15" Thicknesser

[Mick C.]

Hi all,
I have been looking for a thicknesser to add to the workshop and have decided to go for a slightly larger machine and think a 15" one will do nicely. I see that Carbatec and Hare & Forbes both have one on special before XMAS. The H&F machine is heavier and if bought with a 2HP dust colector is nearing $100 less than the Carbatec package deal, compared with normal catalogue prices the H&F unit is a much bigger discount, normal Thicknesser price is $1450 down to $1195 i think.
Anyone have a H&F T-380 or the Carbstec CTJ-680 thicknesser in use for feedback. the H&F has a feed pressure adjustment also, is this a handy feature? I notice the Carbatec has 3HP motor instead of 2HP like the H&F.
The H&F has an underneath mounted motor as opposed to a top mount, any feed back on the proes and cons of motor location?

[Justin]

Hi Mick,

I bought a Carbatec CTJ-680 at the TWW show before last, so I've had it just over a year now. Before that I had a Geetech 12.5" model, so it was a pretty big upgrade to go to the Carbatec unit.

All in all I'm very happy with it. With the benefit of hindsight, I should have saved my pennies and got the Carbatec unit first, because operating the geetech unit was always an exercise in compromise, particularly with hardwoods.

A few points and observations for you on the 680 :

- This thing is bloody heavy. At a minimum, you'll need 2 guys and an overhead winch to lift the cutterhead and motor onto the base. If you don't have a winch, plan on four guys.
- Invest in a mobile base, or four total brake swivel castor wheels of appropriate rating to put it on. Otherwise it's staying where you put it, and if you don't have heaps of workshop space you'll appreciate being able to move it around.
- It can take off a lot of material, which translates into a lot of shavings. I had a 650 cfm 1 horse dust extractor and it couldn't keep up. You'll need to either be knee high in shavings, or have a 2 horse+ dust extractor.
- Use the the two wind-in knobs to lock the cutterhead if you want to avoid snipe.
- On the old geetech unit, I used to run the material through twice on the same height setting to get a super clean final cut. Don't do this on the 680, as it has a series of metal fingers that form the infeed roller. You'll get a heap of dings and no cut in the face of the material if you don't drop the head down on every pass.
- After 10+ hours work, one of the belts (there are three) connecting the motor and cutterhead pulleys crapped out. On inquiry with Carbatec, they don't carry the belts as a spare, and suggested I contact "an automotive belt supplier" to get a replacement, rather than getting an "expensive" replacement from them. I formed two opinions out of this : 1) Negative brownie points for Carbatec Melbourne on the issue of spare parts, and, 2) I'll buy a set of three matched belts. The 680 is running fine on two belts at the moment, so I'm planning to get replacements sooner or later.

Good luck with your pending purchase.


Cheers,


Justin.

[ndru]

Originally posted by Mick C.

The H&F has an underneath mounted motor as opposed to a top mount, any feed back on the proes and cons of motor location?

Some minor observations: If you plan on keeping the thicknesser for a long time, an undermounted motor will be trickier to replace than an overmounted motor.

Also, an undermounted cutterhead means that the table will move up and down. This means that if you plan on building some kind of outfeed table (or even just using roller stands) to avoid snipe you will need to keep adjusting the outfeed height to match the cutterhead table height. This may be annoying if you find yourself using the thicknesser a lot for irregular thicknesses (eg recycled timber).

[Daniel]

Justin

If you live near Box Hill there's a place in lexton rd that sells all types of belts, they have thousands of them in a big factory.

I went in there with three shredded belts from my employers Wolfenden bandsaw on the slight chance that they may have some. I walked out 10 minutes later with the replacement belts as if they were made to order and they only cost $42 in total.


Daniel

[Mick C.]

Thanks Justin for the feedback! I'm trying to avoid buying two thicknessers by getting the right one first! Interesting note on hardwood, i thought this may be the case but wasn't sure. Am going to be making kitchen cupboard doors from Maple or similar for the first project to go through the thicknesser. I had planned on a upgrading my 1HP DC to a 2HP but didn't think it would be as bad as you've experianced, will have to get both together! Pretty ordinary service from Carbatec on the belts, and short life also (10 hours), sorry to hear!
Andrew, your comment on the under mounted cutter? the picture shows conventional top mounted cutter with under slung motor and a belt guard on the side, so no extension table issues. I was planning on building longer in and out tables also, so this won't be a problem. I'm unsure what they do for drive belt tension if the cutter moves to and from the motor, anyone know?
Or does the bottom table move and the top stay stationary and the belt not change tension and this means that in and out tables are an issue???
Thanks guys for the feedback! Still a little more research!

[ndru]

Mick C and Justin

First, I don't own the CTJ-680, but I have had a close look at it as one of next year's things to buy.

