For 5% OFF any LumberJack product visit www.lumberjacktools.co.uk/ and use the promo code RAGNBONE - following this video I was set up as an affiliate, so I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases Buy it on Amazon: amzn.to/3m7Yhww Choosing A Table Saw: ruclips.net/video/p1M7U-4JBvA/видео.html Axminster AT254SB Table Saw Review: ruclips.net/video/gvBQCAHtEGo/видео.html Workshop Banter EP25 Things We Wish Existed : ruclips.net/video/ty5HGvKQcsw/видео.html CMT Grooving Blade 150mm: amzn.to/3SjHB10 (Amazon UK) geni.us/UI8DuvR (Amazon Worldwide) CMT Grooving Blade 180mm: geni.us/UI8DuvR (Amazon UK) geni.us/UXvRUz0 (Amazon Worldwide) 0:00 Intro 0:15 Why I Got It 2:40 About The Saw 3:08 Internal Components 4:10 Cast Iron Tables 4:36 Riving Knife 4:49 Arbour & Blades 6:01 Blade Height/Angle 6:27 Fence Rails 6:46 Extension Tables 7:16 Accuracy 7:46 The Fence 9:00 Cut Capacity 10:57 Mitre Gauge 12:20 Storage 12:40 Table Flatness 13:51 Blade Guard 14:39 Blade Tilt 15:21 Mobile Base 15:32 Manual 15:41 Thoughts So Far... 16:44 Electrical Fault 18:06 Solving Electrical Issue 18:18 Cutting MDF 18:26 Dust Extraction 18:36 Cutting Elm 18:51 Testing Cut Speed 19:16 Noise Levels 19:33 Summary Special thanks to @shaunintheshed , @ProperDIY and @lumberjacktoolsuk 🔨 MY TOOLS 🔨 For links to the tools I use, plus some of my favourite consumables, finishes and more see links below. As an Amazon Associate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases UK affiliate store: www.amazon.co.uk/shop/ragnbonebrown US affiliate store: www.amazon.com/shop/ragnbonebrown 🤝 HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL 🤝 Support with RUclips channel membership: ruclips.net/channel/UCVyE_6jEtVZGmYGXtUOL5FQjoin Support with Patreon: www.patreon.com/ragnbonebrown Support with PayPal paypal.me/ragnbonebrown Shop With Amazon using my affiliate link: geni.us/iWD3K 💰 SHOP 💰 Etsy: www.etsy.com/uk/shop/KeithBrownMaker teespring.com/stores/rag-n-bone-brown-merch 🎧 WORKSHOP BANTER PODCAST 🎧 ruclips.net/user/workshopbanter Also available on Spotify, Apple, Google and most other podcast platforms 🔗 LINKS: 🔗 Website: www.ragnbonebrown.com Facebook: facebook.com/ragnbonebrown Instagram: @ragnbonebrown Twitter: twitter.com/ragnbonebrown Email: ragnbonebrown@gmail.com Second RUclips Channel (non woodwork videos): ruclips.net/user/keefykeef
Well Keith, what a review! We at Lumberjack HQ totally agree with you about needing a review like this years ago (we are idiots) As we have discussed recently about the year 2020, this was a very busy time for us as a company in lockdown with only 4 staff and no one in charge of socials or marketing at that time, all our time was spent on customer orders, query's and warranty. 2020 was also the year we got this TS1800, so the saw was very new to us at the time and as a company we were not in a position to collab, not an excuse, but this was the reason, so for this we apologise. I can confirm now we are in a better place and have been expanding our marketing more and more over the years with the help and knowledge of our customers like yourself, as you are all the experts in our opinion. The video shows everything and more about the saw so for this we are grateful to you for showing. Currently we are speaking to our factory to install the slow blown fuse on all future machines to stop this issue in the future. This issue has only been recent to us as we had upgraded the rpm in the motor to 4200rmp previously on the first batch it was only 2800rmp, we did not think this would then cause an electronic issue but the saw proved us wrong, we will also look into what some of your followers have mentioned about the soft start motor (never crossed our mind) Also we have asked if we can get our hands on a smaller transparent guard and some cast versions of the side tables to be sold separately, along with a sliding carriage :) so will update you once we know more on this. We will now leave you to complete a few more projects with the saw and see how you feel about keeping it :) Thank you again Keith, and thank you to everyone that has left a comment & watched this video.
Great work lumberjack replying and listening to customers. I’ve just ordered your dust extraction system based upon this video and your responses. We are missing a budget woodworking supplier in the UK. I’m hoping lumberjack start expanding into jigs etc to match up with the likes of trend, Kreg etc.
Hi guys, see the thread where i point out that BS1362 fuses technically aren't available in slow blow (unless i am wrong which could be possible, lol).. I want you guys to be fully compliant as you evidently care enough. Apologies for my flippant attitude in the referenced comment too... i just get routinely stressed by stuff that isn't compliant... and you evidently want yours to be :) Might be worth consulting someone on why the fuse blowing is happening though, as it could cause negative reviews from UK buyers?
@Lumberjack Tools it would be great to see the arbor upgraded to metric/European standard instead of the 5/8". That's the main thing putting me off at this stage.
The author does like to ruclips.net/user/postUgkxkNYRBJuiJ6EwD-tQSAlxg0eFKsnR2cgz from scratch, shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. As another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us don’t have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we won’t be able to practice the full stack project, is still great.
Hi Keith, Great indepth review! Here's what i know... I have owned this lumberjack saw since june 2020, and have been more than happy with it., more on that in a bit. I better start by saying i have no affiliation with this company... I live just a few miles from the Lumberjack headquarters (known as Toolsave), my experience with them as a company has been very positive. For example my previous table saw was also a lumberjack, a site saw (same as a Rigid site saw, now no longer available). I bought that saw as an ex- demo model reduced in price, a couple of weeks later i noticed there was a twist/bend in the fence, they swapped it for me no issue. I Had the same experience with a cordless brad nailer i had from them that started misfiring (a few days before the 1 year warranty expired, it had seen some fairly heavy onsite use..), they just went in the back and handed me a new one, all in a friendly and helpful manner. I was unsure about using Toolsave, as the only info on them back in 2018 when i first discovered them were a few google reviews that were somewhere between negative and horrendous! Back to the the Ts1800 saw, its very similar to the classic Rigid hybrid , but it is actually a re-badged Craftsman like this : www.woodmagazine.com/review/saws/tablesaws/stationary-tablesaws/craftsman-21833-contractor-tablesaw The craftsman has the same paint job and fence, i think the throat and plate is very slightly different on the Rigid (the positioning of the levelling screws in the cast iron top, from memory). I have never had an issue with the start blowing fuses etc, i have no fancy electric wiring , currently my workshop is running of an extension from the house.. (yeah i know, recently moved need to sort!) maybe a component has been changed on newer models, mine just soft starts... Due to space restrictions i have never used the left hand table wing or left section of fence rails, i made a right hand wing with a triton router underneath, it works for me - even the fence measure read out ligns up perfect.. I have made zero clearance inserts for it, my current one is a bit like the "Hooked on wood" one with holes in. Theres some good videos on here, i think its on the "shop built" channel where he makes some router templates for easy duplicates.The saw being so easy to move about in a small space was a big seller to me, and i have no regrets. I fully agree with you about the blade guard, its too tall and intrusive for me and as such i have never used it, i used the guard from my old saw until i made my own, similar to the guard made by "Justin Depew" here on youtube , although my guard is attached to the saw and not to a wall, so it stays in place when i wheel the saw about... The one negative as you mentioned is the 5/8 inch arbor, and the need to use reducing rings for blades, a minor inconvienience but i would be interested if anyone on here knows where to source 5/8 (possibly 16mm) arbor blades in the uk, at a reasonable price that would fit this saw (250 -254mm x 3mm thick), as i have never found any :( I am sure you will make the right decision on which saw to keep, just wanted to give you my 2 cents, apologies for a bit of an essay! All the best, Dave Griffiths
Hi Keith, not one to normally comment on RUclips, however, your review prompted me to make the purchase. And here are my thoughts. The box is extremely heavy, however, I managed to manoeuvre mine with a sack truck and a little effort up some stairs to my workshop. This is not something I would recommend on your own. The gauge of materials is nice, thick, and well-constructed. There are no extras with screws or washers, so watch this carefully. Instructions are not the worse, clear enough, but could do with colour pictures or enlarged views. All the tools were provided to do the job. The only tricky part was the back right corner screw for the back rail, there is not much room to get your fingers there to get the nut onto the screw. Generally, I had no issues with screwing parts together, and no screws cross-threaded. The plastic dust shoot slots I found a little off-centre, there are these small tabs to help align, however, mine seemed to stop it from meeting up properly. The back panel screws were hard to undo with an Allen key by hand, I found pushing the two front rails together first with a mallet easier than the method you showed in the video and the instructions. I noticed you mentioned the finish of the chamfers from your video was not particularly good, mine had no such issues, and it was well-machined. The iron top was as flat in the same way as you described in the video, good enough for me. All the holes are aligned for the levelling screws in the insert plate. As you mention, this is the same model as the Rigid R4512 saw used in America. Although this model has been superseded with the newer R4520, many still believe it was a good saw and have plenty of modification videos and reviews. My older saw was the Axminster TS200 with the sliding carriage. This is an upgrade for sure in size and capacity, but I find it suits a midsize workshop like a garage or similar well. Yes, the fuse supplied did blow after the first use despite running it from an extension lead, however, Lumberjack does provide a slow blow fuse within the box. Since I have gotten the saw, I have made a router table for it, which was super easy and uses the existing table fence. Overall, I agree 100% with your review, it’s well-balanced and points out all the important features, many thanks for the brilliant video and the effort.
I purchased this Table Saw, 8 Months ago based upon this review and have been impressed by its quality and accuracy. I checked and the Saw came with not just one but two 'Slow Blow' Fuses - one installed in the plug and a spare. Thank you for your recommendation and review.
Looks like a great well thought out saw at a reasonable price. If the dish in the middle of the table bothers you, it is most likely caused by the trunnion attachment points not being machined true. My old contractor saw had the same issue, so I stuck some 80 grit sandpaper to a melamine board, that was big enough to cover all four at once, and sanded them flat and parallel with each other. (cover the faces in black marker and sand them until all the marker has gone. This will also tell you which one is the problem.) I also trued up the mating faces of the trunnion brackets and the dish has gone.
I bought this saw about a year ago, apart of the fuse issue, no other problems to report. For blades, I shop across the pond, Kats-Moses have great offer of CMT blades, which are superb and cut quality is better in comparision to Diablo blades. You'd need to buy more than one though as shipping is about £18 and takes few days. Well worth though. My table has been running smoothly, I highly recommend it, never thought of getting rid of it or swapping for anything else. Great review, hope you'll like it enough to keep it.
