of junk so i sold it for a loss. Other wen tools I've owned have been decent or good.
Same, love em'
Agreed, have their 7500 watt inverter generator
@@brucehansen7949 which one? I got the spiral head planer 3 years ago and it's been excellent.
As someone who's interested in getting into woodworking, I cannot thank you enough for these budget minded tools videos. They are fantastic and the insight you bring to them with your years of experience is invaluable. Thank you so much!
Most of my tools are wen, love there tools.
I honestly can recommend ryobi for a lot of tools also. Their trim router is great, brad and pin nailer are wonderful, Only thing Id recommend is getting a good sander from someone like festool. I have the ryobi tracksaw ( i got for 200$ on sale including the track, a 4amp battery charger and thr saw) and had the ts75 festool saw got stolen and for most people the ryobi will work for most things. The festool has luxury features and a deeper cut but ive found it helped me to research what you can use cheaper tools for and what's worth investing in as well as the tools that provide the most ability to serve different purposes.
I have a WEN planer (about 2 years old) and it's been great to work with... Of course mine came with all the parts! Another key point about WEN is that they make replacement parts for a lot longer than some other brands, so you should be able to repair them down the road.
Agreed the two speed version is well worth the money for a broad spectrum of soft and hard woods. Great bang for your buck especially for beginners.
I have a mix of brands in my shop and can proudly say Wen has worked for me. I started out with the Dewalt table saw and planer but went with the Wen band saw, jointer, and drum sander to complete my shop and have never looked back. Some of the points you raised are valid but they get the job done for someone like me who is a weekend woodworker. I lusted after a jointer for the longest time. Wen made it possible. 😃
A jointer is the last thing I desperately Need! Thanks for the input..
I recently was setting up dust collection on my planer that was purchased in 2020, and they sent me parts that I had lost free within 2 business days. Great service and 5 machines later, and would still recommend highly.
WEN actually has *excellent* customer service. They will 100% fix this problem.
Excellent customer service does not take over 12 days to response to a customer and still have the issue unsolved after 18 days when the customer is responding with the requested information.
The torsion spring tension can be adjusted on all (most) drill presses.
I really hope there will be an update review on the planer. Both how the company handled the replacement or repair, if at all, and hopefully seeing it in action.
It was the tool I watched the video for, and I too was greatly disappointed in its condition.
I had good experience with my first lathe. The control housing was cracked during shipping/handling and they replaced the whole unit quickly at that time. I am also interested in how the handle his issue, though his taking a great deal longer than I had to deal with
I have the Spiral Cutting Head from Wen, I got it for a great deal, and replaced my old delta planer. This thing cuts like butter, and has taken on some task that bogged down my old delta.
I was even able to find Carbide blades that fit the planer too. I swear some finishes from this planer, i feel like I don't need to sand. However I did overtighten and broke a leveling bolt on the feed bed and Wen replaced that no questions asked, they even sent a few spares incase I did it again.
lol. My sentiments exactly
EDIT: ignore, I'm an idiot. It's a local company.
Removed post that has nothing to do with anything.
@@eric_has_no_idea wen is from Illinois...it's an American company
I have the WEN mini lathe for pen turning and it is AWESOME!! It is dial speed adjusted motor too which is why I went with it. I've had it for 5 years and no issue whatsoever!
I have the same one, and, while I have my issues with some details (those cheap knobs really can get frustrating), it's been fine. That being said, I never recommend that one. The tool post holder is undersized from almost every other lathe on the market, so you're pretty much stuck with the factory tool rests - which aren't very good. Also, the tapers are MT1, while nearly every other lathe is MT2. Meaning that there are some accessories you can't get, and the ones you can will have to be replaced if you want to upgrade later.
My wife is doing woodworking projects in her craft room. We purchased a number of Wen tools for craft room. Its been two year's and they all have worked perfect.
