Euro underpinner

Not your average framer · Tue 01 Apr, 2008 8:08 pm

A friend is selling up and I've got the chance to buy his bench top Euro underpinner complete with it's compressor. He is expecting me to set the price, if I decide to have it, but I dont know what a fair price would be. Both are about 15 years old, so I guess it's seen quite a lot of use.

And of course I don't know what spares Craig Finn is still likely to have for it.

Any advice would be welcome.

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Tue 01 Apr, 2008 8:12 pm

Craig's probably the best one to advise on price - his details are here somewhere.

Not your average framer · Tue 01 Apr, 2008 8:26 pm

I probably would go to a couple of hundred quid, since I think it's a bit of a lottery as to how long it will last, but like I said he's a friend and I'd rather pass on it, than make an unfair offer for it.

It would of course get me into having compressed air and open up other possibilities too! Before he made the offer, I was not even planning on such a step in the near future, so giving it a miss won't upset me either.

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Tue 01 Apr, 2008 8:39 pm

The first underpinner I ever had was a brand new Euro and I must say that it was pretty awful. I didn't keep it for long! That was about 1986 so maybe they made them better in 1993!

You should try it out first before making any offer to see if it works OK and makes tight joints!

Did I ever mention that Cassese underpinner/vee nailers are the best???

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Tue 01 Apr, 2008 9:29 pm

osgood wrote:Did I ever mention that Cassese underpinner/vee nailers are the best???

I seem to have a vague recollection of something along those lines...

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Tue 01 Apr, 2008 9:52 pm

Never 'eard of 'em - are they any good?

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Tue 01 Apr, 2008 9:55 pm

Not your average framer · Tue 01 Apr, 2008 9:59 pm

osgood wrote:Did I ever mention that Cassese underpinner/vee nailers are the best???

Hi Ormond,

I'm still keeping my manual Cassese and yes, I think they are outstanding too!

Post by **prospero** » Wed 02 Apr, 2008 12:57 am

First underpinner I got (c.1983) was a manual Euro 8000 series. At the time it was about £180 and I built a stand for it with swing out arms. I am still using it.

(You can see it lurking in my workshop pic in other thread.) I can't remember exactly, but I don't think Cassese made smaller manual machines at the time, or at least were not readily available. Most framers still sidepinnned in those days. Underpinners were a relatively new thing. Cassese pnuematics started at about £2000+, so not an option at the time.
Osgood is right, the Euro machines were a bit rough in parts. Not really on a par with the engineering of Cassese. But the manual ones at least were simple enough so that you could keep then flying with a modicum of engineering skill. Mine still does excellent joints. The main thing is to keep the area around the hammer and wedge chute clear of congealed glue. There isn't a heck of a lot that can go wrong that can't be fixed quickly and easily. (spares availability permitting).

absolute framing · Post by **absolute framing** » Wed 02 Apr, 2008 10:32 am

Here's an idea

Get your friend to put it on e-bay, with a very high reservre,
say £1000
It wont sell, but you could agree to match the highest offer.
That way the market sets the price, not you or your friend.

And if some nutter pays over £1000 for it happy days - Split the money

50% for your friend 25% for NYAF and 25% for me

markw · Post by **markw** » Wed 02 Apr, 2008 12:52 pm

The Euro was the first underpinner I had - apart from frighteningly explosive spring breakages it wasnt a bad machine - My second machine was a Euro - but I sold it and got a cassese when Euro folded - thinking that spares would be a problem.

I would have said that at the age your talking about the machine isnt worth much - you will start to have problems with rubber seals going - things breaking due to metal fatigue and general wear and tear - my advice would be - if you dont count reliability as paramount then offer £50 and you have a useful machine that might cause you problems. If reliability is important - invest in a newer machine. They can be very fiddly to set up when things go wrong.

Post by **prospero** » Wed 02 Apr, 2008 2:03 pm

markw wrote:The Euro was the first underpinner I had - apart from frighteningly explosive spring breakages it wasnt a bad machine

I had a chunk of mainspring whistle past my ear one day.... Went off like a gunshot:o

foxyframer · Post by **foxyframer** » Wed 02 Apr, 2008 7:45 pm

Started off with a Euro 8001 back thirty odd years ago. Just replaced it with another one for £150, little used and in almost new condition. Except for two springs and two rods the first one gave stirling service and as Prospero said, easy to repair with minimum engineering skill. A bugger when a spring suddenly goes.

Most framers started off with the Euro. Morris Minor simplicity.

Foxy

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Wed 02 Apr, 2008 8:45 pm

My first pneumatic underpinner was a Euro 9000 benchtop - with a bambi twin silent compressor - both still going strong and giving results like this.

A 4" wide moulding (L. JUhl 'Castaway') with a small aperture. 'scuse the scribbled price!

Edit - that size aperture is not a standard size of course - just had this offcut hanging around for months - measured it, divided it by 4 and off to go - it's priced well below what it should be, even for a ready made - but I knew the nest batch, whenever I may have needed that, probably would have not matched.

Plus I used it to calibrate the Morso

Not your average framer · Wed 02 Apr, 2008 8:52 pm

Oooo.....I like the moulding, why haven't I noticed that one before? I think I might have to get some to try for one of my shop window specials.

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Wed 02 Apr, 2008 9:31 pm

Well, you'll probably find it on the Arqadia website, comes in that finish, two golds and a silver. Can't remember how many profiles, three I think, plus matching fillips.

Doesn't sell too well to order, but does around my own stuff