Replies

1. 
   eddiefromAustralia | Mar 30, 2005 09:54am | #1

   Ivan,

   The parent company that owns DeWalt bought out ELU, and sell the De Walt router in Europe as the CMT router. Both are identical and based on the Elu design.

   Same horse, different jockey.

   Perhaps this may be a cheaper way to go.

   Cheers,

   eddie

2. 
   ring | Mar 30, 2005 06:25pm | #2

   Ivan,

   Unfortunately that's the way it is and I haven't found a way around it.  The fierce competition in the US drives these tool prices down, but everywhere else (I am familiar with Europe and Israel) they are much higher.  I have on occasion found US suppliers who sell 220V tools like the PorterCable routers, but the cost is always higher than the 120V destined for mass use in the US.

   DR

1. 
   eulaersi | Mar 30, 2005 09:15pm | #3

   Another option would be ordering a 110 V and working with an adapter 110V to 220V.

   Would you recommend this with a router?

1. 
   Midnight | Mar 30, 2005 09:45pm | #4

   Ivan... while the voltage differences can be compensated for with a transformer, the frequency differences can't; US motors are spec'd to run at 60Hz while Europe runs on 50Hz... the difference causes the motor to run 20% slower. Cooling issues may ensue...Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

1. 
   Kent_F | Mar 30, 2005 11:46pm | #12

   Mike, what you're saying is true for induction motors, but it's not applicable to routers, which use universal motors. It's worth checking the nameplate to be sure, but almost all universal motor tools will run fine (and at the same speed) on 50 or 60Hz.

1. 
   Midnight | Mar 31, 2005 12:33am | #14

   I stand corrected Kent....Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun

2. 
   BarryO | Mar 31, 2005 12:44am | #15

   I agree.  Any motor with brushes won't care about frequency.  They'll even run fine at DC.

3. 
   Jellyrug | Mar 31, 2005 01:15am | #16

   Kent,

   You are correct, will be no difference, you can even run them on DC. All my 220 V 50 Hz, tools died over here though after a short while. I expect it's the voltage change as most of Europe is 380V three phase, with 220V supplied as single phase, being the voltage between live and neutral.

   When the voltage is increased on a universal motor, you have more flux and it want's to run faster. So, depending on the design, perhaps 240V overloads the tool ?

2. 
   ring | Mar 30, 2005 09:51pm | #5

   Ivan,

   I don't know enough about motors to tell what the long-term results would be, but as far as practicality goes I personally wouldn't want to be bothered having to hook a converter to any tool that really gets used in the shop. 

   35 years ago I bought (in the States) a DeWalt radial arm saw with a 220V motor, 60 cycles.  I've run it ever since on 220V, 50 cycles without a problem.  But the 220-120V conversion you need is another thing altogether.

   I know it is irksome, but pay the extra money and get a tool that is made for 220V and 50 cycles.

   DR

1. 
   SgianDubh | Mar 30, 2005 10:13pm | #6

   I agree with you ring that buying one US configured power tool like a router to use in the UK is probably a waste of time and money. Apart from the import costs and customs, it requires buying a transformer which has to be lugged around and then there's the difference in 50Hz and 60 Hz cycles which is supposed to lead to loss of speed and overheating which may well cause more rapid motor failure.

   I'm no electrician so I may be speaking out of turn, but about 18 months ago I moved back to the UK after ten years living in the US and I had toolboxes full of US configured electric powered small tools. For me it's been worthwhile bringing the lot over and buying the transformer which I bought here in the UK.

   I even use the transformer to charge my battery packs for the cordless drill I lugged across with me. To this day everything I own that is US configured still works hunky-dory through the transformer.

   When it comes to buying UK configured tools in the future, whether new items or replacements, I'll buy UK configured 110 V stuff. On-site work requires 110 V  equipment anyway, and I already have the transformer. 

   UK 110 V power tools here are significantly less desirable as nickable items than 240 V tools. With the different plug pattern necessary to run 110 V stuff ya just can't plug 'em in to any old 240 V electrical outlet, which, once the light fingered ones spot the odd shaped plug, tells them they're on to a loser as far as resale is concerned anyway, ha, ha. Slainte.RJFurniture

3. 
   Jellyrug | Mar 30, 2005 10:17pm | #7

   The US is pretty unique, because they can.

