# Sort of gloat - rare power tool



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I've been curious about this type of saw for several years. If they were
ever imported to the USA, it must have been in small numbers. In Europe,
the design is apparently common.

What's cool about this table saw is it has an induction motor, not a screaming
brush-type motor. The other thing that's cool is the way it flips and becomes
a miter saw.

Neither the table saw nor the miter saw are impressive by today's standards
in terms of features. The miter saw only has reliable detents at 90 and at 45
on each side and the compound miter must be adjusted by loosening a bolt
in an awkward position.

The change from table saw to miter saw is quick at least. The guards and
riving knife are missing. Kinda scary. Quality of cuts is quite good. It's a well-engineered
and made tool. I didn't pay much for it, and I wouldn't pay a lot for a
gimmicky tool like in this condition. Flip-over saws are still sold in Europe and seem
improved in terms of saw features in each position.

The model is Elu TGS 172.


----------



## NBeener (Sep 16, 2009)

I've only ever seen video clips of these.

The Swiss Army Knife of table saws.

Verrrrrry cool !

Have you found the frother, yet-the thing that makes foam at the top of the Cafe Latte ? I'm *fairly* sure it's there …. ;-)


----------



## ScottN (Jan 24, 2011)

Thats pretty cool…thanks for sharing.


----------



## saddletramp (Mar 6, 2011)

Where 's the scissors, the toothpick? LOL

Quite an interesting concept for a job site saw at least. Let us know how it works out.


----------



## drewnahant (Dec 10, 2009)

Have you seen the bosch version of this? I dont think it is availabel in North America, but it is a very interresting saw. Instead of flipping it, they just took a miter saw, and instead of having a cover over the top half of the blade, they put a small table on it, and you put the hollow fence over the blade when you want to cover it. Here's the link


----------



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Yeah, I've seen those saws with the little table saw on top.

Anybody who does installations and runs trim finds out pretty soon
that being able to rip little parts and make tapers on site is a
hassle if you don't have some sort of rip saw that lets you push
the work into the cutter.

I'm getting rid of my universal-motor jobsite saw now. I expect
I'll mostly use this Elu as a table saw. They had accessories for it,
even a sliding table. I may concoct one myself from parts I have
on hand.


----------



## Manitario (Jul 4, 2010)

One of the chain hardware stores in Canada sold something like this for a few years but it wasn't very popular and is now discontinued.


----------



## Napoleon (Sep 16, 2010)

I had a saw like this made from Dewalt. It was not a big hit for me. The engine was way to weak to do any good and the "land" is only suportet in one end so it can cut anything straight. It was not a cheap mashine,it costed 1000dollars when i bought it so i have expexted a much better saw.

So i sold it after some time and got something better


----------



## devann (Jan 11, 2011)

Is it a 220v ?


----------



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

No. This one is 115 volts. Made in 1981. The tool is in rough shape, 
but the weird thing is the wiring is perfect - no cracking of strain relievers
even. Must have been kept in the dark for a long time or something.

I'll have to look through my old Fine Woodworking mags and see if 
I can find any ads for these. You don't get the ads on the discs they
sell these days, just the articles and not all of them.


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

its cool you have found that saw congrat´s  Loren
as I remember ELU was a toolserie to be sold to proffesionel woodworkers 
and competed with festool back then before they were taken over by Dewalt
as I remember before they did take over ELU , Dewalt hadn´t a router and this saw type and mitersaw
on the program , I cuold be wrong since the memmery isn´t what it used to be …LOL
so if you needs spareparts I wuold look at Dewalt 
after all they still more or less still have the tablesides on the modell they still make and the Elurouters can still be seen on the program just with the Dewalt logo

take care 
Dennis


----------



## Napoleon (Sep 16, 2010)

Dewalt has made a router. I have seen it and its a big plastic machine. They will never beat festool in a lifetime


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

First I will congratulate you on the saw, with some fine tuning and a micro adjuster on the fence, you will be able to make miracles on this.
ELU produced state of the art tools, and was one of the really innovative companies, so you might have a friend forever.
It is not made as a cabinetmaker saw, but an excellent multipurpose construction site saw.

These saws has for many years been carpenters and contractors best friend, this was until the big economic boom where every contractor in Europe could not settle with less than Dewalt it was like a fashion show in woodworking, and then when everyone had all yellow tools the fashion changed to Festool (customers pay for this…).

Dennis you are quite close to the truth you seem to have a fine memory it was not until 1992 Dewalt really went for the hand tool market:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeWalt
I did not know that DeWalt is 'just' a nice Black and Decker…

I agree with Napoleon that Dewalt don't get to the level of Festool, but since the price for the same machine is app. half or less I think it's the reason why they are so successful, also they produce a full line of products that fits especially the building business well in price and performance. 
Festool used to make their plunge cut saws on rails as the only ones and these were and are brilliant on sites, but since all the rest do the same, I don't think a Festool is worth its price when we talk budget. When we talk pleasure, precision and pling nothing really beats Festool.
(Personally I always preferred a blue Bosch more than a Dewalt, but perhaps it's also a matter of design, the Dewalts always looked a little like toys to me, and yes I do own a Festool router and a couple of plunge cut saws and love them). 
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Here some liks:
Manual for the 173 model:
http://www.surreyhire.co.uk/docs/manual/M13801.pdf
A discussion about your saw full of wonderful words:
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f153/elu-tgs-172-a-109817/
Or try this:
http://www.google.com/images?hl=da&pq=elu+tgs+172+manual&xhr=t&q=elu+tgs+172&cp=11&rls=com.microsoft:da:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7SMSN_daDK325DK327&bs=1&wrapid=tljp130239475725042&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1020&bih=481
Hope this can be helpful,
Mads


----------



## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Thanks for the information. Elu wasn't marketed much in the
USA. At the time this saw was made, all that was available in
terms of portable miter saws here were the Makita and Hitachi
ones a few companies imported.

The notion of a power miter box was unusual in the states and
such tools were mostly heavy-duty ones used in industrial settings.
Here in most shops the radial arm saw ruled from the 1950s to 1970s.
Guys used to haul big radial arm saws on 2-wheel trailers to jobsites. 
Actually today you can buy those same trailer-mount saws for close
to scrap metal prices since framing and trim guys are using the big 
sliding miter saws now.

I thought the Elu it was a NorSaw model when I saw a picture of it.

I had run across a rotating saw kind of similar at an estate sale
years ago and later, when I found out about NorSaw, kicked
myself for not looking more carefully at it. In retrospect I think
it was a Beckum or Mafell turntable saw and it may or may not 
have been a flipper. I think that saw was 220 volt and there was
no way to test the motor on site so I passed on it - it was also
in poor condition.


----------



## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

hello you two vikings  I never said Dewalt competed with Festool ….. LOL
I said ELU was competing them to have the biggest market and back then they were more or less 
in the same pricegroup  and very expencive

take care
Dennis


----------



## idigjars (Mar 15, 2011)

Cool! Paul


----------



## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Dennis I agree with you.
And I just got the answer from Dewalt, they did not make routers before they bought ELU, and when they did, all they did was to put a new sticker on the ELU products.
Best thoughts,
Mads


----------



## divinicus (Aug 23, 2010)

Hello All,

I just got a 1981 Elu TGS172 and everything is nearly perfect with the saw except the blade cover retraction, when using it as a miter saw and pushing down for a cut.

The spring is intact that pulls the cover up to cover the blade in the up position, but there is a secondary cable that I just ordered from the UK that attaches on one end to the handle mechanism, but I have no clue where the other end attaches!

Would like to get the cover working properly if someone can help!

Thanks loads!


----------

