We have both of those cutters in our shop. Both are solid machines. On the Baumcut side we have had the piston that pulls the knife back up after the cut blow out on us about 4 times. Not a fun thing to change. The Challenge loves to get sheets stuck under the back gauge. I find that a line forms at the Baum as nobody in the back prefers the challenge. We did have the Baum first so i think its more a comfort thing. The challenge was a relief cutter. I should have bought another Baum just to remain consistent but the price was right.
Having the piston blow out sounds terrible and unacceptable. We have a 25 year old hydraulic and programmable 28.5" cutter that was made in Colombia and resold as a Trojan in Canada by the company that makes Gergek computerized cutter controls in Canada and upgraded it to electronic programmable. Troubles with the basic machine are the little $10.00 microswitches going every few years I was able to pick up locally in northern Canada no less. The major issue over the years is the keyboards eventually give trouble and need a rebuild so we kept a spare, but the Canadian manufacturer discontinued the keyboards so we will either need to find some used ones to solder keys in place or pay about 3000 for upgraded computer and keyboard. (after 25 years).
Anyway I really like the 28.5" size as it covers us up to 28 x 40 materials, but if forced to go up to 31.5" (sorry - not thrilled about buying a Challenge due to their refusal to sell replacements to hydraulics they sold that were eventually defective). is the Baum a cheapened version of the Polar and would we be better off to specify Polar?
By way of example, As a print shop and Stationery store we used to sell typewriters. A Japanese company Nakajima made a very good electric typewriter which was also sold as a Sears Celebrity, the Nakajima would run almost forever. The Sears one looked the same outside but on 1 plastic part inside that controlled the striking mechanism they drilled a hole, that 5.00 part would break after a year or so due to that intentional weakening of the part. As we had access to the genuine part it was easy to fix with a 1/2 hour labour thrown in to remove and replace cover and clean a bit. Of course many a person would simply have dumped the typewriter in a waste bin.
So was your issue with the Baum, simply because it had an inferior part put in versus what goes into the Polar or are the Polars equally inferior?
Ours like the Challenge has the 2 screws on back of blade for adjusting level, also has the center slot, things can get under the backgauge, and it has a plate that requires screws removed in order to go less than 2".
However it does go down to about 1.95 " with plate in place so 2" business cards never require removal of Plate, how is the Baum or Polar in that critical situation or is that the reason its necessary to have a plate with no screws because you need to remove it for business cards and it needs to be removed a dozen times a day?
Also the Canadian electronics installer had upgraded it with a Stainless steel top.
All hydraulics were standard U.S. components that never broke, but if they had could be obtained anywhere and our pump only turns on for duration of cut.
The programming while cutting seemed not possible but programming via keyboard works okay, I did not like that it did not have a Last Action Redo which I understand Microcut has, not sure of Baum or Polar? To be used for instance when you start a cut but release before completion, whether slipping or realizing something is not in position desired. They did however have a forward button so your alternative was to cycle through forward until where you were to do the action and continue.
Cutting sticks are square and cut off center line so you get 8 uses per cutting stick.
I am pretty sure our backgauge speed is not up to that of Baum/Polar.
Our operation is running 13x19 maximum now, though we have a old 17x22 AB Dick still sitting in back. The largest sheet we seem to need to cut is the 28" we use for wrap around covers on legal forms.
Incidentally, didn't Polar build a factory in China a few years back?
Suggestions?
Ken Graham
CommunityPrinters.com
