I purchased the HS120. Just finished the setup. It's very, very sturdy and everything is nice and tight. Cuts straight too. He is right with the bottom guide bearing bolt and getting it level. but just need a helping hand at first set up. Blade goes up and down with ease too. For the price, I'm very impressed with it. If youre a home DIYer buy one.
Alyn Edwards, (Heather is my wife). Don't be put off the saw by this video. Having seriously considered the competitors, I recently bought and set up the HS120 in my workshop and I am delighted with it. I want to address some of the negative comments in the video. The stand is as solid as a rock and does not wobble - I suggest he tightens his nuts and bolts properly. The power cord is wired directly into the on/off switch. The wheel for raising and lowering the saw blade is smooth and easy to turn both upwards and downwards. The sliding table is not as difficult to set up as he says, though the assembly instructions could be a little clearer. There is a lot of nit-picking in the video. It works very well and is extremely good value.
Hi, I'm watching the video because I have been left this product by a relative and I couldn't lift the blade as I thought the pressure I was applying was going to damage it, so he was saying exactly what I was saying to my wife when trying to lift the blade, reading your comment I was hoping that you were going to say why we were finding it difficult, sadly you don't. Conclusion, yours moves easily, mine and the man in the videos does not.
I have a funny feeling your not mechanically minded. For just over £300 with an induction motor it’s a great buy and with some tweaks and improved fence design it would be a great addition to someone’s workspace. Nothing comes ready to use out of the box in that price range. You’d need to purchase a cabinet grade saw for complete accuracy and your looking at over £1500 and upwards.
Thanks Fergus, from the look of your workshop you are obviously working on fine detail joinery. I just need the saw for more rough work and it looks like it will do the job. Thanks for the video, it was useful. You get what you pay for in the end of the day👍🏴
I just finished assembling my saw mine is not as wobbly but I do have the same issue with the height adjusting wheel. I removed those black caps around the bearings assuming they were travel protectors. Having real trouble getting the sliding carriage level even with someone holding it, the bolts just dont seem to tighten enough to grip. I had 4 washers left over may try and add those under the bolt heads. Instructions were terrible no mention of the stop block at all, had to watch a you tube video just to see what it was for. Thanks for the video Fergus big help here in Australia.
Very detailed and fair review. I have learnt a lot to help me set it up. Would be remiss to think adjustments aren't necessary for this saw to function smoothly.
I bought one of these second hand for 20quid recently. The height adjustment wheel was very stiff going down and felt as though it would break. I took it apart, cleaned it up and added a couple of washers to the threaded part as it had worn and the original washers, they were mangled. It works fine now. The thread of the wheel pushes and pulls a triangular piece of metal that raises the whole motor, blade, shaft and mount. Theres a lot of weight on that tiny little wheel, it's a poor quality design and will be ripe for breakages after being used for a while. I am yet to set the saw up properly for accuracy but it seems a poweful and smooth motor with a good size blade.
I bought the saw today. I just adjust things to work right. Be one with your tool 😁 I greased and oiled the inside elements that raise the blade and it now goes up and down fine. Compressed air will blow away build up or dust in the future and oil again. Plastic covers on bearings are in the bin. Always check fence with tape measure and that your angles are right with digital angle finder. And that the blade is square with the bed etc. The L brackets are for screwing/bolting it to the floor is my guess because the holes line up. Some tresles and away ya go, to cut some wood. im happy with this wee table saw, be positive. Adjust whats needed. Most cutting tools need a wee adjustment.
The 4 black plastic peices covering the bearings on the mitre slide are supposed to be removed. They are there to protect the bearings whilst in transit. (They slip off quite easily) so all 3 bearings are rolling against the steel rail.
Thank you for this Fergus - I have a 5 year old ts30 which looks virtually the same. I found out as you anticipated that the accuracy of cut is difficult to achieve, but it can be done and the saw has served its purpose. For the money I spent however, I would have expected a far better cut quality 'out of the box'. I have just bought an ALDI Special Buy Ferrex table saw for £90 and the first cut is superb with no need for any adjustment and so far so good. By the way, if anyone's interested in a used scheppach table saw like Fergus's - there's one coming up on Preloved!
I have this saw, but it is named woodstar st 12. I am just in the progress of pulling it apart, its been outside for a quite a few years now. Still works great, just some surface rust here and there.
I had a scheppach table saw for a few years and found it fine .It was what I could afford at the time. I think you're splitting hairs. The blade is very easy to change. Compared to my new saw . You learn to work with what you have.
When you actually know what you talking about when it comes to table saws then you can make educated comments but there are several things you mentioned for example the abor on the blade. It's belt driven so to get a correct blade level the shaft needs to be under tension, hence once the blade is up to speed it stabilises and runs true. The angle stop on the table is an offset guage that's is why the thread into it isn't central to the guage. Also angling the blade it will always drop to it's centre of balance as do most saws with an offset motor. To set you angle you just lock off 1 side and then you can use an angle finder to check the blade against the table. Once angle is correctly set lock off both clamps. I appreciate your a DIY enthusiast but reading instructions and learning to operate equipment is the best way to understand it and stat safe. This isn't a piece of equipment you would find in a woodworking shop it's a craft/diy tool and the £100 tables saws are cheaper yes but you don't get the additional table extension and rails so by the time you have purchased (if available) the extra parts you will be talking similar money. It's down to preference.
I thought the same about the loose arbor but then discovered that the blade is directly attached to the motor shaft, there is no belt at all. But, then when up to speed it looks perfectly level and balanced. So, for the initial adjustment of the fence one needs to make few test cuts instead of simply using a caliper
I actually bought mine because it is portable as i need to move it out of the way when I'm finished using it. Also angling the blade is easy. You don't loosen the screws until the motor drops. You leave them tight enough so the motor is stiff to move, so when you let go it stays where you've moved it to, then just tighten both screws. I've also added my own more accurate measurements for the most common angles I use. And as for the plastic stops on the side rest, I had a friend 3d print me some thicker and stronger ones 😁 And thanks for the video, it was a lifesaver for attaching the guides to the bench, which i had no instructions for.
