Evolution Rage3 circular saw

[weldequip]

I blame the Chinese again (right weldequip?)

Well yes, but also what people expect for their money. I was arsing around with a cheap office shreader, 'recycling' the mounds of paperwork I get everyday into packaging material for mail orders... No way up to the job so I invested £500 in a proper tool & it eats Yellow Pages for fun
weldequip

 

[English Steve]

Woz,

I've been looking at mag drills recently, what have you got and how do you rate it? I need to start saving 'cos all my hard-earned is about to go to Weldequip for a new Portamig, but want to know what to aim for.

Thanks

Steve

 

[Wozzaaah]

I've got an Evolution ME5000 Steve, I bought it from a furum member, Dafydd. It was a refurbished/returned item so it was very cheap compared to a new one and still came with a year's warranty. He hasn't been on for a while but I know he had several for sale, some with only minor cosmetic damage where say, a handle had come loose i the case and rattled around. It was £315 delivered vs about £450-£470 in the shops. The cutters I got were from Diywelding, he's cheaper than anyone else I've found and includes a pilot pin with every cutter. (and they're made in Sheffield )
Oh and it's capable of cutting 50mm dia in 50mm plate, not 25mm! I have to say I'm really impressed with it, it cuts very quickly and the 1200w motor barely changes tone under load.

 

[English Steve]

Thanks for the info Woz, gives me something else to think about...

Steve

 

[Wozzaaah]

No probs Steve, If you ever get a chance to see one in use you'll want one even more! Hitch showed me one when he punched some plates for me, the good thing is the clean, virtually burr-free hole they leave. One drawback is not being able to clamp two workpieces together to drill them though, as soon as the slug from the top piece breaks free it just spins against the bottom piece rendering the cutter useless.
Might have to take a little video clip of mine in use later and stick it on youtube for future reference .

 

[English Steve]

Might have to take a little video clip of mine in use later and stick it on youtube for future reference .

Soon??

 

[Wozzaaah]

Very soon!
You can see how quick and easy they are to use, bear in mind the time includes fitting the cutter.
Here's a photo of the hole and slug too just so you can see how cleanly it cuts.

 

[English Steve]

Bugger!

Now I gotta have one. Which first though, TIG, Plasma or mag drill

You better hope my missus never meets you Woz

Thanks for taking the time to create that video.

Steve

Appologies to Tony Wilk, we appear to have hijacked your thread - sorry!

 

[Wozzaaah]

Bugger!

Now I gotta have one. Which first though, TIG, Plasma or mag drill

Hehe, I'm lucky, I've got all 3 already.
Yes sorry Tony, we are still talking about evolution kit so it's only a partial hijack!
I might do a proper review on the drill sometime, go into it in a bit more detail with more pics.
Maybe Malcolm or a mod could move all the relevant posts in this thread to a new thread in this section as i expect we'll get a few more posts about the mag drill and I could tag my review onto it. .

 

[snowcat]

Steve just to add to what wozz said , Iv had a rotabroach for years, Its now pretty knacked, but has been used for serious steel fixing, and survived (just) a 20 ft drop, they are excellent bits of kit, ideal for I beams and large sections which are a pain to get near other machines.. TBH if you looking to spend some cash the Mag will be more use full than either the TIG or plasma, IMHO a plasma would be the last buy they are simply use full toys, I managed for years without one, i know most of the other fab guys on this site are of similar opinion.

 

[Woody.v8]

Woz, I use a mag broacher to drill hundreds of holes a week in truck chassis and plate and judging by your you tube vid you need loads more coolant/lube and your broachers will last 10 times longer

 

[English Steve]

Thanks Snowcat - you are right about the plasma of course although it would be useful on more intricate shapes, and I seem to have managed for the last 20 odd years without a TIG so mag drill it is then!

 

[Wozzaaah]

Woz, I use a mag broacher to drill hundreds of holes a week in truck chassis and plate and judging by your you tube vid you need loads more coolant/lube and your broachers will last 10 times longer

I think there might be a slight blockage in the coolant feed Woody, it normaly comes out a bit quicker than that. As it was only one hole I was cutting I wasn't too worried. I've also got an aerosol lubricant too, Chemseal Metkool, seems to work well and smells great .

 

[Woody.v8]

perhaps there will be a trend for fragranced cooling oil like 2 stroke hmmm fish n chips..

 

[Wozzaaah]

Hehe, you know what I mean though woody, I'm not into substance abuse and never have been but some things just smell so good! WD40 for one, god I love that smell . Hmm, now there's a thought, fill the coolant bottle on my mag drill with WD40 .

 

[English Steve]

Castrol 'R'