Bee-Keepers Supply And Table Saw

[JoeBen]

Hi everybody,

does anybody know a bee-keepers supply shop in Chiang Rai? I am also looking for a good table saw. Who can give me a hint?

[siriweith]

in chiang mai u can found for sure

[rmacdon61]

There are numerious tool shops down from the old bus station. Large supplies of power and hand tools. Take a picture of a table saw (worth a thousand words, believe me) and ask around. If they say "maybe Bangkok" it just means they don't know, keep trying. I have been slowly building a supply of hand power tools here and plan on getting lathe (which I have seen) and band saw, table saw and shaper if I can, so post what you find please

[harsu]

On the 10th March down in Chiang mai at a botanical garden called "Dokmai' (website easily found) there is a presentation and demonstration by a local bee keeping expert. I am sure if you contact the botanist/owner of the gardens they can give you more information, and perhaps some way of finding out where to get supplies via the expert who is visiting.

The website is an excellent one generally if you are interested in anything to do with flora and fauna in Thailand.

The other suggestion i have is to have a look at some of the local beehives - they often have the 'owners' details stencilled on the hives, and obviously they may be a source of info. Happy honey making.

[toybits]

I saw a shop near the superhighway (Sri Sai Moon intersection) where they have lots of spent frames with lots of bees wax. I don't know if they are just recycling the wax but they might have a good idea of where to get what you need. Lots of power tools at shops near the old bus station. Coming from the Chiang Rai hospital going to the super highway there is a small football pitch on the left side. As you approach that corner and turn right towards the highway is a shop (almost across those shops selling second hand shoes). Hope this helps.

[toybits]

Sorry - double post

[svenivan]

Go to Mr Machineman, if he doesn't have it he order it from BKK and he will have it within 2 days.

Here is a link to our map http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&ll=19.911303,99.835768&spn=0.019005,0.027466&z=15&msid=102422258087313895472.000466b6884458b352d35

Click on "Shopping Mr Machineman" and you see where he is (close to old bus-station).

[rmacdon61]

Go to Mr Machineman, if he doesn't have it he order it from BKK and he will have it within 2 days.

Here is a link to our map http://maps.google.c...b6884458b352d35

Click on "Shopping Mr Machineman" and you see where he is (close to old bus-station).

Correct Svenivan, great store for just looking about, always amazed at what can be packed into a small space. Went looking for a socket driver for my drill to use 1/4 inch sockets and not only did he have it, but very good quality. Laser levels, clamps and lots of odds and ends needed for day to day wood work. His english and a female (maybe wife?) is OK but for stuff that may have many different names geographically, picture is still wise. I used a picture of the driver bit I needed or suspect I would have never found it. Best way to guage a quality hareware store is "HOW" much the wife hates it and my wife hates that store!!!!!!

[T_Dog]

If you run out of luck in CR finding a table saw, you can find them at a place here in Chiang Mai that has the large JET brand table saws for sale. 11,800 baht. On the Super Highway headed eastbound, be in the left lane as you cross the river and immediately exit after the bridge. At the end of the off-ramp, do a very hard left, virtually a U-Turn to head back toward the river. You will see a large hardware store on your right with metal stock and tools out front. Great place for many things.

[JoeBen]

Thank you, dear master siriweith (: I shall attend to your counsel!

[JoeBen]

Thank you everybody for the replies. I just only saw them now. It seems refreshing the page does not show me replies, so I saw them only now, after responding to the first I saw. (Complicated computer stuff)

[JoeBen]

New try! The forum is great in terms of support from members, but I find the software hard to handle! Edited my last post, send it... away! The Lord knows where! Moreover I cannot use any smileys (!?)

Once again:

Maps and descriptions copied. I'll use them to prepare my trip to Chiang Rai. Quite confident now, that I can find, what I am looking for.

I'll keep you posted! Thanks a lot!

The infos concerning Chiang Mai are also appreciated. I am there regularly. The 11.800 Baht is a first price for me. The Dokmai garden website was found. I'll surely pay them a visit next time.

For those interested in professional tools: I found a website. If you google 'Europa makita table saw' you'll get it on top. Shop's in Bangkok though, but probably any shop selling Makita could order from there.

[T_Dog]

JoeBen... The Makita would probably be of higher quality than the Jet. Please post a price when you get one.

[JoeBen]

Thanks for the hint, T-Dog!

I like the Makita from the website, I indicated. I don't know Jet, but I can say, that I am fully happy with any Makita tools I got so far. The price of the first model in the Europa Tools shop's table saw site (Makita MLT 100) is 10650.- Baht without the stand (table, whatever (picture of the 2nd choice on that website)). Transport to Chiang Rai would be about 800.- Baht.

I think, I like it. Another guy, a carpenter, also told me, quality is good.

You can choose, if you want it delivered mounted or in the original box to mount it yourself. I'd probably prefer the second choice to avoid transportation damage.

[JoeBen]

I have to correct myself: Price is now 16900.-Baht. I don't know, how exactly I got the 10650.- Baht price before. Just trying to straiten that out.

