Thread: What thicknesser to buy

I think just the SHELIX cutter will cost the better part of $800 if not more.

Unless you mean a normal spiral cutter like what Carba-Tec has.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

I think just the SHELIX cutter will cost the better part of $800 if not more.

Unless you mean a normal spiral cutter like what Carba-Tec has.

Yes, I'm aware of that but I want to know what would be a good thicknesser to start with to put it in. I know I can get a Ryobi for a little over $400 but is it worth putting in the shelix cutter if it is not half decent thicknesser in the first place.

SB

I want this one.

The Dewalt DW735-XE 1800W 13'' Inch Planer Thicknesser

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

I want this one.

The Dewalt DW735-XE 1800W 13'' Inch Planer Thicknesser

Yes cliff, I'm thinking on this one or the Matabo but no one has given me any feed back on these or others yet. It's still a bit expensive, the best price I can get is between $999 to $1200 and the better price is not in Queensland.

SB

I bought a Delta thicknesser off a forum member recently for $300. A rough equivalent would be hafco one about $500.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f221/d...nesser-142259/

I used to to thickness blue gum - see the below post. You can I've put 5 slabs through it which were from a slab mill. You can see the results here.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f40/ou...-build-143365/

I'm still on the 1st set of blades, and they have plenty of life left in them.

I agree the Dewalt 3 blade model looks like a really good option, but they were around $1k so it's high compared to your budget.

The main problem with the Ryobi ones is the lack of cutterhead lock and the resulting snipe. Make sure you get one with a locking cutterhead, it makes a difference.

Cheers,

Tom

Hey mate,
If you looking at spending upwards of $999-1200, i'd spend a little bit more and get a Carbatec 15" - Carba-Tec® 15" Thicknesser : CARBA-TEC. I'd love one of these with a shelix head.

I have a Delta 13" thicknesser and it's a beauty! not sure if they sell them still in Australia.


Andy

Thank you all for your advice, I just got the De Walt dw735, a fully refurbished unit from the De Walt Service Centre in Brisbane for only $750 and with the waranty. It looks like new evan came in the original box and packaging. The best price on the net was $990 and then I'd have to pay frieght to Brisbane. I'll use this machine untill the blades need replacing then I'll get a spiral cutter head for it. The metabo of whch I liked also lost on only having two blades and some reports of motor burnout with heavey use. I really could not find anything wrong said for the De Walt except some people still getting some snipe but many others not getting any, so it might come down to how it's being used.

SB

PS. Cliff you can cry now.

Originally Posted by Superbunny

Thank you all for your advice, I just got the De Walt dw735, a fully refurbished unit from the De Walt Service Centre in Brisbane for only $750 and with the waranty. It looks like new evan came in the original box and packaging. The best price on the net was $990 and then I'd have to pay frieght to Brisbane. I'll use this machine untill the blades need replacing then I'll get a spiral cutter head for it. The metabo of whch I liked also lost on only having two blades and some reports of motor burnout with heavey use. I really could not find anything wrong said for the De Walt except some people still getting some snipe but many others not getting any, so it might come down to how it's being used.

SB

PS. Cliff you can cry now.

Beauty... what am I crying for?

I still haven't made up my mind totally yet, I might get a Jet 15" instead.

The spiral head for the DW735 is $650 delivered.

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

Beauty... what am I crying for?

I still haven't made up my mind totally yet, I might get a Jet 15" instead.

The spiral head for the DW735 is $650 delivered.

Because you want it, I know you want it Cliff. Only $650 delivered, thanks Cliff, I was wondering what it would cost, not bad considering what I was expecting. I hope this is the R.D.G. International one and not one of the cheaper ones. I found that a company in Tiawan does one for $250 but not the same as the R.D.G. Now you want me to cry, a 15" Jet, now I'm crying. hope to see you at the TWWW show this year Cliff.

SB

Can you fix a Shelix Spiral Cutter to a benchtop thicknesser?

When you put the shelix head in the Dewalt, could you please let us know how you go with installing it and how it performs - i'm thinking of getting one myself in the next year or so.

The instructions are here.
http://www.byrdtool.com/files/Download/Dewalt735.pdf

It will cost you about $650 Oz delivered in Oz.

SB

I think your new Delta thicknesser will last you quite a long time and by the time the blades need replacing you may be questioning whether it is worth spending as much as the machine originally cost for a spiral blade; Particularly as the machine will be well worn by that stage.

To give a yardstick, I have an entry level 12" thicknesser (Timbecon) which is now in it's 7th year. About 2 years ago I replaced the carbon brushes at which time the shop said the old brushes were indicating it (the motor) was not long for this world.

It is used and abused. I thickness ironbark and spotted gum predominantly as well as pine. It is asked to do much more than it is really capable of and frankly I have been waiting for it to die at which time I will replace it with a 15" thicknesser; Probably Carbatec CTJ-381 or CTJ-680. I am undecided as to which and the price difference is insignificant.

I started out with two sets of blades one of which is double sided. I have probably sharpened them about fifteen times and I should have sharpened then more often.

Now this brings me to my point and it is on the spiral blades aspect; The spiral blades have the advantage of lasting well, particularly in harder timbers and it's easy to change the facet when the edge does dull. For the home woodworker they are are quieter and this is a big plus where you have to consider neighbours. In a commercial application the saving is on downtime.

But they are expensive. Nearly as much for the blade as you paid for the machine in total. I am slightly predudiced against them (because of the cost) because I can sharpen my blades myself. It costs me nothing to do this.

There are sharpening devices on ebay that are for thicknessers, but I don't know how good they are. Others may be able to offer advice. My sharpening machine is completely different and came with some other machines I bought a long time ago.

A possibility for you to consider if you are intent on having the spiral blades is to sell your HSS blades straight away on ebay before buying the spiral cutter. You can mitigate the cost slightly, but I suspect you can no longer advertise them as brand new.

Lastly, do you have a jointer? You may find that you will have to grovel to SWMBO for a budgetry extension and also a jointer may be of more importance than the spiral replacement blades.

The DW 735 looks a really nice unit.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Bushmiller

...Lastly, do you have a jointer? ..... a jointer may be of more importance than the spiral replacement blades....

I don't agree with that now....

Read these 2 posts from another thread...
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f155/d...8/#post1424544
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f155/d...8/#post1424552

Just my opinion.