Thread: planner jointer combo?

weisyboy - checkout the current thread

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f154/value-combo-thicknesser-jointer-94486

Seems there are quite a few of us looking ! The more research I do the more convinced I am becoming that ALL of the cheaper combos have some issues (Carbatec, Scheppach, Woodfast). Worse still, even spending more $$$ on a JET JPT-260 or bigger JPT-310 might not guarantee satisfactory performance.....

hmm i would really need a 12" thicknesser and i cant aford $3000 + so i may have to go with just a jointer.:

I have the same problem and have looked at all of the current offerngs and it comes down to price - you only get what you pay for (and unfortunately sometimes dont).

My conclusion is the Hammer A3 31 which at $5k+ is out of most peoples price range. It certainly is great machine and I would never have to buy another stick of timber from bunnings again!

The suggestion to trade SWMBO's car for it did introduce some domestic tension.

jeff.........

Weisy, I dont think, for the money, you can go past the Jet 310. I have had one for two and a half years now and use it constantly. I have had no problem whatsoever and the ease of use is a major feature. Changeover from one to the other is about 30 secs at the most, it is easy to set up and keep in tune.
Go and lean on Alan GregoryCheers
John M

Looks like the JET 310 is the last stop (pricewise) on the way to the Hammer A3/31 !!

Several people agree that it is easy to set up and adjust, and it has enough grunt to do the job. Added benefit for me is availability in 3-phase, which would save me having to re-wire to get 15A single-phase sockets.

The only area of concern seems to be the fence - several people have had problems with the fence not being flat/straight, and some of the US reviews have commented that the fence is the only real weak point of the machine.

In reality, the smaller and cheaper JET 260 machine would do for me, but hardly anyone seems to have one, and someone posted elsewhere about problems getting the table co-planar. I had thought it would be just a scaled down 310, but that doesn't seem to be the case. At least with the 310 there is a large installed base, both here and overseas.

I remember when the 310 used to cost A$3K or so.....cheapest I can find now is nearer to A$3500 with GST included !! Any suggestions of cheapest/most negotiable JET supplier for a Sydney pick-up?

Mr Brush

As the person who wrote about the problems with getting the tables of the Jet 260 machine co-planar, I should make it clear that it was most likely a problem with the particular machine, rather than a generic fault with the model. I had no difficulty in getting Jet to take the machine back, and when I decided to upgrade to the 310 (paying the difference in price, of course) they sent it free delivery with one of their technical people to set it up for me.

As far as I can see, the 260 is a scaled down version of the 310, but lacking one or two features, such as the ability to alter the height of the outfeed table. Certainly, I was able to use the downloaded version of the US manual for the 310 (called the JJP-12 over there) in my attempts to get the 260 aligned, without noticing any other significant differences between the two models.

Ron

Thanks Ron - I haven't been able to find anyone else who has any experience of the JPT-260, so you may be the only person who has seen one in the wild. I can't find any JET dealers who have one in stock, and none seem interested in getting one in unless I order and pay for it. The JET dealer I spoke to had no idea at all about the 260, and I deduce that they have never set eyes on one !

Even a copy of the manual might answer the question about table adjustment, and any other differences between the 260 and 310. While I can probably get an electronic copy of the manual for the 310 (since it is sold as the JJP-12 in the US), no such luck with a manual for the 260. The 260 doesn't seem to be sold in the US as far as I can tell (JJP-10???).

Just like you, I'm sure the 260 would probably meet my needs (and at a considerable saving over the 310), but it seems there is no information to be had about it. I'm not keen on becoming customer No. 000002 for this machine !! I'm a long way out of Sydney, so re-packing and hauling back a big machine like this would be a major hassle if it cannot be set up correctly.

There is a SCM S50 thicknesser on E-bay at the moment. Don't have the address but search thicknesser and you should find it. A large jointer as well. Both at Bulimba I think. Be fast or be last. No connection by the way.

