Thread: Jointers and thicknessers: Advice needed

Originally Posted by silentC

Another can of worms.

Some people love them, some people hate them.

Pros
Good for small workshops
Larger jointing capacity than most jointers

Mine over/under is 20" cut. Overall size 2.3mtsX1.2mts. Wouldn't really say it's good for a small workshop .

Cons
Time taken to swap between modes

It is very difficult to swap between modes. To dress a piece of timber i have to feed across jointer ..... collect on outfeed end ... feed back through thicknesser .... back to jointer infeed end ready to feed next piece. You actually work in a loop feeding from opposite ends. The design of over/under machines varies considerably. A lot of the smaller machines designed for the home workshop market are a bit of a pain 9some a major) to change between modes but a well designed machine is no more fiddly to use than 2 seperate machines.

There's probably more but they're the main ones.

On the plus side you only have one set of knives to sharpen and set up.
On the minus side they dull twice as quick as using two machines.

I bet you didn't buy it at Carba-Tec though

I was just thinking, one of our esteemed members made a video on the combo machine Rssr mentioned, it explained all about thicknessing and jointing.
Oh no it wasn't, it was just Gumby, btw Happy Birthday Gumby.

Okay - so assuming you've got the room, but budget is the biggest constraint, is there any reason why you'd buy a jointer and thicknesser over a planer/thicknesser combo?

This planer/thicknesser from carbatec is $1,199.

This jointer is $869, and this planer is $669 (on sale) for a total of $1538.

The combo machine has a greater jointing and thicknessing width than either of the individual machines.

It seems to me that you'd be better off buying a combo for home use. Really, how long does it take to switch between modes in the combo machines? Even if it takes 10 minutes, you'd just get around that by jointing all your timber before thicknessing it, right?

My jointer only takes up a relatively small space in the workshop. I use it a lot. The thicknesser is on a wheeled stand and it's tucked away in a corner out of the way until I need it.

My thicknesser has a 13" capacity (325mm). When it carks it I will buy a 20" heavy duty one.

The fence on my jointer is cast iron.

The jointing capacity on that one is slightly more than you get on an 8" jointer but the jointer you have priced is 6", so with the combo you are well ahead in that respect. It would allow you to face plane 8" boards.

Changeover between modes is not that big a deal, if you plan ahead.

Like a lot of these things, it will come down to personal preference. Best to go and have a look yourself. People will be fans of both styles. I would never buy a combo machine, having worked on one in a joinery. It just didn't suit my haphazard way of working.

Originally Posted by jisk

Okay - so assuming you've got the room, but budget is the biggest constraint, is there any reason why you'd buy a jointer and thicknesser over a planer/thicknesser combo?

This planer/thicknesser from carbatec is $1,199.

This jointer is $869, and this planer is $669 (on sale) for a total of $1538.

The combo machine has a greater jointing and thicknessing width than either of the individual machines.

It seems to me that you'd be better off buying a combo for home use. Really, how long does it take to switch between modes in the combo machines? Even if it takes 10 minutes, you'd just get around that by jointing all your timber before thicknessing it, right?

I couldnt find the $669 planer you mentioned but I am guessing it is the $999 CT-236 planer/moulder. If this is the one you will also have the advantage of running mouldings ( another $500 for cutters). I have never used this method of running mouldings so I cant really comment on how successfully they perform the task, but I do know that it would involve considerable setup time for moulding and then to change back to planing mode. As it uses a universal motor it will scream its head off compared to the combo machine. Of the options you mentioned I would go the combo because of noiose levels and increased table size/capacity. One prob I have with the combo is that it looks like it would take a while to do the changeover. Since this is for a hobby I guess time is not really a major consideration. The other concern would be tha accuracy of the flip over tables when returned to jointer mode.

