LAMELLO Zeta P2 - why so many mixed reviews?

[kifi]

I’m thinking a Lamello would be useful and fast for wardrobe construction, and also for miters.

Some people seem to swear by them while others sell them on pretty quickly.

Why so many mixed reviews?

 

[simonh]

I have one and love it. However, it is a one-trick pony so many people might find they don't use them that often and sell them on. I've made lots of wardrobes/units with mine, but being a hobbyist there'll come a day when I've made everything to fit in the house and I'll probably not have a great deal of use for it then. And, from what I've seen they hold value well so quite a good buy to use and then sell on for a 30/40% loss when done with it.  I also have Domino that I use for solid wood furniture/garden furniture projects and wouldn't dream of using a Zeta on them. You could use a DF500 for cabinets knockdown or glue-up, but having used a Zeta I would find that less than optimal.

 

[kifi]

Thanks so much for the response I am starting out To try and earn a living from this so perhaps buying one is a no brainer

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I have one too, and I think it's great, but I'm not a hobbyist. In a big commercial cabinet shop, it comes in very handy, but even there, I don't use it every day or even every week.
In my situation, it has paid for itself several times over. I would never consider selling it, because the need will always come back up.
Of the ones who do sell them, I would be that they did it because of the cost. It is a fantastic tool, but if you don't have enough need, it will get you most of your money back. I holds that value because it is worth it. I have never heard anyone say anything bad about them, other than the cost, which is a personal perception of value.

 

[DynaGlide]

I have one because I needed it for a project a year ago. I haven't used it since. I'm a hobbyist so I don't have a lot of projects going on. I anticipate using it when I do more cabinetry so I keep it. If I was hard up for cash I'd sell it because it doesn't get used much. The Domino on the other hand I would never sell.

Starting out I think you'd be better off not buying one until you have an actual need for it. Most cabinetry can be, and often is, built with screws.

There are no shortcuts to experience. You can own every fancy tool and the guy with 10 years on you will make nicer stuff than you and more efficiently.

 

[tiralie]

Thanks so much for the response I am starting out To try and earn a living from this so perhaps buying one is a no brainer

I would wait. As you are just starting out, you really don't know the kind and type of work you will get and make money on. I have one, and use it regularly but that doesn't mean you should get one or you can use it. A good biscuit joiner is a better investment for someone starting out. Yes the Zeta can do things other machines cannot, but if I needed other tools to make a living it would move down the list to nice to have.
Tim

 

[kifi]

Sensible responses, thanks. I will put it on the wish list but in the meantime will continue to research it ; it’s fun to and if I do lay down big bucks for one eventually, I don’t want to make a mistake.  I see that Peter Millard of 10 minute workshop has it on his list of top 5 worst buys. He gives an example of a carcass joined with tensos that falls apart under its own weight. He also maintains that clamps are needed for glueup.

 

[smorgasbord]

Haven't used it myself, but this video shows a nice carcase build that takes advantage of many of the P2's features (and some Domino knock-down, too).

 

[denovo]

I build a lot of cabinetry and have thought about buying a Zeta P2 but have never been able to justify it.  The reason is all the cabinetry I build is custom fit to the space so there is never the need to make easy to disassemble...it's almost always sold with the house.  Furniture is a different story and that's where the DF700 connectors shine.

 

[Birdhunter]

I’ve watched a bunch of videos on the Lamello and even though I am a avid tool junkie, I can’t justify it. I build furniture and I’ve never found anything I can’t do with the Domino and (gasp) pocket hole jig.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Sensible responses, thanks. I will put it on the wish list but in the meantime will continue to research it ; it’s fun to and if I do lay down big bucks for one eventually, I don’t want to make a mistake.  I see that Peter Millard of 10 minute workshop has it on his list of top 5 worst buys. He gives an example of a carcass joined with tensos that falls apart under its own weight. He also maintains that clamps are needed for glueup.

That is this most disingenuous thing that I have seen in a long time. He does exactly the wrong thing, acting like it is normal, then says it's the tool's fault.
The Zeta is definitely not for everyone, but that is a highly unfair assessment.

 

[GregorHochschild]

Yes, super disingenuous. He has earlier videos in which he really liked it and says it is far superior compared to DF500 knockdown. You should NOT build cabinets with tenso alone. You can use clamex for that. Officially, tenso are for glue joints only. There are plenty of applications without glue though and I love them in these cases. So nice to just snap things together (and take them apart if necessary). E.g. Faceframes, cover panels with scribe etc etc. But tenso alone is not made for cabinet construction.

Sensible responses, thanks. I will put it on the wish list but in the meantime will continue to research it ; it’s fun to and if I do lay down big bucks for one eventually, I don’t want to make a mistake.  I see that Peter Millard of 10 minute workshop has it on his list of top 5 worst buys. He gives an example of a carcass joined with tensos that falls apart under its own weight. He also maintains that clamps are needed for glueup.

That is this most disingenuous thing that I have seen in a long time. He does exactly the wrong thing, acting like it is normal, then says it's the tool's fault.
The Zeta is definitely not for everyone, but that is a highly unfair assessment.