Product Reviews
(March 2021)
(January 2020)
| Video review | Summary |
|---|---|
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Evolution R255MTS 255mm/10" Table Saw Cheap but effective saw. Takes a while to assemble on stand and with table extensions. Pressed steel table not perfectly flat. Noisy motor. Mitre fence a little sloppy. UK ≈ £150 7/10 |
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Evolution R210SMS Sliding Mitre Saw Good saw, especially for the money, but you will need to assemble it 8/10 |
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Odie's Oil Provisionally 7/10 Potential 9/10 Awaiting long term results |
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Eyejusters Great variable focus glasses for close work. Expensive 6/10 (if ignoring cost then I would rate them 8/10) |
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Gyokucho 1151/651/400/303 Japanese Saws 1151 9/10 (best flush cut I've used) 651 7/10 (rip too coarse for me) 400 8/10 (good for larger scale joinery) 303 9/10 (leaves a great finish) |
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Evolution F210CMS compound mitre saw Very portable, capable, noisy, dusty, cheap 6/10 |
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Starrett Jig Saw Blades - various Very impressed. Best jig saw blades I've come across BU41014 / BU224 / BU38 / BU2DCS all 9/10+ BU310T 8/10, BU3DC 7/10 |
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Quangsheng Luban No.043 Plough Plane + Kerfing Blade from Workshop Heaven in the UK Great little plough plane and capable kerfing saw 9/10 |
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Trend Craft Pro Saw Blade CSB/CC25572 Well performing blade at a good price 8/10 |
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Trend T31 Dust Extractor Good extraction capability. Not very stable. Filter bags break easily 7/10 |
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Evolution Mitre Saw Stand Packs small for transport, stable, extension supports and feet could be better 7/10 |
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Evolution Fury-B Circular Saw Great saw, which even has pretty good dust extraction 9/10 (optional stone cutting blade was very good) |
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Evolution FURY3XL sliding mitre saw Pretty good saw, and good value for money. Poor dust extraction 8/10 (wood and multi-material blades both scored 9/10) |
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Trend VariJig System : Good alternative to other guide systems VJS/G/100 Straight Guide 9/10 VJS/AG/36 Angle Guide 8/10 VJS/CG/SBP Saw Base Plate 8/10 |
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HVLP Apollo Pro-Spray 1500-3s : 9/10 Great results, feels robust FujiSpray Semi-Pro 2 : 8/10 Great results, query air filtering |
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Trend T11 Router Very capable router, with good support 9/10 |
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Lee Cooper Workwear Vests & Jackets Comfortable, with plenty of zippered pockets 8/10 |
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Lee Cooper Boots and Hats Well made and comfortable 8/10 |
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Lee Cooper Tops Comfortable, wear well, fair price 9/10 |
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Trend DWS/KIT/B Diamond Honing & Polishing Great little kit 8/10 |
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Trend Mortise and Tenon Jig (MT/JIG) Does what it says, but setup time is slow (better for multiple cuts) 7/10 |
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Axminster Rider Sharpening Station Kit Neat solution to sharpening, giving very good results 8/10 |
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Foam Backed Abrasives and Abrasive Blocks - Available from toolnut.co.uk Very useful addition to the abrasive arsenal 9/10 |
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Review of building X-Carve from Inventables Well made components, easy to build, time consuming 7/10 |
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Cheap Diamond Sharpening Stones The market is awash with these under many brands. Cheap and cheerful, they won't take abuse, but used carefully they get the job done |
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Axminster Rider No.4 Great entry level plane for serious new woodworkers 8/10 |
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Quangsheng No.62 Low Angle Jack Plane - Update Checking the sole for flatness and square, which was very good 9/10 |
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Quangsheng No.62 Low Angle Jack Plane Very good plane and excellent value for money compared to competition. Also see above update 8/10 |
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Quangsheng Side Rebate Plane Fairly well made, but a little expensive for what it is 6/10 |
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Silverline Engineer's Square - Required a little fettling. Good value 8/10 Bahco CS300 Combination Square - Pretty good for the price 8/10 |
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Irwin Xpert 3055 and PowerFix KH3223 crosscut saws Irwin 4/10 - I've since heard from others who rate this highly Powerfix 7/10 - Good toolbox saw |
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Veritas® Miniature Router Plane Really useful piece of kit, but let down by design and manufacture 5/10 |
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UJK Technology Depth Gauge Handy tool, well made, although could offer more 7/10 |
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Workzone WSD 3.6 P2 Power Screwdriver Comfortable and compact, but battery capacity could be better 7/10 |
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Moisture Meters Powerfix 6/10 - Functional but not so easy to read accurately Timbermaster 8/10 - Clear and easy to use, but expensive |
I appreciate the value of reviews to consumers, such as many of my followers, and often review products that I purchase for my workshop. Also as a YouTube woodworker, I am occasionally asked by manufacturers or retailers to review their products. Where I see no conflict of interest, and I am free to make an open and honest review of these product, I try to do so.
Many products, once reviewed, are no longer in 'as new' condition, and coupled with shipping costs, this often results in the supplier choosing to write them off and leave them with me. I do not let the possible retention of these products in any way influence the views I express about them. These retained products are sometimes kept by myself, or offered to followers. Occasionally suppliers will additionally offer a second item, just to be given away. Once again, this will not affect my reviews.
Manufacturers or retailers interested in having me review a product, should email me details as early as possible if they wish to have the review published on, or by, a particular date.
