Ml - 392

**Redback** · 21st January 2005, 01:14 PM

Hi All,
Have been researching these forums and there is a lot of information to sift through and much of it conflicting.

I have decided that although I would like a seperate jointer and thicknesser, but given my workshop is the 3rd car bay in a triple garage, I really won't have the room.

Indications seem that the Sherwood ML-392 looks like good value for money. However, before I go any further can I get some feedback on this unit?

I am a hobby woodworker (just starting out) but I have have just built a new home and want to make a lot of our furniture including a dining table. Relatives of the wife own a saw mill and they have put aside some timber for us.

10" seems to be qood dimension that should be handle most jobs? ie Im assuming I will be able to joint and thickness boards up to 250 mm wide?

Is the 1 1/2 horsepower motor good enough?

Second question and this is probably a stupid one, are these units movable? do they come with retractable wheels or is there a way to make them temporarily mobile .

Do these units plug into a normal powerpoint?. I have heard three phase mentioned before, I know we had to have 3 phase in our house for the air - conditioning unit, but I don't really know what this means.

Any advice, hints tips appreciated.

btw, I current have a triton workcentre, saw, router and router table and planer attachment (planer attachment doesnt impress me...)

thanks

Redback

**Gumby** · 21st January 2005, 01:32 PM

Hi Redback (don't bite me please :eek: )

I'm very happy with mine. I bought some twisted jarrah the other day and ran it through with ease. It's now nice and square. I don't know how you can get by without something like this. It will do jointing and thicknessing up to 10mm. If you take shallow cuts, then the power is ample. I don't think many of them do the 3mm max depth that they are supposed to do anyway. The shallow 1mm cuts create a better finish and make the dust extraction easier. You will need to get a good dust extractor (min 1HP) as well. The Triton or shop vac ones just don't have the capacity and you need to make sure all the shavings are sucked away so they don't clog up the work or get pressed into the timber as it comes out of the thicknesser.

To answer your questions, it plugs straight into the normal power point but is too heavy to move around. That's another advantage of it though, it's very solid and stable. It weighs 190kg. You can get a mobile base fir them and I think you'll find info on that in the search results. I gave up that idea though and just use it in the one spot.

I got mine from Carbatec for $895 around Sept last year but I haven't seen one there for quite a while

I can email you a copy of the instruction manual if you want. It might have some info you want.

**Redback** · 21st January 2005, 01:47 PM

Thanks for the info.

How do you find the infeed outfeed table length?. I hav read on other posts that some members prefer very long tables.

I'm assumming you find that it is adequate for the job?.

cheers

Rb

**Gumby** · 21st January 2005, 02:28 PM

I think you'll find it adequate. I'd love a longer table but shop space, cost and justifying the extra expense all have to come into it. I just reckon that for the money, it's the best one going around. I've run some long 250mm wide oregon beams (about 3.5m long) through it and it was no hassle. I used my Triton multi stand on the out feed end. That's where you really need good dust extraction, when you are planing boards at full width. That creates a heck of a lot of sawdust (but it's bloody good fun

)

I saw a machine at Carbatec the other day with was around the $900+ mark and it's a combo but doesn't have the same width capacity. It is on legs and would be easier to move around but then you loose that stability the extra weight gives you. I have yet to see a better unit reported in here for under a grand.

**BobR** · 21st January 2005, 05:12 PM

Had some early teething problems with mine. But when it is set up correctly it does a great job. If you have not looked already, check the thread with Title "Problems with Carbatec ML-392 Setup". Towards the end of this I have some photos of mine on a wheel base. One of the chains came apart on Wednesday at the join, The split pin (?) that holds the joiner link in place went walkabout. Carbatec have the fixed chain ready to pick up today. Despite my early problems, I still consider it value for money. Just remember, this is a step up in woodworking machinery and therefore you need to be prepared to carry out maintenance and ensure it is set up correctly and blades remain sharp. Good luck.

Bob

**Redback** · 21st January 2005, 06:57 PM

hmm,

the more reading I do the more unsure I am.

I just saw a post where someone was saying that a ledacraft ml-392 is superior due to a correction of a design flaw.

Is this true ? do you have a Ledacraft version.

Sounds like a lot of people have problems with the manual, did someone ever find a usable version. If you have a good one I wouldnt mine seeing it. Gumby, I have sent you an e-mail about this.

**BobR** · 21st January 2005, 07:44 PM

Go to www.axminster.co.uk and download the manual for to AW106PT Planer thicknesser. It is the same unit.

Bob

**AlexS** · 21st January 2005, 09:17 PM

I'll go along with the other posts. Mine came off the shop floor & was correctly set up, and has had some hard work but done a fine job. It is a compromise but the table lengths have been ok so far for timber up to 2.5m.
The motor power is fine provided you don't try to take too much off something very hard - haven't slowed it down yet. I'm about to get another set of blades & get these ones sharpened.

**Gumby** · 21st January 2005, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Redback

hmm,

Gumby, I have sent you an e-mail about this.

manual has been sent, let me know if you don't get it (it's about 2MB)

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