Axminster Craft AC2606B review

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4 жыл бұрын

Axminster Craft AC2606B review
This is part 3 of a three-part mini-series looking at the Axminster Craft AC2606B bandsaw.
In video 1 - we unbox and look at the key features
In video 2 - we set up and calibrate for the perfect cut
In video 3 - we put it through its paces and give the final verdict
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Пікірлер: 50

@craigturner2756 4 жыл бұрын

Great series of videos. Certainly the most detailed review of a bandsaw I have seen. I'll look back at this again when my time comes to change my bandsaw

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Glad you found it of value. Andy

@nigelb4436 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent guidance, it has really helped me fine tune my bandsaw. I decided on this model and look forward to following more of your series.

@TheWoodgrafter 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Nigel, Thank you for getting in touch, I love this bandsaw - took a bit of calibration but boy does it make sweet cuts. Hope you enjoy it Andy

@Gisburne2000 3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely perfect set of videos, particularly the setup video which covered absolutely everything. Axminster are out of stock of a lot of their machines at the moment (late November 2020), hopefully that's just an end of year thing, so I'll be looking to get one in 2021. I'm pretty sure I'd be living in the shed if I said I'd bought one a month before Christmas anyway! Thanks for taking such care and attention to detail with your videos. It's a fairly major purchase for a home user like me, so the information you've given is extremely valuable. Thanks!

@TheWoodgrafter 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the feedback. I have had mixed feedback on people’s experience with this saw. I find if you take the time to set it up correctly, and use the right blade for the job then it is exceptional. I get perfect re-saw, accurate curves and as a bonus free saw dust that collects in the bottom case. I have just bought a new CNC machine that arrives on the 18 Dec. If I am lucky that will see me banished to the shop over Christmas :-) Cheers Andy

@in2branding969 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the honest review.

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the feedback. Cheers Andy

@michael.knight 4 жыл бұрын

Great review again, very thorough.

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Michael, Glad you found it useful. Cheers Andy

@michael.knight 4 жыл бұрын

@@TheWoodgrafter By the way, I recently learned Axminster has an affiliate program again, through Affiliate Gateway. Though it might be of interest to you.

@lochlainnmacneill2870 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent videos.

@TheWoodgrafter 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you

@chrisharrell2449 4 жыл бұрын

Finally i have made progress with my saw axminster sent me a new pulley bearing and tension assembly the new bearing was on a little bit further on shaft, but it was rubbing, but not hitting guide as first one did, So i have filed a bit off guide side , and wow it works and the plastic still slides up and down freely. I used it on cutting old floor boards with tongue and groove damaged on them so did about 100 cuts about 2ft. length each so quick and quite cutting much better than table saw. I did not even use extraction hardly any dust on table but loads on floor of course ! but room didn't seem dusty to me. So very impressed now after a bad start happy camper now.

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Chris, Journey from hell, but glad you are up and running with it. Overall I am happy with the saw. Cheers Andy

@garyknable1155 4 жыл бұрын

Nice lil critter ya got there but does remind me of the 30cm bandsaw I have that is of like quality. I call it the chinesewhatchamawozit LOL But it worked even better when I changed the tires and blades to everything from Timberwolf. You'll get a lot of happiness out of that saw.

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Gary, That made me laugh.... Yes I do believe it is a re-branded chinesewhatchamawozit - made in China, shipped from China and is very similar to many brands on the market. But, so far it seems to do the job. I did change the blade for a higher quality one. Will look at the tires when the time comes - but for now it’s good enough. Cheers Andy

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Hi and welcome to the final part I’m the series, enjoy.

@samrix5793 4 жыл бұрын

Yay!

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Sam, First again I see..... :-) Cheers Andy

@d.beaumont9157 2 жыл бұрын

Great video, I'm thinking of going for this model. The ceramic guides are the only thing that puts me off a little, I'm glad you covered that. I was wondering if they could be swapped for a standard bearing setup.

@Migman2020 9 ай бұрын

they are bearings now )

@dassieteeth 2 жыл бұрын

Hi - thanks for the video - very helpful! What are your thoughts around table saw vs bandsaw? I'm new to woodworking and need a saw to do long rip cuts (which I struggle to do with the Festool track saw on a MFT/3). Thanks in advance!

@matthewhickman494 3 ай бұрын

Great video Andy. About to purchase a bandsaw for my garage workshop and this was top of my list, your videos are very informative and gives me confidence that i'm going to enjoy this a lot. #2 is Record Power BS350 but that has ceramic guides whereas APTC machine now has bearing guides. Dust extraction (or lack of it) was interesting. Are you still getting good service from this bandsaw 4 years on? Many thanks, Matthew.

