ebay listing about to close. Table Saw. U.K. Advice appreciated.

Thanks all.

Much as I'd like an all-American saw for a hundred bucks or so, getting it
over here would cost about another 600 or so, therefore unlikely to happen.
All the Wadkins (yummie) I've seen at sensible prices have been 3 phase,
weighed around half a ton and always "buyer collect" from places so obscure
that the GPS just bursts out laughing instead of giving directions..

Anyway, I ventured a snipey punt on the Elektra and got it at the reserve
price - eighty quid.

I picked it up this afternoon and assembled it in the backyard. The rain
actually held off for a few hours, so though it was a bit icy, it was bright
and sunny and fun to play outside.

Seller had obviously bought the saw used, didn't understand it and had never
used it. Full of prehistoric spiders and sawdust of the carboniferous era.
All brushed off revealing shininess.

so here's the run down:
The rear extension table is missing, but easily replaced with a sheet of ply.
12" blade. Scary.

Table - weird galvanized thing - seems flat, smooth and very sturdy. Looks
like all other metalwork is galvanized and then powder coated, so apart from
a couple of tiny chips, all of what looked like rust is just dirt and
sawdust. Ideal for backyard work in the two or three days a month when it
doesn't rain.
Manual warns not to use IN the rain, but calls it "splashproof" which is
encouraging. Should be quite happy under the tarp.

Mitre device is even weirder. No slot but an outrigger rail. A bit basic and
not exactly micrometer driven but It seems pretty good, actually. No play or
backlash and gives plenty of support.

Blade height adjustment seemed locked - seized - solid, then I spotted the
slide/adjustment bolts had all been tightened to the "transit" position. 30
seconds with a spanner and it's smooth as silk. Maybe I'll give it a lube job
tomorrow.

Fence - massive thing on outrigger rails. Seems to be continuously adjustable
- right side only - up to about 4 feet. Yikes!!!

A proper, removable and replaceable kerf plate. That is a VERY rare thing
over this side of the pond. Nearly all saws sold here are braked short arbour
benchtop devices with 'orrible thin aluniuminuminum (!) plates that CANNOT be
replaced with zero-clearance inserts. looks like 15mm scrapwood should do the
job very nicely here.

Splitter is intact and is the only component that is rusty. Will clean up no
problem. Blade guard is intact but has no dust port. Nothing that can't be
fixed with a hole saw and a bit of drainpipe.

AS far as I can make out the current Metabo site saw range is an evolution of
this very model with mainly the bolt-ons updated (brighter colours, dust
ports etc.)
Looks like the right-hand extension rails will provide a nice big space to
drop in my home-made router table with an extra support leg and mounting
threads for the Incra LS.

Fired it up. Surprised at how quiet it was after being used to the benchtop
tin box.
Switched it off. Took about a minute to stop.. visions of old spy films..
"No Meester Bond, I expect you to DIE!!"

I think I'll leave the guard on this one. At least for routine stuff.

Tomorrow I need to replace two or three bolts in the legs - all standard
over-the-counter sizes. I'll give it a good scrub and waxing, maybe put the
new 10" blade on out of my spares box and if the weather holds, maybe even
cut some sticks.
I think I got a bargain. Maybe not the sort of bargain I could have got if I
lived in the land of the free and home of the brave, but considering what is
realistically available around here, I think I dun gud.

I'm delighted.

Any tips on tarting up the galvanized top?


Metabo seem fairly confident about stability
http://www.metabo.com/uploads/tx_commerce/feinbilder/0103153000a_05_m.jpg

here is someone selling the
Plattenschneidvorrichtung fence extension thing on ebay. (I can't find this
anywhere on the Metabo site's archive of EB instruction sheets. Maybe it's a
Germany-only accessory.)

http://66.102.9.104/translate_c?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://cgi.ebay.de/Plattenschnei
dvorrichtung-fuer-Elektra-Beckum-
Saegen_W0QQitemZ5991167104QQihZ005QQcategoryZ30513QQcmdZViewItem&prev=/search%
3Fq%3Dplattenschneidvorrichtung%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG&usg=ALkJrhh0aV
LvOhfJhJDK-D7T4QrvHk88jQ&_trksid=p1742.m153.l1262

Forgot to post this before falling asleep. Uploading...

Excellent used Craftsman saws with cast iron table and extensions are
for sale all the time for $100 US or less on Craigslist.org. I just got
one for my father (had my own stuff for decades) last week and for $50
and some minor aDJUSTMENTS, HE HAS A very nice saw. Got him a radial
last year for $50 also, but it needed a bit more minor work.

On Sun, 7 Dec 2008 13:50:27 +0000, Bored Borg
<[email protected]> wrote:

>This has a couple of hours to go
>
>http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GERMAN-MADE-TABLE-
>SAW_W0QQitemZ280291692019QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM?hash=
>item280291692019&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1296%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7
>C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318
>
>Is it a heap, or is it worth a punt?
>
>This looks rather different from everything else available over here which
>all follow the "tin box with an alloy extrusion sitting on top of it"
>pattern.
>
>I messaged the seller with many questions.
>The answer to everything just came back as "not sure"
>apart from it's complete with extension rails/outfeed table shown in the
>first picture and it's direct drive, single phase and the top is "galvanized
>metal"
>
>No sizes or specifications otherwise.
>
>Sorry this is short notice, but if anyone recogbizes the model and has
>anything constructive to add, I'd be grateful.

From the pictures:
1. the fence apears to have limited adjustment range
2. the blade controls are awkwardly located
3. there is no splitter after the blade
4. the blade guard appears to be missing
5. the top appears to be sheet metal folded down on the edges and
bolted to the frame - which looks odd, as the frame appears to be
sturdy

John

"Bored Borg" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> realistically available around here, I think I dun gud.
> I'm delighted.

Congrats! And just think of all the fun you're having getting it up and
running. Can't ask for too much more than that.