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Puckdropper
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 Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:15 am Post subject: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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Does anyone have this saw?
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229
&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=50304
How's the quality? Are there other miniature table saws I should consider?
I'm looking to cut styrene sheets and bass wood, and maybe a few dowels.
Harbor Freight offers one for $40, but my local store apparently doesn't
carry it, and I don't know if they could order it (and save on shipping) if
I asked. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=
93211
Puckdropper
--
If you're quiet, your teeth never touch your ankles.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm |
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David Nebenzahl
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 12:18 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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On 10/22/2008 10:15 PM Puckdropper spake thus:
| Quote: | Does anyone have this saw?
|
No, but I might suggest you get a news agent that doesn't chop URLs
arbitrarily (I've restored them below). Thunderbird is one such.
| Quote: | http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=50304
Harbor Freight offers one for $40, but my local store apparently doesn't
carry it, and I don't know if they could order it (and save on shipping) if
I asked. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=93211
|
--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.
- Paulo Freire |
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Len
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 3:24 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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"Puckdropper" <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
news:034b5d78$0$2174$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
: Does anyone have this saw?
: http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229
: &Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=50304
:
: How's the quality? Are there other miniature table saws I should
consider?
: I'm looking to cut styrene sheets and bass wood, and maybe a few
dowels.
:
: Harbor Freight offers one for $40, but my local store apparently
doesn't
: carry it, and I don't know if they could order it (and save on
shipping) if
: I asked.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=
: 93211
:
: Puckdropper
: --
I don't have the MicroLux Mini Table Saw, but the other MicoLux power
tools I have work as advertised. I've been using the Mini Drill Press
in my repair shop for nearly 10 years now with no problems.
The real question is what do you intend to use the saw for? From the
descriptions, it appears the MicroLux saw from Micro-Mark and the
Chicago Power Tools saw from HF have different purposes.
A couple of quick comparisons:
MicroLux: 2" 80-tooth, .02" kerf combination blade, 10mm arbor hole
w/saw
2" 107-tooth, .02" kerf cross-cut blade, 10mm arbor
hole available
Chicago: 4" 40-tooth, .07" kerf combination blade, 1/2in arbor hole
w/saw
4" 70-80 Grit diamond edge blade, 1/2in arbor hole
w/saw
MicroLux: 1/10hp motor, belt drive
Chicago: 1/8hp motor, direct drive
MicroLux: 1/4" Max Depth of Cut
Chicago: 3/4" Max Depth of Cut
MicroLux: "The MicroLux Miniature Table Saw is designed specifically
for rip-cutting narrow strips from sheet stock and for cross-cutting
to close tolerances. It will even cut wood and plastic structural
shapes and miniature molding if used with our optional fine tooth
blade (#15220, sold separately). Cuts both softwood and hardwood up
to 1/4 inch thick and plywood up to 3/16 inch thick."
Chicago: "Perfect for picture frames, molding, and plastics."
All of this points to the Chicago saw generally being intended for
rougher and heavier work, relatively speaking, than the MicroLux saw.
If you're looking for a saw to cut thin material, e.g., basswood
strips, for scratch building structures and car body parts, I'd go
with the MicroLux.
Len |
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David Nebenzahl
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:02 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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On 10/23/2008 3:24 AM Len spake thus:
[comparing MicroLux vs. Harbor Freight miniature table saws]
| Quote: | The real question is what do you intend to use the saw for? From the
descriptions, it appears the MicroLux saw from Micro-Mark and the
Chicago Power Tools saw from HF have different purposes.
A couple of quick comparisons:
MicroLux: 2" 80-tooth, .02" kerf combination blade, 10mm arbor hole
w/saw
2" 107-tooth, .02" kerf cross-cut blade, 10mm arbor hole available
Chicago: 4" 40-tooth, .07" kerf combination blade, 1/2in arbor hole
w/saw
4" 70-80 Grit diamond edge blade, 1/2in arbor hole w/saw
MicroLux: 1/10hp motor, belt drive
Chicago: 1/8hp motor, direct drive
MicroLux: 1/4" Max Depth of Cut
Chicago: 3/4" Max Depth of Cut
MicroLux: "The MicroLux Miniature Table Saw is designed specifically
for rip-cutting narrow strips from sheet stock and for cross-cutting
to close tolerances. It will even cut wood and plastic structural
shapes and miniature molding if used with our optional fine tooth
blade (#15220, sold separately). Cuts both softwood and hardwood up
to 1/4 inch thick and plywood up to 3/16 inch thick."
