Thread: Combination Jointer/thicknesser???

Originally Posted by MurrayD99

Scheppach Kombi. Tables are too short and are a complete b$%^%$$% to adjust and won't maintain adjustment. It's a great machine for many things but it is no way up there with a standard cast iron buzzer for jointing. Later combination machines may be better but I reckon there's too many compromises - given the cost difference.

There are of course compromises in all combo machines but I think the European solutions can put them in front - for my purposes anyway. I will probably continue in another thread as I am just commissioning a new machine myself.

Elleff,
I have a Jet JWP15DX and have put literally thousands of meters through it, the motor is below the table, not a problem.
Get the sparky in mate, 3phase motors are cheaper to run, cheaper to buy and better torque. as my motors wear out, they are replaced with 3ph ones.
A half decent dust extractor has a 3phase motor on it.
With regards to noise, I whole heartedly agree with Dakotax3, mine sounds like a 737 on taxi, then the dust extractor kicks in with 1900cfm air flow and it immediately becomes a B52 on take off - hearing protection a must ! The Shelix Spiral Cutter head reduces this considerably but costs about as much as the thicknesser
I notice you are investing a fair amount money here, don't short change your self in the dust extraction area, check out Grey's on line auctions, I picked up a Jet 1900CFM extractor with the pleated filters for just over $600, thicknessers and drum sanders require a healthy air flow to operate properly, the small cheaper units just don't cut the mustard, believe me, I learned the hard way.
BIG NOTE HERE - ALWAYS RUN A STATIC EARTH WIRE THROUGH THE DUST HOSE/DUCTING .
Static electricity build up in the hoses is dangerous!!!! the first spark ignites the fine dust particles in the hose, these then go into the big bag and all the rest spontaenously ignites in sympathy and WHOOSKA. the whole kit and caboodle is blown apart and hot smouldering saw dust etc rains down on you. The mess created in the workshop is nothing compared to the mess in your undies when it happens

Hi Elleff,

I think you need to approach this in terms of what you need to do with these machines. If you want to accurately flatten straighten and square faces and edges for joining panels you must have a machine with long tables almost by definition. Only the commercial duty combination machines will give you a table length equivalent to say a $1500 200 mm jointer. You would have to shoot for a 450 mm wide combo machine to get the same table length for jointing. On the other hand you can do a workmanlike job on thicknessing timber that has been well jointed first with a fairly cheap Taiwan machine.

What you absolutely can't do is try to make do with a thicknesser only.

By the by there are some fantastic combination machines available from all the major joinery machinery suppliers. Try the SCM 450 mm wide model you wont find any table registration problems there.

Old Pete

I have the woodfast 12" combo machine. It cost me about 1900 but now I see it's about 1850 at carbatec. I think it's the best value on the market at the present.

A few downsides. The thicknesser table has only a short outfeed table and the jointer table can't be adjusted in all axis.

Overall though I'm happy with it. 3hp. 12". Longer jointer table than some other combo machines. Takes up only a small foot print in the shop and as you can see the shop isn't too big.

Originally Posted by BozInOz

I have the woodfast 12" combo machine. It cost me about 1900 but now I see it's about 1850 at carbatec. I think it's the best value on the market at the present.

A few downsides. The thicknesser table has only a short outfeed table and the jointer table can't be adjusted in all axis.

Boz,

I see you have an elegant solution to your table length with that expandable feed roller system. Very nice.

Yeah. Although it's not as useful as you would think. As the rollers expand over the length of them there is a vertical discrepancy of about 5mm... So you can't actually use it as as accurate jointer table. And because the thickness tabble moves up and down it doesn't follow the thicknesser table. In practice I only use the very highest point. One day I will come up with a rigid solution.
More expensive models have solved these problems, but they cost 50 to 100% more.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/item...a-quick-change

Originally Posted by Wallnut

Elleff,

BIG NOTE HERE - ALWAYS RUN A STATIC EARTH WIRE THROUGH THE DUST HOSE/DUCTING .
Static electricity build up in the hoses is dangerous!!!! the first spark ignites the fine dust particles in the hose, these then go into the big bag and all the rest spontaenously ignites in sympathy and WHOOSKA. the whole kit and caboodle is blown apart and hot smouldering saw dust etc rains down on you. The mess created in the workshop is nothing compared to the mess in your undies when it happens

Do your research on this one, there are others who reckon this is an old wives tale. they accept there is static built up, but it will not cause an explosion. Stuff I have seen is too coarse to be easily ignited, there's not a lot of dust in my dusty.

