Sensible discussion on imported machines?

[MattF]

Taiwanese stuff these days is acceptable quality. Chinese can vary between dire to good. It always seems to be more in the hands of the company ordering the kit as to how good the quality is, with the Chinese gear. I've seen the exact same item under different brand names where cast quality, for example, varies between nigh on perfect to absolutely crap and loaded with filler to make it look summat like. It's not that they're incapable, they simply produce to the price point of the company ordering their gear.

No idea if it may be worth checking, but there's a local auctioneers over here who have an auction every so often for plant machinery etc. Watts, if I recall. Might be worth checking what they have up for their next auction. I've never bothered looking into their stuff too much as it's way too big usually for owt I might be interested in. The farmers markets are another type of place to try. Some of those have auctions for plant every so oft. Should be one or two out your way?


Edit: Link to the Watts website.

http://www.wattsauctions.co.uk/

 

[Hitch]

Ours is a Kastocut 400 Paul, semi auto.

 

[Welderpaul]

Taiwanese stuff these days is acceptable quality.

A lot of what i have been shown in Taiwanese. Looks junk to me but i can't see the big suppliers costing themselves time and money selling something inferior that will damage their reputation. Wonder if i can get one on trial

 

[MattF]

It's worth asking. End of the day, they must know that few companies are liable to lay down decent amounts of good money simply on their say so, and some doing a temporary loan in the hope of a sale isn't unheard of. They may well have a unit set to one side for test, demo or loan purposes during major repairs.

 

[Bullet2012]

I have bought some very reasonable used kit from Apex auctions, unfortunately most comes from the demise of an engineering business, but worth a look
www.apexauctions.co.uk
Most is proper commercial or industrial equipment but a few gems appear on occasions. Maybe worth a gander.

 

[500e]

http://www.bisonmachinery.co.uk/apr-2014/
New or SH one I sore earlier
isTech are another Italian make will check to see what make ours is it is a twin pillar & yellow\grey

Anbas SN/AU 300 Twin Pillar Automatic Bandsaw
415V

Capacities
300mm Round at 90 Deg, 300mm Square at 90 Deg

Features

• Vice feed automatic operation with hydraulic cutting cycle.
• Twin pillar operation for high accuracy.
• Cast bow construction.
• Hydraulic vice.
• Hydraulic top clamps.
• Carbide blade guides for high accuracy.
• Swarf brush ensuring long blade life.

 

[matt1978]

It sounds like maybe they have gone the way of the Welding distributor. Historically companies would align themselves with a certain brand and more so a certain quality level, but nowadays they have a main range which covers the premium high end high qual side of the market but also a cheaper imported range so they don't feel like they are missing out on the lower end and for customers who can't justify the expense of buying the premium brand(s)

You'll probably find that one started it and now they all do it, but it doesn't guarantee just because they are reputable suppliers that the stuff won't be of poor quality.

 

[stormin]

Spoke to Martin this morning, nothing much at the moment. Top dollar.

The forte at the top of the page is a good machine.
Slightly unusual in that the blade runs backwards towards you to cut but it's very economical on blades. May not have the cut capacity you require though and angled cuts are awkward as it's rotate the material in the vice rather than swivel the head.
My fabricator mate has one. He previously owned a far east all singing dancing machine, which he paid thousands for, with adjustable down feed pressure but it was forever leading to blade breakage at £30+ each.

Maybe an old style machine reconditioned may be a better prospect than the far east stuff.

 

[Kent]

It matters more what the importer asked for than were a thing was built! Building stuff in high pay packet countries with lots of employment rules H&S, CE and other such "added extras" etc costs more but is totally no guarantee of quality, in fact the manufacturer might have to cut some of the quality just to compete.

China for instance has some of the worlds best engineers, it also has a lot of cheap labour with little worker protection (that's just communism in action) All are equal but some are obviously more equal than others

 

[Drains]

Paul, you could do worse than see what a trawl gets you on here -
http://www.ebay.de/sch/Bandsaegen-/74195/i.html
Then get yourself and truck over to Germany...


here's nice
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Bandsage-Kas...896?pt=Industriemaschinen&hash=item3cf103d8b0

Plenty more with a 350mm-odd cut. Good German engineering.

 

[clueless77]

Don't know where these are made but once part of startrite and uk based. www.ajax-mach.co.uk Hope this helps in some way.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

There is a horizontal band saw listed in the latest MST auction, I imagine it must be heavy duty as its one of the headline items.
It will be listed in the catalogue:
http://www.mstauctioneers.co.uk/catalogue.html

 

[Shox Dr]

Paul have you looked at Amada

 

[Wallace]

Is this the equivalent of the old Industrial Exchange & Mart?

 

[antonio costa]

Hi Paul. Did you take at the Optimum range of bandsaws? They are a german brand but now made in china in their own factory but high quality, we have one at work abused every day and it still works great.
http://www.optimum-machines.com/products/metal-belt-saws/index.html

They also have cheper brand called Quantum. Optimum I know that is available in UK, not sure about Quantum.
I'm considering a quantum for the home shop
Regards,
Antonio Costa

 

[AndyStobbs]

Cant add owt to the topic but whst are you doing with the old saw?

 

[Welderpaul]

Cant add owt to the topic but whst are you doing with the old saw?

Just bought one today. Old one will be getting a bit of a clean up and put on ebay with an honest description.

 

[Shox Dr]

Pictures when it turns up

 

[Welderpaul]

Pictures when it turns up

Will do!

 

[AndyStobbs]

Just bought one today. Old one will be getting a bit of a clean up and put on ebay with an honest description.

Would you post/PM the link once its on there please. Ta