I Bought an Illegal Saw on Alibaba

[@MiguelCamba]

This kind of combination tools are everywhere in Europe. I don't know a single carpenter that installs decks, flooring or trims without one (or several) of these. Specifically the Virutex TM33W is an absolute legend among Spanish carpenters. All the advantages of mitre saws for cross cutting plus all the advantages of table saws for ripping narrow materials (around 12"), weighting under 40 pounds.

[@MrCrymet]

where the heck are you working at? havent seen them in Germany, Switzerland and Austria at all :D

[@MiguelCamba]

@@MrCrymet Spain. But I’ve see them in France and Germany. Specifically for people who do flooring and trim work.

[@TomsTimmervan]

Seen them only for dyi ers, pros arround my are hate these things, too unsafe

[@MiguelCamba]

@@TomsTimmervan is the say it’s the opposite here. DIYes tend to favor tools that solve many problems, like table saws. This is a very specific tool for flooring and trim work. Only pros buy those very specific tools. In essence it a mitre saw that can rip. And the virutex is by far the king in popularity.

[@silverbackag9790]

The hook angles for table saws and miter saws are (or should be) completely different.

[@SoHighIFly]

Theres a micro switch that engages/disengages the hold-in-coil that allows the different switch configuration between mitre and table saw. They are pretty cool little machines and have noticed them coming in to the workshop more and more the last few years, even though Ive never seen them for sale here in NZ. The most common repairs im doing on them is people cutting through leads, blown capacitors (due to overloading) and safety switches failing.

[@craigsagalow5693]

😅 k 9th😢ill 0:17 d look😮hob

[@TerecRazvan]

In Europe is common to use for flooring installation, there is a good combo like Bosch GTM 12JL or Evolution R210MTS-G2

[@jasond3511]

I had a flooring repair guy come to my house and he had one similar (7”) but was almost all billet aluminum. The fence was extruded with a mini unifence type design. I was quite impressed. He carried it up to my 4th floor with a small shop vac and had almost no dust. It didn’t have any markings that I could find but he said it was very expensive.

[@stevefarnworth]

Been eyeing up the Evolution one which looks really handy for a small home shop

[@hillbilly21960]

I could see it being very handy for that. I’d try to make an improved fence though.

[@that_jason_black]

Brad is next level. Putting the B roll of the 3D print whilst cutting in an AD.

[@aaronr2791]

came to make the same comment - that's next level viewer retension and everyone should incorporate this in some way. he better patent that approach asap

[@oldguy1030]

Fun video! Do note, however, that hobbyists in Europe can generally buy and use Dado stacks. They may, however, have gotten a table saw without a sufficient arbor system. And for shallower cuts? Technically possible. Just use a sacrificial board under the workpiece and you have a shallower cut. The problem being, of course, that you aren't terribly likely to have a sacrificial board hand which is just the right size and depending on the various widths things could get a bit iffy. . .

[@joseph9915]

You could rip some pieces the right size or make an adjustable sled.

[@tattooedredheadx]

5:35 That is the sketchiest "fence" I've ever seen. There's no way that is parallel to the blade at all times.

Agreed, but that on the other hand is true for bigger more established brands as well :P

[@Raul28153]

the fence should drift away from the fence by a few thousandths over the length of the fence to prevent kick from the leeward side of the blade.

[@swissfreek]

As a fellow engineer, your excitement as you discover the feature hit me right in the feels haha

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

this thing didn't disappoint either. the mechanisms were great

[@Ugly_German_Truths]

As an accountant, the noise of unfiltered advertisement read was deafening...

[@tombez6432]

@@Ugly_German_Truths And the false info about Dado stacks being not allowed in europe starts to get annoying.

[@ssl3546]

@@tombez6432 Ok TECHNICALLY you can buy them but saw makers make the arbors too short to accept them because dado sets are not compatible with the braking system required by MD 2006/42/EC.

[@GardenreetLighting]

Wow, I'm blown away by your bravery in buying that saw! 🤯 Your storytelling skills kept me hooked from start to finish!

