Thread: Icon Planer/Thicknesser

The gentleman from miter 10 has rung me back. Hope fully I've got this straight.

They have 79 in the archerfield wharehouse at $299 each. M10 at indro will be getting one or two in to stock. Apparently a new icon catalogue has come out and he suggests that maybe the current model thicknesser MAY be getting replaced with a new model and thus they are running them out below cost. This is pure speculation. He said if that is the case or something similar they may go on sale in the next few weeks further north.

All in all a remarkably helpful and knowledgable chap. Wish they were all like that. Be aware much above was conjecture.

So we'll see what happens.

Half of me wishes this will happen up here, and half of me hopes it won't. After having just scored a Triton router I didn't really need yet because the price was so good I may never be forgiven for getting a thicknesser. But I think I would need to anyway.

Peter

yeah thats the same comment I got from the manager of mitre 10 at mayfield in Newcastle. Rang Icon and everything. Wonder why they were told this ?

Originally Posted by ronbrunton

My local Mitre 10 store in Buderim rang Icon, and was told that they did not make a thicknesser (explained by Graeme's most recent post), and that they did not know anything about it.

mmm... Icon do not know about their own planer/thicknesser model # ICPLTH. Their response is ludicrous.

Hope this is not yet another case of the clowns running the circus.

Graeme

Maybe they hired some managers from GMC

Have a look in the triton section regarding the problems myself and others have had with spares. Utterly hopeless.

Thanks Damian

I had not even considered the question of availability of spare parts. On reflection, having paid only $109 (Mitre 10 would not give me my usual old pharts discount!), I don't suppose one could expect a lot of spare parts support beyond the warranty period.

Am I correct, that GMC now owns both Triton and Icon? Anyone know for sure?

By the way, Damian, I note that in November you were considering changing from a Triton 2000 to an Incra based system. Have you done that yet, or still contemplating?

Cheers

Graeme

Not contemplating, I've bought an incra ls25 super, and I won an origional incra positioner on ebay the other week $53 delivered But it's on my to do list. Right now I'm trying to get my trailer finished so I can get a plate on it. I expect part of my holidays stating today (hurrah) to be spent on this.

I have a long to do list. I'm sure many of you can relate...

With regards spares I wouldn't expect much support form GMC, what aggravated me is that I turned up at Bunnings and sat with the girl while she called. I had all the part numbers for my triton stuff yet the GMC person couldn't identify the parts by name or number. The special orders girls at bunnings physically cringe when you mention gmc. For $20 tools ok, but triton is supposed to be mid tier and I expect to be able to get basic spares on near new items. The triton specific staff are tremendous, but getting through to them isn't always easy.

I've just spoken with Mitre 10 in Casino, they have the Icon thicknesser (2000 w very similar to GMC PT) on display a "special" at $249. Normal price $299. Not quite as cheap as Tassie's but still pretty good other things taken for granted. I'm getting mine tomorrow.

I'm still happy with mine, Quakka.

Its done a fair amount of work - mainly on Tas oak and celery top pine (quite a heavy and hard wood for a pine) - and the blades are still sharp. Was worried that they would be low quality steel.

When you are collecting yours you might like to ask about the availability and cost of replacement blades.

Hope its not like computer printers where you pay $50 for the printer and $100 for replacement cartridges!

I now have a real big bag of shavings.

Cheers

Graeme

Hi Graeme, picked it up today, haven't switched it on yet. I've got about 150 10 foot 4 by 1's (4 x 1 still means more to me than 100 x 25) mountain gum. I thought it was grey gum when I cut it but local knowledge says it's mountain gum. nice pink colour when it was milled and has dried to a more orangey colour over the last few days. Won't be putting it through the machine for a while but it should look good when it's done. If the $249 copes with the lot without further expense I think I've got a bargain.
fingers crossed

Dear Quakka,

Originally Posted by Quakka

I've got about 150 10 foot 4 by 1's (4 x 1 still means more to me than 100 x 25) mountain gum. Won't be putting it through the machine for a while but it should look good when it's done.

When you do start putting it through, is there any chance of taking a photo of the first piece after you thickness it, and another of the last, just so we can have a look at how the blades hold up over the course of the whole exercise. Might make an interesting thread...

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

Originally Posted by Batpig

Dear Quakka,

When you do start putting it through, is there any chance of taking a photo of the first piece after you thickness it, and another of the last, just so we can have a look at how the blades hold up over the course of the whole exercise. Might make an interesting thread...

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

I'll take a photo today Batpig, when I use it for the first time. It will be a couple of months before I run the main batch. I don't think newly felled and Lucas milled mountain gum would do anything good to the Thicknesser. I'm probably not the best tester of woodworking machinery but if it survives my attention it will survive anybody. I'm planning to build an outside sauna, basically a 2 metre cube with a firebox in the base.

quakka

Hi Graeme, Hope you get this okay as I'm a first time user. You may have already purchased blades but just in case. I also purchased a Icon Thicknesser from K & D. I put it to plenty of use,changed the blades around then decided to get them sharpened. That turned out to be a bad move because the timber started to jam. After a great deal of searching I found out the Triton Thicknesser has the same blades.I ordered a set and they arrived yesterday and were a perfect fit. Woodford Tooling -woodworking machine tools supplier.

Ken Welch

Thanks, Ken

Just had a look at the pictures of the Triton planer and it looks remarkably like the Icon! My Icon thicknesser had a GMC label on the bottom of the box, and GMC took over Triton and ... it all makes sense, now.

My original posting was way back in 2008, and Damien mentioned possible issues with parts - that spooked me, especially as K&D staff were less than helpful. "No, you do not sharpen then but simply install new blades. Real quick. No, we do not stock blades....."

I went down to Don Macs who had generic blades - HSS, not tungsten - surprisingly cheap so I bought a supply that I am still using.

My Icon is still working well. The only problem that I have had is that the height adjuster stopped working - finally traced to an internal grub screw that was loose. Easy fix.


Fair Winds

Graeme