ex21

[scrollgirl]

I don't think you ran on at all.  The comments you made were interesting and it showed that you had the right idea about which tools were appropriate for certain applications.  Deciding this is very important when choosing which tool to buy.  You need to look at yourself and the type of cutting you will be doing and make an intelligent decision on your own personal use.

I liked that in Steve's video he also considered this.  I also don't do "production work".  I am a designer and love to use my saw however, and some days I run it for the entire day.  Even my (type 1) DeWalt, which is generally agreed on as a lower grade of saw than the Excalibur gave me over 15 years of good service.  I am certain if I was doing the type of cutting that Patch does, it probably would not.

However, with DeWalt's (the company) recent lack of stability and what I have heard from DeWalt owners who recently purchased saws from them, along with my own research, I choose not to get another one when it came time to buy another saw.

I am confident that the Excalibur will be a great saw for me.  It already has proven to be much better on so many levels.  Ray from Seyco gives impeccable customer service (And you can tell him I said so if you choose to buy a saw from him!) and I highly recommend him as a source.  He answers his own emails and his own phone and I have heard only good about his reputation.  He already has been there for my questions and concerns, even though I am up here in Canada.

The Excalibur costs a bit more than the DeWalt, and I am not a wealthy woman.  But I would rather pay a little more and invest in a product that I will be able to count on for many years of wonderful service (and backed up by the company that made it) than spend less for a product with a questionable track record.  

Just my thoughts.  

Sheila

[julief]

I have owned my EX21 for 7 or 8 years.  I cut more 3/4" to 1 1/2" wood than anthing else.  I use and abuse my saw - sometimes for 8+ hours a day.  I have zero complaints.  I worked hard to earn the money to buy it and it works hard for me. 

[Crabbyboater]

I started out with a DW788 type 2, but finally sold it when I acquired a brand new Hawk 220vs (a 2004 model, but never opened or used).  It ran a lot smoother and I liked it except that is was bottom feed only, so today I ordered a new EX21 from Ray at Seyco.  I've heard nothing but good comments about the EX21 with the sole exception of Patch's post here.

I believe the differences between the European EX21 and the ones used here in the states are the color, a provision for dust control on the European version (holes in the table), and voltage.  Both are made in Taiwan, but I understand under stricter specifications than other saws made off-shore.  I know that Ray at Seyco takes new saws out of the box, tests and aligns everything, then puts it back in the box before shipping it to the end buyer.

[patch]

I am holding all comments until general gets back to me they are looking into the problems I have had with the saw they are asking for time to look into it so in fairness to them I will comment later in the mean time I am working on a video on the disadvantageous  of the saw as in the workings

[cgswss]

Patch, I'd love to see that.  Just wondering, I see you have mentioned something about alum. bearings.  I don't have an ex yet, so are you saying there are load bearing pivoits where they just run the steel into a hole in the alum?  If that is the case, is there enought beef around the hole to make and insert?  I'm thinking long term that if this is what you are talking about,I might bore them out and at least make a bearing out of Derin or Bronze.

Craig

[patch]

Patch, I'd love to see that.  Just wondering, I see you have mentioned something about alum. bearings.  I don't have an ex yet, so are you saying there are load bearing pivoits where they just run the steel into a hole in the alum?  If that is the case, is there enought beef around the hole to make and insert?  I'm thinking long term that if this is what you are talking about,I might bore them out and at least make a bearing out of Derin or Bronze.

Craig

just wait till I can comment I can not say anything at this stage sorry

[patch]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfEg7uL2SVM

[Keefie]

A couple of weeks agi I purchased an EX16 from Axminster power tools, they are the genuine Excalibur machine, Axminster came to an arrangement with the manufacturers to have them in white as it's Axminsters "livery" and all their stuff comes in white.I found the machine to be absolutely fantastic to use till 3 days ago, I switched on at about 1/4 speed as I was doing some fine cuts and didn't want to go too fast, the machine gave a couple of really loud knocks before running smoothly. when I went to 3/4 speed for the next cut it was vibrating like mad and shook the whole table, now anything over 1/2 speed and it vibrates badly. I have just phoned Axminster who asked me to check a couple of things on the machine and when I said they were ok they told me they would replace the complete machine as it's only a couple of weeks old and shouldn't vibrate like that. Also the paint is wearing off where the top arm lifts and it rubs (which they also said shouldn't happen) I don't know what the service is like in the U.S. but over here they don't normally change things like that, it usually would go away for repair and we'd end up with a new machine thats been repaired. So plenty of extra brownie points for Axminster Power Tools. I hope it hasn't put you off the Excalibur machines as when it worked it was a really fantastic machine to use.

[scrollgirl]

It is good you shared your story too, Keefie.  We all know that every production run doesn't produce all perfect machines.  There are some that get by that are defective.  It is just part of manufacturing.  What is important to me is how the distributors and manufacturers deal with these defective machines and the customers who get 'stuck' with them.  I am happy to hear that you were taken care of properly.  I believe that is why you can't always go only by just price when buying a piece of equipment such as this.  Customer service and the reputation of the company is just as important.  You need to know that they will be there for you down the line and when problems may occur.  Thanks for sharing your story with us.  I have had my saw for about eight months now and it is still as good as the day I got it.  Hopefully it will continue to preform as well as it has for me, but if it doesn't, I know that I can count on good customer service. That means quite a lot.  Thanks again for posting, Keefie.

Sheila

[Keefie]

No problem Sheila, I thought Clive should know that the back up service from Axminster cannot be faulted, there was no discussion about trying to fix it, just "we'll replace it with a new one"  Now thats what I call service and it is sooooo unusual for a company over here in the UK to do that.

[scrollgirl]

Well, that is really good to know because I have a lot of people from the UK asking me to recommend a saw and a place to purchase them.  It is very difficult for me to do so because I have had no interaction with companies in England.  It is great that people like you share both your positive and negative experiences so that I can better direct others.  It helps fellow scrollers a lot!

Sheila

[BigPete]

I agree Keefie as i also bought my ex21 from Axminster and there customer service has been first class as mine snapped the top connecting rod where Patch was showing that his had threaded a bolt but Axminster asked no Questions and sent out a new one staight away ! then on the new one i blew an internal fuse within half an hour of setting it up , Axminster sent out some new fuses and said if there was any other problems to get back to them ! , all this was a bit inconveniant but that sometimes happens and as Sheila says its how the distibutors deal with it . i have had no real problems with it since " touch wood " (ahh feel better for that ) but i still have some vibration when i go above above half speed , its not a great problem as i tend to be a slow cutter anyway but i do think i will get in touch with Axminster again to see what they say. Overall i love it !

Patch , you have obiously have had your problems with yours and i watched your video but i myself and i believe some other scrollers were left scratching there heads at your first comment as you just made a statement and never said what your problem was , it may have been a little more helpful if you had added how you had came to that decision !
                     Just saying ..Pete  

[tvman44]

Well my new EX-21 arrived today and I set it up and I love it.  Great saw from Seyco.  Now to start scrolling tomorrow, don't have the time today but look out tomorrow.  I am a happy camper. 

[patch]

I am getting Emails from a lot of people complaining about this saw 

[Scr0ll3r]

I am getting Emails from a lot of people complaining about this saw 

Funny I don't see many of them around here. How many people are you talking about here? Are you forming a club?

If somebody is planning to buy an EX and you think it's no good, then what saw should they buy instead?

I'm just kidding, I know from our previous conversations you don't answer that last question. My theory is that you don't have an answer because there really is nothing out there (that you know of) which meets your needs . Where does that leave a potential Excalibur purchaser?