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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Carpentry Questions >> Woodstar BS 52 https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1245268990 Message started by Joiner on Jun 17^th, 2009, 9:03pm

Title: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jun 17^th, 2009, 9:03pm

I bought this machine a few days ago with the intention of leaving it set up for small jobs like bead mouldings. Trouble is, it DOES NOT come with the 1/4" and 1/2" collet sizes as stated in the various adverts, but with the CONTINENTAL 6mm and 12mm collets, so my few hundred quids-worth of cutters don't bloody well fit.

Anyone know of a good supplier of a wide range of 6 and 12 mm cutters or, preferably, where I could get replacement collets for the machine? I'll try phoning the UK Woodstar agents tomorrow, but if anyone already knows the answer to that query let me know. Thanks.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by woodsmith on Jun 17^th, 2009, 10:34pm

It should come with 1/4 and 1/2" collets, take it back from whence it came ;)

It's had mixed reviews, nice idea but not too well made from what I heard.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jun 18^th, 2009, 7:45am

I'll give Machine Mart a ring. Thanks Keith.

Bit plasticky, but it won't be getting a hammering anyway. I certainly wouldn't use it on site! It's a static situation for putting moulding on bead to save breaking down and setting up the main table. It's easy to set and use and, at £160.99, about the price of a mid-range 1500W router anyway, so if it makes life easier it'll pay for it's keep.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jun 18^th, 2009, 8:28pm

Phoned Machine Mart and they couldn't explain what had happened. Spoke to their technical guy in Nottingham and he couldn't explain why all their blurbs presented the metric and Imperial collets as virtually the same, each accepting the other.

Anyway, they're sending me a set of 1/4" and 1/2" collets by 1st-class post.

Sorted.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by woodsmith on Jun 19^th, 2009, 7:31am

Result!

Let us know how you get on with it once it is up and runing.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jun 22^nd, 2009, 10:14pm

They sent the collets but they don't fit the screw thingy that fits them to the shaft. Tossers should have sent the whole thing. They say they'll get it right next time!

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jul 4^th, 2009, 8:55am

At last. Yesterday I got the screw cap that holds the collets in the shaft and it fits. Trouble is they sent one, which means if I swap between 1/4" and 1/2" I have to remove the retaining circlip, remove the one collet and then fit the other into the screw cap. Ah well, we're more or less there.

Got to make two sash windows for the brickies to make a start on a big job that'll take us through July, so I'll try it out next week and let you know how it works.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jul 9^th, 2009, 4:27pm

Tried it out on a couple of lengths, putting a moulding onto bead. Works great.

It's actually a more solid machine than it looks with the plastic base.

A far more 'sensible' router table than most because:

a) it (obviously) comes with a router at its heart,

b) the speed can be adjusted from the front panel,

c) the cutter height can be adjusted with the wheel at the side and locked.

I was impressed with it. It's not a spindle moulder, despite what comes up about it on some searches, it's just a very useful machine to have around the workshop if you're looking for a router table.

Well impressed. 8/10.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by woodsmith on Jul 9^th, 2009, 6:49pm

Sounds good, a small moulder would be a good addition to most workshops, interesting to see how durable it will be in use.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jul 9^th, 2009, 8:32pm

Actually there's not a lot that can drop off it. I'm not using the spring-loaded thingies that position the material because they're a faff to set up and, frankly, I've never had a need for them, it's not as if the cutters are as vicious as a spindle moulder's and a push-stick seems to give me more control.

The fence tightens easily and stays rigid on feed-in and out - as good as the solid metal one on my main router table in fact.

It just all felt competent, the main pluses being the absence of all the 'issues' on a standard table, the speed and height adjustments both well placed and a bloody good idea.

If I was going to "wait and see" it would be to see if the router itself lasted the course, but then I've only ever had one problem router in the last ten years, and that had only lasted about three and a half years and had a mighty bashing. :)

Having said which...

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jul 14^th, 2009, 9:10pm

It's CRAP.

Did a test run last week and it seemed fine. Set it up today to cut the sash ovolo on two sash windows I'm making. First length fine, but by the time I'd done the fourth run (and these were only on lengths of 735mm, bog-standard redwood pine) the cutter had lowered by about two mil.

The locking screw to hold the height setting works loose with the vibration. It's still at maximum tightening on the lockscrew, but the router still moves when you turn the adjusting handle.

Rubbish design and even worse engineering. It's bloody German too!

Will call Machine Mart tomorrow and see what their reaction is. Either way I'm dumping it back at their Wolverhampton depot.

Keith, hammer it in the next edition.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by londonman on Jul 14^th, 2009, 9:51pm

Axminster scissor jack underneath it might fix it. Quite cheap.

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by woodsmith on Jul 15^th, 2009, 6:59am

Sorry it hasn't worked out, such a good idea but sounds badly engineered.

I've written a few bad reviews and had the threat of the manufacturer sending out "The Boys" to demonstrate that I don't know what I'm talking about. I've only ever had one that actually came out and, by the time he had found me after driving round the lanes for days, he was suffering from malnutrition and dehydration and no match for Mol and me. She has teeth and I have a razor wit and a sharp tongue ;D

Title: Re: Woodstar BS 52
Post by Joiner on Jul 15^th, 2009, 7:16am

Wasn't as if it was being asked to do anything out of the ordinary, this was a light cut with a sharp cutter on the softest of woods along a relatively short length, but after four runs the cut was out by 2 mil, luckily the "right" way to avoid scrapping the bars, which were re-cut on the regular table.

The sash ovolo exerts a slight downward pressure on the cutter (and I mean slight) and that, combined with the vibration of the machine, was obviously enough to overcome the pathetic action of the locking mechanism. On the cheapest of routers the locking system has been more effective!

Whether the same thing would happen with cutters exerting just a simple sideways pressure (slotting, edge beading, etc) I don't know, but if that were the case then it severely limits the usefulness of a machine touted as something more than it is.

I'll see what Machine Mart have to say and report back.