Thicknesser-Jointer opinion/suggestion

[Jim J]

Dear Woodworking Forum Members,
I am an absolute raw beginner to the world of wood working and am considering buying a thicknesser and jointer.In Fine Woodworking Winter 2002/03 NO.160 there was a review of these machines with the Delta recieving favourable comments. In the Carbatec 2003 cataloque they show the Delta thicknesser no560 for $799 and the Carbatec no340 for $549. Apart from the warranty time they appear to be the same machines. The Delta jointer 195 looks very similar to the Carbatec 196 jointer selling for $649. What also seems a little strange is that both of the Carbatec machineswere $100 more in the 2002 cataloques.
I would be very grateful for any opinions or suggestions on how others have foud these machines. I attended my first ever wood show in Brisbane last year. Would I be wise to hold off purchasing these machines until this years show. Will these machines be offered at better prices at the show or should I just make the move now? Thanks for your help.

[chia]

JimJ
i too am a novice when it comes to buying the bigger toys,but i recently bought a leda 10 inch planer thicknesser from the melbourne wood show at the end of last year for $980.00.it took a while for delivery from japan to adelaide, to melbourne (3 months) which i wish they could have told me when ordering ,but the wait was worth it.the only thing i can winge about is the infeed roller bites the timber a little too deeply and it is hard to get a cut of less than 1.5 mm otherwise all is fine.maybe someone out there can let me know how to adjust this to get a smaller cut? Anyway i dont think you mentioned what size the thicknesser was that you were looking at but $980 was the best i could find for a ten inch with enclosed cabinet and good cast beds and fence.Planer bench is a metre long and fence and cutter cover are extruded aluminium. hope this helps

chia

[Darryn]

A little tip if you are considering buying a thicknesser (planer in US speak) and have been reading a lot of american magazines. It seems to me that the americans believe a thicknesser is the be all and end all of timber machining and very rarely mention planers or buzzers (jointer in US speak).

If you are going to work with rough sawn timber then a thicknesser is useless without a planer to give you a straight edge to work off. If you are going to buy dressed timber then a thicknesser is ok provided the timber is straight but the problem is 90% of the time it is not. (just take a look at some of bananas they call dressed timber at Bunnings).

In my own opinion go for an over under planer thickneser combination and you will at least be able to straighten your timber first. Most of the woodworking places sell copies of the elektra beckum 260 mm wide unit for around the $900-$1000 mark.

If you do buy the delta one you are talking about have a look at the prices of 300 mm wide planers to go with it!!!

Darryn

[Robert WA]

I agree with the proposition that, for rough sawn timber, you need both. You need to start with 2 flat sufaces at right angles to each other, using a jointer, and then use the thicknesser to size the timber.
There are other ways, but they are the tools that are designed for the jobs.
There are some under and over machines that do both jobs. I don't have one so can't comment on, or recomend, anything. You will get comment from others, I am sure.
I also agree with the suggestion that you watch out for the difference in terminology between Oz and the US. It can be confusing reading their magazines and net sites.

[Jim J]

I would like to thank those who responded to my first post. I guess I didn't explain it that clearly. I am considering buyiny the two different machines. A 317mm thickneeser and a 150mm jointer. My main question is that the Carbatec thicknesser looks identical to the Delta. All features appear the same except price. With nearly $250 difference apart from warranty length are they identical. Once again thanks for any opinions