My favorite part of this video is when you had the Wen planer eating the Dewalt sawdust #735 dominance
That gave me a good laugh! 😂
I thought it was a great visual pun for the "collecting dust" idiom. Slight tickling of the brain😁
12:53 id stick the dewalt under my Belsaw and cover it in chips or if i had the money a woodmaster made in the usa
I had a 12.5 wen planer 3 years ago and it was a very heavy piece of scrap metal, I give it a 1 star review it had so many issues with it
Golden shower for the Wen 😂
Daniel: "do you have a knob obsession?" Lol
There are places where you can cheap out easily as a manufacturer without changing functionality. There are places where you can cheap out and hurt function. If you have a good knob chances are corners weren't cut elsewhere (like say a feeding mechanism were to be omitted)
I love all of my Wen tools and they have been great. I have the bigger variable speed drill press, the band saw, the small lathe, the biscuit joiner, an air filtration system, the belt and disc sander, and the variable speed bench grinder. Most of my other tools are Dewalt and Porter-Cable and they fit in nicely in that quality tier. I agree about the knobs on some of their products.
Gosh. I acknowledge, and appreciate, your subtleties. The amount of intentional small little chuckles in your videos is continually refreshing. Your channel and film style is honing- and for me at least- it’s in the right direction.
The reason the wen table saw is loud is because it runs a universal motor through a loud gearbox.
The sawstop uses an induction motor with belts.
Yep. Cheaper table top aluminum table saws are essentially a circular saw bolted to the underside of the table. The motors will bog down under any kind of hardwood thicker than 1". The brushes will eventually have to be changed on them which is usually a big hassle. I had a cheap craftsman and had to change the brushes on the motor. It took me a couple of hours just to remove the motor from the top. They have a direct drive motor.
I would spring for a bigger and beefier 240v PSC motor cabinet saw.
@LutherBuilds my Bosch doesn't "bog down" on 1" anything. At about 1.75 or so it will, which is phenomenal. Just keep in mind we don't always know everything about everything.
However, the Bosch is definitely close to or the same decibel rating, so hearing protection is absolutely necessary.
@@LutherBuilds brushes are cheap and easy to replace. And you should replace them regularly for damn near infinite tool life.
The springback on the drill press is adjustable. Loosen the spring 1/2 turn and see what gives …
I have the Wen digital variable speed drill press. love it. Use 2.5 inch forsner bit no problem.
Have the Wen band saw. Works fine.
I've got the 6 inch jointer. works fine.
Thanks for the reviews.
you know what's funny was, I said in my head AS YOU WERE SAYING IT "I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller" XD I love your music references, I know it's your music background and that we're about the same age, but your music references are ALWAYS 5-star! I'm glad you had the issue with the planar and got to test how the company responds. I really like that bandsaw, I need one and I think I might pick one up. I also think that when you review tools like this, you really do it from the same perspective I would, and I like that too.
Last thing I'll say is, and this is the point you missed, Obviously Wen knows that you're a woodworker if you're buying all these tools, so they just want you to make your own damn knobs XD
For the router spin down time, the wired Wen is using a brushed AC motor, and the Dewalt is using a Brushless DC Motor (3 phase motor). With Brushless DC Motors, you can use the motor controller as a brake to stop the motor quickly, the same way electric cars use "regenerative braking" to cause the motors to slow down. This is not something that can be easily done with brushed AC motors without expensive electronics, so it take much longer to stop spinning.
It can also be done with an electronic brake, which is a fairly simple, low-tech component. My radial arm saw from the '80s has one, so not exactly cutting-edge tech (pardon the pun).
@@petergamache5368yeah, on a brushed motor you just short the 2 motor wires and it acts like a brake.
I have the Wen spiral head planer. It greatly outperforms my Delta planer. It was perfect out of the box.
Same. Mine worked perfectly out of the box and has been worked hard since with zero issues. I'm hoping this one gets a second chance once WEN makes it right. Unfortunate that this is the one that makes it out of the factory incomplete.
actually it`s better to have happened here and not with a newbie who may not of known what to look for or do with it@@jessejohnson85
Same here. I have the exact Wen spiral cutter planer, and it has been awesome.