This saw was on my list earlier this year while i was setting up my one man woodshop, in the end i bought an old Startrite Tilt Arbor, i am glad i did, great fence, flat cast bed and induction motor, the table saw really is the centre of the workshop and needs to offer accuracy, thank you for your excellent video, regards Louie woodshop Ireland.
I just bought the HS120 second hand, before I saw this video, I my initial reaction was the same - extremely flimsy parts, terrible instructions and overall a sense of foreboding that I'd bought a dud. I then watched this video, read these comments, finished assembling, aligned all the components as much as I could, and it is performing very well, especially considering the budget. So if this is an early foray for you I would not not recommend this saw :)
It's weird how different people take this review. I thought Fergus did a good job of showing the product for what it was, didn't seem to be rubbishing it for the sake of it. This might sound backwards, but I've bought one after seeing this, because I thought I could make an informed choice about its shortcomings and how they would affect my usage of it, against my budget. Thanks for the vid Fergus.
Just a follow up. The one I had didn't have a problem with the height adjustment, and I was going to make my own tilt adjust with a skylight screw jack, and make an aluminium insert to replace the bendy plastic one. However, I just can't get the top straight, and for that money... It's going back. Great review.
Hi, I'm a beginner. I would like to buy my first bench saw and am interested in the low price. I want to make furniture with this table saw. Do you think you can make precise cuts with this saw? What changes should be made for this saw bench? Thank you so much!
Hi Andrea. I'm a beginner too, but I could see it would be hard to make super accurate cuts with the saw I bought. Screwfix do advertise this as a site saw, I guess the inference is its great for chopping up joists, floorboards, skirting etc. but maybe not so great at the intricate stuff. I sent mine back and bought something from Axminster Tools, but that was twice as expensive. I think if this is your budget, maybe look for something second hand that at least would have a straight, solid top and guide rails. Or if you've got your heart set on this, I think £200 of the price (compared to Scheppach's other models) is for the two flimsy out feed tables which take up a lot of space and you might be able to come up with an alternative.
Good Video, but its is a site saw designed to be dragged around work sites. If you want accurate machine buy a Wadkin. Ive both machines one for general site work and the other for fine detail. You get what you pay for.
Dear Fergus, I an an old disabled codger of almost eighty and it took me 10 hours to fix up the saw table. However, now I have a nigh professionjal model for a third of the price of other saws of the same standard. You ought not to have tampered with the bearings apart fromm removing the transport protectors. They sit perfectly without adjustment. I see that you have made several other careless mistakes in mounting up the machine. Your bigest mistake was to send the saw table back. This is my third and best table in my life-time and obviously the very best. Best wishes for your new purchase. I suggest you buy a saw put together at the factory. George M. Ella
Could've easily been made more sturdy with two modifications. Which for something like this... well, they're basic and absolutely necessary (any saw with spindly legs, really). X braces on the long side of the saw, between the mounting bolts with the aid of 1mm flat stock (i would've made them with adjustable holes and upgraded the bolts to something more sturdy to give you the security of giving them the beans to really lock the assembly in place once squareness is achieved) one (or two for extra rigidity) X brace on the nearest side as well. This brace doesn't need to take the full brunt of the push, so the tie rods used for false ceilings that have an eyelet on one side and threads on the other could be used if they are joined in the middle with a piece of metal that has its corners bent and cut, such that a nut can be held captive in there for the 4 tie rods to be tensioned with (common practice for certain types of tie rods, but made DIY). Finally, on the braces that come with the saw, a piece of MDF (preferably HDF, which for example could be high traffic parquet pieces, jointed and screwed down with tech screws) to make a shelf and on that shelf weights added. Be they cheapo cast iron lifting weights or a few plastic bins with sand inside. There's various other mods that could be done, but as is, for what it is... it's a decent unit, me thinks.
Hi Fergus, I was very interested in your video because your saw is almost exactly the same as my Metabo TKHS315M Site Saw. Also I have the same faults on my saw as you have, especially the very stiff handle for adjusting the height! I have replaced the fence with a better quality Axminster one, and I bought the sliding table as well and find it quite good, but difficult to adjust. I expected a deeper cut from a 315mm saw blade but found the max. was only 83mm, this is because there is no drive belt and the blade is bolted directly to the motor shaft, reducing the cutting capacity. On the whole I am happy with the saw at the cheap price I paid for it, it is a good site saw. The problems occur when you want to do more accurate sawing for joints , etc but I guess you need a much heavier built and more expensive saw for that so it will do for now. Thanks for sharing your experience with the Scheppach.
@Travatain - what axminster fence did you buy? I like my TK315 except I think the fence could be better and I was thinking of trying to upgrade it a bit....
Its maybe a flimsy table, but its got an Induction motor, very quiet, can go for ages with no problems,, can spend 3-5 hours constantly cutting wood up, and when just cutting up wood for stove, then there no need for the guide rails or angles being spot on. work tops of 40 mm, carcases, doors, 8x4 sheets, it dont bat an eyelid, and easy on the ears too. Not like the other saws with brushed motors , over the years worn out lots, all have blew motor after a few days use. same as chop saws with brushed motors, even pro 12 inch bosch, they blow up in no time when used constantly cutting wood, and are v v noisy too. total crap for fire wood use. if used constantly, and any one cutting wood for fire / stove will concur for any one wanting to just cut flat wood for the fire , or logs that blade depth will cut thru, then this induction motor saw is just great,
I have just got one of these, and am very happy with it.These are construction saws and made to be moved around easily and transport.Trying to compare this to a workshop table saw is realy not fair.Its like comparing a motorcross bike to a road bike to do the same job.
You're a good judge. I bought one about 6 months ago. In particular the sliding table is a back-breaking job to level precisely . I've got a bad back and knees past their "use by" date..... so the constant getting down and then up repeatedly really was difficult. I wish I hadn't gone for this mode. Oh and the other thing I should mention... if one has a limited space in their workshop (like I have) then this again is not a good idea. The sliding table extends out taking valuable space... not the case with other machines which have slider running on a groove within the main table.
