Thread: 15" thicky's

a slightly left field question, but if you already have a 12.5 in what is the attraction of a 15in machine?

why not saveup a few more pennies and go for a 20 in machine?

5in wider would seem far more useful and a real step up from 12½ in

I went from a 13" bench top to a 15" Carba-tec 381 with standard cutters. This only took a 15 amp circuit. The negative is the increased noise. Your neighbours will hear it operating very easily and you will need a good set of ear muffs. The other problem I experienced with the larger machine is that the feed roller is serrated and leaves marks on the timber if you take less than .5 mm off. The rubber rollers on the smaller machine don't mark the timber even if no timber is removed. I still use the small machine to finish off thicknessing my Paulownia down to 2 mm when customers ask for it.

Whitewood

I've got the 381. It's strong as an ox, was perfect out of its box. the best thing you can do to it is get it with a shelix head. I prefer it over the Jet as it is all cast iron opposed to the rollers on the Jet and Hare & Forbes clone.

Mine is now about 5 years old or more and never missed a beat. The other thing I would do is add a Wixey planer gauge to it. Wixey Remote Planer Readout

The Powermatic would be the premium of the 3, but I'd easily settle on the 381.

Look at the price of the 381 without the shelix head and bring the Byrd in directly from the US. I costed it a while back and it's the cheaper option and retro fit it. http://www.grizzly.com/products/15-S...tterhead/H7768

Originally Posted by whitewood

The negative is the increased noise.

Another member, showed me a trick. Take off the top cover and remove the orange plastic thing - it doesn't do anything and greatly reduces the noise.

I have a JET, started using it straight out of the box, never checked its accuracy coz there's no need to question its quality.

Thanks for taking the time to answer folks.
Hmmm, a 20" thicky sounds good, I shall definately look into that.
Probably the best option is to go in and demo them all.
Cheers

Glenn

Originally Posted by Waldo

Another member, showed me a trick. Take off the top cover and remove the orange plastic thing - it doesn't do anything and greatly reduces the noise.

Is that the panel that goes across the width of the machine in front of the blades which appeared to help the flow of shavings into the dust collector chute.

Whitewood

Yep, that's the one.

...cheers for the tip Waldo, I'll remember that if Carba tec gets my vote.
I still like that gold colour!!!

Hi Wolften,
Our woodworkers club purchased a 20" Carba Tec thicknesser several years ago.
Changed the cutter head to a Helix (I think that's the brand) cutter head recently
and the reduction in noise is amazing.
It was fairly expensive but is truly worth it.
It has 100 four sided blades on it so lasts well. Bit of a hassle to get the blades right
when turning them.
Regards Keith.

...cheers for the nfo Keith.
Still undecided but leaning towards the gold