I've had this saw for 3+ years and have been pleased with it. My only issue had been with the insert plate not sitting in place correctly, that was until this week when I found that the magnet is height adjustable - there is a small adjuster screw under the magnet! A warning for potential buyers, this is a heavy saw and if you are unfortunate, as I was, to have this 'delivered' to the end of your drive make sure you have the means to move it to your workshop, I nearly gave my neighbour a hernia, or two.
For me, the Lumberjack has the "w" here, mate. I'm a huge fan for Pro/Con lists but I like to add a 3rd category here. 1 to 5 weighted scores for the cons. 1 being a deal breaker and 5 being a minor inconvenience. Doing that on my end, the lumber jack comes out on top from your reactions. try for it yourself. Really reflex on the cons and how much they cause you not wanting to use that feature or saw altogether. cheers
I bought the lumberjack planer thicknesser which has exactly the same problem I found the only way to get it to stop blowing fuses was to run a long extension from the house. I just thought my garages electrics were old 😅 cheers Keith ill have to get me some of those slow blow fuses 👍
I’ve got that machine too. I really like it. The fence is a bit poor though. I’m planning to upgrade/modify it at some point. I’ve also been wondering about changing the blades to a spiral cutter head.
@@stuartwilliams5385 yeh the fence definitely has a knack to using it but once i figured it out it was fine, honestly its probably my favourite machine it's such a beast. Iv just built a table I bought in a load of rough sawn walnut planed it all up with this beauty and came out amazing and very square. Have you found a source for a spiral cutter head that will fit it?
I’ve had the lumberjack for around 16 months,I love it. I’ve had exactly the same problem with 13a fuses,I just don’t switch the saw off,that does the trick,too.
Your fence adjustment frustration acting was quality! Can't believe they ship that saw with a standard 13amp fuse with a motor with a large inrush current and to advise you to run it on a long extension lead is madness!!
Cheers John interested to hear your perspective on this with you being an electrician! Is running it on an extension lead bad advice then, and if so, why? Cheers 👍
@@RagnBoneBrown Hi Keith, Extension leads are always a bad idea and should only be used for temporary needs. When you use an extension lead your are increasing the length of the circuit {some leads can be over 20 meters}. If you are at the end of an already long circuit then the loop impedance (resistance) can get to high and under fault conditions the MCB will not trip in time turning the entire circuit into a red hot wire which only takes seconds. Another reason is that a coiled up extension lead under continuous use can turn into a heating coil and are a fire hazard. Best practice is to uncoil fully an extension lead when it is in use for extended periods so it can dissipate the heat. As a wire's temperature increases so does its resistance and as its resistance increases so does its temperature. You can see the problem! Also an uncoiled lead in the workshop is a trip hazard so its just a bad idea all around. Now if you add the slow blowing fuse to the end of a long circuit with a coiled up extension lead that's a recipe for disaster!
@@JohnMcGrathManInShed The motor is designed for the American market running on 60hz running at 3450 rpm. In the UK at 50hz it runs at just 2800rpm , very slow for a table saw and the reason it cuts slower. The spec is in the manual for the saw. Until they spec a decent motor to run on the UK supply with a soft start I wouldn't want one, shame as it looks a decent saw. The advice from them about changing mcbs and to run it on an extension lead for a plug fuse blowing problem is just total nonsense and they really need to sort themselves out with this saw and stop giving out this ridiculous advice.
I love this saw. I own it now for about 4 years and in Belgium we don't have electrical plugs with fuses inside, so no problem with this. It just scared me to see how clean it once was 😉
Yes, I suspect they've tested it to EU standards (which is fine) but many EU countries use C curve breakers for general power, here we have, in addition to the aforementioned fuse in the plug, mostly B curve, except for circuits with very high inrush (such as lots of LED lighting drivers, or motor loads like air conditioning/heat pumps)
Send the saw to Matt :D It will be an upgrade. So, the pros with this seems to be the mobility. If you had to share the garage with your wife's car for instance. But in your case, your workshop is quite large by European standards (non industrial ofc). And you may not need the mobility. The blade guard on the Lumberjack seems better to be honest, since you can aim through the split. When it comes to better features, you really cant beat the features on the DeWalt jobsite saws. So, if you follow that logic you are back to your old shed. I have yet to see a cabinet saw with good dust extraction and I use the same kind of solution you do, with a separate shop vac for the blade guard. IMHO the only feature your Axminster saw lacks is a quick change riving knife. But I am rambling on here. Great video. Love the podcast as well. Was looking forward to this video. Nomad out.
Great review Keith, thanks. I bought a FERM tablesaw around 7 years ago. There were a few reviews around, most good, but no YT content makers giving honest appraisals. I feel many written reviews are "face saving" reviews by people desperate to justify their purchase. Long story short, after 2 returns for repair at my cost for couriers, the FERM finally spat the dummy and caught fire. I was in the middle of a kitchen remodel at the time & needed a saw fast so splurged about £60 on an Aldi special as a stop-gap. It is probably worth the £60, but certainly is not a precision tool - not that I expected it to be. I now make most cuts with my track saw. At some point I will be replacing the Aldi saw, and this review has really encouraged me to look again at LJ products. I almost bought a band saw in 2019, but when I asked if they could guarantee delivery to my garage got no response. I work & my missus is severely disabled so a kerbside delivery would be no use to me. My Axminster lathe was delivered by TNT, right inside the garage as specified by Axminster on the delivery note. After my previous experience, I am always keen to hear customer care stories. We all hope our tools & machines will never break, but I would be interested to hear if anyone has had any returns experience with LJ.
I've had one of these saws for over a year and had no issues, paid £990 for it at the time and it's been worth every penny. No regrets, in fact also bought their planer/thicknesser which has also been fine.
From an electrical perspective, the saw does not have any issues. Slo Blow fuses were made for this exact purpose, to deal with inrush current that is present on startup. The device draws more than the fuse is rated for for just a small amount of time, and then current is much lower. The slow blow fuse keeps the safety rating of the fuse for a fault at 13 amps, but allows for the rush of current during startup. Yes, they should have used this from the get go. There is nothing wrong with the saw, it is just how that motor works by design. The fault was the builder of the saw, and if they changed to the slow blow at the factory they have sorted the problem.
Thanks for this video, I've been looking at the Lumberjack for a few months as the size and wheels are perfect for my small shop and I'm sick of the job site saw I have. The one big concern I had was that the Rigid saw that this is almost identical to has a huge flaw with its fence. Thankfully your video confirmed that the fence on the Lumberjack is a different and better design. I'll be pulling the trigger on the purchase soon. Many Thanks
Great review mate; I have noticed many of your reviews are honest and fair. It sometimes grates me when I see RUclipsrs picking up some free merchandise, in return for offering up a substandard fluffy product demo and trying to pass it off as review. You could have edited out the blown fuse issues, weaker motor, blade sizes and simply offered up a snippet of advice, but you made a point of highlighting it, as you knew your viewers needed to know this info. This saw is on my wish list and seeing your demo has definitely pushed to towards buying it later in the year.
Thanks for recognising this. It's difficult to come across as authentic when there's such a stigma around people "reviewing" things they get for free. The authenticity of my channel is far more important to me than any relationship with any brand 👍
Thanks for the mention Keith, it’s great to see the saw getting noticed. The electric issues have been a niggle lately for the few that have experienced them as I said Sod’s Law you were affected. I get asked would I buy the saw 2/3 years after I purchased it he’ll yes. I will be at Makers Central demonstrating if anyone wants to pop by and say hello or ask anything.
When I was looking for a (small) bandsaw I looked at Lumberjack and did some googling.. I found someone who said that they had a problem with theirs and LJ came back to them saying they would not have a spare part in stock.. for months! So.. I am a bit sceptical of LJ. But essentially for this kind of product LJ, Axminister, etc are all the same.. they are importing machines, maybe with some custom specification/mods and then adding their own branding and support. So I would say a big thing to consider with such an expensive purchase is the care and attention to detail where specification and support are concerned..
I have a Harvey ambassador with the same kind of insert plate. Get yourself some aluminium composite panel to make zero clearance inserts. It's aluminium sheet over a stiff plastic core. You cut one bit to the size of the insert and then epoxy a second sheet under that with cut outs for the levellers and other bits in the way. Makes for a cheap and stiff insert. Mine is 4mm composite panel for thickness. You will need to check yours but my guess is it is the same or close.
Yeah... I'd been looking at the Charnwood 10" but a visit to my local sawmill made me plan to get a Hammer band saw and keep the Dewalt site saw. You're almost making me change my mind with this Lumberjack... Same size of motor as the Dewalt but induction, cast iron top, etc, etc... Always bloody choices! However, I rather suspect it'll be the band saw first then maybe upgrade the saw next year... As ever, food for thought... Have a great weekend!
A great video as always Keith. In relation to the mitre gauge problem, one fix I have seen other makers do, is to drill holes on the edge of the mitre bar. These can then be tapped and have grub screws inserted, which are then adjusted to suit. I've read through the comments and I can see that you are sitting on the fence a bit with whether to keep the Lumberjack or not and the need to make new jigs is putting you off. It seems to me, that if you removed that from the equation, then you are actually falling on the side of the Lumberjack as being the better saw. If that is the case then you should think long term and passed the making of new jigs as, inevitably, you will at some point have to remake them for the Axminster as well. Great Podcast as well by the way.
I have had a very similar saw branded as Craftsman for several years. I’ve never had any problems with it and continue to enjoy many of the positive points you note. I would encourage you to give it a chance for all those positive points you made. Best of luck!
I would assume that the two grub screws, or set screws to our American friends, in the mitre bar are to make sure the head of the mitre gauge sits flat on your cast table saw top. A fair assessment of the competing table saws,. I would go with the Lumber Jack as the ability to move it quickly in the workshop is a major benefit.
Thanks for the review, there are not many reviews about this saw and none are very recent. I have been thinking about getting one and I think your review has made my mind up !
Nice review, thank you. I have this saw. I really like it. I have also had problems with blowing fuses, good tip in the slow blow fuses. The guard is a waste of time. It just keeps falling off I’ve given up on it. Your retrofit looks pretty good.
Very good review!! Well done! I agree that the Lumberjack is better, and I believe that the Axminster is probably worth second hand almost as the Lumberjack, and if not, it would cover a big portion of its cost. In my opinion, one way of understanding the real value of the Lumberjack is by bringing in the workshop the most awkward shaped project and experiencing the comfort of being able to move the table saw to give yourself a bit more space. Making new sleds and jigs means more videos, new challenges, more help for people who work with a budget friendly tool and more fun.
i'll be buying me some slow blow fuses then, great review. one thing you didnt mention that has taken me time to adjust to is the lack of break on the motor, meaning the blade takes a while to stop
Had this saw for a couple of years now and have no complaints other than with the motor, had the same issue as you and switched to slow blow fuses which has worked ever since. For me the axminster was a nono as it just would be too space inefficient whereas the lumberjack slides neatly under my workbench when its not in use.