I was talking to Col Peachey from Jet at the Brisbane WWW show yesterday, and asked him about the 260 model. He said that they had sold quite a number of these machines. If you are still interested, Mr Brush, it might be worth giving him a ring at <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = SKYPE /><SKYPE:SPAN id=softomate_highlight_1 class=skype_tb_injection title="Call this phone number in Australia with Skype: +61733753288" type=".flex" mode=".compat" skypeid="1" skypeaction="call" nof="" isfax="" fwidth=".w16" path="file://C:/Users/Ron/AppData/Local/Temp/Low/__SkypeIEToolbar_Cache/e70d95847a8f5723cfca6b3fd9946506/static/" durex2="64" durex="573" context="07 3375 3288"><SKYPE:SPAN style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(file://C:/Users/Ron/AppData/Local/Temp/Low/__SkypeIEToolbar_Cache/e70d95847a8f5723cfca6b3fd9946506/static/inactive_s.flex.compat.gif)" id=skype_tb_img_s1 class=skype_tb_imgS></SKYPE:SPAN><SKYPE:SPAN style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(file://C:/Users/Ron/AppData/Local/Temp/Low/__SkypeIEToolbar_Cache/e70d95847a8f5723cfca6b3fd9946506/static/inactive_m.compat.gif)" id=skype_tb_text1 class=skype_tb_injectionIn><SKYPE:SPAN id=skype_tb_innerText1 class=skype_tb_innerText> 07 3375 3288 </SKYPE:SPAN></SKYPE:SPAN><SKYPE:SPAN style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(file://C:/Users/Ron/AppData/Local/Temp/Low/__SkypeIEToolbar_Cache/e70d95847a8f5723cfca6b3fd9946506/static/inactive_r.compat.gif)" id=skype_tb_img_r1 class=skype_tb_imgR></SKYPE:SPAN></SKYPE:SPAN> (preferably later in the week, when he has recovered from the show). Privacy laws might prevent him from giving him the contact details of people who have purchased the 260 so you could talk to them about their experiences, but he might be able to give you more information than you have been able to get from the people in Sydney. I have found him a very agreeable person to deal with.

Ron

Ron - thanks for the heads up. I'm planning to go to the Sydney WWW show in a few weeks time to (hopefully) check out all my jointer/planer options in one hit. I would expect that JET will have the same presence/staff there as they had at the Brisbane show, so hopefully I can have a chat with Col while I'm there.

Were there any decent discounts on jointer/planers to be had at the Brisbane show, or has the GFC stuffed any chances of us buying slightly cheaper gear?

As you can appreciate, I wasn't on the lookout for prices for jointers/planers at the show, but I did bring home a Jet price list, which shows that the show price for the 310 in either 240 or 415 volt versions was $3,200 which supposedly is a $190 saving. The saving on the show price for the 260 was only $35.

Ron

A 310 at $3200 sounds pretty good......

If someone from JET who knows about the machines can demonstrate to me that the 260 has adequate adjustments to ensure tables can be properly aligned, then the smaller machine will do for me - its still almost $1000 cheaper. I note that the 260 and 310 have the same length tables for thicknessing (so should have equal snipe performance), and I can live with the shorter jointing table.

If not, then a 310 at the show price is the next option, preferably in 3PH.

Thanks for all your help with this Ron - much appreciated. Not too many sleeps until the Sydney WWW show....

Originally Posted by ronbrunton

As you can appreciate, I wasn't on the lookout for prices for jointers/planers at the show, but I did bring home a Jet price list, which shows that the show price for the 310 in either 240 or 415 volt versions was $3,200 which supposedly is a $190 saving. The saving on the show price for the 260 was only $35.

Ron

Ron,

Like Mr Brush, I'm looking for some Jet gear at the Sydney show. Does your price list have table-saw pricing on it? What was the price for the 260 combo machine?

regards,

ajw

Whilst looking online at planer thichnessers at the local Jet shop I noticed the Elektra Beckum HC300. Its a bit smaller then the Jet 310 (definitely lighter) but at about $2300 it could be an option. No idea on quality etc though.
Ross