Thank you for the very good detailed review. I also want to buy one, but now I definitely know, this would be a bad decision. You've showed me the most important things which will definitely make headache to the user.
i have one of these and for a saw £299.00 its perfect .yes like anything made in china it requires some fine tuning ......want precision and quality you have to be pay for it circa £1500.00 upwards ...this review is the mentality in the uk today pay peanuts but expect perfection ....its a budget diy saw .......why anyone would consider using this in a business or professional environment blows my mind .want perfection buy the precise 6 from scheppach made in Germany but is £3500.00
If you want guaranteed precision then you will need to buy a Mafell table saw or Festool at about £2000 plus. Otherwise you are looking about about £5000 plus for a accurate table saw.
Thank you for the review, on the strength of this I bought one, it all went together despite the rubbish instruction book, I find the blade goes up and down really easy, the plastic bit on the sliding table I fixed by installing rubber bands at the ends, I agree with you about the thin legs but for this money I knew I would not be getting a cast iron table and unless you are cutting full size boards all day its strong enough for home use it wont collapse on you, the blade changing tool seen to be made of butter as it bent while changing the blade, I had 4 L brackets left over from the build and I have no idea where they go, I cannot find any mention of them in the manual if anybody knows please let me know, am I pleased with it? yes I am, for the money its a great table saw, when I get time I will put a video up.
...and for the overall final statement I'd like to add, that for the amount of money of this saw, there is no other one wich comes with this amount of real steel metal. And as a owner of a Scheppach tku from the 80s I have to admit, that the amount of adjustment know how and jigs you need to learn collect over time is quite a lot, before you are able to perform narrow toleances - 1/10 mm is a reproducible dimension for this saw concept. 😉
You must have got a bad machine mate. Mine was perfect, flat table, blade true and straight. By the way, the plastic bits on the wheels are transit pieces and are supposed to be removed and discarded.
I’ve done about 30 cuts on mine the fence runs into tho the side arm and my height adjustment is broken and I can’t keep it squared either very disappointed
I bought one earlier this year and I can honestly say it is as accurate as an axe. I regret wasting my money on it and feel so embarrassingly stupid for even contemplating this hunk of junk in the first place. Absolute rubbish. By the way the wobble in the saw blade stems from the very rough machining of the arbor. I had the same problem so I took it out and reworked it on a honing stone which fixed most of it . All the screws will come undone over time with use of the saw and the whole bloody thing will wobble on its stand. The fences are rubbish the saw table is rubbish the angle adjustments are inaccurate and you will need to calibrate any angles with an angle measuring tool to make sure. Scheppach designed this model as a give away present to those you really don't like. Anything good about the saw|? Yes there is. It carries a 315mm saw blade and the motor is powerful. If you have one like me you could probably build an entirely new workable steel table around it with an angle and height adjustment mechanisms that are accurate with fences that won't wobble. I think I'll save myself the time and buy a decent saw that won;t give me grief.
BTW the extra money for this vs most of the budget ones are the induction motor on this model. I'm nearly tempted to buy just for this motor/blade housing and reassemble into a solid bench... that might also be daft!!
Thomas Kitchin What worried me was the wobble in the blade and the poor adjustments to the angle and height. Some refinement of all of those would be required to make it an easily usable saw in my opinion.
Hi, have you got any cutting done yet? I've seen videos related to arbour adjustments on here. I'd also be tempted to use a smaller 250mm blade which I think would help with the wobble. The issues maybe specific or more severe on yours or some models however, not sure how much of a challenge Im after ;). Plan b is the smaller HS105...
Have you contacted Scheppach? I've read about other issues and them being helpful with customer service. They've been selling this type of saw for 30+ yrs which gives me some confidence... :/
Thomas Kitchin I returned the saw shortly after taking this video and someone from Scheppach contacted me. I mentioned a few things to Screwfix as the reason for the return and they focussed on flatness of the table. Scheppach guy was nice and knowledgeable and said that 1mm of variation in flatness was all within their bounds of tolerance for what is essentially a jobsite saw on legs. For me it was important to have a saw I could depend on getting good angles from so I bought a more.expensive saw.
There are too many things which are hard to keep accurate on this saw, even for the price. I think you'd get a better saw for the same money (although I've not researched). For example the fence is not perpendicular to the blade and is welded in position, getting the blade to 90° is very hard. If you build a new table, fence, improve the height adjustment and add a 90° stop to the angle adjustment, make some new flanges to fix wobble then might be a good woodworking saw. Also depends what you want to use it for.
I wish I'd seen your excellent review before I bought the damn thing! The wheel to raise the blade is a joke, as you say. I find it best to use 2 hands. The blade can be squared to the fence by loosening the screws on the top and nudging the housing, then retightening. This will take up another hour of your life. The fence is a bit short. I find the lack of a mitre slot a potential problem - it makes it impossible to make all those cute little jigs that you see on You Tube! At least your riving knife lines up with the blade. I've spent hours trying to get them in line - the thing stands almost a millimetre inside the blade making it impossible to use. Since I use Grippers from Micro Jig for added safety I have now discarded the thing. I wish I could send it back but living in Spain, having bought it on the internet from Italy (from the only company that would export to Spain) I know I have zero chance of getting a replacement I would not recommend this machine.
Bla Mcc oh dear sorry to hear that. Returning mine wasn't super easy as Screwfix had to get approval from Scheppach as I think they send direct to the customer. However they were fairly helpful on the phone so you may want to try contacting them. Good find on squaring the fence. I hadn't thought of trying to move the saw to be square with the fence but perhaps that's why there's no mitre slot otherwise it wouldn't be square to the blade. Thanks for the feedback.
I fix it now. I got to slip down the aluminium so it goes further the table. Now its perfekt. I didnt like the bults, the heads are to thin. I replace this. Easy to slip
I habe that saw. On your video at 4:47? Mine dosent lock so I have problem to saw. What can it be? Do I have something wrong? What should I do? Please help me!
alltmojligt doesn't lock how? Maybe take a video of the issue and someone can help? Have you tried getting in touch with Sheppach or the store you bought it from?
i just bought one no wobble on the blade and it winds up and down easy ..you have put the sliding miter together wrong the plastic caps are to protect the bearing in transit take them off and you see the bearings ...the block you say was hard to bolt on the bottom with bearing you can hold it in place with g clamp while you tighten its easy .. to square the blade against fence its easy slacken off 6 Allen keys bolt on the top of the table and then hold the motor and the unit will turn fetch the fence up to blade and adjust blade so fence touches blade all the way along job done.... mine is spot on with fence and the mite at 90 and 45 its a good saw just take time to set up properly you cant make review on something you have not set up properly
PS.I would also say you could spend $ thousands on a saw bench, still would have issues.my saw rise and fall No problem at all.The table needed one shim to get it nice flat.For what it is made to do and price, ill give it 9 out of 10.