Great video. You definately nailed many issues other had setting up the saw here in the USA. This saw is the sister saw to the Sears Craftsman 218330. It is no longer made, the pro series took it's place for a couple years and the line was terminated. However, this saw may well be brought back with some great improvements. T
Dust collection Problems In addition, to the saw, I bought a Lumberjack dust collector. My intention was to connect the dust extractor to the table saw. I thought this would be easy, how wrong I was. The first problem is the castor lifting system on the saw, while great for moving the saw around in a small workshop like mine, is in the way of the dust port and leaves no room to fit the flexible 100mm hose from the dust collector. Even if the castor system did not get in the way, out of all the adapters that come with the dust collector only one will fit the sawdust port and that one reduces the 100mm down to half that and still leaves the problem of connecting the flexible hose to the reduced outlet. I went to a well-known outlet and bought a selection of 100mm PVC ducting items. None of what I bought would actually fit the port on the saw or the fitting on the end of the flexible hose, even the connecting section that can join 2 sections of 100mm pipe together would not fit the saw or the hose. In the end, I used a short section of 110mm PVC drain pipe that fits loosely over the sawdust port on the saw, and I used silicon filler to seal the joint and 2 self-tapping screws to hold it in place. This allowed me to connect a 100mm right-angle bend pipe section with enough clearance to allow the castor system to still operate. This was also loose in the 110mm section, so more silicon and self-tapping screws solved that, finally a short section of 100mm pipe fitted the 90deg bend correctly and brought the end of it to just outside the castor space and is easily accessible at the rear of the saw. The final bit of the jigsaw was connecting the end of the flexible hose to the new 100 mm end of the sawdust port. I had to remove the end that was fitted when it came (not easy as it is glued in) and replace it with a 100mm PCV connecting joint that fits the 100mm pipe correctly. Now I can connect the flexible hose to the saw without problems or having to get on the floor
I'll be honest, Im really tempted by it. Loosing half a HP might be an issue BUT I would get around that by just changing the blade more often. I love the idea of the Dado, thats a game changer from my point of view. I think it would make an awesome saw to build into a cabinet. If you could purchase extra side tables or extra fence extensions so you could do that than it would be awesome. A sliding table would also be a game changer as coupling that with the Dado and you have a tenon maker. In relation to the electrical issue, to be fair to Lumberjack, the fact that they came on here, made a comment and are trying to come up with fixes, says alot about the company. I've had conversations with a few different tool companies and they always usually result in it sounding like they don't care which is the complete opposite that I get from LJ. Great review, look forward to seeing how you get on and what you decide. It's a toughie. How does the standard table size compare to the Axminster? That would be a big decider for me I think.
I bought a lumberjack band saw and was quite impressed by it. I’ve use replaced my mini lathe with a lumberjack one and it’s great. They seem to do a great job at a reasonable price. This is something that you didn’t mention, price difference though I appreciate it may have been in your previous video.
If I was in your position I think I would keep what I already had despite the issues mentioned, especially if I had already gone to the trouble of having a 16amp power socket installed, made and fitted a router table to the side table, an outfeed table to the front, made some jigs for it etc. It feels like towards the end of the video you are 99% sure you want to keep the Lumberjack but you want that final 1% just to confirm it's the right thing to do, whichever one you decide to go with good job on actually getting your hands on the LJ to make this great review video!
@@RagnBoneBrown I don't think you mentioned it but if you are not under any financial obligation if you kept the Lumberjack i.e. paying something for it then that might become another factor in your decision. The Axminster on the second hand market should be worth something not far off £1000 if not more will all the accessories you added when you bought it.
I've used crazy expensive panel saws that have the same parallax issue when reading the scales, I don't know why company's do it. I think Axminster are really hit and miss with quality in general but lumberjack do lack quality control and customer service in my experience
Dejavu! We had the same axminster saw and had same problems and more with that, I hooked up with Lumberjack at Makers Central and took their demo table saw back to our Makerspace - again all the same experience as you with the same fixes, we have all our stuff on 16a plugs anyway so was no big deal. I sold the axminster immediately as it was not friendly to use in such a busy shared workshop. Looking at getting a second Lumberjack Table saw now as its the little things that make the difference. PS - Please come and visit us at MAKE Gosport - would love to do a colab of some kind.
Hi Keith,you could possibly use copper slug tape on the side of the mitre gauge ,to make it fit more snugly. Cheap and effective. All the best ,keep up the great work.
Interesting thanks. Having bought and run a LumberJack lathe and bench grinder I am impressed with their bang for the buck. Am currently thinking of replacing an old Scheppach though I may go for a bandsaw.......
I've had my lumberjack saw for nearly 2 years and have gone through a lot of fuses now. Will look into some slow blow ones as didn't know they existed. I was really surprised about your results with a HVLP extractor as I thought a crown style one would be the most effective (not that I've found it to be that effective). Will take a look at getting one. Thanks Keith
Tricky! I was leaning towards the smaller Axminster that Paoson just upgraded his mobile bench with, as I couldn't see the need for a cabinet saw and I don't mind waiting for them to restock. I'm now reconsidering - the lumberjack is an impressive package! I don't like the fence style on the Axminster saws - I retrofitted a slightly smaller version on my very old cast iron saw and it has definite flex under pressure.
Hi Keith, if you want the best of boat saws get a Laguna fusion 3. I have owned one for a couple of years and I am very happy with it. It has all the easy features of the lumberjack with the power and more professional feel of the Axminster
I've recently just got my saw out of its box after a year I've went with the einhell table saw and so far I'm impressed not in the budget a don't think on these kinda saws although they look nice. If it was me Keith id look at the lumberjack to keep just my opinion though. 🏴👍
Besides the electrical problem and tiny bit less power, I think that LJ beats AXM. You should stick to the saw you like better. When I got Hammer machines I hated them (except the bandsaw) and when I upgraded them with Felder machines I loved them, and still do. They aren't perfect, but very close.
Great saw, I've had mine for a number of years. However, it is not the same as the Ridgid saw (I almost bought that one), it's an almost mirror image of my Craftsman #21833, with a few tweaks here and there. It's one of the smoothest running saws I've owned, it passes the nickel test (stand a nickel on it's edge and turn the saw on, nickel doesn't budge).
Very interesting. I must admit to having been wrong about this saw when making my choice last year based on this review. But I certainly don’t regret choosing the Axminster AW250 even though it lacks some of the refinements of many contractor saws. The Hybrid saw format is interesting from a UK point of view as you would think there would be a huge demand for it, but I see and find most small workshop owners tend towards bench/cabinet saws or site saws.
Thanks Karl. I was wrong to choose my Axminster too so that makes two of us 😁 if LumberJack had done a better job at getting in the hands of reviewers earlier on, I think they probably would have sold tons of them
If you guys had the decision to make again from the start, would you have gone with the lumberjack? I am currently setting up a new workshop and upgrading my table saw is high on the agenda. I considered the Axminster but what I will need for the extra power might not even be an issue and the lumberjack seems to excel in most other areas. Can I also ask, does the arbor diameter being imperial cause any problems in day-to-day use? Great review by the way (and incidentally it was your Axminster review I saw in the first instance too).
I will cover this in an upcoming video, but it's important to note that the axminster saw I have is no longer available for sale, so it's irrelevant! But yes the lumberjack would be my choice if I was choosing between the two
@@RagnBoneBrown The price point also makes it an attractive choice. I think I might be about to place an order with lumberjack. I don't suppose you have a referral code?
@@GazBadger I think I probably would have. I've not talked about the AW254TS but now I've re-jigged my workshop to make sure it's available for use more, I might. There are two things I like about the lumberjack. It's size is compact enough for a 35ft x 11ft garage workshop but has a large saw feel. The second is the in-feed on the table is bigger and I've always preferred that and the axminster relatively short infeed is one if its short comings.
I wonder if blade changes would offset the difference in cut time between the two saws? You look very happy talking about the Lumberjack, and filled w/ regret over the Ax. My vote is you keep the Ax and I'll send you that money you asked for on Telegram, and then you can send me the Lumberjack.... I'm gonna need a different plug here in the US.
Seen the electrical problem with the fuse in the plug blowing mentioned before on Facebook and telling people to change the mcb, and use extension leads is just total nonsense and they should sort themselves out with the correct information, non of that will solve a blown plug fuse when the motor is drawing too much current on start up. This problem has been around long enough and they really should spec a decent motor that will run properly on UK 240v 50hz. The saw being designed for the American market means the motor runs at full rpm on the US 60hz at 3450rpm, using it in the UK on 50hz means it's running at a reduced 2800 rpm which is very slow for a table saw.. This is shown in the spec in the manual if I remember correctly. It's looks a good saw but I couldn't recommend it to anyone because of the electrical issue and not having a motor that runs at the higher RPM. Good review by the way 👍
That laser would actually be a great feature on a jobsite saw. It really helps freehand cut straight lines. Certainly when things are wider than the fence. I think it's less useful on a stationary saw however.
Interesting review. I bought a Dewalt DWE7485 a couple of months ago but only got to set it up last week. One immediate advantage compared to the Lumberjack was that it was completely setup out of the box and other than clipping the fence on (and then clipping it on correctly as I got it wrong the first time) it was ready to use straight away. But boy, is it loud and I take all your comments about the benefits of induction motors. The small amount I have used it so far I’ve worn ear defenders. Didn’t bother with the factory mitre gauge, I’d bought an Incra Mitre V27 a few weeks earlier which fits both my bandsaw and the Dewalt, and with adjusters for side slop.
In Australia Sherwood (Timbecon) have this table saw (lumber Jack) and was the one I wanted but unfortunately they had no stock and ended up getting a less powerful saw after watching this, I think I’m going to sell my table saw and get this one when it’s available again, so in my opinion I think the lumberjack would be the better option but I’m properly thinking of my own situation
Lumberjack tools seem to be brilliant budget tools. I'm surprised how it stacked up against the Axminster saw. If it were to have a scribing blade I might be tempted to buy one. Nice review 👍🏼
Great video as always, I love how you always mention your mistakes (learning outcomes 🤣). I've got a few LJ tools and am really happy with them. The list of pros for me outweigh the pros for the Axminster.
Great honest review Keith, and if I had the room I would swap my DW745 for the Lumberjack... oh it was great to see my "Flappy Paddle" safety paddle on your old DW745 (There are 69 knocking around the world now.) Anyway....I reckon you will keep the Lumberjack. Cheers Paul
😁 Great vid Keith. I 100% agree about the dust collection on the Axi (my Sip is the same), its rubbish. I think I will modify mine with the same dust shoot the Lumberjack has (but ill fit it up the right way 😆😆), I think there is a Charlwood one that can be "modified to fit". Anyway, the lumberjack looks like it has masses of potential.... but now you need to decide ... Good luck 😆😆👍
Keith - you have a tough decision to make 😀 I must admit I was laughing at the advice Lumberjack committed to ‘paper’ on the blowing issue of 13A fuses apart from trying the slow blow variety the rest was tosh. Plugging into an extension lead would make the current spike higher (increased circuit resistance) and changing the MCCB from a B to a C does nothing at all to prevent a 13A fuse blowing.