12:47 I love how you made it witness a big boy real planer doing its job for it while catching all the chips to the face.
It can get some of its stars back when it shows up with all the standard parts as a bare minimum prerequisite.
Great idea for the more budget shop with accessible tools to most people. While vintage is a cool rabbit hole, many people live in tool deserts. Stuff like these might be the best, more affordable options for those people wanting to get into woodworking.
Wen planer is a champ, takes a lickin and keeps on tickin, two years now, no issues. Just keep the floor waxed and it's all good.
The whole planer drama was so touching, and also I like the humor and positive attitude, and also honesty. Thank you for the very entertaining video! You have your own unique approach. Please, continue making videos :D
Your defensive stance when you turned on the bandsaw 🤣
Safety squint engaged! 😂
That Skee-Lo drop got you a new subscriber!
Thank you for the video. I have the WEN 4214T 5-Amp Drill Press. No complaints at all. The throw is a little short, but I mostly make pens and it fits my needs.
I have a few WEN tools. Love them all!
I bought the bigger Wen track saw and the Powertek tracks for it last year. I've ripped and cut dozens of sheets of plywood and pvc with it at this point and I love it for doing straight cuts. There is a little flex to it that you have to be mindful of when cutting, but as long as you don't torque the saw on the track and you just gently push it down it cuts great. The Powertek tracks are longer too, so 1 track lets you easily cut a 4' piece.
Where is the track saw review? Did I miss it? Watched the whole video and never saw it?
Found it lol
I have the WEN 8" drill press and their 1x30 belt/disc sander. Both are workhorses in my little shop. I make bird/squirrel feeders that I sell on Etsy and both of those tools are used on every single feeder that I make. I've had the drill press for 3-4 years (bought it for $75 on Amazon) and got the sander last spring. I'm sold on WEN tools. This was a great video demonstrating the value one gets from WEN. Well done.
I work for a commercial metal framing company and we are phasing out our dewalt and Milwaukee abrasive chopsaws for the wen cold cut steel chop saw. The quality is great and they run great. One of the wen blades it came with actually lasted a whole job for us. Probably well over 1000 cuts. And even with the teeth messed up a bit at the end it still made clean fast cuts. We aren’t a fan of supporting Chinese products but the big box brands are made in China too but this one is way better
This is a five star video, Dave. Hope Wen resolves your planer issue soon!
4.5 stars because there is no REM :) ;)
ahhh.. what the hell, 5 stars it had some Skee-Lo :D
But he scratched his knuckles
Four stars. Hated the knobs.
Mr. Ashley, 4.5 stars… scratched knuckle. 🩸🤭
I have that exact planer and jointer. Fortunately mine was in good working order. Love both of them.
I own so many Wen tools, I'm guessing more than 50 plus, including all the big shop tools, (too many to count) and because of the price point and great quality I was able to equip my shop completely without going bankrupt. Wen has been golden in customer service for me. I could not be happier with my Wen tools...(Just sayin) ;-)
half my shop is wen and love each one of them. solid value.
The planer missing the drive system is honestly a surprise, I got one about 5 years ago and it's still going super strong, only issues I've had was self generated cause I missed a piece of metal before sending a board through so now I need new blades. But it still chews right through hardwood no problem.
The planer knives are reversible, if you didn't already know. You just take them out, flip them around, and put them back in. I ran into the same problem a couple of years ago and was just about to order a new set of knives when I noticed in the description that it said they were reversible.
The WEN Detail Belt Sander is one of my favorite tools - I use it ALL the time with no complaints. It is a bit of an odd ball tool that rarely gets reviewed, but I can't imagine not having it in my shop.
1:20 i made the same mistake when i first got my drill press. the knob isn't supposed to be unscrewed, it's just an adjustable tension for how hard that clip keeps it closed
I have the WEN planer spiral head. glad to see you got a new one and gave it 5 star. i LOVE mine. Hobbyist here but I do alot, and WEN is taking over my shop.