I have had the TKU 75 for over 20 years,(It was yellow in colour, more than likely IT was made in der faderland, anyway its a contractors saw so accuracy was hit and miss, raising the saw blade (same as) was a pain in the ass the handle broke off so many time I gave up fixing it and as the wheel was a lot better that's what I used, could not fault for what it was ,it did me. A Contractors saw, I gave it away,recently, as I Bought a Charnwood 8" because of cast Iron table, in my opinion both Charnwood and scheppach are made in the same factory probably Chinese. I am disappointed with the sliding table on the Charnwood, Ill make a couple of sliding sleds
Who buys a saw like this for a workshop that’s as big as this bloke has? This is a hobby amateur diy saw, a starter for a double garage workshop. And it’s cheap, you get what you pay for.
I guess the point is that there's no excuse for bad design at any price point. It's a good saw that is let down by a couple of small aspects which are poorly designed. 5 minutes more thought in the design process and exactly no more money in manufacture and this could be a good saw for the money. You can get saws for a lot less money which will be just as good, and therefore why spend as much as £300 on it.
+Fergus MacDonald You are making a fair point if they just put a little bit extra money and thought process into it they would have a fantastic budget saw. But to be honest there are not many options at that price point other than job site saws.
Excellent review, i was just about to buy this www.axminster.co.uk/jet-jts-315-s-site-saw-bench-ax32026 and i think these are the same saw only this one is £200 cheaper. Do you think they are more or less the same?
I think Scheppach themselves are generally ok, it is this kind of saw which is comprised to be lighter (and built to a price) for site use - it isn't really designed to be a highly precise tool. For a workshop like this they have a much better range of cabinet saws Precisa 3, 4 etc
Andy Midd thanks for the comment and I agree. I think what I found surprising is the lack of engineering which would enable it to be precise if you wanted to. For example a 90° stop or a square fence. It's a budget saw for sure, but I feel a badly designed one at that.
Ref comments below:this review is the mentality in the uk today! only for some this reviews is picky and somewhat ill informed £350 does not but a professional machine, in one breath he moans then says it is rock solid, if you are considering this as a purchase Toolstation are £40 cheaper than screwfix, follow the manual put it together properly remove the packaging material properly and get to using it...
This saw is shit everything hes saying is true..the wheel that makes the blade go up n down is so stiff ..i have had mad 3 month and the thing hardly moves now you have to use to hands with a lot of pressure . Will be gettin anew one soon ! Dont buy this saw
Пила говно, чтобы добиться более менее вменяемой работы вокруг нее нужно плясать шаманские танцы . Поменять пильный диск очень сложно и не удобно. Мотор слабоват. Вал мотора , а следовательно и сам пильный диск вибрирует больше всяких норм. 90 градусов между столом и диском выставить не возможно. Жалею что не взял Метабо которую предлагали вместо шеппач 120 о
I am disappointed with this saw. Rather flimsy construction and really inaccurate. The fence is the worst aspect as it is very flexible and not aligned with the blade correctly. Its also not as powerful as I hoped either. Looks nice but I'd rather pay more and get something better.
Lunatic-This is a tool in the lower end of the price range-looking at this mans hands he clearly has a clerical job-who is incapable of tightening up a nut.This is not a high quality metal lathe-it is for roughly cutting wood-which you would always finish anyway.The reason for the extra price was the slightly better build quality than the £100 tools-the two blades-but mainly the induction motor which runs slower, way outlasts brushed motors, is much quieter-therefore more expensive.
Couldn't agree more, I double checked the manual and it's definitely not a metal lathe. Glad we're on the same page about that. Maybe it didn't work very well for me because I didn't tighten any of the nuts. That explains it. On second thought, it's a great machine. I would use it more regularly but I'm far too busy with my clerical work for that.
@@beyondutility . .....don't worry about the straw man digs. I've been looking at the same price range of saw tables and taken in all the opinions of the users . Your critical analysis was perfect. Exactly what I needed to know.
I purchased the HS120. Just finished the setup. It's very, very sturdy and everything is nice and tight. Cuts straight too. He is right with the bottom guide bearing bolt and getting it level. but just need a helping hand at first set up. Blade goes up and down with ease too. For the price, I'm very impressed with it. If youre a home DIYer buy one.
Alyn Edwards, (Heather is my wife).
Don't be put off the saw by this video. Having seriously considered the competitors, I recently bought and set up the HS120 in my workshop and I am delighted with it. I want to address some of the negative comments in the video. The stand is as solid as a rock and does not wobble - I suggest he tightens his nuts and bolts properly. The power cord is wired directly into the on/off switch. The wheel for raising and lowering the saw blade is smooth and easy to turn both upwards and downwards. The sliding table is not as difficult to set up as he says, though the assembly instructions could be a little clearer. There is a lot of nit-picking in the video. It works very well and is extremely good value.
Hi, I'm watching the video because I have been left this product by a relative and I couldn't lift the blade as I thought the pressure I was applying was going to damage it, so he was saying exactly what I was saying to my wife when trying to lift the blade, reading your comment I was hoping that you were going to say why we were finding it difficult, sadly you don't. Conclusion, yours moves easily, mine and the man in the videos does not.
I have a funny feeling your not mechanically minded. For just over £300 with an induction motor it’s a great buy and with some tweaks and improved fence design it would be a great addition to someone’s workspace. Nothing comes ready to use out of the box in that price range. You’d need to purchase a cabinet grade saw for complete accuracy and your looking at over £1500 and upwards.
Thanks Fergus, from the look of your workshop you are obviously working on fine detail joinery. I just need the saw for more rough work and it looks like it will do the job. Thanks for the video, it was useful. You get what you pay for in the end of the day👍🏴
I just finished assembling my saw mine is not as wobbly but I do have the same issue with the height adjusting wheel. I removed those black caps around the bearings assuming they were travel protectors. Having real trouble getting the sliding carriage level even with someone holding it, the bolts just dont seem to tighten enough to grip. I had 4 washers left over may try and add those under the bolt heads. Instructions were terrible no mention of the stop block at all, had to watch a you tube video just to see what it was for. Thanks for the video Fergus big help here in Australia.