   So, your 220V is not the same as ours, which is closer to 120V, but with the big difference that we have 60 Hz.

   Work has moved me in-between Europe and the US a number of times and every time I came back, I sold all the European electrical appliances and tools. If you run a 220V 50 cycle tool here at 240V, 60 cycles you only get a few hours before it dies. Besides that, the receptacles, wire colors, everything is different.

    

4. 
   jackplane | Mar 30, 2005 10:20pm | #8

   Ivan,

   Unfortunately we in the States have to charge more for tools to offset our collective outlays for overpriced prescriptions, which those in the UK and elsewhere have subsidized.

   Best of luck,

   jp

   "Anything is possible with a big enough expense account."

   Hunter S. Thompson

1. 
   Jellyrug | Mar 30, 2005 10:30pm | #9

   Jack,

   Think it's the other way around, they pay more for their tools than we do for ours.

   You may have a point about medication, but in general, the standard of living here is much higher, meaning you can afford more tools.

1. 
   SgianDubh | Mar 30, 2005 10:42pm | #10

   Yep Jellyrug, when it comes to woodworking tools (and many other items for that matter) if it costs about US$250 before sales tax there, it'll cost about £250 including VAT here. Currently you need about US$1.85 to buy UK£1.

   It isn't really worth getting excited about how cheap things are in the US compared to the UK.

   Things just cost what they cost in the country you live in. All you can do is accept it and move along. Slainte.RJFurniture

2. 
   jackplane | Mar 30, 2005 11:36pm | #11

   i'm sorry my message was misinterpreted.

   When I said, "We charge more" I mean we, the US companies, charge more for tools in England and elsewhere.

   Not to hijack a thread but, I'm not sure I agree that the US has a higher standard of living than our brethren across the pond. We have greater extremes of income here, that is, both ends, and a shrinking middle class, while they have a more stable middle class with better education (public) and subsidized health care. In spite of Maggie Thatcher."Anything is possible with a big enough expense account."

   Hunter S. Thompson

1. 
   Jellyrug | Mar 31, 2005 12:00am | #13

   Jack,

   You have hijacked the thread, so let me join you here.

   I have lived in Germany, France, Italy, the Middle East and South Africa, US is home. I have worked in several more countries, including Japan.

   When it comes to the size of our houses here, nothing in Europe compares. The Arabs live in big houses, so do South Africans, but that's a different story.

   We have bigger, more powerful cars than anywhere else, unfortunately with some of the strictest speed restrictions I have seen, but the standard is way up there.

   You won't buy a 3hp table saw, or a 8" jointer anywhere else, for what you can get it here for. When a TV, or microwave dies, we throw them away and buy new ones. Elsewhere, they have them repaired as they can't afford new ones.

   When we go towards Asia, I have employed people with Masters Degrees and a ten year good career, for just above $600 per month.

   We have it good here and a big job ahead of us, to keep it this way.

    

2. 
   opener | Mar 31, 2005 10:57am | #17

   Hi Jackplane

   Apologies for this post in this thread but whilst it's entirely correct for you to say that in the US you have a far better 'record' of forcing manufacturers to sell you goods and services at sensible prices we are spectacularly unsuccessful in this connection, even with UK based outlets.

   Furthermore, I'm not too sure how up to date you are with what's going on over here on the social/ political scene but the very opposite of what you say is true with regards to us having a more stable middle class with a better standard of education (sic) and subsidised health care. It used to be so but not any longer.

   For example, Prime Minister Blair's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, has robbed the Pension Funds to the tune of £40 billion during the last six years, which has made buying new tools and equipment on a largely static pension a thing of the past.

   Anyway, my apologies once again.

   Best wishes.

   PeterW

1. 
   jackplane | Mar 31, 2005 02:51pm | #18

   I think the 50/60 hz issue is probably settled by now...

    I s'pose my argument is a bit dated, really. Where did that 40b pounds go to? The war?

   "Anything is possible with a big enough expense account."

   Hunter S. Thompson

   Edited 3/31/2005 12:02 pm ET by JACKPLANE