Great cross section of tools! I bought the WEN 10" Miter for a barn board siding project at my in-laws house so I didn't want to take the one out of my shop every time I did work over there. I have it mounted t a Harbor Freight portable miter stand and it's an awesome combo and nice and light to move around. Only change I did was install a quality CMT blade. I also have the WEN jointer that has served me well.
I have several WEN tools. Never had an issue with any of them. I have the drill press. the lathe, belt / disc sander, spindle sander, 8in jointer . dust collector , air filtration, cordless track saw. Love them.
… and the status of your **** plastic knobs and levers? 🤔
Great reviews. I have the larger bandsaw and I'm happy with it. I have been looking at the miter saw for a while, I'm glad you gave it 4 Stars
I want to start by saying this is the first video I have watched of yours,you did an amazing job revising the tools (100 agree with the 4 stars) and had me laughing. Great job sir and you now have one more subscriber. I look forward to watching more.
Next up is the Wen dust collector (7.4amp) please!
I have a wen benchtop wood lathe and the scrollsaw. I have had both for about 6 years now. They are both working well still. They are very good starter tools, and I don't use them every day. When I use them, they work just as they should. Thank you for sharing your video.
Mark, but how’s your knobs and levers?
@markmiller-summer473 I have lost one screw for a handle on the benchtop lathe, the scrollsaw everything still works as it should.
Thanks for this info - very helpful! The original DeWalt DW744 Type I, table saw had a very similar pull-out extension option, the DW7441 on the back and another on the side.. These have really been helpful to me with larger projects.
Quick Tip on the track saw, because the base is 100% plastic, it can flex laterally during cuts, but the solution to that is easy: Don't lean or push on it sideways while cutting. I've been getting perfect cuts with mine. Love it!
I was wondering WEN this video was happening
😅😅😅😅😅😅
The track saw is great from Wen. I picked up two tracks from Powertech which does not have the soft foam bottoms. One of my favorite tools to pull out now.
I have had a WEN hand planer for about 2-3 years. Don't use it constantly, but never had any complaints about it. It does well enough for basic smoothing.
I’ve had the Wen planer for a few years and it works great, no issues here. Thanks for your reviews!
I had a Wen track saw for years before moving to Festool. It's a great piece of gear. If you consider the saw without the tracks it should be a 5* all the way, especially because you can use it on Festool tracks without issue ;)
You can probably adjust the spring-back on the drill press handle.
Hey all, I have the WEN bandsaw mentioned in this video. Two important facts if you have one. First, Timberwolf blades will break in this saw. I talked to the folks at Timberwolf and they said their blades don't do well on smaller bandsaw wheels like this one. They recommended Olsen and those have worked beautifully for me. (Still love Timberline on my bigger bandsaw). Second, I replaced the tires with Blue Max Polyurethane tires and it drastically improved the tracking. With these two improvements, it has been a great saw for me. Like others, I've had great luck with the WEN brand.
Thanks so much for highlighting good value tools…in a fun way! I have a few Wen tools and I have no complaints at all. More tools in more hands is a great thing!
I have the 12" planer and I have no complaints, it was worth the price, I also have a floor model bandsaw and again it is fine
I have the 12" planer as well. AMAZING product. I also have the bench grinder / sander. It is AMAZING. Been looking at the Bosch plunge router but at $249 and seeing David's review of the Wen, I am DEFINITELY going to get it. Thanks so much.
I hate that they are not responding in a timely manner
I did not have this issue with them when I bought my ban saw from Wen
Good luck with the repairs.
Excellent video on when products. Just bought first web Bandsaw thanks
I have alot of Wen tools and they all preform very well.
Thanks for the video!
Your Sawstop is much more quiet because it’s belt driven vs almost every new contractor saw which is direct drive. The saw running by itself is louder than running something through it.