Very detailed and fair review. I have learnt a lot to help me set it up. Would be remiss to think adjustments aren't necessary for this saw to function smoothly.
Excellent review, glad I saw this before I bought it. Cheers
Seems from my research that anything in this price range or cheaper will always have some compromises. Accuracy comes at a cost
I bought one of these second hand for 20quid recently. The height adjustment wheel was very stiff going down and felt as though it would break. I took it apart, cleaned it up and added a couple of washers to the threaded part as it had worn and the original washers, they were mangled. It works fine now. The thread of the wheel pushes and pulls a triangular piece of metal that raises the whole motor, blade, shaft and mount. Theres a lot of weight on that tiny little wheel, it's a poor quality design and will be ripe for breakages after being used for a while. I am yet to set the saw up properly for accuracy but it seems a poweful and smooth motor with a good size blade.
Nice at £20 a great deal and sounds like you've improved how well it's running. Great job.
I bought the saw today. I just adjust things to work right. Be one with your tool 😁 I greased and oiled the inside elements that raise the blade and it now goes up and down fine. Compressed air will blow away build up or dust in the future and oil again. Plastic covers on bearings are in the bin. Always check fence with tape measure and that your angles are right with digital angle finder. And that the blade is square with the bed etc. The L brackets are for screwing/bolting it to the floor is my guess because the holes line up.
Some tresles and away ya go, to cut some wood. im happy with this wee table saw, be positive. Adjust whats needed. Most cutting tools need a wee adjustment.
The 4 black plastic peices covering the bearings on the mitre slide are supposed to be removed. They are there to protect the bearings whilst in transit. (They slip off quite easily) so all 3 bearings are rolling against the steel rail.
Thank you for this Fergus - I have a 5 year old ts30 which looks virtually the same. I found out as you anticipated that the accuracy of cut is difficult to achieve, but it can be done and the saw has served its purpose. For the money I spent however, I would have expected a far better cut quality 'out of the box'.
I have just bought an ALDI Special Buy Ferrex table saw for £90 and the first cut is superb with no need for any adjustment and so far so good. By the way, if anyone's interested in a used scheppach table saw like Fergus's - there's one coming up on Preloved!
Please have in mind, that the small misalignment between blade and fence is a antikickback safety feature.
I have this saw, but it is named woodstar st 12. I am just in the progress of pulling it apart, its been outside for a quite a few years now. Still works great, just some surface rust here and there.
I had a scheppach table saw for a few years and found it fine .It was what I could afford at the time. I think you're splitting hairs. The blade is very easy to change. Compared to my new saw . You learn to work with what you have.
When you actually know what you talking about when it comes to table saws then you can make educated comments but there are several things you mentioned for example the abor on the blade. It's belt driven so to get a correct blade level the shaft needs to be under tension, hence once the blade is up to speed it stabilises and runs true.
The angle stop on the table is an offset guage that's is why the thread into it isn't central to the guage.
Also angling the blade it will always drop to it's centre of balance as do most saws with an offset motor. To set you angle you just lock off 1 side and then you can use an angle finder to check the blade against the table. Once angle is correctly set lock off both clamps. I appreciate your a DIY enthusiast but reading instructions and learning to operate equipment is the best way to understand it and stat safe.
This isn't a piece of equipment you would find in a woodworking shop it's a craft/diy tool and the £100 tables saws are cheaper yes but you don't get the additional table extension and rails so by the time you have purchased (if available) the extra parts you will be talking similar money.
It's down to preference.
Thanks for your input - appreciate it.
I thought the same about the loose arbor but then discovered that the blade is directly attached to the motor shaft, there is no belt at all. But, then when up to speed it looks perfectly level and balanced. So, for the initial adjustment of the fence one needs to make few test cuts instead of simply using a caliper
I actually bought mine because it is portable as i need to move it out of the way when I'm finished using it. Also angling the blade is easy. You don't loosen the screws until the motor drops. You leave them tight enough so the motor is stiff to move, so when you let go it stays where you've moved it to, then just tighten both screws. I've also added my own more accurate measurements for the most common angles I use. And as for the plastic stops on the side rest, I had a friend 3d print me some thicker and stronger ones 😁
And thanks for the video, it was a lifesaver for attaching the guides to the bench, which i had no instructions for.
Just saw this for sale. Glad I watched your video.
This saw was on my list earlier this year while i was setting up my one man woodshop, in the end i bought an old Startrite Tilt Arbor, i am glad i did, great fence, flat cast bed and induction motor, the table saw really is the centre of the workshop and needs to offer accuracy, thank you for your excellent video, regards Louie woodshop Ireland.
I just bought the HS120 second hand, before I saw this video, I my initial reaction was the same - extremely flimsy parts, terrible instructions and overall a sense of foreboding that I'd bought a dud. I then watched this video, read these comments, finished assembling, aligned all the components as much as I could, and it is performing very well, especially considering the budget. So if this is an early foray for you I would not not recommend this saw :)
It's weird how different people take this review. I thought Fergus did a good job of showing the product for what it was, didn't seem to be rubbishing it for the sake of it. This might sound backwards, but I've bought one after seeing this, because I thought I could make an informed choice about its shortcomings and how they would affect my usage of it, against my budget.
Thanks for the vid Fergus.
Sean Hanna thanks Sean, glad it helped and hope you're happy with the saw.
Just a follow up. The one I had didn't have a problem with the height adjustment, and I was going to make my own tilt adjust with a skylight screw jack, and make an aluminium insert to replace the bendy plastic one. However, I just can't get the top straight, and for that money... It's going back. Great review.
Hi, I'm a beginner. I would like to buy my first bench saw and am interested in the low price. I want to make furniture with this table saw. Do you think you can make precise cuts with this saw? What changes should be made for this saw bench?
Thank you so much!
Hi Andrea.
I'm a beginner too, but I could see it would be hard to make super accurate cuts with the saw I bought. Screwfix do advertise this as a site saw, I guess the inference is its great for chopping up joists, floorboards, skirting etc. but maybe not so great at the intricate stuff.