[Big Gary]

There are numerious tool shops down from the old bus station. Large supplies of power and hand tools. Take a picture of a table saw (worth a thousand words, believe me) and ask around. If they say "maybe Bangkok" it just means they don't know, keep trying. I have been slowly building a supply of hand power tools here and plan on getting lathe (which I have seen) and band saw, table saw and shaper if I can, so post what you find please

Where can I buy a Battery Drill as tried many many tool shops and none. Can anyone help.

[rmacdon61]

There are numerious tool shops down from the old bus station. Large supplies of power and hand tools. Take a picture of a table saw (worth a thousand words, believe me) and ask around. If they say "maybe Bangkok" it just means they don't know, keep trying. I have been slowly building a supply of hand power tools here and plan on getting lathe (which I have seen) and band saw, table saw and shaper if I can, so post what you find please

Where can I buy a Battery Drill as tried many many tool shops and none. Can anyone help.

First tool store down across the street from old bus station and several others as well along that rd.

[JoeBen]

Ok, the 10 650.- price was a misunderstanding. A friend's girlfriend had inquired about that and obviously they had not inquired about that same model, I had in mind. So the price at the Europa tool shop is definitively 16900.- for the Makita MLT100 tablesaw, which is still a very good price, I would say. I haven't found it elsewhere for less than 20 000. Cheapest offer elsewhere: Mr. Machineman with 20 500.- (on the phone). He indicated, there might be some reduction possible, if I showed up personally at the shop...

So, I'm decided to order from Bangkok now. Shipping cost 800.-. The full price has to be transfered first. I'll keep you posted.

[JoeBen]

I've got the table saw already. Transfered 17900 including 1000 shipping fee on Monday about 1pm, then sent a copy of the voucher by e-mail to the shop. The hardware arrived on Tuesday at about 4pm. Mounted and tested. Fine piece of equipment! I'll keep you posted about the bee-equipment.

By the way: the first workpiece will be a bee-vac. With that I will be able to suck bees out of hardly accessible places without killing them and let them settle in a regular bee hive afterwards.

[rmacdon61]

JoeBen: I'd really like to hear how the quality of the fence works out. Can it be calibrated? I use a delta unisaw/52 inch fence back home and don't expect that level of quality, but would like to know if the fence can be adjusted to 90% to the blade? I usually throw out the blade guard but its quality is usually a good indicator to over all quality as well. Yes, I can still count to 10 on both hands (push sticks help). Can the settings for tilt be calibrated? Is it left or right tilt? Did you get the mobile stand for it? What is the weight like? From your posts, the pictures looked pretty good.

Thanks Bud

[JoeBen]

I'm not sure, if I can answer all your questions, Bud but I can try. In my opinion the parallel fence works just fine. The 90 degree fence can be adjusted 60 degrees in each direction. So I can cut angles from 30 to 150 degrees. The scales are fine, BUT, the 90 degree fence's carriage is a bit short (about 30cm) and fits to loose in its slot for my taste,so you have to know where to push to get the angle right. Otherwise you will have about 4-5mm clearance in one meter distance from the blade. So that would result in a possible deviation of about one third degree of the cut there, if I calculate correctly.

Are there any ideas, how I can make the carriage fit in any tighter?.

Left tilt can be calibrated up to 45 degrees of the blade. I didn't try that so far.

Blade can of course be driven out and in to get different cut depths. If this doesn't answer your questions, please google for 'Europa makita table saw' and check the result on top. There you will find a video with lots of information.

I didn't take the mobile stand, but mounted it on an wooden box originally used for shipping engines. Got it for 50 Baht at a shop for agricultural machines around the corner. Weight is 38 kg, according to the manual.

[rmacdon61]

My post was bit bit misleading about the fence. You concern about the miter gauge, the 90 degree fence can be solved. On more expensive miters there are set screws along the leg that goes into the slot. Sometimes little spring loaded blades as used for slots that are beveled. If you can’t locate a miter (higher quality) that will fit the slot and the slot isn’t beveled, I have in the past drilled 2 holes, through the side of the miter leg, threaded them and put in allen drive threaded plugs you then use to take out the play and adjust for true. Given the distance the gauge sits from the blade and width you can cut, a little play is tolerable.

The fence, the one that is parallel to the blade is what I am curious about. How fast it sets up for cutting width changes. When you lock it at a given width, is the leading edge and trailing edge of the blade exactly the same distance from the fence? Do you have to check each time and adjust for that? Is there a way to calibrate that into the fence? Usually 2 adjusters, one on each side of the locking handle.

As far as bang for your buck, it looks real good on the video, but I don’t think they would put a video up that shows a guy losing a finger because the wood jammed into the back of the blade and kicked back HaHaHa…..

[JoeBen]

Thanks, Bud, that has been a very valuable piece of advice! I used to work on an old table saw at my father's house, when I was young, so I know some of the little mishaps that can occur. Luckily, I have also yet managed to keep them 10 all together! Always kept them in safe distance and out of the trajectory of any jammed pieces of wood. Luckily again, also with the new saw, the blade seems to be hung a bit flexible also to the sides, which has the upside, that these little jams don't always blow off the machine completely but on the downside it seems that cutting wood alongside the fibers seems to make it deviate with the direction of the grain. Maybe the blade, they deliver is also not of the very best qualitiy (?)

