Thread: Minimax C26 Genius

MiniMax make nice machinery. I looked at this machine and strongly considered it. In the end I didn't buy a combo machine but for me I thought I would have outgrown it fairly quickly but the C26 is a lot of machine for the money.

By the way, there is no option for a scribing saw blade but you can get by without it with a sharp blade of the appropriate geometry. I bought an Infinity Tools Ultra-Smooth blade and cut some melamine with it recently. Absolutely no chip out on either side of the cut on my table saw and I didn't have a zero clearance insert on the saw either.

Thanks for that Mark.
When you say the C26 is alot of machine for its money and Mini Mx make nice stuff, what is the quality and user friendlyness like and what do you mean when you say you would have quickly out grown it as i don't want to be in the same situatoin if i buy it. I also want it to last as i don't want to have to ever buy another one. Also how does it compare to other leading brands such as carba-tec? I wouldlike to just go out and buy some carba-tec stuff but it is out of my price range. I also know that the quality of things made in Italy can be either good or bad. I feel a bit lost because i'm a fitter/machinest by trade so am not that well informed on wood working machinery and people in dealerships seem to only tell you what they want to make a sale. I feel a bit lost. Please help.
L.J.B.

LJB,

I've had a Minimax CU 300 Smart for around 5 years and am fairly happy with it. The CU 300 is pretty much a bigger machine than what you are looking at, but it comes with a pretty good reputation.

As for comparing Carbatec with Minimax....

What can I say? Carbatetc, IMHO, retail to amateur woodies, possibly with a few exceptions. Minimax are a step up, catering for high end amateurs and, with their larger machines, for the pros.

For example, their CU400 combo machine or the new equivalent sells for probably $20K. I don't see anything in the Carbatec catalgue anywhere near that price.

Don't get me wrong, Carbatec have had a lot of business from me, including a VicMarc lathe that cost me around $5K. I suggest you visit your local Gabbett Machinery and Carbatec outlets and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Jeff

I kind of misquoted my own thoughts. I should have said that I thought I would have outgrown the C26 and as a consequence I was considering a CU300. There is a big price difference between these machines.

In the end budget versus needs meant that I ended buying a Powermatic PM2000 tablesaw. I already had a combination surface planer/thicknesser. I don't own a spindle moulder though.

If you are just starting out, the C26 is really good value in my opinion. I don't think you will regret the decision.

Thanks very much for that guys, you have both been a great help. I may be going to a wood working show in melbourne in a few weeks and it would be good to see some of these machines in the flesh and maby have a bit of a play. I might try to go to some dealers while i am down there as i don't think Gabbet are going to be there but i think Hare and Forbes will be. Is it correct that Gabbet are more expensive but they will comission the machine for you? I have heard this somewhere, it might have even been on this forum. I also found a thread where someone in the U.S.A. had awful trouble with his machine with the cooling fan coming loose because they are inadequately secured and that none of the 3 motors are thermaly protected?? Once again thanks guys, i'll be sure to let you know how get along and will come back here if i have anymore questions as you obviously know what you are talking about.

Hi all.
my first post. Own a C26 and can say it's a great sturdy piece of engineering.
For the price paid the work done is very precisely cut or moulded.
The only hitches are the fact that one cannot cut a full 8x4 board.

Have a question. Own a power feeder and still trying to find a sturdy way to make use of this feeder without attaching it to the C26 as this would defeat he very purpose of a Combination machine.

Any ideas pls?

This is a little hard to describe but bear with me.

This is something I saw in a photo. It may have been in the MiniMax Yahoo group when I was considering buying a combo.

Anyway, one of the guys built a cart to mount the power feeder on. When he was using the spindle moulder, the cart was run up against the back of the machine (i.e. to the left of the spindle when you are looking at the face of the fence). If I recall correctly there was some mechanism to temporarily clip or bolt the cart to the machine. I'm not sure that is needed given that the feeder is pulling from right to left (most of the time) but then I've never owned or used a feeder or a spindle moulder. Maybe there was additional weight in the base of the cart? I can't remember.

He also used the feeder with the jointer by bolting the cart where the slot mortiser bolt points.

Many thanks for the idea markharrison.
Thought of fixing it to a wall close to the machine on rigid 2 inch pipes and a base(sort of a right angled triangle) and swivling it when in use while securing it with an inserted bolt.

If i finish it will place some pics.