My journey into woodworking started with the purchase of a very cheap ALDI own-brand WorkZone bandsaw. I'll include a picture at the end. It's functionally not that bad but they had to cut corners to get this out the door for £79.99.
The most annoying thing is the plate steel table:
- There's no mitre slot (making square cross-cuts very difficult)
- It flexes under stress
- The fence doesn't grip it well (again because it flexes under stress)
So I've found myself doing more freehand and short cuts than anything else. But for all its flaws, there are still moments I need to use it for strange cuts where my table saw just won't... erm... cut it. For example, it's far more economical to use for cutting veneer strips for bent laminations, even if I do spend all day sanding them back.
The next step up is ~£350 and takes up a lot more space. I'm really hopeful somebody's going to suggest a sub-£100 option to give me a rigid, flat table that has better options for accessories. There may be other arguments for throwing this one in the bin and replacing it. Let me know.