I sent mine back and bought something from Axminster Tools, but that was twice as expensive.
I think if this is your budget, maybe look for something second hand that at least would have a straight, solid top and guide rails. Or if you've got your heart set on this, I think £200 of the price (compared to Scheppach's other models) is for the two flimsy out feed tables which take up a lot of space and you might be able to come up with an alternative.
Good review
140th subscriber!! Great review! Was thinking about getting this saw but that wobble, height adjustment and angle adjustment has put me off.
Thankyou for making this video. I was about to buy one of these!
How’d go?
Thanks for sparing me the trouble
Good Video, but its is a site saw designed to be dragged around work sites. If you want accurate machine buy a Wadkin. Ive both machines one for general site
work and the other for fine detail. You get what you pay for.
Thank you super informative
Dear Fergus,
I an an old disabled codger of almost eighty and it took me 10 hours to fix up the saw table. However, now I have a nigh professionjal model for a third of the price of other saws of the same standard. You ought not to have tampered with the bearings apart fromm removing the transport protectors. They sit perfectly without adjustment. I see that you have made several other careless mistakes in mounting up the machine. Your bigest mistake was to send the saw table back. This is my third and best table in my life-time and obviously the very best.
Best wishes for your new purchase. I suggest you buy a saw put together at the factory.
George M. Ella
Are you sure those black plastic caps were travel protectors George?. I just fished mine out of the bin in case you were wrong.
👍🏻
Спасибо за честный обзор
That plastic over the bearings is just for protection in packaging and is removed during installation
Could've easily been made more sturdy with two modifications. Which for something like this... well, they're basic and absolutely necessary (any saw with spindly legs, really). X braces on the long side of the saw, between the mounting bolts with the aid of 1mm flat stock (i would've made them with adjustable holes and upgraded the bolts to something more sturdy to give you the security of giving them the beans to really lock the assembly in place once squareness is achieved) one (or two for extra rigidity) X brace on the nearest side as well. This brace doesn't need to take the full brunt of the push, so the tie rods used for false ceilings that have an eyelet on one side and threads on the other could be used if they are joined in the middle with a piece of metal that has its corners bent and cut, such that a nut can be held captive in there for the 4 tie rods to be tensioned with (common practice for certain types of tie rods, but made DIY).
Finally, on the braces that come with the saw, a piece of MDF (preferably HDF, which for example could be high traffic parquet pieces, jointed and screwed down with tech screws) to make a shelf and on that shelf weights added. Be they cheapo cast iron lifting weights or a few plastic bins with sand inside.
There's various other mods that could be done, but as is, for what it is... it's a decent unit, me thinks.
Hi Fergus, I was very interested in your video because your saw is almost exactly the same as my Metabo TKHS315M Site Saw. Also I have the same faults on my saw as you have, especially the very stiff handle for adjusting the height! I have replaced the fence with a better quality Axminster one, and I bought the sliding table as well and find it quite good, but difficult to adjust. I expected a deeper cut from a 315mm saw blade but found the max. was only 83mm, this is because there is no drive belt and the blade is bolted directly to the motor shaft, reducing the cutting capacity. On the whole I am happy with the saw at the cheap price I paid for it, it is a good site saw. The problems occur when you want to do more accurate sawing for joints , etc but I guess you need a much heavier built and more expensive saw for that so it will do for now. Thanks for sharing your experience with the Scheppach.
@Travatain - what axminster fence did you buy? I like my TK315 except I think the fence could be better and I was thinking of trying to upgrade it a bit....
Its maybe a flimsy table, but its got an Induction motor, very quiet, can go for ages with no problems,, can spend 3-5 hours constantly cutting wood up,
and when just cutting up wood for stove, then there no need for the guide rails or angles being spot on.
work tops of 40 mm, carcases, doors, 8x4 sheets,
it dont bat an eyelid, and easy on the ears too.
Not like the other saws with brushed motors , over the years worn out lots, all have blew motor after a few days use.
same as chop saws with brushed motors, even pro 12 inch bosch, they blow up in no time when used constantly cutting wood, and are v v noisy too. total crap for fire wood use. if used constantly, and any one cutting wood for fire / stove will concur
for any one wanting to just cut flat wood for the fire , or logs that blade depth will cut thru, then this induction motor saw is just great,
I have just got one of these, and am very happy with it.These are construction saws and made to be moved around easily and transport.Trying to compare this to a workshop table saw is realy not fair.Its like comparing a motorcross bike to a road bike to do the same job.
Very good engine. Strong
I guess with some extra time, work and patience, you can expect good results and then its not bad.
I was thinking about this saw, now I know it will be a bad idea, thank you very much for this video
You're a good judge. I bought one about 6 months ago. In particular the sliding table is a back-breaking job to level precisely . I've got a bad back and knees past their "use by" date..... so the constant getting down and then up repeatedly really was difficult. I wish I hadn't gone for this mode. Oh and the other thing I should mention... if one has a limited space in their workshop (like I have) then this again is not a good idea. The sliding table extends out taking valuable space... not the case with other machines which have slider running on a groove within the main table.
Thank you for the very good detailed review. I also want to buy one, but now I definitely know, this would be a bad decision. You've showed me the most important things which will definitely make headache to the user.
i have one of these and for a saw £299.00 its perfect .yes like anything made in china it requires some fine tuning ......want precision and quality you have to be pay for it circa £1500.00 upwards ...this review is the mentality in the uk today pay peanuts but expect perfection ....its a budget diy saw .......why anyone would consider using this in a business or professional environment blows my mind .want perfection buy the precise 6 from scheppach made in Germany but is £3500.00
If you want guaranteed precision then you will need to buy a Mafell table saw or Festool at about £2000 plus.
Otherwise you are looking about about £5000 plus for a accurate table saw.
Thank you for the review, on the strength of this I bought one, it all went together despite the rubbish instruction book, I find the blade goes up and down really easy, the plastic bit on the sliding table I fixed by installing rubber bands at the ends, I agree with you about the thin legs but for this money I knew I would not be getting a cast iron table and unless you are cutting full size boards all day its strong enough for home use it wont collapse on you, the blade changing tool seen to be made of butter as it bent while changing the blade, I had 4 L brackets left over from the build and I have no idea where they go, I cannot find any mention of them in the manual if anybody knows please let me know, am I pleased with it? yes I am, for the money its a great table saw, when I get time I will put a video up.
