Machine Mart offers.

[Chris123Participant @chris123]

Does anyone know of any offers from Machine Mart currently?

I know they sometimes offer VAT free prices and I am looking at bandsaws…

Thanks,

[Chris123Participant @chris123]

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

If you are on their database, the VAT free offer comes every two or three months.

Neil

[Barnaby WildeParticipant @barnabywilde70941]

Machine Mart don't sell a bandsaw that you couldn't buy cheaper & better from other, more respected sources.

This is true for 99.9% of what Machine Mart sells, Mr. Clarke buys it in China for a few pence & sells it in the UK for very many £pounds & he cares very little about VFM.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

**LINK**Posted by Mick Charity on 23/02/2014 21:16:00:

Machine Mart don't sell a bandsaw that you couldn't buy cheaper & better from other, more respected sources.

This is true for 99.9% of what Machine Mart sells, Mr. Clarke buys it in China for a few pence & sells it in the UK for very many £pounds & he cares very little about VFM.

I'll 2nd that especially on smaller tools,

some iterations of Clarke's 3 wheel bandsaw have a variable speed control, which can go low enough for an M42 blade to cut aluminium (so it will be just slow enough to cut the odd bit of small steel) of all the commonly available bench top saws in the UK this is the only one that caters for metal that I've found, My favourite, which I've yet to find in the UK is from LittleMachineShop, it's a mini metal cutting bandsaw (the horizontal type) (sorry the link is in the quote up top, can't work out how to undo or move that on iOS!)

[NilochParticipant @niloch]

Posted by Russ B on 23/02/2014 22:14:00:

My favourite, which I've yet to find in the UK is from LittleMachineShop, it's a mini metal cutting bandsaw (the horizontal type)

Maybe you would consider this Milwaukee version available from many British stockists:

[Chris123Participant @chris123]

This is the one I'm looking at:

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cbs45md-41-2in-x-6in-metal-cutting-ban?da=1&TC=SRC-bandsaw

 

the only place I've seen it cheaper is Warco, but Machine Mart is a five minute drive away!

Edited By Chris123 on 23/02/2014 23:09:06

Edited By Chris123 on 23/02/2014 23:11:46

Edited By Chris123 on 23/02/2014 23:16:21

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

One thing I have found decent at MM and not seen anywhere else are their small parts racks.

They do a 4 x 4 model, 5 x 5 and 6 x 6.

I popped in expecting them to be made of tin, well they are but it's thick tin

Quite impressed with them and bought two of the 6 x 6 which I have stacked and slowly going thru by selection of new bolts that reside in tatty cardboard boxes or plaggy bags, whatever they were shipped in.

[Steven VineParticipant @stevenvine79904]

Hi Chris123

I have the CBS45md. I bought it over 5 years ago from Chronos for about £185. I am extremely pleased with the Clarke model and would recommend it if it is in your price range. I would not be without my saw and would recommend the CBS45md as it feels like good quality. I am not a heavy user. It cuts great and straight, the motor is fine, the gearbox is still good. I use the cheap Clarke blades (about £30 for 5 I think I paid) and these last very well if you treat them right. The stand is flimsy, but you can just make a new stand if it bothers you.

The vat free weekend will make the purchase a lot more pleasant.

I have bought quite a few Clarke machines and they suit my price bracket. I find the fit and finish on some of the Clarke products is quite acceptable, and you can see that a bit of care has gone into the assemblies. Saying that, some of the electrical fittings on these Clarke machines are done on the cheap. The stop switch broke twice on my CBS45md, I got the first one replaced under warranty. After it went the second time I just made one to replace it so it was no big deal. I had a Clarke sander and the cheap motor failed on that after a couple of years. I had a cheap Clarke rotary tool and the motor failed within a year.

If I were you I would go with Machine Mart seeing as they are on your doorstep. If there is a problem then you do not have far to travel to exchange it or sort out any problems. I had a problem with a Warco machine and could not resolve it because they were just too far away.

Steve

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

Hi Chris,
I also have a Clarke CBS45MD. I bought it about 2 years ago (Tempted by the VAT off offer.) The original blade snapped after about a year but other than that I have not had any problems. I was not impressed with the design of the blade tracking adjustment so I may modify it (If I ever get round to it.) There is a Yahoo forum that deals with these generic 6 x 4 bandsaws which is worth visiting. these are many useful tips on holding awkward pieces of metal and adjustments etc.

Les.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Posted by Niloch on 23/02/2014 22:38:46:

Maybe you would consider this Milwaukee version available from many British stockists:

 

That one is purely hand held I think, and it's cutting capacity is only 1.6"² as opposed to 3" x 4", I'm really looking for something benchtop size not handheld but that's the same format.

Chris, slightly smaller although only £160 – postage will be the deal breaker no doubt (and maybe so from Warco?). **LINK**

Chronos aka "ClarkeTooling.co.uk" have the 4.5×6 for £270 including delivery but it certainly sounds like the VAT free weekend is a winner if you can grab one there and then

have you checked all the usual as well as Warco… RDGtools, Chronos, Chester, Axminsterm, Amadeal, Amazon, ArcEuro (did I miss anyone?)

also worth checking TruCut for future blades if you've not heard of them (or just replace it straight away if your like me) **LINK**

 

 

Edited By Russ B on 24/02/2014 10:13:19

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> One thing I have found decent at MM and not seen anywhere else are their small parts racks.

CPC have these at riculously low prices.

Neil

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Metal or plastic Neil ?

[Thomas GudeParticipant @thomasgude37285]

Noooooooo! Don't do it!

I have only bought hand tools from there and it was definitely a case of buy cheap buy twice. Not brave enough to by a power tool from them.

[richardandtracyParticipant @richardandtracy]

I have one. My one gripe about it is the stiffness of the table in the vertical position. Oh, and the fact you have to take the lower guard off when you fit the table, so if your finger goes under… Well, let's say my finger has nearly healed.

Personally I find my one a very useful tool so long as you realise it's not a precision instrument.

I'd expect the next MM offer around easter.

Regards,

Richard.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Looked at a MM flyer this morning:

"JOIN OUR EXCLUSIVE EMAIL CLUB"

Think about it…

> Metal or plastic Neil ?

Without a description John I was assuming you meant the plastic parts bins on a louvred metal back board?

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 26/02/2014 20:54:37

[Chris123Participant @chris123]

I bought one locally second hand in the end – £177.

It's a slightly older model with different pulley cover and less safety switches.

The stand is terrible, it completely collapsed when I put the saw on it.

Also found a spare blade for it at Screwfix for £2!

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

I have the mentioned saw under a different banner, it was given to me by a friend and it had stood outside for quite a while and had gone quite rusty but after stripping and rebuilding it it has become a very good saw which is put to a lot of stick, I dont have a band saw table with it but I have a band saw machine anyway. I get my blades from Machine Mart and I do use the tipped tools and other items with reasonable success, I also use their drill sets with success, as already pointed out if you get on the email list you will be notified regularly about vat free days.

Martin P

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

No Neil, metal.

 

This is what i meant.

**LINK**

 

Got to say they are very well made and sturdy, seriously thinking about another couple when the next offer comes round.

Edited By John Stevenson on 28/02/2014 20:29:36

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