Thread: Jet 12: planer thicknesser JPT-310HH (or something else?)

I do have the Jet JPT-310HH and am more than happy with its performance.The tables did need some minor adjustment on delivery but have remained OK since then, which is now a few yrs down the track.Spent this afternoon surface planing some WA Sheoak ,still happy here with the helical cutters which have not been turned since I bought the machine all those yrs back the surface coming off these cutters still commendable in my view.
I am machining Jarrah ,Sheoak ,occassioanally some Blackwood & Palmwwod that I have on hand.
This is just my take from my experience and in no way should it influence you.
Sorry for coming in late here, I have been single minded of late in refurbishing my SMC Minimax Lab 30 machine back to the standard I wanted after taking it out of storage.
Cheers

I too went through this decision process. Some great comments so far. I ended up buying the Hammer and I don't regret it but I still can't believe I paid $6'000+ for a machine. A big factor for me was it had to be quiet as I live in suburbia and I always had a guilty feeling when I fired up the old screamer on the weekend.

It really was an extravagance for me as I'm only a hobbyist, but I guess like many here, I dream of doing more with it.....

Another consideration is the accessories with the Hammer. It has a very accurate gauge for depth of cut on the thicknesser, so you can dial in an exact thickness and you really can work in the area of tenths of a millimeter. So it's very handy if you have to re dimension a new board to match some done previously. (keep in mind these accessories all cost extra but can be purchased later) You can add extension tables to make the tables longer. The thing I have my eye on is the slot morticer attachment but I'm still weighing up what's the best morticing method/system to go with.

Anyway, try and enjoy the (nerve-wracking) process and good luck.

An update for anyone interested in the outcome:

In the end, as much as I tried to cough up for the Hammer and could readily see the value and superior quality of it, the cost was just that bit out of my budget at this stage while I'm between contracts (without another one in sight) and with a work space slab to put down, so I've settled for the Carbatec and am pretty happy with the deal that I was able to do with the guys in Brisbane.

Still ended up a few more $$ than the Woodman, but I'm happier with the feed rate on the Carbatec. I haven't yet had a chance to use it in anger but the beds are all nice and level and aligned and she looks pretty good to me.

Re the Woodman - anyone looking at one of these: I'm told to expect the price to go up on them with the upcoming delivery in a couple of weeks.

Great work Larks, now you can get on and enjoy using it. I assume you bought the helical head version?

Originally Posted by 3 toed sloth

Great work Larks, now you can get on and enjoy using it. I assume you bought the helical head version?

Yes, that was one of my main criteria when I was looking at them.

Originally Posted by 3 toed sloth

I too went through this decision process. Some great comments so far. I ended up buying the Hammer and I don't regret it but I still can't believe I paid $6'000+ for a machine. A big factor for me was it had to be quiet as I live in suburbia and I always had a guilty feeling when I fired up the old screamer on the weekend.

It really was an extravagance for me as I'm only a hobbyist, but I guess like many here, I dream of doing more with it.....

Anyway, try and enjoy the (nerve-wracking) process and good luck.

This is one of those post made me put down a deposit on a Felder AD951 with their silent power spiral cutter block.... I am still thinking if its too big for me, being 2400mm long and 900mm at its widest point, this is roughly 5% of my workshop area, its a monster.

I can still change my mind to a AD941 before August but for the sake of $3000, I think I will be happier with a AD951. it will probably endup as a local attraction lol you are all welcome to take a photo or two with it.

Thanks, Albert, I feel a bit better now

I have had experience with the JPT combo machine with an add-on helical head in my shop for 3 or 4 years. Here is my assessment. The machine set up nicely and only had a little trouble getting the bed co-planar. It does a very nice job of cutting, however it may benefit to a lower feed speed for the helical head. I am using the sprockets set for the straight cutterhead. I have had trouble with the chain tensioner for the feed rollers. It is made of nylon and is located on the power side of the chain not the slack side. So it apparently acts more like a sprocket to get more bite onto the actual roller sprocket or maybe to reroute the chain around an electrical connection box. Either way it seems like a bad design that leads to the chain jumping a tooth every once and a while. I have replaced the nylon tensioner several times because it has been worn out. When thickness planing, you have to keep the bed waxed or it will lead to feed stalling. It is sensitive to the amount of downward adjustment pressure on the feed rollers. Too much and the friction on the bed becomes too great to feed consistently. I have discussed both of these with the company rep and technical person. They were pleasant but didn't seem too concerned with a tensioner design flaw (at least in my opinion).
I have thought of putting a tensioner sprocket on the slack side of the drive chain and relocating the electrical connection box to get a direct path to the drive wheel. Maybe someday I will do that if it keeps giving me problems.

Originally Posted by 3 toed sloth

Thanks, Albert, I feel a bit better now

you are welcome

when my AD951 is delivered I will post some pics... Sometime in November/December

Originally Posted by Larks

An update for anyone interested in the outcome:

In the end, as much as I tried to cough up for the Hammer and could readily see the value and superior quality of it, the cost was just that bit out of my budget at this stage while I'm between contracts (without another one in sight) and with a work space slab to put down, so I've settled for the Carbatec and am pretty happy with the deal that I was able to do with the guys in Brisbane.

Still ended up a few more $$ than the Woodman, but I'm happier with the feed rate on the Carbatec. I haven't yet had a chance to use it in anger but the beds are all nice and level and aligned and she looks pretty good to me.

Re the Woodman - anyone looking at one of these: I'm told to expect the price to go up on them with the upcoming delivery in a couple of weeks.

Hi Larks,
Could you tell me what price on the Woodman you were looking at?

Much the same position as most here ... would like a Hammer but can't justify the (comparative) cost, especially as a retired hobbyist woodworker, so it's the Jet, Carbatec, or the Woodman.

Originally Posted by Bushie

Hi Larks,
Could you tell me what price on the Woodman you were looking at?

Much the same position as most here ... would like a Hammer but can't justify the (comparative) cost, especially as a retired hobbyist woodworker, so it's the Jet, Carbatec, or the Woodman.

Sorry Bushi, probably too late now but I missed your post and I assume you've already found the answer, but from an earlier post:

with the Woodman at $3695 and the Hammer at $6259.50