Keencut excalibur or fletcher material cutter

[theframer]

Hi All looking for a new glass and back cutter to do 200 to 400 glass and backs a week have you a preferance over the keencut or fletcher,
Thanks
Dave

[astraios]

both are good machines ... but my personal choice would be Keencut (rotating blades and more solid construction).

[IFGL]

I use the keencut which is an excellent machine, but it does require maintenance, we use it about as much as you are wanting to cut. I have not used the fletcher so I can't give an opinion on that.

[theframer]

Thanks for the replies, what sort of maintenance and how often is it something we can do ourselfs?
Thanks again
Dave

[IFGL]

just simple stuff, every morning I give it a very small spray of silicone lubricant, once a week I wipe out the runners and clean it down and once a month I adjust the nylon barings, it is 16 years old and has done probably into the 100's of thousands of cuts, it's still nice to use (I gave it a major overhaul about 5 years ago), my step dad has one that has never seen any maintenance, it is no longer used because it's falling apart with similar heavy use it only lasted a couple of years, I reckon I could bring it back to life with some tlc though.

[theframer]

Thanks for taking the time to give me a detailed answer that is great as i prefer the look of the keencut
Dave

[Not your average framer]

Where I was trained and first worked as a framer, they first had an excalibur and then changed it for the Fletcher because it required almost no maintenance. I do have to say that the Fletcher was the preferred cutter for all the staff there including me.

I did not have much money when I started my business and bought a System 400, because it was what came my way. It's one of the first that they made, so it's years old and has had a hard life, but it is still going strong. I cannot say it is a particularly easy machine to work on when replacing bearings, etc, but it is built like a tank and it is probably unbreakable in most situations.

If I had the money to buy a new machine, I would still choose the Fletcher, but the Excalibur does the same job and if the System 4000 is any indication, then the Excalibur is probably just as unbreakable. Keencut, being based in the UK, may have advantages when spare parts are needed in a hurry!

[Steve N]

We have had our Excalibur for 6 years in that time

Broken the handle on the clamp

on 3rd or 4th set of cutting wheels

on 3rd set of nylon bushes

we cut around 1000 mounts a week on average

But Keencut after-sale service is great

[yorkframing]

I have the fletcher,

It bolts to the wall so is totally rigid and stays true. Had it 4 years now, no maintenance and still cuts like new

[theframer]

Thanks for the replies looks like the keencut will be our choice
Thanks again
Dave

[AllFramed]

I have a Fletcher. Solid as a rock and easy to use. Bought mine second hand so don't know how hard its life was but it is undemanding and reliable.

[Roboframer]

60" Keencut Excalibur here, bought it new and when I bolted it to the (solid flint) wall I had terrible flu - didn't get it bang on right and have never since been arsed to unbolt it and get it right. I've neglected it, have only attended to it when it's started creaking, the pulley that takes the counterbalance doesn't actually spin any more no matter what angle I hammer it from and I totally wrecked the twin-wheel MDF (etc) cutting head on thick pegboard a few weeks after purchase.

I don't like nylon bearings, you wouldn't find those in team Sky bikes! It's just that when I purchased this I didn't know of any other make and there were no framing forums around, I was totally influenced by the only framing supplier I knew. I want to try a Feltcher but cannot justify the expense until the Keencut dies; the length of time that is taking has to warrant respect - it takes serious hammer with liitle-to-no lubrication!

[astraios]

Roboframer just to clarify ... Exalibur has nylon bearings?

Than it is good we went with SteelTrak. We compared SteelTrak vs. Fletcher FCS and SteelTrak felt more robust. I just assumed it is a same with Excalibur vs. Fletcher 3100 but it seems i was wrong.

[MITREMAN]

I have used both when teaching, but bought for my-business the flecther.
You can compare technical details here.
http://www.framersequipment.co.uk/products.htm

[theframer]

Thanks jan