Machinery House - Hafco / Woodmaster

[Jas The Master]

Have been looking at buying a bandsaw(18in), jointer (8in) and a thicknesser 15in). Have checked out the local Carba-Tec, and they wont budge on price, the only concession on me spending up to $8k, was to throw in a few blades, worth $25 :no:. So started looking around, problem is that woodworking machine retailers are far and few between here :(

Machinery House re relatively new here in NZ, does anyone have any experience using their brand - Hafco Woodmaster

Links to;

Bandsaw
https://www.machineryhouse.co.nz/Products?stockCode=W434

Jointer
https://www.machineryhouse.co.nz/Products?stockCode=W629

Thicknesser
https://www.machineryhouse.co.nz/Products?stockCode=W835

Cheers

[soundman]

Hare & forbes sell some fine metalworking machines but their woodworking stuff is a good couple of steps behind the carbatec products in genearal.

Some of the macninery may come from the same factories but......theyr arent the same machine.....maybe smaller motor, different guides or spmething else.

Geof the bloke who owns carbatec is no dill.....he knows his product is well priced and very competitive with his competitors and no the price is the price.

Th hare & forbes stuff might be good enough for KIWI but it wont be as good as the carbatec in the items you are looking at.

If it was a drill press or a metal lathe....ahhh different story......

have a vety close look mate... you'll see what I mean.

cheers

[Jas The Master]

Cheers Soundman, I was leaning to Carba Tec, you've convinced me.

[Fossil]

If it was a drill press or a metal lathe....ahhh different story......

I have to disagree.
Most of the drill presses H&F sell are real crap.

[artme]

Well I have a Hafco BP430 bandsaw and, as I said in another thread, a mate has the equivalent Carba Tec model. No apparent differences. I gave my saw a really good workout on the weekend. No problems. Set em up correctly and they do the job.

I have Hafco drill press. Again no complaints. I also have a 2nd hand Hafco disc/ belt sander. A model they have made for years. The boys in Brisbane printed out the manual for me. The machine was thrashed in a High School for years and still works fine.

[kiwioutdoors]

Hi Jas
I have generally found Carbatec expensive but for handtools they are the place to go and you will get good service from them. Careful though they will try and tell you the Triton wet and dry is the equal to Tormek etc.

I have been impressed with the quality of tools from Robertson and Sinclair in penrose Auckland. Good service too as they can sharpen anything they sell

http://www.rands.co.nz/

You could also look on Trade me

but also look at

Jacks ( Good staff and been around 50 or so years)
http://www.jacks.co.nz/

Chevpac Machinery. (Some jet and the usual chinese stuff available here)
http://www.chevpac.co.nz/webshop/CHVHome.csp

Mc Donalds Machinery (Kinda pricy and need to bargain with them for a good deal)
http://www.machine.co.nz/

Macma Macinery in Glenfield ( Good quality)
http://www.macma.co.nz/

Andrew

[damian]

In Brisbane (carbatec's head office) I've found the service patchy, as have others. Depends on who you get. As for the machines depends. Some of the H&F stuff is higher spec than the carbatec although not as well presented. The iron 14" bandsaw is a cse in point. I was frankly shocked when I was looking that H&F had 4 speeds and bigger motor and more "stuff" for about 30% less $. Yeah it looked rough, but what price a paint job ?

I buy stuff from both, depends on what it is.

[madatwork]

I had a look at those links and I'd go with the Jacks machines for several reasons
The bandsaw- Similar machine with a 2100w motor from jacks rather than the 1500w is also $250 cheeper. More power for cheaper price!!!
The Machinery house Jointer shows an illegal guard. This type is not legal to sell in NZ. If its like this DON'T BUY IT!!!
Jacks jointers all have the OSH approved guarding. I think that Jacks prices for this size of jointer is similar though for the 200mm but i wuld still prefer the one with the safe guard.

As for the thicknesser you machinery house one is only 2hp for a 15" . I purchased the Jacks 15 "with a 3hp motor (I think it was about $180 more) about 4 uears ago and have put a huge amont of timber through it and have never had a problem. The also have a 2hp model but I don;t know anthing ablut that one.
Putting that all together I'd lean towards Jacks who have been around for ages (45-50 years??)

[artme]

Talk of motor size is fine up to a point. You need to look at the amp rating of the motor as well.

I don't know the Jacks stuff you talk about madat. but I suspect the machines have large and inefficient motors at that price.

[kiwioutdoors]

I disagree Jacks sell good stuff and have been around the longest you wont go wrong with them...

[madatwork]

I was under the understanding that V*A=W with 750W equal to 1hp.
So 3hp is 2250W

230*9.7=2250
Saying the Watts don't matter look at the Amp rating is like saying "I know its 1 Inch long but are you sure its 2.54cm

[damian]

It's not that simple. search is your friend.