B&Q cutting service

RobAMerc

Hi all,

I was in B&Q last week and the lad there told me they will give 15 free cuts with a sheet of mdf.

Whats the accuracy of the cuts from the lads out there does anyone know ?

Thanks

my3cents

The machine I have seen is capable of very accurate work. Its really down to the operator. The blade is going to be around 3mm thick so a poor operator could cut a sheet in "half" and leave them identical in size or one 3mm less than the other or you could get two identical halves that are 1.5 mm less in one dimension than you expect.

As far as accurate straight lines and right angles the machine should be spot on provided you start out with perfectly square stock.

recipio

Probably better to get it cut 10mm oversize and finish it yourself. I wouldn't rely on precision from B+Q to be honest.

RobAMerc

recipio wrote: »

Probably better to get it cut 10mm oversize and finish it yourself. I wouldn't rely on precision from B+Q to be honest.

do you mean to be absolutely sure its made a balls of ?:)

kadman

Vertical and horizontal panel saws are extremely accurate, operators may not be.

Ask the operator what level of tolerence he can guarantee you. If he dont hit it

dont pay, simple.

recipio

RobAMerc wrote: »

do you mean to be absolutely sure its made a balls of ?:)

Murphy's law - it will always kick in when you are trying to be precise. If I've learned one thing about building furniture its vital to be in complete control.;)

RobAMerc

recipio wrote: »

Murphy's law - it will always kick in when you are trying to be precise. If I've learned one thing about building furniture its vital to be in complete control.;)

I read a review of the saw I bought in which someone said its accuracy would not be great.
I said, its not the saws fault!

3 weeks later when I realised I had miss sized something I had had properly cut, I took a trim off it with my new saw.

I soon found out what they meant in the review ! 1 board in the whole project thats sh*t !

kadman

Whats your tolerence requirements in the cut material,

+/_ what?

RobAMerc

kadman wrote: »

Whats your tolerence requirements in the cut material,

+/_ what?

Actually being square is far more important to me, otherwise I could live with a few mm - the project will have bigger problems than a few mm out when I'm finished with it !

recipio

RobAMerc wrote: »

Actually being square is far more important to me, otherwise I could live with a few mm - the project will have bigger problems than a few mm out when I'm finished with it !

A few mm ! No saw should be that much out. :eek: If you can't adjust for squareness it might be that you need a good dedicated blade. I stick with Freud as I find the quality excellent.

Fingalian

I have used this service in B and Q in Swords many times. I go in early in the morning with my cut list and get one of the older guys to do it. Spot on every time. That is a serious bit of kit they have installed in those stores with a first class dust extraction setup. Sure beats cutting up panels on sawhorses with a Skilsaw!

For example I'd get a them to rip 100mm strips out of 18mm MDF sheets. Accurate to the mm.

kadman

RobAMerc wrote: »

Actually being square is far more important to me, otherwise I could live with a few mm - the project will have bigger problems than a few mm out when I'm finished with it !

You wont have a problem with the cuts at all. Its high precision kit, and get them to give you a test piece.

Its a panel saw they are using, not starting up cern;)

HorseSea

I recently got two sheets cut into strips, I should have measured before I left, I should have had 8 of one size and 6 of another, I has 10 different sizes. They were all square but mostly too wide or too narrow. Operator fault I am sure and that's a great looking bit of kit. I use Hobby and Woodworkers now and pay for the cuts, at least I get what I asked for.

kadman

HorseSea wrote: »

I recently got two sheets cut into strips, I should have measured before I left, I should have had 8 of one size and 6 of another, I has 10 different sizes. They were all square but mostly too wide or too narrow. Operator fault I am sure and that's a great looking bit of kit. I use Hobby and Woodworkers now and pay for the cuts, at least I get what I asked for.

Complain.

If you complain, it wont happen to the next customer, hopefully.

HorseSea

kadman wrote: »

Complain.

If you complain, it wont happen to the next customer, hopefully.

100% agree kadman, but I was home when I discovered the errors and have not been back since. I have stuck with Hobby and Woodworkers since for lots of stuff, I had really forgotten about them and not being there for years and thanks to B&Q's inability to cut I rediscovered them, they are nearer to me too.

RobAMerc

actually woodworkers got one of my cuts wrong and considering I paid more for the cuts than the wood I was a little put out.

I too was home before I realised it. Its a pity you cant be there while they do it.

Vexorg

@Horsesea who is/are Hobby and where are they based?

Thanks

RobAMerc

i think he is talking about www.woodworkers.ie

HorseSea

Vexorg wrote: »

@Horsesea who is/are Hobby and where are they based?

Thanks

Yes that's them, just be aware that they do not open Sat or Sun, otherwise I find them good.

dwd

I've got stuff cut a couple of times in B&Q, usually pretty good but as mentioned above it's down to the operator you get, the machine they use itself is as accurate as you'd ever need and give a good quality clean cut.