@@JGnLAU8OAWF6 The motor will draw the current it needs to start and the higher the resistance between the MCCB and the motor the more current will pass through the 13A plug.
Great review I’ve got the Axminster 12” version and apart from the short arbour (machined my own to take a dado stack) it’s been great agree with all your comments. Bit of an own goal by lumberjack, if they had responded with a sale or return offer thing you’d be a LumberJack. Also I really don’t know why they don’t just charge £20 extra and put on a soft start module. ❤
Cheers. I think the electrical issue has only come about recently, it's been on sale for years but all the examples of it have been in the past few months so presumably something changed in the manufacture of the saw causing the problem
@@CNile-se9xw The motor is designed for the American market running on 60hz running at 3450 rpm. In the UK at 50hz it runs at 2800rpm , very slow for a table saw and the reason it cuts slower. Until hey spec a decent motor to run on the UK supply with a soft start I wouldn't want one, shame as it looks a decent saw.
@@alankirby2931 Spot on mate, I didn't realise they kept the 60Hz motors, so your speed difference sounds right. Another damning factor is that running a motor at a lower frequency than it's designed means that's also less efficient. An example of frequency relating to magnetic strength are the physically small transformers (for the output) in pulse width power supplies. Their tiny transformers are fed a high-frequency signal & produce staggering high output for their size.
@@alankirby2931 The motor speed is largely irrelevant, as it is not direct drive (the size of induction motors precludes this- you would not get much depth of cut...). The speed is set by the motor to spindle ratio, allowing the optimum to be chosen. It may well be that the manufacturer does not change this for the non-US market- which would be a poor decision. Single phase Induction motors (permanent cap type) are 'soft start' to an extent anyway- the starting torque is quite low.
I have been using the RIGID version of this saw for a few years. it's far from perfect, and there's several things about it that i find annoying or that could have been done much better, but overall, i am very happy with it. i've built countless projects with it over the years, and have no desire to replace it anytime soon.
I looked at this saw some time ago and the main thing that put me off was the 5/8 arbour and the fact that when I contacted lumberjack with some questions they didn't reply and came to the same conclusion as you if they can't reply before buying one it made me concerned about after sales support should you need it but I'm sure now you have reviewed the saw the price will go up by a couple of hundred quid as it did when Shaun reviewed it.
Interesting, it seems that if you'd had this first you'd have been quite happy with it ! The Axminster is in theory a more aspirational purchase for most of us but it seems Lumberjack/Rigid have offset most of the traditional "quality" features with a bit of clever design ! I'm using a noisy 20 y/o Rexon (remember them anyone ?) site saw, which is far from perfect and would be happy with either of these if I also had the room ! Btw, you and Stuart look like you're having way too much fun !
That's an interesting way of looking at it, and you're absolutely right. If I'd have bought it instead of the Axminster, I think I'd be happier overall
I’m in the market for a similar saw right now, I’ve been looking at pre owned, basically because anything from Axminster is on back order! I’ve just seen this saw is on promotion for 900 quid. I’m sold! The Titan is no more!
@@RagnBoneBrown To be honest, your video has been incredibly helpful, in that I was looking into pre owned Axminster models capable of taking a dado stack. You highlighted the 16amp power supply of these products which could be an issue for me. I rent a container workshop and my electric is included in the monthly rent, however, that electric is just a double 13 amp socket. SO, looks like the lumberjack would be the way to go and they may get me for a 14 inch bandsaw also! PLUS the ability to spread payments over 3 months. I really like that....
I had an axminster ts-250 which was a great budget cast iron top saw. Sold that and upgraded it to an ex-school Startrite… as the saying goes, they don’t make them like they used to, that old quality machine feels industrial in comparison to these modern china saws. My advice to anyone looking for a fixed workshop saw is buy a Startrite or a Wadkin.
I have one of the Rigid table saws. Be mindful when you store the fence on the side that you push it all the way in (from the front). When you bang your shin on it, it feels almost as bad as banging your shin on a trailer hitch.
Thank you for this comprehensive and helpful review. It clinched it for me to go with Lumberjack for our local Men's Shed workshop. The saw has just been delivered so looking forward to assembling and using. I have fitted a slow blow 13 Amp fuse as a precaution (why dont they sell them fitted with one?)
I too have suffered the fuse blowing when I got my saw last year but still have standard fuses, (I’ll look into the slow blow), however mine has just developed and annoying clicking when it slows down, I think it could be something to do with the pulley wheel on the motor but the grub screw holding it on is tight.
I have the same saw that you have. Based on this video I tried putting a baffle plate half way up the Axminster cabinet. I have only done a couple of test cuts but initial impression is the dust collection is much better.
Great unbiased review as always Keith, the lumberjack looks like a well thought out peice of kit and has many nice to have features. Id keep the Lumberjack as the features are just way more user friendly.
Had the saw for well over a year. It’s a great bit of kit,accurate,powerful and not too loud. It has standard mitre slots,so after market add ons are available and compatible,had the same issue with fuses as Keith. I’ve ordered two slow blow fuses as recommended. If I just leave saw switched on,the standard 13a fuse works just fine. It means I must lower the blade below the table surface every time I’m finished in my shop,too dangerous otherwise. I’d recommend this machine,great tool.
Great video as always Keith. Considering upgrading my site saw (evolution rage) and have a very small shop so the proper mobility of this saw is very appealing. Thank you
Someone has probably already mention this but the screws on the mitre guide should adjust the 'wiggle' as you screw in it should expand the splits and tighten it in the slot. I guess you need to Gring the end of the bolt down.
Agh! Just as I’d settled on the iTECH you go and do this. Great review that answers some of the questions I had but have to say, their approach to the electrical problem is not great. They’re providing something they know is an issue and getting customers to test fixes at their own cost before doing anything. That is probably going to be the reason I stick to the iTECH I think
@@RagnBoneBrown "A bit unprofessional"? I would suggest some of the electrical suggestions are downright wrong! Changing an MCB because a plugtop fuse blows is plain wrong - the MCB is working fine and changing it could unnecessarily reduce the safety of the entire circuit. Running on an extension lead may actually work but using it as a resistor is not neither sensible or desirable ... would it be safe to have a lead unwound and laying around the workshop? Recommending the fitting of a slow blow fuse is not sensible either - UK plugtops are designed to be fitted with BS1362 13A fuses as a maximum. The only valid suggestion is the fitting of a 16A plug and using a 16A circuit. This problem could be relatively easily prevented (using a couple of simple control methods I can immediately think of) but, to be honest, I feel Lumberjack have been somewhat ignoring the problem and getting users to find their own solutions rather than giving a "professional" response and fixing the obvious issue (that the startup inrush current is slightly too high). Sorry for the ranty post but I've been watching this problem not being fixed for a long time ...
Keith, I have the same axminster saw and i fixed the dust extractor issue. I made sure to seal any openings in the cabinet, also i made a blade guard from plexiglas (including dust extraction) wich lowers on to the saw and is height ajustable. No I run a single dustextractor, one similar to yours, and it works fine. Before i could see mdf dust fly everywhere , but with my plexiglas blade guard this is history. When i saw your video I got exided since I have a small workshop and find the Axminster a bit big, but seeing you work with the Lumber jack I am convinced I should stay with the Axminster, I think you should to, it looked a bit flimsy and weak, also the electrical problem is a dum one. And for the 45/90 degree pro points for the Lumber Jack I would consider this a con. Wouldn't you rather have the possiblity to adjust this? Love your video's!! Greetings from the Netherlands!
On the Axminster cons. It is a machine design from '80s (from Kity if I remember correctly) that is why the poor user experience features. The blade tilting on the right is because it was designed to be a slider and not a cabinet saw.
I dunno I feel like I'd keep the lumber jack just because they seem to care about what their customers want and think about their saws. I've never seen axminster comment on a review video of any kind
The old wood workers saying is so true!!! "Save your money and buy the best tools you can afford!" Its cheaper to pay ones!! On paper this saw ticked all the boxes for me.... It had everything you could ask for moving up from the DeWalt site saw... So i bought one... As mentioned in the clip, this is the "old Ridged table saw " . Research faults on that old Ridged saw and you will find there are a lot of common un fixable faults that may or may not affect your saw out the box. Its a lottery... some get a perfect saw and others not... There are at least 3 common faults that pop up that makes reliable accuracy imposable on this saw... With out even fully assembling my new saw it failed on the first test... Lifting the blade up and down at 90 deg, there was more than 1mm deference at top and bottom, i could literally see the blade moving with my naked eye... It did not lift straight. It was returned for a refund... The faults on this saw date back 15 plus years, i thought they must have fixed all these faults by now, but no... its the same faults haunting this old saw with a new name... I bought the planer thicknesser too, what i pile of junk!!! Advertised as a cast iron top, its aluminium... not sure how they get away with saying its Iron... I will say this though, i do use the planer every day to flatten and squire stock and it does do a pretty good job at it, even with all its faults... Would I recommend it? No! I wish every day looking at it, that i bought the next one up that cost half the price more...
Great vid as usual Keith 😊 No disrespect to Lumberjack but I think they’re definitely a bit sub standard in their customer service. I’ve got one of their plunge saws, and after being used and abused it needs a new splinter guard, so I contacted them. I got the reply that don’t supply them, so unless I could get a makita one etc to fit, I’d have to buy new tracks! In the end I removed & refitted the old ones, enabling me to trim them back, and they’re ok, but what a strange attitude they have. I think everything you’re liking about the saw is thanks to the designers of the Rigid original, and nothing that lumberjack have done. So I suspect they’re batting above their weight with this one!
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0:00 Intro
0:15 Why I Got It
2:40 About The Saw
3:08 Internal Components
4:10 Cast Iron Tables
4:36 Riving Knife
4:49 Arbour & Blades
6:01 Blade Height/Angle
6:27 Fence Rails
6:46 Extension Tables
7:16 Accuracy
7:46 The Fence
9:00 Cut Capacity
10:57 Mitre Gauge
12:20 Storage
12:40 Table Flatness
13:51 Blade Guard
14:39 Blade Tilt
15:21 Mobile Base
15:32 Manual
15:41 Thoughts So Far...