Thank you for that explanation.
It's also the motor type. The sawstop has an induction motor, and the little jobsite saws have universal motors. Universal motors have brushes and like to "scream" even under zero load.
I have a direct drive Bosch and its also quiet. A belt doesnt make things quieter... why would it? It just adds another sound source.
The motor type is what matters.
A contractor saw is belt driven with a cast iron top, next best thing after a cabinet saw. The direct drive saws are what are known as job site saws. The noise is due to the brushed motor as opposed to the much quieter induction moter used on higher quality machines.
The thing about the lesser expensive power tools is, right out of the box, the tool may be fine, but over the long haul or under constant usage, how durable is the tool and how well does the tool stay in alignment. Maybe a follow-up video on the durability of these tools after they've been used for while.
@@armus550b This is probably true. but this is also for someone who is either getting started or cant afford the bigger and better. Something is always better than nothing. If at the time of crapping out, either the person will hopefully be able to upgrade because they found they use it a lot more, or they can replace it with the new model. Otherwise, if you can afford better.....get better.
First time stumbling onto this channel. New sub. Great shit! Love your humor and communication style!
I got a Wen lathe for Christmas in 2022 and I’ve loved it for a beginner lathe. With more experience, I’d recommend one with adjustable speeds instead of having to move the belt over and over again, but it works fine. This Christmas I got the Wen biscuit jointer. I’ll get use out of it when I’m done with college
I am really excited for this series. I am looking forward to how these tools feel after a good couple projects compared to your master set up at home.
I am curious about the email you originally sent about the planner. Even though you bought these with your own money and did your own review on them, would you or did you tell them that you were doing a video? By the sounds of it you did not tell them and I appreciate that as that may have expedited their response.
I did not tell them I'm making a video. As far as I know they don't know who I am or what I do.
I don't know if I'd say Wen is a lesser known tool. They have been making decent power tools since 1951. I have some old Wen tools that I inherited from my grandfather and they still work. I think to many people get caught up in name hype and buy more overpriced tools that they really don't need for the type of work they do.
Wait! What? You mean one doesn't need a Fuel 18V impact driver to install pocket screws?
My mind is blown.
I fully agree that people get way too into brand loyalty and trying to have the most and the best toys. I don't even really buy the whole thing about sticking with one battery platform because it doesn't really put me out much to have 3 different chargers plugged in. Hell, it's pretty handy knowing that tools have a dedicated battery that I don't have to switch when I want to use something else.
However, literally the first time I had ever heard of Wen was just a few years ago when 731 Woodworks mentioned them and the only experience I've had either personally or anecdotally is when I ordered their electric handplane 2 Christmases ago with a gift card I received and I only picked it because it was the cheapest. It works great btw. No issue.
it is a lesser known tool. good grief.
@@gregmize01 perhaps to you but they have been in business for over 70 years. They are known, otherwise they would have gone out of business by mow. People definitely buy their stuff. You just don't see them in videos on RUclips because the majority of channels are just shills trying to sell overpriced tools to pad their pockets instead of doing actually woodworking. At least that's my view of things.
Not the same company. It's like if Taco Bell bought Dewalt. They were bought out by some Chinese group that rebadges the vanilla products of random Chinese manufacturing companies. Acquisition was by Jinhua Hengshun Tools Co., Ltd. in 2012, Jinhua Hengshun Tools Co., Ltd., a Chinese company. Not sure how many things they sell are their own designs, but if I were to guess, the answer would be, extremely few.
32:15 The reason that saw is louder is because it has an entirely different motor. The larger induction motors will absolutely run quieter than the smaller motors found in contractor saws.
I have the next-size up Wen drill press and have used it for a couple of years without issues. Love the thing. I also have the Wen air cleaner hanging from my shop ceiling. Also works great and the filters are easy to source.