In all honesty with space/budget not being an issue I would go seperate machines but larger than the ones you mentioned. I would go the 6" long bed jointer (CTJ-150 , $869) An 8" would be better but the carbatec 8" sounds a little pricey for an 8". Hare & forbes have a reasonable 8" at just under $1000 I think. The 15" thicknesser CTJ-680 at $1349 would leave the CT-236 and combo machine chocking in its dust.

If budget really is a issue ( as it usually is) have you thought of just buying one of the better machines now and get the other a lilttle later on. Jointer and thicknesser do work best as a pair but both machines are very usefull by themselves with a little knowledge and inginuity. If you decide to go down the path of one machine you really need to look at the types of work you do to decide on which one is the most usefull by itself. If you just buy the 15" thicknesser you could still do most of the jointing work you are likely to do on a 6" jointer with the use of a few jigs/sleds. It will just take a little longer to do it.

C/tec Melbourne have the 8" jointer on sale at $995 and the CTJ-680 thicknesser also at $995 (I know I bought one!)

Originally Posted by silentC

Relieve bottoms of feet etc.

I used a jointer and it killed my feet - to say nothing of my back - I was stood over it for at least an hour.

LOL, yep, there are some pains worth having ;-}

Originally Posted by Tool-Horder

The other concern would be tha accuracy of the flip over tables when returned to jointer mode.

I didn't think of that. Is that going to be an issue?

Originally Posted by Tool-Horder

If budget really is a issue ( as it usually is) have you thought of just buying one of the better machines now and get the other a lilttle later on. Jointer and thicknesser do work best as a pair but both machines are very usefull by themselves with a little knowledge and inginuity. If you decide to go down the path of one machine you really need to look at the types of work you do to decide on which one is the most usefull by itself. If you just buy the 15" thicknesser you could still do most of the jointing work you are likely to do on a 6" jointer with the use of a few jigs/sleds. It will just take a little longer to do it.

Budget is always a significant factor, but I would rather make sure that I buy the right equipment than get stuck with a machine with major limitations. A six inch jointer does seem a bit limiting.

Originally Posted by silentC

My jointer only takes up a relatively small space in the workshop. I use it a lot. The thicknesser is on a wheeled stand and it's tucked away in a corner out of the way until I need it.

Why would you use the jointer more than the thicknesser? I've been told that you plane a face and edge on the jointer, then feed the board through the thicknesser to plane the opposite face and edge.

BTW - my main reason for buying one of these machines at this stage would be so I can dress and square rough sawn timber myself.

Originally Posted by jisk

Really, how long does it take to switch between modes in the combo machines? Even if it takes 10 minutes, you'd just get around that by jointing all your timber before thicknessing it, right?

It takes a minute or two at most. Those who say it's hard, or takes a while, or is fiddly don't know what they are talking about.

and read this.......
ML 392

Originally Posted by Gumby

It takes a minute or two at most. Those who say it's hard, or takes a while, or is fiddly don't know what they are talking about.

and read this.......
ML 392

I wondered why you pasted that until I saw your post on the second page of the thread - I didn't realise the ML 392 and AW 106 were the same machine. Some reading ahead of me there

How is your machine now?

Originally Posted by jisk

I wondered why you pasted that until I saw your post on the second page of the thread - I didn't realise the ML 392 and AW 106 were the same machine. Some reading ahead of me there

How is your machine now?

The AW is apparently more robust or better built - so they say.

Anyway, it's fine. Does the job and is a hell of a lot cheaper than 2 dedicated 10" machines would set you back.

Originally Posted by You

Why would you use the jointer more than the thicknesser? I've been told that you plane a face and edge on the jointer, then feed the board through the thicknesser to plane the opposite face and edge.

Originally Posted by Me

Jointer:

Remove warp from faces, straighten edges
Joint edges for gluing
Cut chamfers and bevels
Relieve bottoms of feet etc.
Cut rebates
Taper legs

Basically anything you can do with a handplane.

Thicknesser:

Make one edge or face parallel to the other
Plane to an even thickness
Remove warp from a face - needs a sled