Anyone know anything about Metabo?

[John Mark Lane]

I have a half-sheet sander I bought years ago. It's a darn good tool, very nice. I never knew much about the company and can't remember why I bought that sander (I have many sanders). I think maybe there just weren't many half-sheet sanders when/where I was looking.

Anyway, I am shopping about for a good sliding compound miter saw. I like the ones with the smaller blades -- Makita and Hitachi make them (as does Crapsman...well they sell one anyway). I kind of like the description of this one

http://www.amazon.com/Metabo-KGS255-2-Inch-Sliding-Compound/dp/B000JJL5QU/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1276132649&sr=1-25

But I tried checking out the Metabo website, and I can't even find any benchtop tools. Maybe they're not even making them any more? I'm a little worried about long-term support (although in all these years my sander has never needed anything). Anyone have any light to shed on what this company is all about etc?

Mark

[James Benson]

My cousin is a Metabo repair station in Northern Calif. He gets a few of them a month, mainly grinders and metal cutting saws. Most of them are cord issues(pulled by cord,plug,some switches) or needed brushes after years of heavy metal use. They are made in Germany and USA. Mostly sold in industrial tool supplies, welding supplies, ect... Good heavy made tools. Have never seen a wood tool in for repairs.Would recommend them from a repair standpoint.:)

[Will Overton]

It's on their site, they just call it by a different name.

http://www.metabo.com/Product-catalogue-halfstationary-and-stationary-tools.24047+M57d85eda0a5.0.html

[Joe Spear]

I've had a Metabo 6" random orbit sander for about seven years. It's seen a lot of use and has had no problems whatsoever. I think at one time the Ridgid ROS was made by Metabo, but I'm not sure if their current model is.

[Chuck Saunders]

Metabo - good stuff - end of story

[Von Bickley]

Metabo - good stuff - end of story

I agree.......

[Mike Reinholtz]

I wondered the same thing about Metabo when I was ogling at Eagle tool and came across them. Pretty much the same thing already stated, I was told they are very heavy duty and although they cost more they also last much longer and are extremely accurate. I was checking out the 8.5" slider and was told the biggest benefits come from the stronger frame design which deflects much less than other brands. I did get to turn it on and make a couple cuts, nice to not hear the familiar high pitched scream my Ridgid makes...

[John Mark Lane]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. Curious though -- isn't 8.5 inches a fairly uncommon blade size? I suppose I can do some research, but do you guys know if blades of that size are difficult to find? I imagine you can use a standard 7.25, but then you lose some functionality....

Mark

[Will Overton]

Forrest Chopmaster at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Forrest-CM08H606100-Chopmaster-2-Inch-8-Inch/dp/B0000223VV/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1276180574&sr=1-3

I don't think a 7 1/4" will work. It will be 5/8" short of a through cut.

[Van Huskey]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. Curious though -- isn't 8.5 inches a fairly uncommon blade size? I suppose I can do some research, but do you guys know if blades of that size are difficult to find? I imagine you can use a standard 7.25, but then you lose some functionality....

Mark

Given it is German the blade it was actually designed for is probably 210mm just like the Festool TS75.

[John Mark Lane]

Given it is German the blade it was actually designed for is probably 210mm just like the Festool TS75.


Hm. Like this:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18702

Pricey little thing. Fine. But looking at the pic, that arbor hole looks pretty large.

[Mike Reinholtz]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful. Curious though -- isn't 8.5 inches a fairly uncommon blade size? I suppose I can do some research, but do you guys know if blades of that size are difficult to find? I imagine you can use a standard 7.25, but then you lose some functionality....

Mark

Freud has a very reasonable blade as well:

http://www.amazon.com/D0860S-Diablo-2-Inch-Finishing-8-Inch/dp/B00008WQ2N

[Will Overton]

Given it is German the blade it was actually designed for is probably 210mm just like the Festool TS75.

Good point. From their website (which is up again);


Saw blade ................ 30Ø 210 x 30 mm

[Van Huskey]

Hm. Like this:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18702

Pricey little thing. Fine. But looking at the pic, that arbor hole looks pretty large.


The TS75 has a 30mm arbor!

I didn't mean to suggest the TS75 blades would work just that it probably is designed as a 210mm saw in Germany which is not so unusual there. Frued makes a bunch of 8 1/2" blades with the 5/8" arbor I think the Metabo needs, other manufacturers surely make them too, I just now Freud does. Though you will probably not find them at the Borgs they aren't hard to get in multiple types.

[John Mark Lane]

It looks to me like the Metabo also has a 30 mm arbor. That puts it out of the running altogether, as far as I'm concerned. I don't want to have to scour the earth for saw blades.

[Will Overton]

It looks to me like the Metabo also has a 30 mm arbor. That puts it out of the running altogether, as far as I'm concerned. I don't want to have to scour the earth for saw blades.

John,

It's the same size blade as the Festool TS75, so you wouldn't have too much scouring to do. Amazon has several that are not Festool brand. Here's one for $25

http://www.amazon.com/Oshlun-SBFT-210036-General-Purpose-Festool/dp/B0030GGFS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1276188332&sr=8-1

[John Mark Lane]

John,

It's the same size blade as the Festool TS75, so you wouldn't have too much scouring to do. Amazon has several that are not Festool brand. Here's one for $25

http://www.amazon.com/Oshlun-SBFT-210036-General-Purpose-Festool/dp/B0030GGFS2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1276188332&sr=8-1


Thanks, Will. Maybe I was a bit hasty. Still...too many times in my life I've needed to run out and grab a blade for one thing or another, and I just am reluctant to invest in a saw that I know I won't be able to do that with. At least if it had a 5/8 in arbor, if i had to I could get a 7 1/4 inch blade in a pinch. I know I could just buy a sufficient set of blades and make sure I stay on top of getting them sharpened.... It just worries me, as I know I am forgetful...

[Frank Drew]

Better a very good tool that takes (slightly) uncommon tooling than the reverse, IMO.

I've never used Metabo's saws, but they're considered the class of the angled grinder field.

[Dave Sabo]

Just a very educated guess, but I think Metabo has licenced out their name for all of those stationary tools. They went from having almost nothing to 100 offerings overnite.

[Will Overton]

In 1999, Metabo Group acquired the Meppen company Elektra Beckum. The product ranges of these two brands complement each other perfectly.
Most of Elektra Beckum's plants are in Germany.
At the Meppen site, more than 200 employees are manufacturing wood working machines, compressors, welding equipment and devices for garden and domestic use.


http://www.metabo.com/31075.0.html

Could be they didn't import to the US for awhile.
Festool was around in Europe long before it became popular here.

[John Mark Lane]

Better a very good tool that takes (slightly) uncommon tooling than the reverse, IMO.


Hard to disagree with that, but there are a lot of options. For example, is the Makita SCMS really significantly inferior to the Metabo? There are some features of the Metabo that I like more, but they are more in the nature of luxuries. I'm guessing the Makita is just as capable, and it has a standard sized arbor (ie, one that I can find a saw blade for anywhere).