It is based on the Delta 22-680 (http://www.deltawoodworking.com/index.asp?e=136&p=4653) . Have a look at the manual for the Delta 22-680 (http://media.ptg-online.com/media/dm/OwnersManuals/20030827130611_En1346996-09-15-99.pdf) and you'll see how the Delta and and the CTJ-680 work. There is no "underslung motor" for the cutter head. The motor is very clearly mounted on the top of the unit. Justin please correct me if I'm wrong, but the housing on the side is for the feed rollers, not for the motor. The bit underneath the infeed/otfeed table is just a stand.

The 680's nearest competitor, the Jet 15CSW, appears to have an undermounted motor with table tha moves up and down rather than a top mounted cutterhead. I understand that this makes blade changing simpler because the motor is not in the way, but I have not seen a direct demonstration on that model. I don't have a H&F/Hafco catalogue nearbyto say which way their motor is mounted on their 15" model.

[journeyman Mick]

A big plus to having the motor mounted underneath the machine is that you can pass your timber back across the rollers on top of the machine which saves time (and your back!) My thicknesser has the motor housed in a cabinet underneath and access for replacement/repair/maintenance is fine.

Mick

[Justin]

Hi MickC,

I was in Carbatec last week and saw a new thicknesser that they are selling. It's model number is CTJ-381, and it looks like a substantially reworked version of the 680. Appearance wise it looks similar to the 20 inch unit that's on their site.

A very heavy duty unit with cast infeed & outfeed tables, integral wheeled base and motor mounted underneath the table. I was intending to have a closer look when I came back today to pick up some blades, but the unit on the floor had been sold. The guys at the Melbourne shop tell me that they are selling the 381 for $1595, and expect to be receiving new stock in a couple of weeks.

Cheers,


Justin.

[Mick C.]

Thanks Justin,
Looks like i'm now the proud owner of a T-380 H&F 15 " thichnesser, should turn up tomorrow morning! Just couldn't pass up the price! Under $1500 for thicknesser and 2HP DC!. I guess i'll be the one with the feed back on the H&F thicknesser. The T-380 may be a similar unit to the Carbatec unit? It is as you described, and looks a lot like to 20" version with an adjusting wheel on the side etc. H&F unit has in and out rollers instead of tables, a bit to do with price i reckon.
Thanks again for the reply and i will let you know in the future if it's as good a buy as it seems, after i feed it a diet of QLD Maple and Tas Oak etc.

Mick.

[Justin]

Good for you Mick, welcome to the joys of not being a slave to the DAR merchants !!!

Happy milling,


Justin.

[zymurgy]

Originally posted by Mick C.
Looks like i'm now the proud owner of a T-380 H&F 15 " thichnesser, should turn up tomorrow morning! Just couldn't pass up the price! Under $1500 for thicknesser and 2HP DC!. [snip] Thanks again for the reply and i will let you know in the future if it's as good a buy as it seems, after i feed it a diet of QLD Maple and Tas Oak etc.

Mick.

Mick,

any feedback on this unit yet. I'm thinking of the same unit.

Gordon.

[Mick C.]

Hi all!,
to be honest i havn't had much of an opportunity to run great lots of timber through the thicknesser but the bit i have done i'm very pleased with. The finish is great, snipe seems to vary a little, i think it depends a little on the timber used ie- pine or hard wood.
The quality of finish of the machine is what i would call very good! And the initial checks that need to be done, table square to cutter etc, were all as they were supposed to be, and hell are those blades sharp! i bumped one gently while doing initial checks and it nearly drew blood. The booklet is easy to follow also.
The first real project to go through the unit was a bread board that was 14" wide, was 6 or so different species of timber laminated and it went through like a charm! realy nice finnish with very minimal snipe, a little sand and it was all gone. Even managed to clog up the inlet on the 2HP DC with shavings!
If anyone wants more info or feed back just say the word and i will endevour to help! (Not owning a thicknesser prior to this one for a comparison its hard to say if it has any draw backs, but i'm happy!) Mick.

[zymurgy]

Mick,

I had my unit delivered yesterday. With help of four mates, got it assembled today. God that mothers heavy!

Finish on unit is excellent, and so is the quality of output. I've only put some pine through it so far, but NO snipe. My infeed/outfeed tables are solid cast, unlike the unit pictured on their website with a large roller.

I tried what Justin mentioned (putting timber through again without adjusting unit) and yes, marks on wood. But since the quality was so good, I don't thinks it's necessary.

I was considering the Hare and Forbes unit (2HP 10amp) as was unsure of 3HP 15amp unit. But H&F were not very helpful when it came to delivery. So I rang Carbatec (Bayswater), they organised a unit from Richmond, delivered the next day by Carbatec's own driver - he couldn't have been more helpful!

I paid on delivery, didn't even have to run over to Bayswater.

Gordon.