16:44 Electrical Fault
18:06 Solving Electrical Issue
18:18 Cutting MDF
18:26 Dust Extraction
18:36 Cutting Elm
18:51 Testing Cut Speed
19:16 Noise Levels
19:33 Summary
Special thanks to @shaunintheshed , @ProperDIY and @lumberjacktoolsuk
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Well Keith, what a review! We at Lumberjack HQ totally agree with you about needing a review like this years ago (we are idiots) As we have discussed recently about the year 2020, this was a very busy time for us as a company in lockdown with only 4 staff and no one in charge of socials or marketing at that time, all our time was spent on customer orders, query's and warranty. 2020 was also the year we got this TS1800, so the saw was very new to us at the time and as a company we were not in a position to collab, not an excuse, but this was the reason, so for this we apologise. I can confirm now we are in a better place and have been expanding our marketing more and more over the years with the help and knowledge of our customers like yourself, as you are all the experts in our opinion. The video shows everything and more about the saw so for this we are grateful to you for showing. Currently we are speaking to our factory to install the slow blown fuse on all future machines to stop this issue in the future. This issue has only been recent to us as we had upgraded the rpm in the motor to 4200rmp previously on the first batch it was only 2800rmp, we did not think this would then cause an electronic issue but the saw proved us wrong, we will also look into what some of your followers have mentioned about the soft start motor (never crossed our mind) Also we have asked if we can get our hands on a smaller transparent guard and some cast versions of the side tables to be sold separately, along with a sliding carriage :) so will update you once we know more on this. We will now leave you to complete a few more projects with the saw and see how you feel about keeping it :) Thank you again Keith, and thank you to everyone that has left a comment & watched this video.
In the end I can see great communication and willingness to improve and that's important. Looks like an interesting saw 👍
thanks very much for being so receptive to feedback
Great work lumberjack replying and listening to customers. I’ve just ordered your dust extraction system based upon this video and your responses. We are missing a budget woodworking supplier in the UK. I’m hoping lumberjack start expanding into jigs etc to match up with the likes of trend, Kreg etc.
Hi guys, see the thread where i point out that BS1362 fuses technically aren't available in slow blow (unless i am wrong which could be possible, lol).. I want you guys to be fully compliant as you evidently care enough. Apologies for my flippant attitude in the referenced comment too... i just get routinely stressed by stuff that isn't compliant... and you evidently want yours to be :) Might be worth consulting someone on why the fuse blowing is happening though, as it could cause negative reviews from UK buyers?
@Lumberjack Tools it would be great to see the arbor upgraded to metric/European standard instead of the 5/8". That's the main thing putting me off at this stage.
The author does like to ruclips.net/user/postUgkxkNYRBJuiJ6EwD-tQSAlxg0eFKsnR2cgz from scratch, shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. As another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us don’t have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we won’t be able to practice the full stack project, is still great.
Hi Keith, Great indepth review! Here's what i know... I have owned this lumberjack saw since june 2020, and have been more than happy with it., more on that in a bit. I better start by saying i have no affiliation with this company...
I live just a few miles from the Lumberjack headquarters (known as Toolsave), my experience with them as a company has been very positive. For example my previous table saw was also a lumberjack, a site saw (same as a Rigid site saw, now no longer available). I bought that saw as an ex- demo model reduced in price, a couple of weeks later i noticed there was a twist/bend in the fence, they swapped it for me no issue. I Had the same experience with a cordless brad nailer i had from them that started misfiring (a few days before the 1 year warranty expired, it had seen some fairly heavy onsite use..), they just went in the back and handed me a new one, all in a friendly and helpful manner. I was unsure about using Toolsave, as the only info on them back in 2018 when i first discovered them were a few google reviews that were somewhere between negative and horrendous!
Back to the the Ts1800 saw, its very similar to the classic Rigid hybrid , but it is actually a re-badged Craftsman like this :
www.woodmagazine.com/review/saws/tablesaws/stationary-tablesaws/craftsman-21833-contractor-tablesaw
The craftsman has the same paint job and fence, i think the throat and plate is very slightly different on the Rigid (the positioning of the levelling screws in the cast iron top, from memory).
I have never had an issue with the start blowing fuses etc, i have no fancy electric wiring , currently my workshop is running of an extension from the house.. (yeah i know, recently moved need to sort!) maybe a component has been changed on newer models, mine just soft starts... Due to space restrictions i have never used the left hand table wing or left section of fence rails, i made a right hand wing with a triton router underneath, it works for me - even the fence measure read out ligns up perfect.. I have made zero clearance inserts for it, my current one is a bit like the "Hooked on wood" one with holes in. Theres some good videos on here, i think its on the "shop built" channel where he makes some router templates for easy duplicates.The saw being so easy to move about in a small space was a big seller to me, and i have no regrets.
I fully agree with you about the blade guard, its too tall and intrusive for me and as such i have never used it, i used the guard from my old saw until i made my own, similar to the guard made by "Justin Depew" here on youtube , although my guard is attached to the saw and not to a wall, so it stays in place when i wheel the saw about...
The one negative as you mentioned is the 5/8 inch arbor, and the need to use reducing rings for blades, a minor inconvienience but i would be interested if anyone on here knows where to source 5/8 (possibly 16mm) arbor blades in the uk, at a reasonable price that would fit this saw (250 -254mm x 3mm thick), as i have never found any :(
I am sure you will make the right decision on which saw to keep, just wanted to give you my 2 cents, apologies for a bit of an essay!
All the best, Dave Griffiths
Great thanks for all the info Dave 👍
Hi Keith, not one to normally comment on RUclips, however, your review prompted me to make the purchase. And here are my thoughts.
The box is extremely heavy, however, I managed to manoeuvre mine with a sack truck and a little effort up some stairs to my workshop. This is not something I would recommend on your own.
The gauge of materials is nice, thick, and well-constructed. There are no extras with screws or washers, so watch this carefully. Instructions are not the worse, clear enough, but could do with colour pictures or enlarged views. All the tools were provided to do the job.
The only tricky part was the back right corner screw for the back rail, there is not much room to get your fingers there to get the nut onto the screw. Generally, I had no issues with screwing parts together, and no screws cross-threaded. The plastic dust shoot slots I found a little off-centre, there are these small tabs to help align, however, mine seemed to stop it from meeting up properly. The back panel screws were hard to undo with an Allen key by hand,
I found pushing the two front rails together first with a mallet easier than the method you showed in the video and the instructions.
I noticed you mentioned the finish of the chamfers from your video was not particularly good, mine had no such issues, and it was well-machined. The iron top was as flat in the same way as you described in the video, good enough for me. All the holes are aligned for the levelling screws in the insert plate.
As you mention, this is the same model as the Rigid R4512 saw used in America. Although this model has been superseded with the newer R4520, many still believe it was a good saw and have plenty of modification videos and reviews.
My older saw was the Axminster TS200 with the sliding carriage. This is an upgrade for sure in size and capacity, but I find it suits a midsize workshop like a garage or similar well.
Yes, the fuse supplied did blow after the first use despite running it from an extension lead, however, Lumberjack does provide a slow blow fuse within the box.
Since I have gotten the saw, I have made a router table for it, which was super easy and uses the existing table fence.
Overall, I agree 100% with your review, it’s well-balanced and points out all the important features, many thanks for the brilliant video and the effort.
I purchased this Table Saw, 8 Months ago based upon this review and have been impressed by its quality and accuracy. I checked and the Saw came with not just one but two 'Slow Blow' Fuses - one installed in the plug and a spare. Thank you for your recommendation and review.
Looks like a great well thought out saw at a reasonable price. If the dish in the middle of the table bothers you, it is most likely caused by the trunnion attachment points not being machined true. My old contractor saw had the same issue, so I stuck some 80 grit sandpaper to a melamine board, that was big enough to cover all four at once, and sanded them flat and parallel with each other. (cover the faces in black marker and sand them until all the marker has gone. This will also tell you which one is the problem.) I also trued up the mating faces of the trunnion brackets and the dish has gone.
I bought this saw about a year ago, apart of the fuse issue, no other problems to report. For blades, I shop across the pond, Kats-Moses have great offer of CMT blades, which are superb and cut quality is better in comparision to Diablo blades. You'd need to buy more than one though as shipping is about £18 and takes few days. Well worth though.
My table has been running smoothly, I highly recommend it, never thought of getting rid of it or swapping for anything else.
Great review, hope you'll like it enough to keep it.
I've had this saw for 3+ years and have been pleased with it. My only issue had been with the insert plate not sitting in place correctly, that was until this week when I found that the magnet is height adjustable - there is a small adjuster screw under the magnet! A warning for potential buyers, this is a heavy saw and if you are unfortunate, as I was, to have this 'delivered' to the end of your drive make sure you have the means to move it to your workshop, I nearly gave my neighbour a hernia, or two.
I think Stuart’s mere seconds involvement makes this you best video yet
For me, the Lumberjack has the "w" here, mate. I'm a huge fan for Pro/Con lists but I like to add a 3rd category here. 1 to 5 weighted scores for the cons. 1 being a deal breaker and 5 being a minor inconvenience. Doing that on my end, the lumber jack comes out on top from your reactions. try for it yourself. Really reflex on the cons and how much they cause you not wanting to use that feature or saw altogether. cheers
I bought the lumberjack planer thicknesser which has exactly the same problem I found the only way to get it to stop blowing fuses was to run a long extension from the house. I just thought my garages electrics were old 😅 cheers Keith ill have to get me some of those slow blow fuses 👍
I’ve got that machine too. I really like it. The fence is a bit poor though. I’m planning to upgrade/modify it at some point. I’ve also been wondering about changing the blades to a spiral cutter head.
@@stuartwilliams5385 yeh the fence definitely has a knack to using it but once i figured it out it was fine, honestly its probably my favourite machine it's such a beast. Iv just built a table I bought in a load of rough sawn walnut planed it all up with this beauty and came out amazing and very square. Have you found a source for a spiral cutter head that will fit it?
@@LAJay90 I haven’t yet. I was hoping you might have. 😝. If I find one I’ll post here.
I’ve had the lumberjack for around 16 months,I love it. I’ve had exactly the same problem with 13a fuses,I just don’t switch the saw off,that does the trick,too.
Ha ha can you afford your electricity bill though??
@@RagnBoneBrown
I’m loaded,Keith,honest. I leave it plugged in and switched on,not running. Lol
ive dealth with lumberjack alot and even during covid and they were amazing too me and they were great shipping stuff to me in Ireland. great company
Your fence adjustment frustration acting was quality! Can't believe they ship that saw with a standard 13amp fuse with a motor with a large inrush current and to advise you to run it on a long extension lead is madness!!
Cheers John interested to hear your perspective on this with you being an electrician! Is running it on an extension lead bad advice then, and if so, why? Cheers 👍
@@RagnBoneBrown Hi Keith, Extension leads are always a bad idea and should only be used for temporary needs. When you use an extension lead your are increasing the length of the circuit {some leads can be over 20 meters}. If you are at the end of an already long circuit then the loop impedance (resistance) can get to high and under fault conditions the MCB will not trip in time turning the entire circuit into a red hot wire which only takes seconds. Another reason is that a coiled up extension lead under continuous use can turn into a heating coil and are a fire hazard. Best practice is to uncoil fully an extension lead when it is in use for extended periods so it can dissipate the heat. As a wire's temperature increases so does its resistance and as its resistance increases so does its temperature. You can see the problem! Also an uncoiled lead in the workshop is a trip hazard so its just a bad idea all around. Now if you add the slow blowing fuse to the end of a long circuit with a coiled up extension lead that's a recipe for disaster!