@TheWoodgrafter 3 ай бұрын

Hi Matthew, This remains a no regret purchase and if it now comes with bearings then even better. Dust extraction aside of course :-) Cheers Andy

@christopherfisher4416 4 жыл бұрын

Hi thanks for another great small series reviewing this bandsaw. I'm currently in the market for a bandsaw and have considered this particular model and the lower end trade AT2552B. Was there a particular reason you brought the Craft AC2606B and didn't go for a Trade Model? Cheers Chris

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

The main driver was cost, the craft had a good specification and does the job. I have no regrets on this purchase - great machine. Andy

@drummingsim 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video series! Thanks for going through everything and giving your honest opinion. I'm about the make a bandsaw purchase and this one is right at the top of the list. Before I go ahead, I wanted to ask whether you were still getting on OK with it in use and whether you'd still recommend? Thank you :-)

@TheWoodgrafter 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Simon, Yes it is still going strong, I have had reports that some people struggle with calibration and set up. But for me its is working well. Kind Regards Andy

@drummingsim 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheWoodgrafter Brilliant, thank you. I'll go ahead with the 2606 in that case. It's so hard to find a bandsaw under £1000 with decent height under the guides, that also has enough features to keep things in tune and cut well, so this material has been invaluable sir! Thank you again 🙂

@drummingsim 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheWoodgrafter Fantastic, thanks Andy. I'll go ahead with the purchase in that case. It's so hard to find a sub £1k machine that has decent height under the guides as well as being well made and with good features. Thanks, Simon

@TheWoodgrafter 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Simon, Do you have a local Axminster you can go and get hands on ? It may help, it does have a few issues.. On maximum cut adjustment the blade guard tends to catch on the top wheel. So limits the maximum capacity a little bit. Also the guide bushes are ceramic rather than wheels so you do get some sparks. Neither have been an issue to me, but eyes wide open and all that. I can still cut thin Bennett’s and re saw with accuracy. I have added the Incra mitre gauge since the video that really helps with cross cuts. But still using the factory fit fence. I should probably do a few x months on what do I think videos. Overall I would still recommend. Andy

@drummingsim 3 жыл бұрын

@@TheWoodgrafter Another excellent bit of insight - thank you. Overall, this still appears to have less drawbacks than saws in the same price bracket, from what I've seen and read so far. I don't have a local Axminster sadly, as I'm all the way up in Livingston, so the closest one is Newcastle. Agreed though, some follow on reviews after usage over time would make great content. I'll definitely be tuning in!

@paultay23 4 жыл бұрын

Great honest review Andy, what size is your thin blade? a thinner blade maybe 1/4" would cut the "organic" cuts a bit easier ...just an observation.

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Paul, Fair shout - the “thin” blade is about 12.7mm (1/2” ish) from memory. So yes a thinner blade would be a good shout, but you live and learn. Cheers Andy

@paultay23 4 жыл бұрын

@@TheWoodgrafter One step at a time Andy, tbf the dust collection is better on your saw than most, at least it is collecting from two points on the cycle. Mine only collects from the bottom.

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

paultay23 Thanks Paul, Talk soon Andy

@katabrontes 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Andy, wouldn't you do better to make the 45 deg cut with the tracksaw?

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Michael, I guess it depends on what I am doing, I wanted to see how it worked because it could do it. I could also use the table saw or even the planner thickneser. Many ways to achieve the same outcome in woodworking. Cheers Andy

@katabrontes 4 жыл бұрын

If you remove the blade guard you could grind a little of the back to clear the blade. I agree dust extraction is pretty poor even with you large extraction hose. Maybe an over table flexible hose as well would be worthwhile to keep the table clear.

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

That’s a good idea with the grinding the back of the guard, will have a look to see how much I can play with, Yes - will need to think of something for the dust collection, mind you I now have a lovely collection of very fine OAK dust - so home made filler is no longer an issue. Cheers Andy

@katabrontes 4 жыл бұрын

The Woodgrafter Good idea about the filler but there should be safer ways to do this!

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

Michael Blackmore LOL, amen to that. Cheers Andy

@johngriffiths1480 2 жыл бұрын

I have just bought one of these band saws, and I must say, it exceeds all my expectations. The only issue I have is with the stand, and the way the saw sits on it, it is dangerously one sided, and very easy to tip over (towards you, as you are using it). This becomes much more pronounced if you put it on a wheeled trolly of some kind.

@esskayrepairrestoration8265 4 жыл бұрын

Never seen good dust collection on a bandsaw. I always put my workshop air filter on when using my bandsaw.

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

SCK Woodworking Yep, I think it’s the best solution. Cheers Andy

@protonspounge3746 4 жыл бұрын

I think the full shop tour must be coming soon...

@TheWoodgrafter 4 жыл бұрын

So that would take about 5 mins..... After the new bench build I will be moving things around to claim some room back in the storage area - the PT and air extractor will move in there, giving me some floorspace back in the main shop. At that point I may do a walkthrough - as that will work with the workflow I am looking for. Cheers Andy

@jimbo2629 11 ай бұрын

Spinning the wheel by hand when adjusting the tracking is dodgy, maybe less so on a new bandsaw. Better to be using a wooden stick or dowel when the blade springs off the top wheel.

@TheWoodgrafter 9 ай бұрын

Good poingband safety first. I don’t find the blade springs off on this one, but I would agree with you. Andy