[@gordonlumer2879]

Dado stacks are not illegal in UK and can be readily bought however some table saw do not have long enough to accommodate them.

[@gordonlumer2879]

Long enough spindle

[@HookerHeels]

If I recall, *some* dados are legal. A video I watched a while back explained it as like, half inch dado is fine, but nothing larger or something like that. Unless that law has changed.

[@pacman10182]

the UK isn't in Europe

[@HookerHeels]

@@pacman10182 this is true

[@katzchenundloup6693]

@@pacman10182 Wrong. Like Switzerland it is in Europe (the continent) but not in the EU (the political contruct). Don't mix up Europe and EU.

[@AlexPrivett]

These are commonly used for flooring, base and crown, and jambs. Really convenient to only have to carry 1 heavy saw around instead of 2 to every jobsite. Virtuex makes one you can get in the US.

[@harpintn]

Those are the exact applications I thought of when I saw it.

[@ricardoesparza6209]

These saws are common in Europe, nearly every builder has one. As you say in the video all of the major brands make them, DeWalt, Makita, Bosch etc. Perfect for installing flooring.

[@lifestories1446]

Thank you for identifying a rational use for this POS.

[@mortil]

Yep . i worked as a glazier before. had one in my van and some wood if a window was rotten you could fix it on site. just an awesome tool

[@pierremartel3552]

@2:28 there is no more safety rules then to wear these, safety glasses.. The New Yankee Workshop memory came back right away.

[@aserta]

2:03 i can buy wide blades too, made in italy at that. We just prefer using routers, simpler to setup and they don't risk the chance of messing up the table saw bearings like dado blades too. I hope everyone using a dado set knows that you're supposed to have bearings rated for dado blades, extra mass = extra wear.

[@casperlarsen2387]

I just want to inform you that we can get dado sets in eu😊

[@brianhawes3115]

Omg, I made one of these about 30 years ago out of a makita chop saw, I used it every week to install custom kitchens. I only needed a 1” blade height and that thing performed flawlessly for all 30 years 😂

[@MCsCreations]

Pretty interesting tool indeed, Brad! 😃 Thanks for sharing! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@american23t]

Thanks for the review. Time stamp,18:05 -18:15. Among others...Was the straw that broke my back. 😊 This is not a saw for me.😊😂😂😂

[@miro223]

Dado stacks are available for purchase in Europe, no idea what you mean.

[@zigmundslv]

EU regulations require a specific stopping time for the blade after the saw is powered down. Because of the increased mass of a dado stack, manufacturers would need to install a far more robust braking system to comply with those regulations. Rather than do this, most manufacturers instead cut the arbor short and state that their saw isn’t dado stack compatible.

[@joshuaguenin9507]

@@zigmundslv but they are not banned

[@melissabates7705]

This is pretty cool! Glad that it has safety features.

[@szim71]

you can legaly buy and use a dado stack in EU :)

[@LabworksVapes]

In the words of 'Norm Abrams - nothing more important than wearing safety glasses' Cool Saw

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

the GOAT

[@alext8828]

They were smart enough to supply a very good blade. 8.5" and 80 teeth is excellent. Apparently a combination blade, which is fine.

[@1x3dil]

And that’s why you’re an engineer, and I’m an electrical contractor. Two different disciplines but yours can see the bigger picture , both disciplines have their strengths , but in different ways . I when I was working had to think on my feet , which is often not the best option . An engineer will take a more pragmatic approach . And of course the projects you have been involved with , are usually planned for all eventualities. But as they say the best laid plans of mice and men etc etc. so no doubt you too had some interesting moments . kind regards as always 😀👍

[@black_dragon-carpentry]

Dude electrical and carpentry are night and day. Electrical is so much easier than carpentry. Other than pulling wire or the get up get down of doing plates and outlets there is no work to electrical.