Thanks for your comment Mark and glad you found my review useful. Great that the saw does what you need too.
...and for the overall final statement I'd like to add, that for the amount of money of this saw, there is no other one wich comes with this amount of real steel metal. And as a owner of a Scheppach tku from the 80s I have to admit, that the amount of adjustment know how and jigs you need to learn collect over time is quite a lot, before you are able to perform narrow toleances - 1/10 mm is a reproducible dimension for this saw concept. 😉
You must have got a bad machine mate. Mine was perfect, flat table, blade true and straight. By the way, the plastic bits on the wheels are transit pieces and are supposed to be removed and discarded.
I've just bought this assembled it, parts missing and the rail is near impossible to adjust accurately
I’ve done about 30 cuts on mine the fence runs into tho the side arm and my height adjustment is broken and I can’t keep it squared either very disappointed
Good review, un-biased either way. It's probably ok at it's price point, but it decided me to go for a ts82.
сегодня такую же купил) правда собрать не смог, смотрю и вроде всё понятно. завтра соберу)спасибо
The difficulty in raising the blade looks like it's caused by the shaft that the handwheel is attached to, could be bent.
I bought one earlier this year and I can honestly say it is as accurate as an axe. I regret wasting my money on it and feel so embarrassingly stupid for even contemplating this hunk of junk in the first place. Absolute rubbish. By the way the wobble in the saw blade stems from the very rough machining of the arbor. I had the same problem so I took it out and reworked it on a honing stone which fixed most of it . All the screws will come undone over time with use of the saw and the whole bloody thing will wobble on its stand. The fences are rubbish the saw table is rubbish the angle adjustments are inaccurate and you will need to calibrate any angles with an angle measuring tool to make sure. Scheppach designed this model as a give away present to those you really don't like. Anything good about the saw|? Yes there is. It carries a 315mm saw blade and the motor is powerful. If you have one like me you could probably build an entirely new workable steel table around it with an angle and height adjustment mechanisms that are accurate with fences that won't wobble. I think I'll save myself the time and buy a decent saw that won;t give me grief.
Wow... Thanks for this review! I would be so disappointed to buy it & pick out all these design flaws later on... Much appreciated sir!
BTW the extra money for this vs most of the budget ones are the induction motor on this model. I'm nearly tempted to buy just for this motor/blade housing and reassemble into a solid bench... that might also be daft!!
Thomas Kitchin What worried me was the wobble in the blade and the poor adjustments to the angle and height. Some refinement of all of those would be required to make it an easily usable saw in my opinion.
Hi, have you got any cutting done yet? I've seen videos related to arbour adjustments on here. I'd also be tempted to use a smaller 250mm blade which I think would help with the wobble. The issues maybe specific or more severe on yours or some models however, not sure how much of a challenge Im after ;). Plan b is the smaller HS105...
Have you contacted Scheppach? I've read about other issues and them being helpful with customer service. They've been selling this type of saw for 30+ yrs which gives me some confidence... :/
Thomas Kitchin I returned the saw shortly after taking this video and someone from Scheppach contacted me. I mentioned a few things to Screwfix as the reason for the return and they focussed on flatness of the table. Scheppach guy was nice and knowledgeable and said that 1mm of variation in flatness was all within their bounds of tolerance for what is essentially a jobsite saw on legs. For me it was important to have a saw I could depend on getting good angles from so I bought a more.expensive saw.
There are too many things which are hard to keep accurate on this saw, even for the price. I think you'd get a better saw for the same money (although I've not researched). For example the fence is not perpendicular to the blade and is welded in position, getting the blade to 90° is very hard. If you build a new table, fence, improve the height adjustment and add a 90° stop to the angle adjustment, make some new flanges to fix wobble then might be a good woodworking saw. Also depends what you want to use it for.
Thanks for the review. Was going to buy this, won’t now!
Read my reply above to Marek Piatek. I agree with you 100%
THANK YOU I nearly bought this unit. But instead bought the HS 100 and will cannibalize the saw mechanism and build my own table and fence.
I wish I'd seen your excellent review before I bought the damn thing!
The wheel to raise the blade is a joke, as you say. I find it best to use 2 hands. The blade can be squared to the fence by loosening the screws on the top and nudging the housing, then retightening. This will take up another hour of your life. The fence is a bit short.
I find the lack of a mitre slot a potential problem - it makes it impossible to make all those cute little jigs that you see on You Tube!
At least your riving knife lines up with the blade. I've spent hours trying to get them in line - the thing stands almost a millimetre inside the blade making it impossible to use. Since I use Grippers from Micro Jig for added safety I have now discarded the thing.
I wish I could send it back but living in Spain, having bought it on the internet from Italy (from the only company that would export to Spain) I know I have zero chance of getting a replacement
I would not recommend this machine.
Bla Mcc oh dear sorry to hear that. Returning mine wasn't super easy as Screwfix had to get approval from Scheppach as I think they send direct to the customer. However they were fairly helpful on the phone so you may want to try contacting them.
Good find on squaring the fence. I hadn't thought of trying to move the saw to be square with the fence but perhaps that's why there's no mitre slot otherwise it wouldn't be square to the blade.
Thanks for the feedback.
I fix it now. I got to slip down the aluminium so it goes further the table. Now its perfekt. I didnt like the bults, the heads are to thin. I replace this. Easy to slip
You'd love a SawStop.
carpenter33 not available in the UK unfortunately or I would've bought one.
Axminster would do as good
I habe that saw. On your video at 4:47? Mine dosent lock so I have problem to saw. What can it be? Do I have something wrong? What should I do? Please help me!
alltmojligt doesn't lock how? Maybe take a video of the issue and someone can help? Have you tried getting in touch with Sheppach or the store you bought it from?
