Best budget table top power tools?

[Messiah Khan]

I'm currently looking into taking up the hobby of knife making. It is something that has interested me for a while, and with moving into a new place with plenty of space for the new hobby, now is a good a time as any.

The tools I will ideally need to start are;

Sander & Grinder
Mitre Saw
Drill Press

This lot should hopefully also be really useful for any other woodwork or diy jobs that need doing. Currently I am looking at the Clarke CBS1-5 Belt & Disc Sander, Evolution Fury 6 Table Saw, Clarke CDP5DD Drill Press which all seem to get fairly good review and are nice and cheap.

Does anyone have any other recommendations? Has anyone tried the Evolution Fury 6? Does it work as well as advertised with cutting through metals etc?

The sort of knives I am wanting to make are similar to this;

 

[Nightglow]

Evolution Fury 6 Table Saw, I looked at one in B&Q, & found it very awkward to use, table obscured the mitre saw.

Better off with a small seperate table saw, should be able to do most of the work you do, & maybe a cheap mitre saw.

When you say grinder, do you mean angle or bench grinder.

With bench sander, this is very good.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/CLARKE-BELT-DISC-SANDER-CBS1-5/dp/B007JC99MC

 

[Maccapacca]

Any reason why you want a power saw?

By the looks of what you are doing which is hand made, slow and intricate would a mitre block and a decent hand saw do?

 

[Scrutinize]

Once you buy something from machine mart (no matter how cheap), agree to go on their mailing list with your email and home address, you will get VAT free shopping every couple of months.

Once that kicks in their bench power tools among other things are great value and hard to beat. Otherwise, www.axminster.co.uk tools are very good.

For general tools www.ffx.co.uk are very good value.

Screwfix / B&Q can offer great deals. I have a Tradepoint card and often find this gives me the cheapest tools through B&Q and since they offer dewalt and evolution kit its great. Actually getting a Tradepoint card (non credit account variant) is quite straight forward. The tradepoint price means anything in B&Q will be cheaper than retail and I find the discounts quite random (10-50% off retail) and I am yet to find cheaper on most items. Even with trade at Travis Perkins Tradepoint is usually cheaper.

Wickes tools are also very good.

 

[Messiah Khan]

Evolution Fury 6 Table Saw, I looked at one in B&Q, & found it very awkward to use, table obscured the mitre saw.

Better off with a small seperate table saw, should be able to do most of the work you do, & maybe a cheap mitre saw.

When you say grinder, do you mean angle or bench grinder.

With bench sander, this is very good.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/CLARKE-BELT-DISC-SANDER-CBS1-5/dp/B007JC99MC

Thanks. Yeah I'm after a bench sander. The one you listed is the one I have been looking at, so that's reassuring.

Any reason why you want a power saw?

By the looks of what you are doing which is hand made, slow and intricate would a mitre block and a decent hand saw do?

I would thinking it would work for the knife making, but also be useful for DIY and cutting logs etc. But a hand saw and mite block might be a good suggestion actually. What sort of saw would you suggest? A fine toothed hacksaw?

Once you buy something from machine mart (no matter how cheap), agree to go on their mailing list with your email and home address, you will get VAT free shopping every couple of months.

Once that kicks in their bench power tools among other things are great value and hard to beat. Otherwise, www.axminster.co.uk tools are very good.

For general tools www.ffx.co.uk are very good value.

Screwfix / B&Q can offer great deals. I have a Tradepoint card and often find this gives me the cheapest tools through B&Q and since they offer dewalt and evolution kit its great. Actually getting a Tradepoint card (non credit account variant) is quite straight forward. The tradepoint price means anything in B&Q will be cheaper than retail and I find the discounts quite random (10-50% off retail) and I am yet to find cheaper on most items. Even with trade at Travis Perkins Tradepoint is usually cheaper.

Wickes tools are also very good.

Wow, thanks for that really good information.

 

[Maccapacca]

I would thinking it would work for the knife making, but also be useful for DIY and cutting logs etc. But a hand saw and mite block might be a good suggestion actually. What sort of saw would you suggest? A fine toothed hacksaw?

What ever size mitre block you need, the smaller the better and a fine toothed tenon saw.

 

[Scrutinize]

Wow, thanks for that really good information.

No probs, good quality tools are a must when home fabricating things. Having them working properly and trusting them to work properly can save serious injury. First thing to do is build yourself a proper workbench. A good one will take you a good few hours. Getting an electric mitre saw makes this job very easy when cutting the legs and frame. If you are bench mounting tools then you need to make it 40-60kg in weight minimum plus potentially wall bracket mount or floor bolt mount it. Stacking mdf tops helps for weight. I used a 950x1200mm square top laminate mat breakfast bar offcut as the final surface. Mine weighs in at circa 80kg and is rock solid.

Machine Mart Clarke bench clamps and vices are great value and make great additions. Once your work area is good to go then tool up.

Rather than a table saw and adjustable table, consider a good quality band saw. Table saws tend to be better for larger rough cuts. The fury 6 is really just a mitre saw. I have a version with less frills. It takes a while to set up but was worth it but it wont do what you need.

As for safety goggles, toolstation (prob one near you) do some great value glasses inc item 10895. Don't skimp on ppe as a careless injury could ruin your hobby or life. Making knives will need good quality kit or the end product will leave you thinking I may as well have bought a cheap pocket knife from poundland.