In the case of the Wen bandsaw, it is mind blowing to me that you would recommend it. To me it seems like you have a very hard time getting it square (you even comment on how flimsy the rotary base is) and it even looks totally wonky on video, can't imagine how it would be irl. I know it's tricky to weigh the pros and cons when you take the price into consideration, but this seems like a machine that you'll be wrestling with the entire time, can't imagine giving it 4 stars!
When I built up my shop I spent a lot buying tools probably too expensive for my weekend basic project use. If I had it to do over again I would probably buy nearly everything WEN and any handheld tools they don't make would probably be Ryobi. They're both generally very good quality, low price, and Ryobi just has a boatload of battery power tools for all kinds of stuff a woodworker or general homeowner needs.
Wen has a great customer service. I have called about broken or missing parts and they sent me either a replacement item or new parts needed to make the machine work.
I have the WEN 12" drill press, Wen 4" belt / disk sander and WEN Jig saw. I am happy with all of them.
I've done this a couple of times. Here's a playlist: ruclips.net/p/PLhqK_8dnaIW0-iGlP8FltSY9jAjizqw44
Every one of them was fun and informative. Thank you!
Track is the same as makita tracks. I have had no problem with it moving when I had the track fully supported. Curious to know if you have problems with it in the future
Glue a couple of pieces of sanding paper under the track....gripzzzz😉
I like this idea! @@Peter_Enis
What's the point of "reviewing" a jointer if you're not even going to check if the bed is aligned, easy to align, etc :/ It's a lot more important than talking about plastic knobs again and again.
Buy one and show us how it's done.
@@davidmeyer1054 He made a very good point.If you were in the least bit interested in tools you'd have appreciated his comment.
@@davidmeyer1054You hear that woosh sound? That was the point.
@@davidmeyer1054 he already did, that's why he's defending it
He literally said the reason he didnt is because he didnt have a straight edge to align it, and said that the bed would need adjusted. Typical set up for the tool he shouldnt have to explain that in the video as it doesnt affect the overall functionality of the tool.
The motor on my WEN bandsaw died after only a month of use. I called their customer support and they were some of the nicest people i've worked with. They sent me out a new motor the next day. That was something like 5 or 6 years ago and its been fine ever since.
I've owned and daily used the WEN 8" drill press and 1x30" belt sander since 2018. Both have served me well without a single issue.
Wow, the "I think it's good because it looks pretty good and therefore it must be good"-review we all didn't wait for.
I went to learn more about woodworking on you channel, to absolutely no one's surprise, it's empty. Do better.
@@davidmeyer1054 Ah ok, so you must have a youtube channel to be allowed to criticize. That's just as ridiculous as this "review".
@@Markus-fw4px If you're going to be a miserable old turd at least be useful. Sad.
I hemmed and hawed over a drill press, but eventually bought the WEN 12" variable speed last summer. It has been absolutely fantastic! That single speed spiral planer is next on my wish list!
I have the Wen 3 blade planer (the spiral model didn't exist yet) and it works great. No complaints at all. The tracksaw works great too.
Dave, Thanks for the update on the replacement/missing part and good to know Wen sent you a full replacement machine even though that took 4 plus weeks. I just started to watch your channel and with your setting up a budget shop, (just like a majority of us have) your reviews are just what the novice woodworker is looking for....straight, no bulls#$% approach is appreciated and also thank you for the link to get 10% off. As one of the comments below mention, I would also like to hear your review of this as I plan on purchasing pretty much everything that you bought (minus the table saw) for my own small shop.
that's good to hear there are actually good quality lower cost tools out there, thank you for this video.
I have a WEN rotary tool kit I bought over 5 years ago instead of getting a Dremel. The WEN kit was $20 & the Dremel (bare tool, no accessories) was over $70.
It's done everything I've asked of it, never failed me.
I have a Wen jointer and one of their larger drill presses, I love them both! Incredible for the price!