@@JohnMcGrathManInShed The motor is designed for the American market running on 60hz running at 3450 rpm. In the UK at 50hz it runs at just 2800rpm , very slow for a table saw and the reason it cuts slower. The spec is in the manual for the saw. Until they spec a decent motor to run on the UK supply with a soft start I wouldn't want one, shame as it looks a decent saw. The advice from them about changing mcbs and to run it on an extension lead for a plug fuse blowing problem is just total nonsense and they really need to sort themselves out with this saw and stop giving out this ridiculous advice.
As im only 4 mile away from lumberjack, their stuff is so tempting to buy
I love this saw. I own it now for about 4 years and in Belgium we don't have electrical plugs with fuses inside, so no problem with this. It just scared me to see how clean it once was 😉
Yes, I suspect they've tested it to EU standards (which is fine) but many EU countries use C curve breakers for general power, here we have, in addition to the aforementioned fuse in the plug, mostly B curve, except for circuits with very high inrush (such as lots of LED lighting drivers, or motor loads like air conditioning/heat pumps)
Send the saw to Matt :D It will be an upgrade.
So, the pros with this seems to be the mobility. If you had to share the garage with your wife's car for instance. But in your case, your workshop is quite large by European standards (non industrial ofc). And you may not need the mobility. The blade guard on the Lumberjack seems better to be honest, since you can aim through the split. When it comes to better features, you really cant beat the features on the DeWalt jobsite saws. So, if you follow that logic you are back to your old shed. I have yet to see a cabinet saw with good dust extraction and I use the same kind of solution you do, with a separate shop vac for the blade guard. IMHO the only feature your Axminster saw lacks is a quick change riving knife. But I am rambling on here. Great video. Love the podcast as well. Was looking forward to this video. Nomad out.
Great review Keith, thanks. I bought a FERM tablesaw around 7 years ago. There were a few reviews around, most good, but no YT content makers giving honest appraisals. I feel many written reviews are "face saving" reviews by people desperate to justify their purchase. Long story short, after 2 returns for repair at my cost for couriers, the FERM finally spat the dummy and caught fire.
I was in the middle of a kitchen remodel at the time & needed a saw fast so splurged about £60 on an Aldi special as a stop-gap. It is probably worth the £60, but certainly is not a precision tool - not that I expected it to be. I now make most cuts with my track saw.
At some point I will be replacing the Aldi saw, and this review has really encouraged me to look again at LJ products. I almost bought a band saw in 2019, but when I asked if they could guarantee delivery to my garage got no response. I work & my missus is severely disabled so a kerbside delivery would be no use to me. My Axminster lathe was delivered by TNT, right inside the garage as specified by Axminster on the delivery note.
After my previous experience, I am always keen to hear customer care stories. We all hope our tools & machines will never break, but I would be interested to hear if anyone has had any returns experience with LJ.
I only had one ferm tool and it was the worst purchase I ever made pure garbage - Titan seems to be the worst at the moment
I've had one of these saws for over a year and had no issues, paid £990 for it at the time and it's been worth every penny. No regrets, in fact also bought their planer/thicknesser which has also been fine.
From an electrical perspective, the saw does not have any issues. Slo Blow fuses were made for this exact purpose, to deal with inrush current that is present on startup. The device draws more than the fuse is rated for for just a small amount of time, and then current is much lower. The slow blow fuse keeps the safety rating of the fuse for a fault at 13 amps, but allows for the rush of current during startup. Yes, they should have used this from the get go. There is nothing wrong with the saw, it is just how that motor works by design. The fault was the builder of the saw, and if they changed to the slow blow at the factory they have sorted the problem.
Thanks for this video, I've been looking at the Lumberjack for a few months as the size and wheels are perfect for my small shop and I'm sick of the job site saw I have.
The one big concern I had was that the Rigid saw that this is almost identical to has a huge flaw with its fence.
Thankfully your video confirmed that the fence on the Lumberjack is a different and better design.
I'll be pulling the trigger on the purchase soon. Many Thanks
Glad I could help!
Great review mate; I have noticed many of your reviews are honest and fair. It sometimes grates me when I see RUclipsrs picking up some free merchandise, in return for offering up a substandard fluffy product demo and trying to pass it off as review. You could have edited out the blown fuse issues, weaker motor, blade sizes and simply offered up a snippet of advice, but you made a point of highlighting it, as you knew your viewers needed to know this info.
This saw is on my wish list and seeing your demo has definitely pushed to towards buying it later in the year.
Thanks for recognising this. It's difficult to come across as authentic when there's such a stigma around people "reviewing" things they get for free. The authenticity of my channel is far more important to me than any relationship with any brand 👍
Thanks for the mention Keith, it’s great to see the saw getting noticed. The electric issues have been a niggle lately for the few that have experienced them as I said Sod’s Law you were affected.
I get asked would I buy the saw 2/3 years after I purchased it he’ll yes.
I will be at Makers Central demonstrating if anyone wants to pop by and say hello or ask anything.
Cheers for everything Shaun
When I was looking for a (small) bandsaw I looked at Lumberjack and did some googling.. I found someone who said that they had a problem with theirs and LJ came back to them saying they would not have a spare part in stock.. for months! So.. I am a bit sceptical of LJ.
But essentially for this kind of product LJ, Axminister, etc are all the same.. they are importing machines, maybe with some custom specification/mods and then adding their own branding and support. So I would say a big thing to consider with such an expensive purchase is the care and attention to detail where specification and support are concerned..
Great review video, I loved Stuart's cameo. You two are my favourite RUclipsrs, so anytime you collaborate is a win.
Thank you! He's great
He made me say that!
I have a Harvey ambassador with the same kind of insert plate. Get yourself some aluminium composite panel to make zero clearance inserts. It's aluminium sheet over a stiff plastic core. You cut one bit to the size of the insert and then epoxy a second sheet under that with cut outs for the levellers and other bits in the way. Makes for a cheap and stiff insert. Mine is 4mm composite panel for thickness. You will need to check yours but my guess is it is the same or close.
Yeah... I'd been looking at the Charnwood 10" but a visit to my local sawmill made me plan to get a Hammer band saw and keep the Dewalt site saw.
You're almost making me change my mind with this Lumberjack... Same size of motor as the Dewalt but induction, cast iron top, etc, etc...
Always bloody choices!
However, I rather suspect it'll be the band saw first then maybe upgrade the saw next year...
As ever, food for thought...
Have a great weekend!
A great video as always Keith. In relation to the mitre gauge problem, one fix I have seen other makers do, is to drill holes on the edge of the mitre bar. These can then be tapped and have grub screws inserted, which are then adjusted to suit. I've read through the comments and I can see that you are sitting on the fence a bit with whether to keep the Lumberjack or not and the need to make new jigs is putting you off. It seems to me, that if you removed that from the equation, then you are actually falling on the side of the Lumberjack as being the better saw. If that is the case then you should think long term and passed the making of new jigs as, inevitably, you will at some point have to remake them for the Axminster as well. Great Podcast as well by the way.
Thank you!
I fitted plastic grub screws to mine...flat headed screw driver type
I have had a very similar saw branded as Craftsman for several years. I’ve never had any problems with it and continue to enjoy many of the positive points you note. I would encourage you to give it a chance for all those positive points you made. Best of luck!
Thanks for sharing
I would assume that the two grub screws, or set screws to our American friends, in the mitre bar are to make sure the head of the mitre gauge sits flat on your cast table saw top. A fair assessment of the competing table saws,. I would go with the Lumber Jack as the ability to move it quickly in the workshop is a major benefit.
sure it's to get the mitre gauge flush with the surface of the table... but the question he asked is why would you do that?
Quality for people on a budget, I have a few off their tools and very happy with them
Thanks for the review, there are not many reviews about this saw and none are very recent. I have been thinking about getting one and I think your review has made my mind up !
Nice review, thank you. I have this saw. I really like it. I have also had problems with blowing fuses, good tip in the slow blow fuses. The guard is a waste of time. It just keeps falling off I’ve given up on it. Your retrofit looks pretty good.
My new Axminster guard has arrived. Fits perfectly.
Very good review!! Well done!
I agree that the Lumberjack is better, and I believe that the Axminster is probably worth second hand almost as the Lumberjack, and if not, it would cover a big portion of its cost.
In my opinion, one way of understanding the real value of the Lumberjack is by bringing in the workshop the most awkward shaped project and experiencing the comfort of being able to move the table saw to give yourself a bit more space.
Making new sleds and jigs means more videos, new challenges, more help for people who work with a budget friendly tool and more fun.
i'll be buying me some slow blow fuses then, great review. one thing you didnt mention that has taken me time to adjust to is the lack of break on the motor, meaning the blade takes a while to stop
Update - slow blow fuses worked for a while but still ended up blowing, told by Lumberjack that I would need a 16amp circuit.
Had this saw for a couple of years now and have no complaints other than with the motor, had the same issue as you and switched to slow blow fuses which has worked ever since. For me the axminster was a nono as it just would be too space inefficient whereas the lumberjack slides neatly under my workbench when its not in use.
Looks like a great saw. I think if I ever upgrade my Axminster hobby this would be the top contender
Great video. You definately nailed many issues other had setting up the saw here in the USA. This saw is the sister saw to the Sears Craftsman 218330. It is no longer made, the pro series took it's place for a couple years and the line was terminated. However, this saw may well be brought back with some great improvements.
T
A hybrid of the two table saws would be perfect!
Dust collection Problems
In addition, to the saw, I bought a Lumberjack dust collector. My intention was to connect the dust extractor to the table saw. I thought this would be easy, how wrong I was.
The first problem is the castor lifting system on the saw, while great for moving the saw around in a small workshop like mine, is in the way of the dust port and leaves no room to fit the flexible 100mm hose from the dust collector.
Even if the castor system did not get in the way, out of all the adapters that come with the dust collector only one
will fit the sawdust port and that one reduces the 100mm down to half that and still leaves the problem of connecting the flexible hose to the reduced outlet.
I went to a well-known outlet and bought a selection of 100mm PVC ducting items.
None of what I bought would actually fit the port on the saw or the fitting on the end of the flexible hose, even the connecting section that can join 2 sections of 100mm pipe together would not fit the saw or the hose.
In the end, I used a short section of 110mm PVC drain pipe that fits loosely over the sawdust port on the saw, and I used silicon filler to seal the joint and 2 self-tapping screws to hold it in place. This allowed me to connect a 100mm right-angle bend pipe section with enough clearance to allow the castor system to still operate.