[@fishbiscuit2000]

As others have said, these are ideal for doing flooring. you can just push it arond the room with you and seeing as you're working on your knees fitting the floor, they're at the ideal height for trimmimg down that length of flooring or making a rip to fit a thin piece by the wall. They save you having to constantly have to get up and carry the workpiece to wherever you've set up your mitre saw or your table saw. They actually save a huge amount of time. I have one made by |bosch, i'd never use it for anything big, but on flooring jobs it's always with me.

[@JamesTM]

Why, why, why do content creators continue to perpetuate the myth that dado stacks are banned in the EU? It's simply untrue. They are perfectly legal, but saw manufacturers don't want to spend money on the more powerful brakes required to meet regulations. So they sell their saws with short arbors instead. You can absolutely buy long-arbor saws and dado stacks in the EU and UK, it's just more expensive. Perpetuating this myth frustrates me because looking at _why_ dado stacks are rare in the EU and UK is actually a great way to understand what makes them different (and in some ways less safe) than normal blades. That understanding can help people use them more safely.

[@drstefankrank]

This looks way better than the one I received from my dad years ago. Way more convenient with a lot more safety features. I like how Standard is written wrong on the blade.

[@jefferyg70]

I was on a trip in Israel several years ago and saw one of the Bosch saws in action. It was very well built and worked great!

[@a9ball1]

Fun video. As far as the vacuum goes, let me know when it does the dishes too.

[@c.a.g.1977]

2:25 hahaha, yes, a subtle nod to the master! Awesome video Brad!

[@AndrewDeLong]

Multifunction saws like this and the Shop Smith all-in-one just flat out scare me

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

agreed

[@BillKarwin]

Yes, at 0:50, I thought, "a spring-loaded table saw that springs up in your face, I can't imagine why this would be illegal!"

[@thomasdickson35]

Shop Smiths are just fine, having been using and upgrading one for 30 years (since I was a child). Pretty good tools.

[@CeeJayThe13th]

Jack of all trades and master of.. removing fingers

[@pete_lind]

@@Fixthisbuildthat Its bit restrictive , you cant have miter saw bevel to both side and adjust angle on table saw part. Dado blade, no problem you can get them in Finland and CMT is Italian company, that make Dado blades. Saws are sold with short arbors in Europe, so you cant fit Dado blade , because electronic brakes can make the blade unscrew .

[@johnhawkinson]

@15:50 You can indeed do joinery and partial height cuts on this saw. You just need to block it up, e.g. with a sacrificial table clamped down to the main table. Obviously this is inconvenient and you can't dial in heights, but it is Not Undoable. Just a tradeoff. (I have no personal experience with these saws, just pointing out what seems true from observation.)

[@erikanderson82]

I've seen Dewalt versions of this in Turkey, I would definitely buy one if they sold them here

[@Coxfame]

"Fix this, build that" in new to the channel and im been curious about this tool and wanted one but the voltage is ser for Europes 240v. Are u in the states? Did you have to step it up your voltage? Or is it voltage selectable.

[@chrisschultz6129]

When a switch sends power only when depressed that is referred to as a momentary switch. I'm just as impressed as I am scared that this switch can be momentary in miter saw mode and regular in table saw mode.

[@BobStCyr]

there used to be an Elu brand saw that was similar to this. It is a great saw for contractors and installers who don't want to drag both a table saw and a chop saw around. I had one that I used for installing cabinets for years and it was great. If I was still going to do that sort of work I would buy one of these.

[@bradboyer1381]

Around the 16:50 mark you doubt that you can do any joinery (e.g., cut tenons) with this, as you either have a 1 5/8" depth of cut or nothing. Not so. Just make a shim system to the right of the blade to raise the effective cutting depth. So a 1" shim will then produce a 5/8" cut, etc. Not ideal, a clunky work-around, but doable if you had no other alternative. That said, overall, it seems like this machine is just too full of compromises. Looks like it sucks as a miter saw (single bevel, etc.) and then it is severely limited as a table saw. And of course the miter saw lock mechanism thingey snapping at the end just took the cake. Maybe we should change the saying from "jack of all trades, master of none," to "jackass of all trades, mastered by...everything else."