Chicago: "Perfect for picture frames, molding, and plastics."
All of this points to the Chicago saw generally being intended for
rougher and heavier work, relatively speaking, than the MicroLux saw.
If you're looking for a saw to cut thin material, e.g., basswood
strips, for scratch building structures and car body parts, I'd go
with the MicroLux.
|
Certainly one could put a thinner blade (say the size of the MicroLux
blade) on the Harbor Freight saw to yield a more precise cutting tool,
no? (Assuming the arbor doesn't wobble, the table is squarely ground and
doesn't flex, etc.)
--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.
- Paulo Freire |
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David Nebenzahl
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:39 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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On 10/23/2008 12:05 PM Len spake thus:
| Quote: | The MicroLux has a 10mm arbor, the Chicago's is 1/2in (13mm) so I don't
think it would fit.
|
That would definitely be a problem; however, I'm sure you can get
smaller, thinner blades with a 1/2" hole.
| Quote: | I'm not putting a 2" diameter blade on a saw
designed for 4" blades is a good idea even if it did fit.
|
Why not? I have a 9" table saw but regularly mount smaller blades on it
with no problems at all.
--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.
- Paulo Freire |
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Len
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 12:05 am Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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"David Nebenzahl" <nobody@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
news:4900bc0c$0$28732$822641b3@news.adtechcomputers.com...
| Quote: | On 10/23/2008 3:24 AM Len spake thus:
[comparing MicroLux vs. Harbor Freight miniature table saws]
The real question is what do you intend to use the saw for? From the
descriptions, it appears the MicroLux saw from Micro-Mark and the
Chicago Power Tools saw from HF have different purposes.
A couple of quick comparisons:
MicroLux: 2" 80-tooth, .02" kerf combination blade, 10mm arbor hole
w/saw
2" 107-tooth, .02" kerf cross-cut blade, 10mm arbor hole available
Chicago: 4" 40-tooth, .07" kerf combination blade, 1/2in arbor hole
w/saw
4" 70-80 Grit diamond edge blade, 1/2in arbor hole w/saw
MicroLux: 1/10hp motor, belt drive
Chicago: 1/8hp motor, direct drive
MicroLux: 1/4" Max Depth of Cut
Chicago: 3/4" Max Depth of Cut
MicroLux: "The MicroLux Miniature Table Saw is designed specifically
for rip-cutting narrow strips from sheet stock and for cross-cutting
to close tolerances. It will even cut wood and plastic structural
shapes and miniature molding if used with our optional fine tooth
blade (#15220, sold separately). Cuts both softwood and hardwood up
to 1/4 inch thick and plywood up to 3/16 inch thick."
Chicago: "Perfect for picture frames, molding, and plastics."
All of this points to the Chicago saw generally being intended for
rougher and heavier work, relatively speaking, than the MicroLux
saw.
If you're looking for a saw to cut thin material, e.g., basswood
strips, for scratch building structures and car body parts, I'd go
with the MicroLux.
Certainly one could put a thinner blade (say the size of the MicroLux
blade) on the Harbor Freight saw to yield a more precise cutting tool,
no? (Assuming the arbor doesn't wobble, the table is squarely ground
and
doesn't flex, etc.)
|
The MicroLux has a 10mm arbor, the Chicago's is 1/2in (13mm) so I don't
think it would fit. I'm not putting a 2" diameter blade on a saw
designed for 4" blades is a good idea even if it did fit.
Len |
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Dan Merkel
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:22 am Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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"Puckdropper" <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
news:034b5d78$0$2174$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
| Quote: | Does anyone have this saw?
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229
&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=50304
How's the quality? Are there other miniature table saws I should
consider?
I'm looking to cut styrene sheets and bass wood, and maybe a few dowels.
