Are Metabo any good?

[markwearspants]

I've been looking for a bandsaw that can be placed on my workbench for a while now. This one come up, the Metabo BAS260



I've heard of this brand but never used any of their products. Something this size would be perfect for me but don't want to throw $455 down the dust collection before doing some research.
I will be using it for mostly pine, tassie oak and other various hardwoods(rarely).

Thanks!

[crowie]

I have a 15plus years old secondhand BAS500 from a school [bigger than the one you're looking at] for the past 2yrs and can't fault it........
I've only had to set the blade as per the Alex Snodgras video plus get a couple of blades from Henry Bros....
Can't see why the smaller current model wouldn't be as good....
Try "googling a review on the one your looking at if you don't get enough replies.
Cheers, crowie

[paul.cleary]

I can only quote from my research on handtools.
Up until about 5 years ago, Metabo was designed in Germany, made in Germany. I have a 75mm Random Orbital sander from that time and it is very good.
Now nearly all the handtools are designed in Germany, and (in a difficult to find location on the tool) made in China.
That's why I rejected buying the Metabo delta sander - it means they are made to a price.\

[chrisb691]

I have a Metabo BAS250, and have no complaints.

[DropSaw]

I had a Metabo 450 duo random orbit sander which
i paid around $380.00 dollars for,
after 2 years intermittent use
it stopped working without warning.
I sent it off to the service center were it was pull
apart and needed to have the bearing replaced. But they also
found the heat from the crook bearing had melted the housing were
the bearing was captured, total repair bill $170,00 dollars,
I decided not to repair it. i also have a Metabo 5" 1100 watt angle grinder which burned out the armature 2 months passed the warranty date of one year.... that one cost me $125 dollars to fix, and i still have it. After that I swore i would not buy that brand again.

[Ratbag]

Metabo's bandsaws are rebadged & updated examples of older Elektra Beckum designs. Metabo acquired the company.

They had a pretty good reputation from memory. The only one that I know of in use was owned by a dairy farmer friend who used it for making turning blanks in blackwood, which it seemed to accomplish without drama. He has since passed on and his youngest son subsequently acquired it to produce gunstocks & the like from walnut and other exotic hardwoods. As far as I know it's still running after 40 odd years.

[RoyG]

As with purchasing any woodworking tool, I think that the question that you need to ask yourself is "What do I want to do with this Bandsaw, and how much do I want to do ?"

If the answer is that you want to do occasional small work (i.e. Model Making, Cutting Knife Blanks, Cutting small turning blanks, etc) then this bandsaw might work for you.

But, if your answer is that you want to cut larger pieces of wood, bear in mind that the BAS260 has a small 1/2 HP motor, so it's going to quickly run out of puff if it's asked to cut some of the tough Aussie Hardwoods, or if it's asked to cut thicker pieces of timber that are more than about 50% of it's max cutting depth.

Roy

[Ratbag]

I probably should have stated that my friend's machine was a BAS450, which is the size (diameter) of the bandwheels I think. It was also fitted with a fairly substantial finned alloy induction motor of about 2 horsepower I think.