This was also loose in the 110mm section, so more silicon and self-tapping screws solved that, finally a short section of 100mm pipe fitted the 90deg bend correctly and brought the end of it to just outside the castor space and is easily accessible at the rear of the saw.
The final bit of the jigsaw was connecting the end of the flexible hose to the new 100 mm end of the sawdust port. I had to remove the end that was fitted when it came (not easy as it is glued in) and replace it with a 100mm PCV connecting joint that fits the 100mm pipe correctly. Now I can connect the flexible hose to the saw without problems or having to get on the floor
The US style of fence always look good. The wheel base also looks great
This was very useful. I struggled with my fence a bit.
I'll be honest, Im really tempted by it. Loosing half a HP might be an issue BUT I would get around that by just changing the blade more often. I love the idea of the Dado, thats a game changer from my point of view. I think it would make an awesome saw to build into a cabinet. If you could purchase extra side tables or extra fence extensions so you could do that than it would be awesome. A sliding table would also be a game changer as coupling that with the Dado and you have a tenon maker.
In relation to the electrical issue, to be fair to Lumberjack, the fact that they came on here, made a comment and are trying to come up with fixes, says alot about the company. I've had conversations with a few different tool companies and they always usually result in it sounding like they don't care which is the complete opposite that I get from LJ.
Great review, look forward to seeing how you get on and what you decide. It's a toughie. How does the standard table size compare to the Axminster? That would be a big decider for me I think.
Great review! I'm in the U.S. and I've had the Ridgid R4512 for a few years. I love mine. It's been a great addition to my shop!
I bought a lumberjack band saw and was quite impressed by it. I’ve use replaced my mini lathe with a lumberjack one and it’s great. They seem to do a great job at a reasonable price. This is something that you didn’t mention, price difference though I appreciate it may have been in your previous video.
Prices change all the time so no point putting them in a video as they won't be right for long
If I was in your position I think I would keep what I already had despite the issues mentioned, especially if I had already gone to the trouble of having a 16amp power socket installed, made and fitted a router table to the side table, an outfeed table to the front, made some jigs for it etc. It feels like towards the end of the video you are 99% sure you want to keep the Lumberjack but you want that final 1% just to confirm it's the right thing to do, whichever one you decide to go with good job on actually getting your hands on the LJ to make this great review video!
Thank you! Yeah that about sums it up
@@RagnBoneBrown I don't think you mentioned it but if you are not under any financial obligation if you kept the Lumberjack i.e. paying something for it then that might become another factor in your decision. The Axminster on the second hand market should be worth something not far off £1000 if not more will all the accessories you added when you bought it.
I've used crazy expensive panel saws that have the same parallax issue when reading the scales, I don't know why company's do it. I think Axminster are really hit and miss with quality in general but lumberjack do lack quality control and customer service in my experience
Dejavu! We had the same axminster saw and had same problems and more with that, I hooked up with Lumberjack at Makers Central and took their demo table saw back to our Makerspace - again all the same experience as you with the same fixes, we have all our stuff on 16a plugs anyway so was no big deal. I sold the axminster immediately as it was not friendly to use in such a busy shared workshop. Looking at getting a second Lumberjack Table saw now as its the little things that make the difference.
PS - Please come and visit us at MAKE Gosport - would love to do a colab of some kind.
Hi Keith,you could possibly use copper slug tape on the side of the mitre gauge ,to make it fit more snugly.
Cheap and effective.
All the best ,keep up the great work.
Interesting thanks. Having bought and run a LumberJack lathe and bench grinder I am impressed with their bang for the buck. Am currently thinking of replacing an old Scheppach though I may go for a bandsaw.......
I’ve got one, had the slow blow fuse issue, slight dishing in the middle of the table (again 0.2 mm)that aside love it. Great piece of kit.
I've had my lumberjack saw for nearly 2 years and have gone through a lot of fuses now. Will look into some slow blow ones as didn't know they existed.
I was really surprised about your results with a HVLP extractor as I thought a crown style one would be the most effective (not that I've found it to be that effective). Will take a look at getting one. Thanks Keith
Tricky! I was leaning towards the smaller Axminster that Paoson just upgraded his mobile bench with, as I couldn't see the need for a cabinet saw and I don't mind waiting for them to restock. I'm now reconsidering - the lumberjack is an impressive package! I don't like the fence style on the Axminster saws - I retrofitted a slightly smaller version on my very old cast iron saw and it has definite flex under pressure.
Hi Keith, if you want the best of boat saws get a Laguna fusion 3. I have owned one for a couple of years and I am very happy with it. It has all the easy features of the lumberjack with the power and more professional feel of the Axminster
Yup, same here.
I've recently just got my saw out of its box after a year I've went with the einhell table saw and so far I'm impressed not in the budget a don't think on these kinda saws although they look nice. If it was me Keith id look at the lumberjack to keep just my opinion though. 🏴👍
Besides the electrical problem and tiny bit less power, I think that LJ beats AXM. You should stick to the saw you like better. When I got Hammer machines I hated them (except the bandsaw) and when I upgraded them with Felder machines I loved them, and still do. They aren't perfect, but very close.
This was a fantastic review on this particular saw at last.well done.
Great saw, I've had mine for a number of years. However, it is not the same as the Ridgid saw (I almost bought that one), it's an almost mirror image of my Craftsman #21833, with a few tweaks here and there. It's one of the smoothest running saws I've owned, it passes the nickel test (stand a nickel on it's edge and turn the saw on, nickel doesn't budge).
Very interesting. I must admit to having been wrong about this saw when making my choice last year based on this review. But I certainly don’t regret choosing the Axminster AW250 even though it lacks some of the refinements of many contractor saws. The Hybrid saw format is interesting from a UK point of view as you would think there would be a huge demand for it, but I see and find most small workshop owners tend towards bench/cabinet saws or site saws.
Thanks Karl. I was wrong to choose my Axminster too so that makes two of us 😁 if LumberJack had done a better job at getting in the hands of reviewers earlier on, I think they probably would have sold tons of them
If you guys had the decision to make again from the start, would you have gone with the lumberjack? I am currently setting up a new workshop and upgrading my table saw is high on the agenda. I considered the Axminster but what I will need for the extra power might not even be an issue and the lumberjack seems to excel in most other areas. Can I also ask, does the arbor diameter being imperial cause any problems in day-to-day use? Great review by the way (and incidentally it was your Axminster review I saw in the first instance too).
I will cover this in an upcoming video, but it's important to note that the axminster saw I have is no longer available for sale, so it's irrelevant! But yes the lumberjack would be my choice if I was choosing between the two
@@RagnBoneBrown The price point also makes it an attractive choice. I think I might be about to place an order with lumberjack.
I don't suppose you have a referral code?
@@GazBadger I think I probably would have. I've not talked about the AW254TS but now I've re-jigged my workshop to make sure it's available for use more, I might. There are two things I like about the lumberjack. It's size is compact enough for a 35ft x 11ft garage workshop but has a large saw feel. The second is the in-feed on the table is bigger and I've always preferred that and the axminster relatively short infeed is one if its short comings.
I wonder if blade changes would offset the difference in cut time between the two saws? You look very happy talking about the Lumberjack, and filled w/ regret over the Ax. My vote is you keep the Ax and I'll send you that money you asked for on Telegram, and then you can send me the Lumberjack.... I'm gonna need a different plug here in the US.
Seen the electrical problem with the fuse in the plug blowing mentioned before on Facebook and telling people to change the mcb, and use extension leads is just total nonsense and they should sort themselves out with the correct information, non of that will solve a blown plug fuse when the motor is drawing too much current on start up. This problem has been around long enough and they really should spec a decent motor that will run properly on UK 240v 50hz. The saw being designed for the American market means the motor runs at full rpm on the US 60hz at 3450rpm, using it in the UK on 50hz means it's running at a reduced 2800 rpm which is very slow for a table saw.. This is shown in the spec in the manual if I remember correctly. It's looks a good saw but I couldn't recommend it to anyone because of the electrical issue and not having a motor that runs at the higher RPM. Good review by the way 👍
That laser would actually be a great feature on a jobsite saw. It really helps freehand cut straight lines. Certainly when things are wider than the fence. I think it's less useful on a stationary saw however.
Interesting review. I bought a Dewalt DWE7485 a couple of months ago but only got to set it up last week. One immediate advantage compared to the Lumberjack was that it was completely setup out of the box and other than clipping the fence on (and then clipping it on correctly as I got it wrong the first time) it was ready to use straight away. But boy, is it loud and I take all your comments about the benefits of induction motors. The small amount I have used it so far I’ve worn ear defenders.
Didn’t bother with the factory mitre gauge, I’d bought an Incra Mitre V27 a few weeks earlier which fits both my bandsaw and the Dewalt, and with adjusters for side slop.
Thank you for the review, Keith! I am looking for a table saw to purchase and this video is very valuable in a right time! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
In Australia Sherwood (Timbecon) have this table saw (lumber Jack) and was the one I wanted but unfortunately they had no stock and ended up getting a less powerful saw after watching this, I think I’m going to sell my table saw and get this one when it’s available again, so in my opinion I think the lumberjack would be the better option but I’m properly thinking of my own situation
Lumberjack tools seem to be brilliant budget tools. I'm surprised how it stacked up against the Axminster saw.
If it were to have a scribing blade I might be tempted to buy one.
Nice review 👍🏼
Great video as always, I love how you always mention your mistakes (learning outcomes 🤣). I've got a few LJ tools and am really happy with them. The list of pros for me outweigh the pros for the Axminster.
Pretty nice table saw indeed, Keith! 😃
Deciding between them is what I call a good problem to have!
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
thank you! You too
Great honest review Keith, and if I had the room I would swap my DW745 for the Lumberjack... oh it was great to see my "Flappy Paddle" safety paddle on your old DW745 (There are 69 knocking around the world now.) Anyway....I reckon you will keep the Lumberjack. Cheers Paul
😁 Great vid Keith. I 100% agree about the dust collection on the Axi (my Sip is the same), its rubbish. I think I will modify mine with the same dust shoot the Lumberjack has (but ill fit it up the right way 😆😆), I think there is a Charlwood one that can be "modified to fit". Anyway, the lumberjack looks like it has masses of potential.... but now you need to decide ... Good luck 😆😆👍
Keith - you have a tough decision to make 😀 I must admit I was laughing at the advice Lumberjack committed to ‘paper’ on the blowing issue of 13A fuses apart from trying the slow blow variety the rest was tosh. Plugging into an extension lead would make the current spike higher (increased circuit resistance) and changing the MCCB from a B to a C does nothing at all to prevent a 13A fuse blowing.
How can higher source resistance increase inrush current?
@@JGnLAU8OAWF6 😳 ohms law my friend ohms law.
@@normanboyes4983 I = V / R, higher resistance -> less current.
