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`Felix`
8th January 2004, 01:59 PM
Hi All,

I have been considering puchasing a Ryobi Thicknesser - does anyone own one? Feedback on how it performs - pro's and con's

arose62
8th January 2004, 02:10 PM
I noted that my local Bunnings had dropped the price to $359 recently, then on my last visit there was a GMC thicknesser sitting next to the Ryobi, for the same $359.

In discussion with another customer, the Bunnie said that the Ryobi (AP13??) was discontinued, and the GMC thicknesser was identical to the Ryobi, bar colour, and the superior GMC warranty.

Cheers,
Andrew

`Felix`
8th January 2004, 02:18 PM
Originally posted by arose62
I noted that my local Bunnings had dropped the price to $359 recently, then on my last visit there was a GMC thicknesser sitting next to the Ryobi, for the same $359.

In discussion with another customer, the Bunnie said that the Ryobi (AP13??) was discontinued, and the GMC thicknesser was identical to the Ryobi, bar colour, and the superior GMC warranty.

Cheers,
Andrew

Andrew thanks for the heads up. I just checked the Ryobi website and the Thinknesser is current - maybe the bunnie got it wrong or prefered to sell the GMC, however the warranty is an important consideration of course :D.

Told my wife recently i have all the tools i need dear - now i am looking at another :D

craigb
8th January 2004, 02:38 PM
Told my wife recently i have all the tools i need dear

My God, what posessed you??.

You NEVER have all the tools you need. :D

Even His Normness is always aquiring a new gadget.

Dean
8th January 2004, 04:26 PM
Here's a review of the AP13:
http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/ryobiap13.htm

Wayne Davy
8th January 2004, 05:24 PM
...... now i am looking at another :D

Is that looking for another wife! :p

Daddles
9th January 2004, 08:16 AM
I've just bought an AP13 and made my first big bag full of chips. I got it from Bunnies. The Bunnies price was $426 but the Gasweld catalogue had it at $389. Bunnies did their match price less 10% trick and I got mine for $350.

She's great. Not that I have any experience with thicknessers. Feed a log it. It grabs it and drives it through. The chips all bounce off the shield and quickly form an impressive bed behind the brute. Gives a nice clean finish. Noisy but not excessive.

Faults?
The height scale is accurate but bloody hard to read because they show cm, then every mm between with the same sized mark. An indication of where the 5mm is would be a great help. This will cause me grief one day, I know it.
No setting up instructions though the rest of the instructions seem clear enough. For example, the safety shield comes in the box loose with no indication of where or how to fit it.
I hate to be boring, but that's about it.

I've only planed Oregon with it and it does that very well. There were some big knots in one plank and it just took a deep breath and waded straight through them.

I'm happy.

Cheers
Richard

Thommo
9th January 2004, 02:05 PM
Hi Daddles,

was just wondering if you looked at the GMC model at all and if you did what made you buy the Ryobi.
I am looking at getting one myself but not sure which model

Thank you Guy

Gwhat
9th January 2004, 05:58 PM
I've had a Ryobi for about 12 months, whilst the manual and the sales guff says it can cut 3mm per pass this is very optimistic. Mine has had its drive train replaced under warranty.

When I picked it up from Ryobi I noticed they had 'factory returns' for sale at $230.

Mine works fine now I learnt to be patient and take off about 1mm per pass.

I hope this helps.

Gwhat

Daddles
11th January 2004, 09:42 PM
G'day Guy,

The GMC thicknesser is basically unavailable here in Adelaide - everyone claims they don't exist. Pooh.

As for the 3mm cut. I've done 3mm and it seemed happy though it slowed down a bit. 2mm is handled happily. But I must confess that most of my passes are 1mm. Grunts through big knots without a problem.

Mine's working very well. Gave it another big workout today and yesterday.

I can't get over the pile of wood chips though and with this unit, there's no way of collecting them. Even sitting it on a box to catch the fall out is unlikely to work because the chips come out sitting on top of the plank. Very pretty but what a mess. If you can afford one with better chip control, it'd be worth it.

I've used mine sitting on the ground and on a table. Both worked well - no sign of it walking around on the smooth, plastic, table top. Made it easier to read that damned depth scale too.

Cheers
Richard

Dean
11th January 2004, 09:59 PM
Timbecon sell a dust chute for their machine which looks identical to the Ryobi AP13.
I'd say their chute would work fine.

http://www.timbecon.com.au/productsdetail.asp?sectid=12514&parentid=12472&prodid=27976

One day, I'll get one for my machine :)

Gwhat
12th January 2004, 09:26 AM
I've looked at all the 13" thicknessers ex China and all seem to be the same basic structure & dimensions. I'm running dust hood from Timbecon on my Ryobi. The only modification needed was to replace the 5mm threaded studs that hold their guard in place with wing nuts with a 5mm x 15mm theaded bolts.

My extractor runs via 90mm PVC stormwater pipe fixed to the ceiling with about 1.5 metres of flexible hose to connect to the hood. PVC is ok for extractors up to 3hp I'm assured.

I have a 2hp dust extractor that can fill exceptionally quickly when using the Ryobi

Regards

Gwhat

`Felix`
19th January 2004, 02:35 PM
G'day All,

Here is something very annoying - I went to the local Bunning's to get prices on both Ryobi and GMC Thicknessers and what I found was that there is over $100 difference in price between East and West coast!! Here in WA the prices are as follows:
Ryobi - $489 (on Special $429)
GMC - $498

To say I was p*ssed off was an understatement! If anyone out there has a Thinknesser they would like to sell - please let me know.

Geno
20th January 2004, 09:45 AM
In Canberra the Ryobi AP1300 is retailing at $399. It is a four post, two-blade job availible from MagnaMart (Bunnies only have the GMC). I gave it a test run at MagnaMart and it seemed OK, but fiddly to adjust. Couldn't get it to take off 3mm from a length of Oregon though, 2mm seemed to be the maximum we could get off in one pass. Finish was reasonable with some snipe, which possibly could be improved with adjustments to tables etc.
The GMC is available form Bunnies for $359. Looks to have same basic design and specs as Ryobi, but built quality and finish looks a bit rough to me. Has anybody used the GMC, or seen it in action?
The DeWalt Thicknesser looks much better than these, but costs three times as much. I think it is a three-blade beast as well. Retails at $1150 at MagnaMart.

arose62
20th January 2004, 10:25 AM
Last time I saw the DeWalt in a catalogue, it was $995.
Not sure if it was GasWeld (probably) or Toolies.

Cheers,
Andrew

Geno
20th January 2004, 11:10 AM
It seems we don't have a GASWeld store here in the ACT. I suspect that if we did then MagnaMart might be retailing the DeWalts for less than a grand as well.