Jointer, thicknesser or combo?

**Wild Dingo** · 4th November 2004, 04:13 AM

Ive been wondering as I ponder my Tuart predicument {discussed elsewhere on the forum} which would I be best to buy an 8in Jointer or a 15in thicknesser? or a combo machine?

I know a jointer makes perfect 90^ corners but does it plane down the plank? can one plane both wide sides of a board and edges with a Jointer?

Is one better of giving the jointer a miss and just getting a thicknesser? will a thicknesser give a 90^ edge to a board?

Or is one better of getting a combo machine with its mucking about changing from one to the other process?

Some insight would be helpfull as I prepare to go check out prices and machines in the next few days

Thanks!

**bsrlee** · 4th November 2004, 05:01 AM

There has been heap of discussion about this - try searching the archives for this.

The nitty-gritty is that a jointer gives you -2- flat surfaces at 90 degrees. The thicknesser than takes those 2 flat surfaces and cuts the opposite side flat & parrallel. The thicknesser won't remove out-of-square defects - it just copies them.

What to buy? Here brave men fear to tread. HAve you got plenty of space? plenty of $$$? All I'll say is - go thru' the archives & have a long think - you'll have to live with YOUR decision

**mat** · 4th November 2004, 08:50 AM

When making this decision one very important factor to consider is the state of the timber you start with. If you need to flatten cupped or bowed timber then you really need a jointer. If you need to joint a lot of timber on a regular basis you need a jointer.

If you want to dress rough sawn timber that is flat then a thicknesser may get you by. You can use a router to joint one edge and a tablesaw or router to flatten the opposite narrow edge.

You can also use a jointer plane to do the narrow edges.

Both machines are the ideal but space and money are issues. Buying a combination machine that will only thickness narrow boards is a real compromise in my book.

I guess it is obvious what I do - I have a 13 inch thicknesser and no jointer.

**TassieKiwi** · 4th November 2004, 02:43 PM

THere is LOTS of discussion on this - search away. If it helps, I managed to true up the timber for my new workbench using only a power plane to take out the twist/cup/bow, finishing the sides bigger than 150mm with a hand plane - I do have a 6" jointer.

I would not like to do this every weekend however, so I bought the new dewalt 735 thicknesser. If you have the room I personally would get both, as there is no compromise. Others swear on the combo's.

Lots to think about. Have fun.

Den

**Corcorbear** · 5th November 2004, 10:41 AM

as having just been through the exercise myself - go the jointer first - then get a thicknesser later, the combo machines are good to save space but you gin around setting them up and they cost about $1000 for a decent one anyway.

You can get a jointer for $600 (carbatec or others) and a thicknesser for $500 - not too much more.

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