@@JGnLAU8OAWF6 The motor will draw the current it needs to start and the higher the resistance between the MCCB and the motor the more current will pass through the 13A plug.
Great review I’ve got the Axminster 12” version and apart from the short arbour (machined my own to take a dado stack) it’s been great agree with all your comments. Bit of an own goal by lumberjack, if they had responded with a sale or return offer thing you’d be a LumberJack. Also I really don’t know why they don’t just charge £20 extra and put on a soft start module. ❤
Cheers. I think the electrical issue has only come about recently, it's been on sale for years but all the examples of it have been in the past few months so presumably something changed in the manufacture of the saw causing the problem
@@RagnBoneBrown Makes me wonder if they've downgraded the motor, which has a higher start current.
@@CNile-se9xw The motor is designed for the American market running on 60hz running at 3450 rpm. In the UK at 50hz it runs at 2800rpm , very slow for a table saw and the reason it cuts slower. Until hey spec a decent motor to run on the UK supply with a soft start I wouldn't want one, shame as it looks a decent saw.
@@alankirby2931 Spot on mate, I didn't realise they kept the 60Hz motors, so your speed difference sounds right. Another damning factor is that running a motor at a lower frequency than it's designed means that's also less efficient.
An example of frequency relating to magnetic strength are the physically small transformers (for the output) in pulse width power supplies. Their tiny transformers are fed a high-frequency signal & produce staggering high output for their size.
@@alankirby2931 The motor speed is largely irrelevant, as it is not direct drive (the size of induction motors precludes this- you would not get much depth of cut...). The speed is set by the motor to spindle ratio, allowing the optimum to be chosen. It may well be that the manufacturer does not change this for the non-US market- which would be a poor decision. Single phase Induction motors (permanent cap type) are 'soft start' to an extent anyway- the starting torque is quite low.
I have been using the RIGID version of this saw for a few years. it's far from perfect, and there's several things about it that i find annoying or that could have been done much better, but overall, i am very happy with it. i've built countless projects with it over the years, and have no desire to replace it anytime soon.
I looked at this saw some time ago and the main thing that put me off was the 5/8 arbour and the fact that when I contacted lumberjack with some questions they didn't reply and came to the same conclusion as you if they can't reply before buying one it made me concerned about after sales support should you need it but I'm sure now you have reviewed the saw the price will go up by a couple of hundred quid as it did when Shaun reviewed it.
I run the same Axminster saw on a 13amp plug using an adaptor and I've never had any problems.
Interesting, it seems that if you'd had this first you'd have been quite happy with it ! The Axminster is in theory a more aspirational purchase for most of us but it seems Lumberjack/Rigid have offset most of the traditional "quality" features with a bit of clever design !
I'm using a noisy 20 y/o Rexon (remember them anyone ?) site saw, which is far from perfect and would be happy with either of these if I also had the room !
Btw, you and Stuart look like you're having way too much fun !
That's an interesting way of looking at it, and you're absolutely right. If I'd have bought it instead of the Axminster, I think I'd be happier overall
I’m in the market for a similar saw right now, I’ve been looking at pre owned, basically because anything from Axminster is on back order! I’ve just seen this saw is on promotion for 900 quid. I’m sold! The Titan is no more!
Before seeing the saw in person, £900 seemed expensive. Having now spent some time with it, I actually think it is great value at £900
@@RagnBoneBrown To be honest, your video has been incredibly helpful, in that I was looking into pre owned Axminster models capable of taking a dado stack. You highlighted the 16amp power supply of these products which could be an issue for me. I rent a container workshop and my electric is included in the monthly rent, however, that electric is just a double 13 amp socket. SO, looks like the lumberjack would be the way to go and they may get me for a 14 inch bandsaw also! PLUS the ability to spread payments over 3 months. I really like that....
The greatest cameo of all time!
I have no intention of buying a tool like this, however the review was very enjoyable
thank you!
I had an axminster ts-250 which was a great budget cast iron top saw. Sold that and upgraded it to an ex-school Startrite… as the saying goes, they don’t make them like they used to, that old quality machine feels industrial in comparison to these modern china saws. My advice to anyone looking for a fixed workshop saw is buy a Startrite or a Wadkin.
I have one of the Rigid table saws. Be mindful when you store the fence on the side that you push it all the way in (from the front). When you bang your shin on it, it feels almost as bad as banging your shin on a trailer hitch.
Thank you for this comprehensive and helpful review. It clinched it for me to go with Lumberjack for our local Men's Shed workshop. The saw has just been delivered so looking forward to assembling and using. I have fitted a slow blow 13 Amp fuse as a precaution (why dont they sell them fitted with one?)
Glad it was helpful! Thanks
I too have suffered the fuse blowing when I got my saw last year but still have standard fuses, (I’ll look into the slow blow), however mine has just developed and annoying clicking when it slows down, I think it could be something to do with the pulley wheel on the motor but the grub screw holding it on is tight.
Love the wheeled base and riving knife.
Me too. But is it a keeper?? 🤔
I have the same saw that you have. Based on this video I tried putting a baffle plate half way up the Axminster cabinet. I have only done a couple of test cuts but initial impression is the dust collection is much better.
Very good review. I don’t own either saw but found your video very informative and well done
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Kieth, excellent review thanks just looking at table saws so very timely, cheers
Great unbiased review as always Keith, the lumberjack looks like a well thought out peice of kit and has many nice to have features. Id keep the Lumberjack as the features are just way more user friendly.
Had the saw for well over a year. It’s a great bit of kit,accurate,powerful and not too loud. It has standard mitre slots,so after market add ons are available and compatible,had the same issue with fuses as Keith. I’ve ordered two slow blow fuses as recommended. If I just leave saw switched on,the standard 13a fuse works just fine. It means I must lower the blade below the table surface every time I’m finished in my shop,too dangerous otherwise. I’d recommend this machine,great tool.
@@johncorrall1739 Hi John sounds really good, I see the saw has had quite a big jump in price recently, I suppose its like everything lately.
@@karlpopewoodcraft
I don’t mean that I leave the saw running,clearly I turn off the current,I just don’t turn off the power to the saw.
@@johncorrall1739 haha ye I understand John that would be crazy lol
Cheers mate!
Great video as always Keith. Considering upgrading my site saw (evolution rage) and have a very small shop so the proper mobility of this saw is very appealing. Thank you
That cameo was spot on awesome!! 11:39 ❤❤😂😂
Always great to watch a decent review Keith. Great video mate 👍🏽👍🏽
Someone has probably already mention this but the screws on the mitre guide should adjust the 'wiggle' as you screw in it should expand the splits and tighten it in the slot. I guess you need to Gring the end of the bolt down.
Agh! Just as I’d settled on the iTECH you go and do this.
Great review that answers some of the questions I had but have to say, their approach to the electrical problem is not great. They’re providing something they know is an issue and getting customers to test fixes at their own cost before doing anything. That is probably going to be the reason I stick to the iTECH I think
Glad it was helpful! 😁 Yeah I agree it seems a bit unprofessional
@@RagnBoneBrown "A bit unprofessional"? I would suggest some of the electrical suggestions are downright wrong! Changing an MCB because a plugtop fuse blows is plain wrong - the MCB is working fine and changing it could unnecessarily reduce the safety of the entire circuit. Running on an extension lead may actually work but using it as a resistor is not neither sensible or desirable ... would it be safe to have a lead unwound and laying around the workshop? Recommending the fitting of a slow blow fuse is not sensible either - UK plugtops are designed to be fitted with BS1362 13A fuses as a maximum. The only valid suggestion is the fitting of a 16A plug and using a 16A circuit. This problem could be relatively easily prevented (using a couple of simple control methods I can immediately think of) but, to be honest, I feel Lumberjack have been somewhat ignoring the problem and getting users to find their own solutions rather than giving a "professional" response and fixing the obvious issue (that the startup inrush current is slightly too high). Sorry for the ranty post but I've been watching this problem not being fixed for a long time ...
Keith, I have the same axminster saw and i fixed the dust extractor issue. I made sure to seal any openings in the cabinet, also i made a blade guard from plexiglas (including dust extraction) wich lowers on to the saw and is height ajustable. No I run a single dustextractor, one similar to yours, and it works fine. Before i could see mdf dust fly everywhere , but with my plexiglas blade guard this is history. When i saw your video I got exided since I have a small workshop and find the Axminster a bit big, but seeing you work with the Lumber jack I am convinced I should stay with the Axminster, I think you should to, it looked a bit flimsy and weak, also the electrical problem is a dum one. And for the 45/90 degree pro points for the Lumber Jack I would consider this a con. Wouldn't you rather have the possiblity to adjust this?
Love your video's!!
Greetings from the Netherlands!
I love your thorough reviews well done I’m now interested 😊
On the Axminster cons. It is a machine design from '80s (from Kity if I remember correctly) that is why the poor user experience features. The blade tilting on the right is because it was designed to be a slider and not a cabinet saw.
I dunno I feel like I'd keep the lumber jack just because they seem to care about what their customers want and think about their saws. I've never seen axminster comment on a review video of any kind
The old wood workers saying is so true!!! "Save your money and buy the best tools you can afford!" Its cheaper to pay ones!! On paper this saw ticked all the boxes for me.... It had everything you could ask for moving up from the DeWalt site saw... So i bought one... As mentioned in the clip, this is the "old Ridged table saw " . Research faults on that old Ridged saw and you will find there are a lot of common un fixable faults that may or may not affect your saw out the box. Its a lottery... some get a perfect saw and others not... There are at least 3 common faults that pop up that makes reliable accuracy imposable on this saw... With out even fully assembling my new saw it failed on the first test... Lifting the blade up and down at 90 deg, there was more than 1mm deference at top and bottom, i could literally see the blade moving with my naked eye... It did not lift straight. It was returned for a refund... The faults on this saw date back 15 plus years, i thought they must have fixed all these faults by now, but no... its the same faults haunting this old saw with a new name... I bought the planer thicknesser too, what i pile of junk!!! Advertised as a cast iron top, its aluminium... not sure how they get away with saying its Iron... I will say this though, i do use the planer every day to flatten and squire stock and it does do a pretty good job at it, even with all its faults... Would I recommend it? No! I wish every day looking at it, that i bought the next one up that cost half the price more...
Great vid as usual Keith 😊
No disrespect to Lumberjack but I think they’re definitely a bit sub standard in their customer service.
I’ve got one of their plunge saws, and after being used and abused it needs a new splinter guard, so I contacted them.
I got the reply that don’t supply them, so unless I could get a makita one etc to fit, I’d have to buy new tracks!
In the end I removed & refitted the old ones, enabling me to trim them back, and they’re ok, but what a strange attitude they have.
I think everything you’re liking about the saw is thanks to the designers of the Rigid original, and nothing that lumberjack have done. So I suspect they’re batting above their weight with this one!