6" Jointer

[DavidW]

After deciding on a dedicated Jointer rather than a combo or thicknesser as my next purchase (see my thread "Thicknesser"). I put a generic Taiwanese model on Lay-Buy. I went back to the shop today and on talking to a different salesman found that no dust chute was made for it and didn't want to have to dodgy one up so I cancelled and am looking again.

I like the look of the Carba-Tec CTJ-196 at $649.00. Does anyone own this machine or have knowledge of it to aid in my making an informed decision.

It seems almost identical to the Delta 37-195 except for the switch and the infeed table adjuster, even the cabinet and dust port are the same.

[journeyman Mick]

David, when you say there's no dust chute, do you mean chute or port. (Sorry if I sound pedantic or not believing what you have written) All the machines on enclosed stands generally have a chute but don't always have a port to connect the hose for a DC to. Mine didn't have one and it was easily made using a few dollars worth of parts. Obviously if the machine was on an open base and had no chute (as I suspect it did) then cobbling together something workable is a whole different proposition and you can totally ignore this post.:D

Mick

[DavidW]

The one I was looking at was enclosed front and back and had plastic inserts on the sides. It had neither a chute or port, the dust/shavings simply drop down under the machine passing the motor on the way. I had visions of a burnt out motor clogged with shavings within a short space of time.

The first guy who sounded like he knew what he was talking about said I could get a chute and port but when I rang a few days later he said he didn't know much about one as he had never used a jointer before. That is why i went back and asked a different bloke. He said after checking the documentation first that there were no chutes or ports available for that machine so rather than muck about I canceled the order.

[journeyman Mick]

Oh well, I was sort of hoping for your sake that you had the terminology mixed up and you could buy the cheaper machine and cobble together a simple port. However by the sound of it you're definitely going to be better off with a machine that doesn't drop shavings all over the motor. Makes you want to find the person responsible for that brilliant bit of design and beat them around the head with a burnt out motor:mad: Also makes you want to slap the first salesman around the head a bit too!

Mick

[DavidW]

Thats the trouble with alot of places Mick, to many salesman, not enough enthusiasts.

[Kevin2003]

Hi David,

I have the CTJ-196 and it’s not a bad little machine, with a little bargaining you should be able to get it for a better price. The only drama I’ve had is that the out feed table dropped at the rear of the machine (obviously not tighten correctly at the factory). This took me hours to adjust and the table is still out a little (0.005”) on the rear right hand side of the out feed table.

Now I’ve read your post and all the response on Thicknessers and I think that getting a jointer first is the best way round. When you do get around to buying a Thicknesser Carba-Tech sell a CTJ-340 12 ½” portable machine listed for $549. Space is at a premium in my workshop and I have on of these mounted on a mobile base, which I built myself. This is a good little machine. The only down side is that it’s a little on the noisy side. I also prefer this to the Ryobi Machine

It’s a shame about the $$$$ (and do I know about this) but if you could put the $649 you have for the jointer aside, wait until you have the extra dollars and buy the two together. I’m sure that if you spoke nicely to the guy at your local Carba-Tech he could give you a good discount if you did this and I would be looking at around $200 off.

Kevin

[Dean]

Kevin,

I think you will find the Ryobi model is a CT-340 as well.
Exact same machine inside except maybe the Ryobi one has a slightly different external shape with better hand grips (in my opinion).

[DavidW]

Kevin, I belive that if that was the only thing wrong then you may have been lucky. I have been reading customer reviews on Amazon.com about the Delta 37-195 which I believe is the same machine. Early reviews bagged it for having a cupped or even twisted fence but later these comments disapeared so I asume they fixed the problem. Hopefully the fix meant all the rebaged versions were fixed as well.

In reference to the thicknesser, I had a chat to a bloke at Carbatec Brisbane and he said that despite the similarity between the CTJ-340 and the Delta 22-560 there is a difference. The Carbatec has resharpenable blades and the Delta has doublesided no resharpenable blades. My preference is for the Delta system as the blades are easier to set up and dont rely on the expertise of the local sharpening bloke to get right.

As for buying both together see my previous thread, it aint gonna happen, if I can get one at a time I will be happy.

[chris_hewett]

David, when talking to Carba Tec re jointers, they told me that they source their jointers from the same factory as the Delta units, so there is a fair chance that it is not a clone but a re-badge. I almost baught the CTJ-196, but opted for the longer bed CTJ-150. Both were on sale during the Sydney wood show, the CTJ-196 for $489 and the CTJ-150 for $789. The sale price may be available when the Melbourne show is on. Give Carba Tec a call and ask them...

[DavidW]

G'day Chris, how do you think I would go being in QLD during the Melbourne show, it might be pushing it a bit to ask for Mlb show prices up here. Then again I am originally Victorian so maybe I would qualify :-).

I like the 150, better still the 350 which I believe Norm has in the Delta version. The reality is that both space and $$$ rule my decisions ATM. I am hard pressed to find space for the 196 even with wheels as I have a three car garage with 2 cars a bike and assorted family type stuff in it.

I keep hinting to SWMBO about needing another garage down the back but all I get is odd looks in return.

[journeyman Mick]

David, regarding blades for thicknessers -sharpenable vs throw away double sided. I think it may pay you to look at the price of resharpening blades vs the price of new disposables. I have the original Ryobi 12" thicknesser, the AP12 (doesn't get much use now as I have cast iron 15" one as well) and the price of replacement blades started to become prohibitive. Admittedly I started getting whole trees milled but it was an expense I hadn't counted on when making the initial purchase. As far as the local sharpener needing expertise to sharpen the knives - They're usually sharpened in a jig that holds them at the correct angle and then pushed back & forth across the wheel (sometimes even power fed back and forth) so it doesn't take that much skill. If you're worried ask some of the local timberyards or joinery shops who sharpens their gear.

