GMC Thicknesser blades

[echnidna]

I have replaced my old carbatec thicknesser with a GMC and am very happy with it. :)
But I wonder how good are the GMC blades. Are better quality blades necessary or do you get good mileage from the originals? :confused:

[Grunt]

What model Carba-tec thicknesser did you have?

[echnidna]

Ct318. An excellent machine but the feeder gearbox stripped some teeth and split the housing and I needed a working machine so got the GMC.
I notice the GMC is far less likely to snipe

[noodle_snacks]

I have planed approx 100 meters worth of 65mm wide TasOak (as well as misc bits of sassafras, huon pine and myrtle) so far without any trouble reduction in performance

[routermaniac]

ditto, I have been planing all that wood I have been hoarding for a while... including a lot of hardwood and the blades seem just as sharp... I have a funny feeling though that they cannot be resharpened... when they die I will need new ones.... another excuse to go to bunnies :D

[erich]

I just bought one of these (bunnies 299) but was disappointed at how quickly the blades gave up... about 5 passes of ~25m of old decking. not helped by by pranging a couple of nails i missed and maybe a very fine spray of the kids sandpit sand I hadn't been diligent in brushing off.

I'm sure i got more miles from my old Bosch planer and it (wince) used to shave nails without leaving nicks in the blade.

So my question to the other GMC thicknesser owners is: have you found the blades a bit soft?

A quick return to bunnies to try some 'good brand' blades and return home to dissemble thicknesser did not improve my mood... unfortunately the ryobi's (i know still not a good brand) I bought home dont fit as the GMC blades are tiny - about half the size. Also the GMC blades are held by a pair of small (~2mm) pins, so this means they can't be repositioned after sharpening or realigned after nicking.

Has anyone located other brand blades to fit?

Any other tips welcome!

[bpj1968]

Erich.
I haven't had any problem realigning my blades. They are double sided and have no locating pins.
I think there are 2 small springs taht push the blade up as you are aligning, to stop it falling all the way in. there is a few mm left and right to allow offsetting of nicks. I have given mine a hard time, old painted timber etc. there have got a bit rough, but have run them over a stone and tidied them up without a problem. I don;t think it would be economical to have them professionally sharpended, as i imagine the replacements aren't taht dear.

Your planer was proabbly more likely to bounce a bit over the nails, whereas a thicknesser can't do that

[specialist]

I wonder, that at just $50 something a set, would it be worth sharpening? They are all double sided now .

Just my thoughts

Robert

[Caliban]

My gmc does a nice job(no tearout, almost mirror finish) but snipes like a bastard :(( and the blades are really soft, much softer than the nails I've been planing.:doh: As soon as I can afford another real (not benchtop)thicknesser I'm getting one. I now wish I'd bought the jet from Boban that I almost bought when I bought his 8" Jet jointer

[echnidna]

Jim,
I'm very happy with my GMC, no snipe.
So I suggest your GMC just needs adjusting properly.

Haven't noticed any unusual problems with the blades.
If you want higher quality steel blades get some from a saw service.
But there aren't any blades that like cutting nails and grit.

When I blunt the second side of my blades I'll grind them up, but I really should get a spare set.

[erich]

mmm... I wonder if we've all got the same model GMC 13" thicknesser... mine is badged (in fine print) a PT330.

it has a dust extractor manifold and there definitely two small pins in the blades which means no hope of anything moe than the finest sharpen.

then snipe is also getting worse... i'm thinking of laying a two metre board in as a foundation to keep the boards level
(on reflection it was a bit daft :doh: not to brush the sand of the boards but my experience is similar to Caliban's)

[flynnsart]

I am curious now, about your blades. Can you post a pic of them, also the infeed and outfeed tables where they join onto the thicknesser. There is usually an adjustment screw there that allows you to align your infeed/outfeed trays up properly to help prevent snipe.

Donna

[Caliban]

I took the original pressed metal in and outfeed trays off and put a 2metre long board topped with laminex through instead and elevated the ends like all those yank mags suggest. Didn't work. Reduced snipe when I lifted the infeed end by about an inch but then a 4 x 2 on edge wouldn't feed, so I reduced the lift to about10mm. Mine is 12 1/2 not 13" also does not have disposable blades, adjustable like any other even came with a little jig thingy to set them by. I don't know if they're reversable, I'll have to look.

[erich]

Donna, sorry for the pause... I'll post a photo next time I have the blades off... shouldn't be long now as the flip sides are now blunt after another small quanitity of old decking boards... no nails or sand this time so definitely unhappy about the blades

yes the tables do have adjusting screws... I play with them when/if I get the blades sorted out... I may give bunnings/and or gmc a call... unless they can assure me of harder blades I might try to angle for a ryobi...

seriously... 25 m of old (painted) decking shouldn't write off the blades should it?? I'm not expecting too much?

[echnidna]

paint stuffs all planer blades real fast.

so does dirt stuck on the timber

Sharpen your blades and they'll be right

[Vernonv]

I've got a 12.5 inch thicknesser - a CT340 (made by Geetech [Taiwan], but bought from tradetools in springwood many years ago).

I'm onto my second set of blades - this set was Ryobi brand for the similar looking Ryobi thicknesser.

I planned some painted timber with these new blades and they went blunt in no time - but only at one side i.e. the right side end. The other side was still sharp and I have used to plane many metres of hardwood decking without any significant impact on the blades.


... moral of the story - DON'T THICKNESS PAINTED TIMBER.

[flynnsart]

I would have to agree with that (dont thickness painted timber) because it really dulls blades quickly. I prefer to strip it off with an electric hand plane first. Cheaper to replace the blades on one of them than the thicknesser. Also good to use a hand planer first to take off any really high spots, which saves a lot of backwards and forwards on the thicknesser.

Donna

[erich]

oops... my bad then :doh:

unfortunately I dont like my chance of resharpening these little blades... I'll get a photo showing the set up when I take'm off:(

[jonty]

Hi, thought i might have read ryobi tct blades fit the gmc 330mm.. need to confirm whether they are the same size and if they even have tct blades tho. if anyone has any more info, i am in the same boat so it'd be really handy to know..

[ian harlow]

I took the original pressed metal in and outfeed trays off and put a 2metre long board topped with laminex through instead and elevated the ends like all those yank mags suggest. Didn't work. Reduced snipe when I lifted the infeed end by about an inch but then a 4 x 2 on edge wouldn't feed, so I reduced the lift to about10mm. Mine is 12 1/2 not 13" also does not have disposable blades, adjustable like any other even came with a little jig thingy to set them by. I don't know if they're reversable, I'll have to look.

Hi Jim, I too have a GMC 2000 w thicknesser and am resetting reversible blades. No holes in blades, so am wondering if you can elaborate on the little jig thingy mentioned, which helps locate blades in correct position whilst securing them? I would really appreciate a description, a picture or a part number. Can you help please?

[watson]

Umm.........you might have to wait a bit for an answer, as that thread ended in 2008.
This bloke in Bairnsdale had a lot of GMC stuff and he may be able to help.
eBay My World - cheaptoolsau (http://myworld.ebay.com.au/cheaptoolsau/&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2754)

[surfmat]

the ryobi is almost the same set up, the blade setting jig stops the blades springing out of the spindle while you do up the allen keys. you should be able to order teh part through bunnings but specify the model - Ryobi ap13 blade setter jig
hope it helps
Matt