[@kimspence-jones4765]

Thank you for the channeling of the legendary Norm. 👍

[@WolfsHaven]

I like this. For a small shop it's very space saving. You could build it into a work table for wider cuts in table saw mode. Then raise it up to use the miter saw. Yes this could be very useful. Probably why it's banned. 😉

[@zigmundslv]

Dado blades are not banned in EU. You are free to buy one locally if you can find one or otherwise import one. However, EU regulations require a specific stopping time for the blade after the saw is powered down. Because of the increased mass of a dado stack, manufacturers would need to install a far more robust braking system to comply with those regulations. Rather than do this, most manufacturers instead cut the arbor short and state that their saw isn’t dado stack compatible.

[@nikonshooter71]

It would be interesting to to see one of the other Brand Name versions of this saw. Ok I found the Bosch one. Man looks of good quality.

[@michaeljacobs9613]

I've only ever used this type of saw for flooring (Click lock and LVP). That way you only need one tool for basic cross cuts and some minor rips.

[@ChrisHornberger]

Those aren't "failures" when dealing with capacity; that's very typical of all the 8" table saws and 7 1/4 miter saws. Looks fun. :)

[@cyrringhotproductions]

How do I get my hands on the sweet Mt Dew combo that was shown? Had to track back to catch that - nice!

[@Metalfreak-vv2yc]

I could see this working great when installing flooring.

[@itsthemetho]

Seems okay. Would be okay for many people on sites, but with major limitations. Has some major limitations though. No depth of height cut for the table saw. That is an import feature for cutting things like door frames. Table top is small and completely unsuitable for large sheets.

[@alisonrowlinson4139]

DEWALT DW743N 240V 250mm is the way forward for multi purpose saws they are also available in 110v great for kitchen and shop fitting in the uk

[@nickbrutanna9973]

1 -- Yeah, Euros are allowed to buy Dado stacks. They just aren't allowed to have any arbors on the saws that can handle a Dado stack. Ar Ar Ar. I'm sure the commercial saws are able to get those arbors, but they aren't on consumer saws. 2 -- I strongly recommend a polymer face shield. It provides better protection and allows you to wear whatever actual glasses you need.

[@butlerlst]

As the boys from Judas Priest said back in 1980 "Breaking the Law...Breaking the Law...Breaking the Law" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

I'll never hear that song and not think about Beavis and Butthead, lol

[@garyjones7044]

Washing the dog washing the dog

[@jimrosson6702]

That very interesting I’ve seen them but never a video on one thanks for sharing Brad glad you still have all your fingers

[@musobri]

You got us on the dado stack, I'll raise you the metric system :)

[@poepflater]

80 teeth can be a bit burny on bigger pieces of wood, I run one in my table saw and it is nice for mitre and cross grain cuts but splitting wood down the length is a barbeque.

[@fiveiron23]

Hell yeah safety glasses. Don't play with your eyes people. Wear Safety glasses.

[@NicksStuff]

That's incredibly well made

[@zxborg9681]

The pucker factor is high with this one

[@RobDucharme]

8:14 I feel like Dyson has fallen behind on innovation, when you see features like that... 11:45 That's what I was thinking.. Several years ago my mom happened upon a little 7" mitre saw that had seen better days. It sounded like the motor wanted to rage quit itself. I think she paid $25 for it. She figured she was "helping" by adding to my shop tool collection. Of course I was polite and thanked her, but I don't do trim work (which seems to be the only use for something like this, so I figured). I build cat trees and that requires at least a 10" mitre saw. I have the Makita 12" beast built into my back bench so needless to say it plows through 4.25" fence posts like they're nothing. Fast forward to actually getting the shop up and running.. I decided against buying T-track for my outfeed table after getting duped by a website that was selling "clearance items." I waited a MONTH to find out I was receiving a $10 trinket from the bastards. They were fly by night (the lesson there is, if the site isn't familiar, do a /whois on it and see how new the site is - if it's new, avoid it). Anyway, I think my CC company refunded me. I decided to make my OWN T-track using my router to create the channels (as one does) and 1/8" by 3/4" flatbar steel as the two sides of the "track" (1/4" gap between them as the slot). I routed slots for them to make them flush with the table. Guess what I used to cut all those pieces (and there were many)? Yup, that little mitre saw, with a metal cutting blade. Worked like a hot damn! Moral of this stupid ramble: Sometimes it's great to have these little tool options. In the case of this saw you're showing us, this would definitely come in handy for someone doing mobile finishing work, and they're on a budget.