Mick

[DavidW]

Thanks Mick, I will check out the local bloke and see what his set up and charges are. The Carba-tec is $250 cheaper than the Delta for virtually the same machine so I would be way ahead to start with.

[kenmil]

Errr.....John, I think you might have posted this to the wrong thread ? and
The specs on the router page seem to refer to a circular saw, as it mentions a 10" blade and a 5/8" arbor.

[chris_hewett]

David, IF there is a sale price for the Melb wood show and IF it is only available from Melb Carba Tec, just buy through Melb store. It will probably be sent to you from the Brisbane store anyway! If space is a problem, you may be interested to know that the fence design on the CTJ-196 is much deeper than on the CTJ-150, so you will not be able to place it as close to a wall, so the longer bed jointer may fit better into your available space. Yes the 350 looked good, but it is bigger and more expensive... Good luck with the purchase.

[DavidW]

G'day Chris, I believe I will still have to go for the 196 as the length is the main issue, I have virtually no wall space as it is. Also the extra $$$ are hard to justify for and extra 121mm either end (although it does look like a sturdier machine), at least speaking from a complete novices point of view.

I am on a vey tight budget and $$$ saved can go towards my other machinery ie thicknesser, band saw, drum sander and dust collection system. All on mobile bases of course as that lot + what I already have would easily fill the 1 bay of my garage I have available for woodworking.

[DavidW]

BTW Chris and others with a 6" jointer. This may sound silly but how do you get around the 6" limitation? Can you do one side then reverse the board and do the other or use 6" boards and join them to make larger panels.

[craigb]

David,
You could do what you sugest about turning the board around, but you'd have to remove the guard to do it - and that would scare the s*** out of me. The safe way is like you say, to join two 6" boards.

Craig

[journeyman Mick]

David,
I source most of my timber from trees/logs that I get milled by a portable mill operator. I just get everything milled at 6" wide (unless I need some 4x4 or similar for legs etc.) If I need to true wide boards or slabs I use a 45mm dia bit, my router and a jig on a set of rails, like a poor man's version of a woodwiz or similar.

Mick

[DavidW]

Mick,

Ok so I will try to stick to 6" boards for most of my planed projects, but pardon my ignorance as I am new to woodworking but what on earth is a wood wiz??

I read your previous post and my guess is it is a jig for mounting a router which then passed along the board removing any inconsitancies.

Have you unpacked yet? I would love to see some shots of your homemade version in action.

[journeyman Mick]

Look at www.woodwizz.com. My jig looks nothing like it but performs pretty much the same task. Haven't unpacked yet, the building inspector is coming back next week for the final and I'll start shifting gear into the shed after that but it will probably take a few more months before I'm settled in.

Mick

[Glen Bridger]

Hi David,

I made a jig to plane timber with my router.
Its quite simply, 2 pieces of (straight) 50 x 50mm RHS about 1200mm long with a 65 x 10mm flat bolted (don't weld it together) on the lower surface at each end to form two parrallel rails. I have a piece of laminated MDF screwed to lower surface as well to support the work piece. You can make the jig any size you require.

I made a real fancy carriage with precision roller bearings to support the router but ditched it for a very simple extra wide perspex sub-base for the router. I built a stop on each side so the bit won't be able to hit the rails.

Works a treat.

Hope this helps,

Glen.

[DPB]

Sound interesting, Glen, but it is hard to picture this. Can you post a picture?:)

[DavidW]

Sounds like a good solution and I like jigs but I too am having difficulty picturing it in my very amaturish mind.

A picture would be helpful, and a plan and instructions and a parts list and....and....and....:D

[Marc]

that's what I always called it anyway. . . .is it wrong?

David, if you still haven't purchased one, can I ask why don't you consider second hand?

I bought a 6" 'Woodfast' planer with nice long 1.2m cast iron table on a stand and with a (rather flimsy) mortiser on the side real cheap from the Trading Post. All I had to do is replace the motor since it had a three fase one. I installed a totally enclosed motor with external ventilation so I don’t care about dust or shavings falling on it. Beats the new Taiwanese I think, dust chute or no dust chute.

[DavidW]

Marc, the second hand machinery market in Towoomba is a bit sparse to say the least. Also I have trouble working out what is a good new machine without getting into used ones.

I haven't bought one yet as the Carba-tec machine is out of stock so I decided to get the dust extraction sorted first.

The Jointer is 2 months away so I have time to get some more $$ together and try to sort out the garage to make best use of the very limited space.

[Asquared]

David

Going back to your original problem with dust extraction on the jointer, I bought the same model (different badge) you were going to which doesn't have a dust extraction connection. I didn't have a dust extractor at the time so didn't even think of it. (ignorance bliss!) When I finally got the dust extractor I found that I could just jamb the flexible 100mm hose up under the planer and it stuck there and works fine for sucking out the cuttings! :)

[Marc]

Ooops, Towoomba . . . . sorry!

[Glen Bridger]

Hi Guys,

Sorry to confuse you. I can post some photos, but I won't be able to do it for a couple of weeks. I'll take a couple of photos of the vacuum cleaner attachment I made for the router as well.

Glen