Fergus Macdonald now I dont. Yes I should look at the store maybe
Be easy enough to weld up some HD legs or a cage to mount the table, good review and think I wont be getting on.
i just bought one no wobble on the blade and it winds up and down easy ..you have put the sliding miter together wrong the plastic caps are to protect the bearing in transit take them off and you see the bearings ...the block you say was hard to bolt on the bottom with bearing you can hold it in place with g clamp while you tighten its easy .. to square the blade against fence its easy slacken off 6 Allen keys bolt on the top of the table and then hold the motor and the unit will turn fetch the fence up to blade and adjust blade so fence touches blade all the way along job done.... mine is spot on with fence and the mite at 90 and 45 its a good saw just take time to set up properly you cant make review on something you have not set up properly
Good honest review
I uns one of these(400V), but i hate it... Except for the Motor
Can you recommend some better saws in this price range?
Janne Väätäinen sorry, not tested any others. Bought one a lot more expensive.
Which one, and how much was that?
www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-trade-series-ps315-panel-saw-101256
Is there such a thing as an accurate site saw (Bosch GTS 10XC perhaps?) or is it just stump up and buy the real deal?
PS.I would also say you could spend $ thousands on a saw bench, still would have issues.my saw rise and fall No problem at all.The table needed one shim to get it nice flat.For what it is made to do and price, ill give it 9 out of 10.
I have had the TKU 75 for over 20 years,(It was yellow in colour, more than likely IT was made in der faderland, anyway its a contractors saw so accuracy was hit and miss, raising the saw blade (same as) was a pain in the ass the handle broke off so many time I gave up fixing it and as the wheel was a lot better that's what I used, could not fault for what it was ,it did me. A Contractors saw, I gave it away,recently, as I Bought a Charnwood 8" because of cast Iron table, in my opinion both Charnwood and scheppach are made in the same factory probably Chinese. I am disappointed with the sliding table on the Charnwood, Ill make a couple of sliding sleds
Thanks for the warning!
Figure 17.1 dosent lock.
Thanks but you shouldn't have to "Shim" anything. It should be sorted in the factory
Who buys a saw like this for a workshop that’s as big as this bloke has? This is a hobby amateur diy saw, a starter for a double garage workshop. And it’s cheap, you get what you pay for.
unbelievable jeff ......its a £300.00 budget site saw not a professional table saw.
I guess the point is that there's no excuse for bad design at any price point. It's a good saw that is let down by a couple of small aspects which are poorly designed. 5 minutes more thought in the design process and exactly no more money in manufacture and this could be a good saw for the money. You can get saws for a lot less money which will be just as good, and therefore why spend as much as £300 on it.
+Fergus MacDonald
You are making a fair point if they just put a little bit extra money and thought process into it they would have a fantastic budget saw.
But to be honest there are not many options at that price point other than job site saws.
Hey! first subscriber :) thanks for making seriously looking at this to buy which is how I found you, best Tom
Thomas Kitchin Thanks. Glad it was helpful.
Cleave board dosent work, because it doesnt lock.
Excellent review, i was just about to buy this www.axminster.co.uk/jet-jts-315-s-site-saw-bench-ax32026 and i think these are the same saw only this one is £200 cheaper. Do you think they are more or less the same?
great review, many thanks will give this manufacturer miss. Just have to spend a bit more than planned.
I think Scheppach themselves are generally ok, it is this kind of saw which is comprised to be lighter (and built to a price) for site use - it isn't really designed to be a highly precise tool. For a workshop like this they have a much better range of cabinet saws Precisa 3, 4 etc
Andy Midd thanks for the comment and I agree. I think what I found surprising is the lack of engineering which would enable it to be precise if you wanted to. For example a 90° stop or a square fence. It's a budget saw for sure, but I feel a badly designed one at that.
Nice review bad saw for the price.
79 euro Bauhaus Germany....
Good video, all the money on this saw is going on the 3hp induction motor, the rest of it looks like flimsy, poorly designed crap quite frankly.
Funny.
Ref comments below:this review is the mentality in the uk today!
only for some this reviews is picky and somewhat ill informed £350 does not but a professional machine, in one breath he moans then says it is rock solid, if you are considering this as a purchase Toolstation are £40 cheaper than screwfix, follow the manual put it together properly remove the packaging material properly and get to using it...
I purchase a SIP which is exactly the same
I suggest to everyone don't waste your money on the saw like this
Schepacccchhhhhhhhhhhh
To be honest, the manual is crap. I have used better Chinese ones. This video allowed me to see how things went together. Cheers.
Seeing this video and the reactions, gonna skip this one.
scheeeeepääääkkkk looooooool
The super stupido video 🙄
glad i didnt buy this! thanks a lot
Hahaha you flog
This is the problem with all the cheap Chinese made rubbish you could buy an old English made cast iron table saw for not much more money
This saw is shit everything hes saying is true..the wheel that makes the blade go up n down is so stiff ..i have had mad 3 month and the thing hardly moves now you have to use to hands with a lot of pressure . Will be gettin anew one soon ! Dont buy this saw
Пила говно, чтобы добиться более менее вменяемой работы вокруг нее нужно плясать шаманские танцы . Поменять пильный диск очень сложно и не удобно. Мотор слабоват. Вал мотора , а следовательно и сам пильный диск вибрирует больше всяких норм. 90 градусов между столом и диском выставить не возможно. Жалею что не взял Метабо которую предлагали вместо шеппач 120 о
I am disappointed with this saw. Rather flimsy construction and really inaccurate. The fence is the worst aspect as it is very flexible and not aligned with the blade correctly. Its also not as powerful as I hoped either. Looks nice but I'd rather pay more and get something better.
You´re tampering too much with the machine.
Lunatic-This is a tool in the lower end of the price range-looking at this mans hands he clearly has a clerical job-who is incapable of tightening up a nut.This is not a high quality metal lathe-it is for roughly cutting wood-which you would always finish anyway.The reason for the extra price was the slightly better build quality than the £100 tools-the two blades-but mainly the induction motor which runs slower, way outlasts brushed motors, is much quieter-therefore more expensive.
Couldn't agree more, I double checked the manual and it's definitely not a metal lathe. Glad we're on the same page about that. Maybe it didn't work very well for me because I didn't tighten any of the nuts. That explains it. On second thought, it's a great machine. I would use it more regularly but I'm far too busy with my clerical work for that.
@@beyondutility .
.....don't worry about the straw man digs.
I've been looking at the same price range of saw tables and taken in all the opinions of the users .
Your critical analysis was perfect. Exactly what I needed to know.