Harbor Freight offers one for $40, but my local store apparently doesn't
carry it, and I don't know if they could order it (and save on shipping)
if
I asked.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=
93211
Puckdropper
--
If you're quiet, your teeth never touch your ankles.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm
|
I have a small Dremel table saw that is "OK," but I've found that it isn't
good enough for much precision work. I bought it when I was into kitbashing
in a big way thinking that I could cut plastic building pieces, etc. I've
never had that kind of luck. The blade seemed to melt the plastic instead
of cutting it, leaving a lot of hard extra material along the edges of the
cuts. Neither the fence nor the T guide are precise enough to get nice
square (or other angled) cuts. And it seemed as though the Dremel blades
never held their edge. I'd be replacing them about every month or so...
from just cutting small stuff around the work bench. It certainly wasn't
precise enough to cut something much thinner than say strips about 1/8the
inch wide. I probably got my $55 out of it over the years but I wuldn't
buy a replacement today if it quit working... unless I could see one work
firsthand BEFORE I bought it.
Just my two pennies worht...
dlm |
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Bob May
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:29 am Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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I'd get the Microlux saw. The belt drive will do better for keeping the
blade in one place on the table as the arbor can be locked laterally much
better than with a motor shaft can be.
Don't worry about the size of the blade as cutting anything thicker than
about 1/8" will be difficult with either saw as the power just isn't there.
The blade diameter is only important when doing thick stuff but there is no
power to drive anything large through thick stuff anyway.
In addition, the belt drive can be modified to accept slower blade speeds
which is important with doing plastics and so forth that don't like high
speed cutting.
Either saw will accept a router speed control tho but the thing here is that
with the slower speed with a router control comes less power for pushing the
blade through the material.
--
Bob May
rmay at nethere.com
http: slash /nav.to slash bobmay
http: slash /bobmay dot astronomy.net
Puckdropper <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
news:034b5d78$0$2174$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
| Quote: | Does anyone have this saw?
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229
&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=50304
How's the quality? Are there other miniature table saws I should
consider?
I'm looking to cut styrene sheets and bass wood, and maybe a few dowels.
Harbor Freight offers one for $40, but my local store apparently doesn't
carry it, and I don't know if they could order it (and save on shipping)
if
I asked.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=
93211
Puckdropper
--
If you're quiet, your teeth never touch your ankles.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm |
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Len
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 2:12 am Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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"David Nebenzahl" <nobody@but.us.chickens> wrote in message
news:4900c4b5$0$28734$822641b3@news.adtechcomputers.com...
| Quote: | On 10/23/2008 12:05 PM Len spake thus:
The MicroLux has a 10mm arbor, the Chicago's is 1/2in (13mm) so I
don't
think it would fit.
That would definitely be a problem; however, I'm sure you can get
smaller, thinner blades with a 1/2" hole.
I'm not putting a 2" diameter blade on a saw
designed for 4" blades is a good idea even if it did fit.
Why not? I have a 9" table saw but regularly mount smaller blades on
it
with no problems at all.
|
And I'll bet the blade height on your 9" table saw has a fairly decent
range of adjustment.
On that Chicago 4" table saw the maximum depth of cut is 3/4". Even if
there's 1" of blade exposed above the table, there's 3" underneath.
Which means a 2" diameter blade, assuming it fit the arbor to begin
with, isn't going to get it's teeth above the table top.
Len |
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Matt Furze
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:45 am Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=80463
Quite a bit more expensive than the MicroLux, but I've had this saw for 15
years, and just used it again today - it's been a real workhorse over the
years for all sorts of things, and ranks right up at the top of tools I've
purchased for hobby use over the years... (watch word wrap on the link).
Excellent saw!
YMMV
Matt
"Puckdropper" <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
news:034b5d78$0$2174$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
| Quote: | Does anyone have this saw?
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229
&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=50304
How's the quality? Are there other miniature table saws I should
consider?
I'm looking to cut styrene sheets and bass wood, and maybe a few dowels.
Harbor Freight offers one for $40, but my local store apparently doesn't
carry it, and I don't know if they could order it (and save on shipping)
if
I asked.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=
93211
Puckdropper
--
If you're quiet, your teeth never touch your ankles.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm |
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Puckdropper
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:28 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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"Len" <lwnieman@bellsouth.net> wrote in news:plYLk.46332$IB6.20542
@bignews8.bellsouth.net:
| Quote: |
"Puckdropper" <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
news:034b5d78$0$2174$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
: Does anyone have this saw?