For starters, ask the fire fighters whether they have ever heard of it happening.

Johncs
I am speaking from experience here unfortunately, I was using my Performax drum sander on a piece of Red Cedar at the time. Very fine dust similar to that from MDF off a Router.
The flash was very short lived but it did blow both the plastic bags off the bottom of the dust extractor and a few smouldering bits lay on the floor.
Hence the warning.

Morning all,

Whilst we would all like to think we will not experience explosions in the workshop I would like to avoid this experience if possible. Am I right to assume that the wire inserted into the ducting would just need to be in contact with the frame on a steel shed provided it goes through the concrete to earth? I have seen several mentions of this problem but have no personal experience.

The only explanation I have is, I was using the grey flexible hose from Carbatec from the machine to a 100mm PVC main pipe, this in turn was attatched to my extractor. Everytime I used the drum sander the hairs on my arm reacted to the static electricity whenever I went near the hose.
Since that little episode I ran a bare copper wire up the inside the of the hose and earthed it to the extractor frame, as advised by a much more experienced Woodie than I. ( once he stopped laughing and could talk) it had happened to him as well but, and I stress here - only when extremely fine dust is being produced.
I now use the clear flexible hose with the wire coil inside it as this makes earthing simple. I purchased this from Felder but undoubtedly there are others who stock it.

Thanks to all for your advice. I will certainly pay some attention to the static issue and if unsuccessful you will see my notice on the back of the daily rag! Back to the subject issue of this thread. When I originally posted on this forum I was intending to spend my hard earned on a few machines that would allow me to progress from my old Triton gear (Don't get me wrong as I have enjoyed using this equipment but thought it was time to update). As you know the beauty of this forum is the fact that you get a variety of opinion and if you are not prepared to consider this opinion you shouldn't ask the question.
Well, I have turned 180 o and started to like the look of a combination Hammer C3 31. I spoke to my wife and explained the benefits in terms of space in the shed and quality of machinery, also the much travelled road of ongoing buying, selling and updating due to dissatisfaction for one reason or another. She agreed with my rationale so I payed a deposit before she changed her mind. I have spoken to the elec who will run me a power point which will cope with the 20 amp draw I and I collect the hammer next week. At this stage it seems a good outcome for me and I would like to thank all contributors for their valued opinions. I will report back in due course regarding my experience with the new machine.

Originally Posted by Wallnut

Johncs
I am speaking from experience here unfortunately, I was using my Performax drum sander on a piece of Red Cedar at the time. Very fine dust similar to that from MDF off a Router.
The flash was very short lived but it did blow both the plastic bags off the bottom of the dust extractor and a few smouldering bits lay on the floor.
Hence the warning.

The argument I saw seemed well researched, and went into the amount and size of dust likely to be carried in the pipes.

Big sanding machines might well be something he did not take into account, but he did check with the firies in his area, and it was not something they had encountered.

I think a sander would be the only machine likely to produce enough really fine dust to cause this problem. A drum sander is on my wishlist, but I'd probably get a dedicated dusty just for that machine and include rigorous earthing in the installation.

Originally Posted by Elleff

Well, I have turned 180 o and started to like the look of a combination Hammer C3 31. I spoke to my wife and explained the benefits in terms of space in the shed and quality of machinery, also the much travelled road of ongoing buying, selling and updating due to dissatisfaction for one reason or another. She agreed with my rationale so I payed a deposit before she changed her mind. I have spoken to the elec who will run me a power point which will cope with the 20 amp draw I and I collect the hammer next week. At this stage it seems a good outcome for me and I would like to thank all contributors for their valued opinions. I will report back in due course regarding my experience with the new machine.

Congrats on your purchase! Those Hammer's are precision machines and built stronger than the average fare. I have just bought the A3-31 and am still getting used to the precision and power of the machine.

May I suggest that you get the digital readout option with aluminium hand wheel as well? It is really worthwhile and dead accurate. You simply dial in the thickness you want and that is exactly what you get to within a fraction of a mm.