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

my thoughts exactly, Rob. I won't be using this often, but next time I'm doing flooring I'll set it up outside and it'll make a few cuts and save me time and clean up inside with easy setup. :)

[@CeeJayThe13th]

Make this sucker battery powered and figure out how to also attach a sanding disc to the arbor and you've got the perfect tool for the woodworker on the go. Feel a burning desire to build a birdhouse while camping? We've got you covered. Buy an extra one and just keep it in your trunk for woodworking emergencies.

[@HyperactiveNeuron]

The mullet of saws 😂 Seriously though... It's interesting. I looked at the Bosch model when I lived in Germany.

[@OneLiterPeter]

Cool saw. I like it.

[@LegendNeverD1es]

As an engineer, I would have probably made a lot of adjustments and more safety measures to this machine. Replace plastic with metal - the concept is good, you can just DYI and upgrade it.

[@Lobesanft]

This type of saw is generally available by Scheppach in Europe - although I do not recommend it due to an insufficient accuracy beside the risk of injuries when used inappropriately.

[@billvankuren3173]

This would be nice on a cart for doing commercial trim installs or flooring.

[@dericktrx7573]

Would be nice to have one of those saws. But I checked out that website and it’s pretty scary. I think if you ordered anything from it . They would probably take your money.

[@kameljoe21]

Ryobi makes a version of this. Its not banned, I think it has a lot to do with the market for them. Its not something the general market would be willing to invest money in to. Table saws and sliding compound miter saws are very common here. We have larger shops and space while Europe is generally more compact in what it does. Ryobi RTMS1800-G is the model number.

[@fretless05]

Was it just your microphone or editing, or was that motor surprisingly quiet? Is the blade height adjustable on the table saw mode? That mitre gauge looks like the one that came with my (inexpensive) Wen band saw. I'm not surprised that it cuts slowly as (and correct me if I'm wrong) as high-tooth blades generally clear dust less efficiently, so will bog down.

[@Telogor]

The blade height isn't adjustable; he addressed that.

[@carterscustomrods]

I'm curious if the table saw surface is level/flat? I mean, from DeWalt, to Sawstop, I'm yet to find a flat table on the jobsite style saws. Jobsite saws used to be flat, but these companies are cheapening them to no end.

[@ShastaOrange]

The dust collection bag looks like one of those cheap drawstring bags that weirdly always come included with small no-name Chinese products that you'd never even think to put in a bag.

[@Myself-yh9rr]

Some dust collection that is! That bag is probably still 100% factory pristine!!

[@Shannon-v3r]

What hose and connector system are you using? It looks wider than my Centec

[@Robert-cd5zr]

Never knew these were a thing, that's pretty clever

[@musicbymark]

I wish you are someone else would review these variable size dowel makers with carbide cutter, that are flooding Amazon. They clamp down and have a dial cutter carbide. They look potentially useful, but no one else has reviewed them yet. Here's your chance!

[@FixthisCD]

That is cool, I have been wanting one but not sold here

[@jeffreyparent2931]

Kind of like my Hirsch saw table. When I moved, I forgot to take it. They said it was unsafe. But if I still had it, I would use it!

[@kuba2ve]

I saw those in Europe (Spain) and I was also very confused what those were. It is like an hybrid between a miter saw and a table saw.

