Just tried using one of these for the first time this morning with less than satisfactory results!
First off, I discovered that the *maximum* separation for the cutting discs is 29mm; since the *narrowest* size of channelling available is
30mm - and I normally use wider stuff myself - this is a bit useless IMHO.Secondly, the instructions point out that for safety you need to move the machine in the opposite direction to that of the disc rotation. That means in practice that you start at the ceiling and 'pull' the machine towards you, working down the wall; ie the opposite direction to which you'd use a portable circular saw. This means that you can't follow your pencil line to cut straight; mine kept wandering off all over the shop. Laughably there's a laser guide on top which projects a pretty red line UP the wall, nicely aligned with the cut you've just made - ie does nothing to keep you on track. Lower down the wall, ie below the machine, the cutting line is completely concealed by the dust extraction pipe.
Is this experience similar to others? Or am I doing something daft? I find this machine worse than useless at present.
Incidentally this is the 45-quid Aldi machine, but before I get a chorus of "well what do you expect!" in its defence I'm not sure whether 'proper' machines are any different in the above respects?
David