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  1. #1
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    Default Considering downgrading to benchtop thicknesser

    I currently have a 10" combo planer/thicknesser. The majority of my work though is using the thicknesser, which involves a lot of leaning over to feed timber in/out plus adjust the table height. With a bad back, I'm considering maybe getting a decent benchtop thicknesser. Many years ago I used to have a Ryobi thicknesser but this soon seized (well after 2-3 years) on me. I'm looking at some of the ones with cutting inserts as opposed to the blades.

    What's the 13" Sherwood deluxe like anyone? vs. the carbatec one vs. the Hafco one?

    Any comments/ experience / thoughts would be much appreciated.

    By the way, I use it mainly for thicknessing dressed pine to make kids furniture (my days of planing second hand jarrah are long gone).

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  3. #2
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    I have the Hare and Forbes one with the spiral cutter and it seems to go alright

  4. #3
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    crowie is offline Life's Good, Enjoy each new day & try to encourage
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    G'Day John, Also have a look at the Dewalt DW735 - Top Machine!! Cheers, crowie

  5. #4
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    Jul 2014
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    I've got the Carbatec 13" spiral head. I got it over some of the other brands as it weighed a bit more. It holds settings well and timber comes out thicknessed within fractions of a mm. It does take a bit of finessing and feed technique to avoid snipe on the ends but that is something all lunchbox style planers will suffer from. From memory the key things to look for are a four post design with a good locking mechanism so the head doesn't slip at all - most of the ~$899 thickies will be pretty similar in this regard. The spiral head is good - a true helical would be better, but a true helical is also more expensive. I've had some tear out in spotted gum but it was timber that had knotty areas and lots of reversing grain. Otherwise, boards come out without any obvious milling marks and quite smooth, but will still require a smoothing plane or light sanding.

    The Sherwood model seems pretty good but there is no Timbecon store in Brisbane so I never had the chance to play with one when I was looking at buying. The carbide knives coming as standard would be a big plus. I don't know about the granite bed though - gimmick or really better? The Hafco I had a bit of a look at instore - it's called a helical head but it's not, it is spiral as well. I chose the Carbatec as the fit and finish was better and the Carbatec weighed a bit more. But the Hafco is cheaper.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
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    Thanks for all your comments. Much appreciated. I'm used to getting snipe on the ends and I've got a dust collector with a 4inch hose.
    What about feeding issues with the rubber rollers. Do they ever get worn?

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
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    I have the Carbatec spiral head thicknesser and i believe they are currently selling for $100 off rrp. I have no complaints and I'm very happy with the finish on the planned surface.

    Peter

  8. #7
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    I too have the Carbatec thicky, but swapped the HSS blades with TC ones before putting any timber through it. The finish is good, I can get tearout on crazy grained timbers but I always finish off with cabinet scrapers so I just allow for it. I purchased mine from SJE Tools, a full set only costs $99 + shipping compared to Carbatecs price $109 + shipping, for only 10 cutters

    The head is neither a helical nor a spiral head, it is more an interupted head. Each cutter still hits the timber square on, but only for about 19mm (each) rather than the 305mm you’d get from a normal planer knife. 4-6 cutters enter the timber at once but they are staggered along the length of the cutter bock.

    If you are having back problems then maybe a benchtop thicky isn’t suitable; the Carbatec unit weighs nearly 40kg. Will you be able to permanently mount it on a bench?
    Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
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    Kew, Vic
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    Hi Johnstda,

    I bought the Carbatec ‘spiral’ head benchtop thicknesser for our Men’s Shed. Changed the cutters over to TC from Steve at SJE Tools. Immeasurably better. The machine gets used about two full days per week and the guys put all sorts of horrible timber through it (unfortunately). After two and a half years it is still going strong despite the abuse.

    You will certainly need chip extraction - we use a dedicated Ryobi shop vac which works OK.

    Personally I’be planed a lot of walnut, maple, forest red gum and blackwood and it has been fine.

    Only modification we made is to put an auxiliary (longer) bed on the machine - just MDF with a laminate surface. That has reduced our snipe problems - reduced but not eliminated.

    Haven’t looked at the Timbecon one, but we do have their bandsaw, router table and lathe all of which work well.

    cheers,

    Brian

  10. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chief Tiff View Post
    I too have the Carbatec thicky, but swapped the HSS blades with TC ones before putting any timber through it. The finish is good, I can get tearout on crazy grained timbers but I always finish off with cabinet scrapers so I just allow for it. I purchased mine from SJE Tools, a full set only costs $99 + shipping compared to Carbatecs price $109 + shipping, for only 10 cutters

    The head is neither a helical nor a spiral head, it is more an interupted head. Each cutter still hits the timber square on, but only for about 19mm (each) rather than the 305mm you’d get from a normal planer knife. 4-6 cutters enter the timber at once but they are staggered along the length of the cutter bock.

    If you are having back problems then maybe a benchtop thicky isn’t suitable; the Carbatec unit weighs nearly 40kg. Will you be able to permanently mount it on a bench?
    I was thinking of making a small bench on lockable casters so it would only be the 1 lift. Then I can operate at a more comfortable height feeding the timber in and out instead of the low height of the bed in my planer/thicknesser.

    Sent from my SM-J530Y using Tapatalk

  11. #10
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    Oct 2014
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    Adelaide
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnstda View Post
    I was thinking of making a small bench on lockable casters so it would only be the 1 lift. Ive used formply in the past which holds my drill press on it with bolts through the base. Then I can operate at a more comfortable height feeding the timber in and out instead of the low height of the bed in my planer/thicknesser.

    Sent from my SM-J530Y using Tapatalk


    Sent from my SM-J530Y using Tapatalk

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Shepparton
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    Ive had the carbatec one for about four years with lots of work ,definitely recommend Steve for change over cutters and the rubber rollers are fine just keep the bed lubed to avoid friction from bed.

  13. #12
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    Adelaide
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    Thanks for all your comments. Experience with these machines is worth ten times more than a sales blurb.

  14. #13
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    Feb 2007
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    blue mountains
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    I had a look at a few of those so called spiral thicknessers a few years back and the truth is they just have a lot of small blades rather than 2 or 3 long blades. A true spiral head has the cutters at an angle to give a cut a bit like a skewed plane blade. That said they will be a lot more expensive. In the end I went for the Dewalt 735 after Crowie talked me into it. Still about the 1K mark but has features like 2 speed feed and a chip blower built in. It can be retro fitted with a true spiral head later but is about another 1K. I find the performance with the 3 normal blades just fine.
    As for a stand to put it on I have a ply board with locking castors and on that a $20 folding work stand from Bunnies. Those things make much better machine stands than work benches.
    Regards
    John

  15. #14
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    back in Alberta for a while
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnstda View Post
    I was thinking of making a small bench on lockable casters so it would only be the 1 lift. Then I can operate at a more comfortable height feeding the timber in and out instead of the low height of the bed in my planer/thicknesser.
    in that case why not build a stand for your current combo machine?
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Strathalbyn South Australia
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    1,141

    Default Considering downgrading to benchtop thicknesser

    David, out of curiosity what is the combo unit that you have now? If you do sell it, what do you want for it? I’m in Strathalbyn by the way.....

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