Thread: Planer/Thicknesser GMC or Ryobi

They are both practically the same machine in different colours. Get the one with the best warranty and the closest repair agent!

I'd get the Ryobi and that is purely my own personal preference. I have a few ryobi tools and find them perfect for what I need.

I also have the Ryobi.
But as above, they are pretty much the same machine.
I think the newer model Ryobi includes a dust chute and anti-kickback features (but I havent seen or used the newer model). Not sure if the GMC has a dust chute these days? If not, that may be a consideration as a dust collection attachment can be $40 alone.

With a thicknesser, dust/chip collection is pretty well a 'must' otherwise your work space will fill up with debris at an alarming rate :eek:

Have a search through this forum and look for tips on making up a smooth bed for pushing stock through to minimise snipe.

You might wish to consider a jointer to complement the thicknesser as well, although a good #6 ~ #8 jointer hand plane works well too

Cheers!

The differences and merits of these 2 have been discussed here before, I bought the Ryobi about 6 months ago and remember reading some of the threads at the time - try a search. The Ryobi I have is fine it's been handling some 2.5m redgum boards that I've been milling for a dining table no problem. I've had some tear out with highly figured wood but I think I would get that with either model. Snipe hasn't really been a problem but I intend to make a sled base down the track to handle it if it does start to appear. I reckon the Ryobi is a pretty good choice in the price range. The GMC replacement warranty is a factor but I still went with the Ryobi.

Hi Pete.

I had the same dilema a while ago. I finally settled on the Cobra thicknesser. Its a Ryobi rebranded for Mitre 10 here in NZ. Cost was $400 NZ.

It has had both hard and softwood through it without trouble. Little or no snipe once I adjusted the infeed and outfeed tables to the correct point. It gives a nice even surface and is accurate.

All in all not too bad for a small machine.

When I am finished using it I vacuum it out and spray a little wd-40 on the moving parts.

For dust collection I used the idea from this forum, sorry cant remember who the original poster was. Have a look at how it looks here. The one thing I added to the idea was the metal straps to keep it in place and you can see them in the photo. They are riveted and attach to the chip chute wingnuts.

The tube is 82mm Marley downpipe. The whole setup cost $0.00.

One thing the hardware retailers wont tell you is that these machines come with double sided blades. If you buy Ryobi replacement blades they cost $74 NZ.

If you go to Bunnies and by the GMC ones which are identical you pay $39 NZ

All things being equal I would also go with the Ryobi. I have had trouble free use from my unit and would expect the same from the Ryobi. Used within its capabilities it should provide you with very good service.

I also just bought the Ryobi rather than the GMC, mainly due to the dust collection hoods included. As far as I could see, the GMC came with nothing at all, and would therefore require one of the home-made chip extraction schemes that a few people have come up with.

The dust collection hood on the Ryobi comes with fittings for both a small shop vac and a larger dust extractor. I'm guessing that the high volume/low flow of a proper dustie would be better suited to this type of machine.

Dust Mite - thanks for the tip about blade pricing. I'll seek out the cheaper GMC items when I need them !

Ozito now have a thicknesser in their range. I saw it at Bunnies the other day, lined up next to the GMC and Ryobi equivalents. I examined them quite thoroughly and my naked eye could hardly spot any difference between the three of them. I suspect they are coming out of the same factory or a lot of the parts are.
Ryobi was $399, GMC about $370 and Ozito even less but can't remember figure.

Hi

If the price is close then go with the Ryobi out of principal.

have fun.

dazzler

Thanks guys,
The two major factors (as mentioned by Dean and Brett) were that while GMC probably has a better warrantee, replace rather than fix, the Ryobi model also has the anti kickback safety feature as well as a dust collection fitting the same as the GMC. I'd also have to say that the Ryobi also has a smoother and better quality finish, not that that has a great bearing of operation. When it all comes down to it the gut says to get the Ryobi (and replace with GMC blades when the time comes, of course). Thanks for the input.

Cheers

I have the Ryobi. Have planed many, many hundreds of board feet of black ash and red oak roughsawn thru it and its still going. My father makes sawdust for a living and picked up the supposedly superior Ridgid planer and busted a feed gear in it the first time he used it hard. He then went downtown and picked up a Ryobi like mine to finish the job. Its still going strong after many piles or Red Oak...

I had some trouble with snipe on the last six inches of longer boards due mainly to my tecnique than the planer...but overall i must admit that even though i dislike cheap tools on principal and will eventually replace the ryobi with the new Dewalt three blade planer, I could not kill this thing and it does the job well.

just my two cents...

chad..

hi guys got one of above today.. hanvt opened it .... actually when there to get some trailer tie-downs !

Why so cheap ? Run-out or mistake ?

Albert