Casadei M260? I haven't heard of it but it looks solid, anyone know about them?

[stevelkneivel]

Hi there! I'm in the market for a small combination machine, I noticed Gabbett have a special on the Minimax 26 Genius for $5200, but everything is 10 inch, not 12. There's a local Hammer C3 1999 model for $8000, which has 12 inch everything, and it looks great, but I'm not that loaded or this Casadei M260 popped up for $2800 ono. It's definitely older, but all I really need is the saw and the planer/thickneser, (12 inch) and space. I don't think I have the room for separate machines, and if I ditch my existing table saw, a Carbatec tradie style on a box, I'll only lose a bit of space, plus I'll get a sliding table.
But who knows about Casadei? It's Italian, as is the owner, and the new owner if I buy it.....so I'm thinking I'll get a good deal on it as it's ono.
I'm gonna pop over tomorrow and check it out, but I don't think I've got the experience to really suss it out.
Can any one help me out with some tips on this one??!
Cheers!
Steve

[elanjacobs]

Never used any of their stuff, but they are one of the more well-known Italian brands. As long as the current owner has looked after it you shouldn't have any major issues.

As for tips on inspecting, check that everything that should move (tables, fences, height/tilt adjusters) does so easily and that anything that shouldn't doesn't - lock any fences and check that they don't slip or wobble. Also, check for sideways sloppiness in the sliding table; it's a common issue that arises on all of them after time, but (usually) not a major problem to fix. Check the drive belts for wear and cracking; again, shouldn't be a deal breaker, but it's good to know. Turn on each motor individually and listen for any thing that doesn't sound right - grinding/crunching noises can indicate that the bearings are stuffed and that is painful to fix if you don't know how to do it yourself. Also listen for the same noises after you switch it off as it's often easier to hear then.

Good luck

[stevelkneivel]

Thanks for the tips! Good common sense stuff. I went and had a look today, the guy was very nice and insisted I set up the machine in his Shop ( it's on a pallet) and make sure I'm happy with how it works and machines before I pay for it. So that was cool. I also discovered its only a 250mm machine all round. He offered it at 2.5k or 2.8k with a DE. It may a bit small, so I'll have to weigh up whether its right for me. Seems like a pretty good machine though.
Cheers