Back to your question: I have checked the fence and indeed found, that it was a bit narrower at the trailing edge. I could tell that from the sound, when I pushed a piece through to exit it at the trailing edge, but hadn't paid attention to the adjusting screws, so thanks again for guiding my attention to that! There are adjustment allen-screws, which I used to calibrate it next to the blade. I imagine, it doesn't need any more calibrating, as the guide rail for the fence should be strait, don't you think? Don't you think, that adjusting it to strictly parallel next to the blade is sufficient for all the other distances too? Or should I even adjust it a bit wider at the trailing edge?

As for the miter, I don't know. From your post, it seems to me, I might try to find a better quality miter with a set of screws or spring blades in a tool shop, I will sure keep my eyes open for that, but as of now, I imagine, to try to get the angles I want by pushing the miter at the right spot first and see, if I get usable results that way.

One thing I can already say for sure: compared to working with my portable circular saw, as I used to before it's like driving a Mercedes to a tuk tuk: no more measuring, marking and then trying to cut along the lines, no more trouble with fixing small pieces. Just adjust the fence and / or the miter and off you go!

[JoeBen]

Two more details: The slot is beveled. And the fence can be fixed in any distance just by pushing down a handle. The gauge seems to be calibrated exactly and can be calibrated further, simply by moving the piece of transparent material with the mark on it. I didn't get the question with the 90% adjustment of the fence to the blade though.

[rmacdon61]

Back to your question: I have checked the fence and indeed found, that it was a bit narrower at the trailing edge. I could tell that from the sound, when I pushed a piece through to exit it at the trailing edge, but hadn't paid attention to the adjusting screws, so thanks again for guiding my attention to that! There are adjustment allen-screws, which I used to calibrate it next to the blade. I imagine, it doesn't need any more calibrating, as the guide rail for the fence should be strait, don't you think? Don't you think, that adjusting it to strictly parallel next to the blade is sufficient for all the other distances too? Or should I even adjust it a bit wider at the trailing edge?

The fence should be as true, parallel to the blade as possible. If you can get a hollow ground blade, that is the teeth are set wider then the blade, note picture, less chance of binding. Once adjusted, the fence should stay aligned. The fact there are adjustments speaks well to the quality. All blades will have some flex but under power are very ridged due to the force of rotation. This sounds to me as an excellent quality unit for the standard of work I would certainly being doing. Back home I used what is called "exchange a blade". You buy one, full price, then instead of sharpening, you bring it back, exchange it for sharp. Cheaper then getting a blade sharpened. Here, find someone with experience for sharpening those carbide blades that are expensive.

[Petruchio]

On acquiring tools, I also have been slowly gathering them up. It has been my happy experience to have found what I think is the very best place to get tools of any and all kinds in the CR area. The shop is on the right going towards the main 4 lane from the Bus Station - about 3 blocks away as we would think of it, and owned by a young Thai of direct Chinese descent named "Ae". He speaks good English, is absolutely knowledgeable about tools of all kinds, will give you a deep discount off the marked prices that is a fair price for the item, and he will absolutely honor and even go beyond the warranty he states. He will remember you and no need to bring proof of purchase. If he does not have it in stock he will get if for you in 2 or 3 days if it is available anywhere in Thailand. He will steer you away from the trash Chinese or other stuff and give his opinion of the best made item for the money and he has never let me down. He also has a staff of mechanics and repairs all he sells in warranty or at fair prices otherwise. His father also has a large place on a corner downtown, but finding a place to park is very hard.

The other place I go a lot is the tool place on the right just past Makro coming from CR. The Thai couple have a wide range of tools ranging from cheap quality to the best, prices are low to very reasonable, but warranty is problematical. They have a lot of good used tools too, if one knows how to tell what is good or not.

To the OP, the beekeeping supply place is in a curve of the street on the right coming from the Sri Sai Mun 4 lane intersection (this is the way to the Government Hospital farther on). Expensive but some necessary stuff at least available, and they will order from CM if necessary. Understand your wanting a good table saw (to make your own hives I presume). You can by the way, make your own table saw - Ae will sell you all you need. I had three hives but the wax moths got to them while on a visit back home. Ae ordered a very good table saw for me, which I am very happy with, and plan to make some porch swings for gifts to some in my village. I have never seen "porch swings" as such here, and I think Thais would like them. We'll see. Also you can get all the bees, frames, wax foundations and queens you want from a beekeeper whose place is on the right going towards Thoeng. He will sell you whole hives complete with bees, or whatever you want that he has, and will buy them back from you if you decide to quit the effort. Sorry I cannot give good directions - you will just have to watch close and to the right, I would guess about 10 Km from Thoeng. Would help to have your Thai gal with you to read the sign on the place.

Hope this helps all....