[@Bbeaucha88]

My father does a lot of handyman work. He ends up lugging around his table saw and mitter saw in his car. Hypothetically, he would be the perfect target demographic for this tool; a guy who brings tools from place to place but doesn't have a truck. And yet he would never buy this because it is a crummy version of both of those things and he already has both tools. I can't think of who this tool is for.

[@johna.a.9829]

If a contractor ever pulled this POS out of his truck and walked to my home with it I'd tell him to leave the property. There's a reason why good tools are specific to their purpose. Accuracy MATTERS, and there's no way this hunk of junk could be accurate with real world use. What's next, a Ryobi miter saw / blender?

[@pmeehan_3]

That is brilliant. A 2 in 1.

[@tianwang]

There is no dado stack in EU?

[@realprojecttools3543]

quality build looks good

[@PuffsDragon]

My question is if its illegal in the States how did it get shipped here? I

[@tomcushing3619]

Is the blade-height adjustable in table-saw mode?

[@MemelordSupreme]

The concept is kind of cool. I really wonder what the bigger established brands like Makita and Bosch are like in comparison to this one.

[@scottysgarage4393]

"Illegal in the US" = All the reason I need to buy one.

[@marcus2474]

You can buy dado stacks in the UK no problem

[@PescarStangaci]

13:49 Americans never fail to impress me. How on earth do you find it hard to work with 65mm and prefer to go with 2 and 9/16.

[@sarahchh]

This looks like it would be great for crafters of smaller projects.

[@RadioactiveLobster]

It never even occurred to me that the big name tool brands have tools they sell outside the US that are not available in the US. Not sure how you'd hand the logistics of it but it would be cool to do a video showcasing all the tools you just can't get in the US (legally or easily)

[@killed_by_the_architect-829]

You forgot to say the whole thing, it goes.... "Be sure to read, understand and follow all the safety rules that come with your power tools, knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury and remember this, there is no more import rule than to wear these, safety glasses". Copyright Norm Abram, just kidding it's probably not copyrighted.

[@denvernow7294]

What app did you use to make tye 3D print file?

[@saxus]

Funfact: dado stacks aren't banned in Europe and they're a few stores who sell them They're just aren't compatible with most table saws. But they're saws which are.compatible with dados.

[@johnschuster1770]

It looks like you could cut notches in the adjustment wheel. Unless the is a safety mechanism that prevents this.

[@cmaterick]

I think there is some potential here for an "Unusual Tools" segment that highlights unusual but potentially actually useful tools that may be of interest to people but done in the non-sensationalized way that this review was done. As an entrepreneur and "minor" inventor, it would certainly be of interest to me. As discussed elsewhere in these comments, the thumbnail and title lean clickbait, but the actual content is quite interesting. Maybe something worth looking into?

[@williamellis8993]

Interesting, Brad. I also noticed that you can't see the blade in miter mode to align the blade with your line. That "thing" doesn't look like anything I would want to have. Bill

[@Fixthisbuildthat]

yes, that is a great point. you'd realy have to dial in the laser to make it usable

[@CeeJayThe13th]

​@@Fixthisbuildthathow did you not sign your reply? 😂 CeeJay

[@tonycosta3302]

Did it come with a finger reattachment kit?

[@cannonwoodworking5917]

Can a person in the US buy one off alibaba still?

[@ryanivester5042]

Brad you are far braver than I am. The entire time you used that saw, I just kept thinking that’s a good “hold my beer” moment. Probably a good thing we don’t have those combo units here in the US.

[@HerbaceousM8]

Dados actually came back to the EU, they got nice plastic spacers and they are pretty darn good

[@matt8663]

That thing is terrifying.

[@DIYAudioGuy]

If it is a miter saw then why does it have a miter gauge?

[@cardsfanbj]

I'm surprised you're not using your buddy John Malecki's safety glasses

[@dukkiegamer1733]

Dado stack is definitely the better of the two to be allowed to buy. I've never seen any woodworker use this kind of machine here in Europe.

[@fhpmmusic]

Well, for what it's worth... He is wrong, Dado stacks are completely legal in the EU.