: http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229
: &Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=50304
:
: How's the quality? Are there other miniature table saws I should
consider?
: I'm looking to cut styrene sheets and bass wood, and maybe a few
dowels.
|
*trim*
| Quote: |
I don't have the MicroLux Mini Table Saw, but the other MicoLux power
tools I have work as advertised. I've been using the Mini Drill Press
in my repair shop for nearly 10 years now with no problems.
The real question is what do you intend to use the saw for? From the
descriptions, it appears the MicroLux saw from Micro-Mark and the
Chicago Power Tools saw from HF have different purposes.
A couple of quick comparisons:
|
*snip: comparison points*
| Quote: |
All of this points to the Chicago saw generally being intended for
rougher and heavier work, relatively speaking, than the MicroLux saw.
If you're looking for a saw to cut thin material, e.g., basswood
strips, for scratch building structures and car body parts, I'd go
with the MicroLux.
Len
|
Thanks for the advice. The HF saw ("Chicago") looked like a cheap way to
get feel for a miniature table saw, but it looks like it'll be too coarse
and rough for what I want to do.
My first project will be cutting ties out of basswood. Future projects
include cutting sheet styrene for kit mangling. (It's bashing or
mingling if multiple kits are involved, mangling if only one is.)
I'll definately go with a Microlux or similar saw, rather than mess with
the HF one.
Puckdropper
--
If you're quiet, your teeth never touch your ankles.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm |
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Puckdropper
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:40 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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"Bob May" <bobmay@nethere.com> wrote in
news:h4GdnWE4d_GJdJ3UnZ2dnUVZ_hqdnZ2d@got.net:
| Quote: | I'd get the Microlux saw. The belt drive will do better for keeping
the blade in one place on the table as the arbor can be locked
laterally much better than with a motor shaft can be.
|
If my experiences with 10" saws hold true, the belt drive will be quieter
and smoother, too.
*snip*
| Quote: | Either saw will accept a router speed control tho but the thing here
is that with the slower speed with a router control comes less power
for pushing the blade through the material.
|
A router speed control would probably cost around $70? An upgraded fence
for the Microlux costs $60 (the one included doesn't extend past the
blade, so it's probably useless), so that's $130 to add to the price of
the saw. I'm debating whether it's worth jumping in to this with both
feet and trying the tilt table saw that costs $350.
If only replacement blades didn't cost so much...
Puckdropper
--
If you're quiet, your teeth never touch your ankles.
To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm |
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Dan Merkel
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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"Puckdropper" <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
news:044221e5$0$4359$c3e8da3@news.astraweb.com...
| Quote: |
My first project will be cutting ties out of basswood. Future projects
include cutting sheet styrene for kit mangling. (It's bashing or
mingling if multiple kits are involved, mangling if only one is.)
|
Hmmm... those aren't the defnintions I learned... I was told tht if it was
successful, it was a kit mingle. If it ended up in the trash, then it was a
kit mangle! : ) Unfortunately, I've had more than my fair share of
"mangles..."
dlm |
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Larry Blanchard
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:22 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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On Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:28:23 +0000, Puckdropper wrote:
| Quote: | My first project will be cutting ties out of basswood. Future projects
include cutting sheet styrene for kit mangling. (It's bashing or
mingling if multiple kits are involved, mangling if only one is.)
I'll definately go with a Microlux or similar saw, rather than mess with
the HF one.
|
They're a little on the spendy side, but take a look at the Proxxon tools.
http://www.proxxon.com/us/
PS: I'm NOT impressed with their website. |
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David Nebenzahl
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject: Re: MICROLUX® MINIATURE TABLE SAW |
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On 10/24/2008 1:28 AM Puckdropper spake thus:
| Quote: | My first project will be cutting ties out of basswood. Future
projects include cutting sheet styrene for kit mangling. (It's
bashing or mingling if multiple kits are involved, mangling if only
one is.)
I'll definately go with a Microlux or similar saw, rather than mess
with the HF one.
|
My guess (and others can support or contest this) is that no circular
saw is going to give good results on styrene, which will melt from the
friction rather than cutting cleanly (especially since the blade is
spinning so fast). I'd think that scribing and snapping is still the
best way to go here.
--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.
- Paulo Freire |
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