I've got the Wen miter saw and variable-speed benchtop drill press. Not one complaint, best quality I've ever had on both tools. After watching your video I'll be seriously looking at swapping out a 15-year old delta planer for the Wen with spiral cutters. I might even splurge for the sander. Thank you for a great and VERY helpful video
I bought most of these same tools. I got into woodworking by making Pinewood Derby cars for my kids in Cub Scouts. Now I have workshop events for scouting families using these tools. The hidden gems with Wen are the following:
1) The users manuals have hilarious stuff in them, which encourages people to actually read them. "With a friend or trusted foe..."😂
2) Funny stickers to place in areas you want users to notice.
My Wen Planer has not failed me yet! I’ve had it for over a year and you’re 100% correct. The build quality shocked the hell out of me lol
Thumbs up for the NOT-sponsored reviews. I know a lot of people will say, "even though this is sponsored, these opinions are mine," and I believe them...however, I really do feel that actually paying for the item will likely elicit a more critical eye. I feel that a sponsored item gives just enough wiggle room for someone to say, "it's great" when it's just good.
Anyway...I'm here for the bandsaw review (and stayed for them all) and really appreciate your thoughts!
Got the planer and it works well for my small projects
Priced out all the tools with harbor freight equivalents. Tried to stick to Bauer and Hercules, but a few tools haven't been updated yet so had to go with the Chicago brands. Most of the tools are at least equivalent in specs with the following differences: the palm sander is 1.2 amps, the miter saw is dual bevel, the planer is tri-blade and only 12.5", and I don't think the table saw has an extension. Also, HF doesn't have a track saw or jointer, so priced those with current Wen prices. With current deals, total comes out to $2220.31, so pretty spot on!
dang! That's some great research. Thanks!
Just watched your channel for the first time. Really enjoyed your ratings of Wen products. I was in process of getting a reasonable priced bandsaw. I purchased the Wen Bandsaw. Thanks! I also subscribed to your channel.. Look forward to seeing more ..
I found WEN during a massive tool upgrade for my job. I have their Impact Driver, Electric screwdriver, drill bits, and the bag lol. All in all I can't say anything negative about the quality considering how inexpensive they are. The tools I have compliment my Ryobi products because I don't need my WEN tools to do more than what they've been made to do. I like that they're a known brand and aren't trying to be something they clearly are not. I recommend them for anyone who needs budget tools that aren't going to fail you, but if you need something more I suggest Ryobi, Craftsman, or SKIL. Always keep in mind your needs/budget, don't go broke trying to impress tool snobs lol.
I have the planer and the feeder works properly, I hope you're able to get that resolved and review it again. I've had mine for about 3 years and it's been great!
I have the wen planer, jointer, band saw and drill press and they have all been great
I have the 8" and 10" WEN drill press, the WEN 8 in. x 12 in. lathe, and the bench top band saw. I'm thoroughly impressed with them. I was worried about precision but all of them did well in that department. Would totally recommend if you're looking for a budget brand.
I have the trim router. It’s the first one I’ve ever owned, love it. For a DYIer, highly recommended.
My first WEN tool was/is my Electric Hand Planer. Love that thing. This year I bought their Electric Impact Wrench, and their Oscillating Multi tool. I also bought their Portable Miter Saw stand. The quality for the price is surprising, but welcomed.
ive been saying for years now about how good wen tools are. glad to see someone who knows about woodworking feels the same . love the channel
I can tell you, as some have stated, customs service is awesome, and the quality per dollar is Ludacris.
As a huge bonus, if you live in the Chicago area, they sell refurbished stuff at the warehouse for a huge discount. It's fantastic!!
I have several WEN tools and love most of them
Great video… 4 stars!
As a semi-retired person who has got into woodworking and doing fun projects plus DIY around the house, Wen has become a big part of my shop. I have probably 10 plus power tools now from Wen. I am now looking to replace a cheap miter saw that I have had for over 10 years. I have pretty much decided on the Wen. There other tools have not let me down. My last Wen purchase was the 13-inch Planer. My wife graciously let me take over most of the Garage. So, space is limited. Their products can be space saving.