Thread: What thicknesser to buy

Hi, i thought it has it on their web site about a tech drawing. I have rung them a couple of times in the past. One for the cutter block for my 8" Buzzer and then a few months later for a 20" cutter head for my thicknesser. i found them very helpfull.
hey actually directed me the Grizzly for the best price on the heads i needed. They are really great mod to do to your machine.

Hi all, just reading through the subject here and finding it very interesting as I am in the same position of looking for a new thicknesser. I am looking at the new carbatec CT-330X spiral head unit ($699) and was wondering if anyone out there has got/used one yet. I am a little concerned about the noise from a standard straight bladed thicknesser as I have a neighbor who is less than enthusiastic about working with wood. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thankyou

Originally Posted by Bagmann

Hi all, just reading through the subject here and finding it very interesting as I am in the same position of looking for a new thicknesser. I am looking at the new carbatec CT-330X spiral head unit ($699) and was wondering if anyone out there has got/used one yet. I am a little concerned about the noise from a standard straight bladed thicknesser as I have a neighbor who is less than enthusiastic about working with wood. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thankyou

I'm also waiting on this one as it comes down to a choice between this and a Dewalt 734. It will depend on how solid the construction of the Carbatec unit stacks up in the flesh.....

When I was down at the Sydney store the salesman said there was a delay due to the machine that makes them breaking down and they were expecting the first shipments 'sometime' in August.

We still don't even have any firm technical specs yet (power, dimensions, weight, etc.) but I'm hoping they may have something (possibly even a display uint *hopes*) at the Sydney Working with Wood show at the end of the month.....

*Fingers crossed*

I spoke to the guys in the Adelaide carbatec store last week and was told they had a demo unit in store to look out and their stock 'should' turn up late this week, but it would be nice to get some idea of what they are like before handing over the hard earned.

Hi guys, i have the carbatec 8" buzzer with a Byrd shelix cutter head and i have the carbatec 20" fitted with a Byrd cutter head. both heads i imported from Grizzly woodwork machines the compnay knows the carbatec range.
I really can't think of one bad aspect of the Shelix cutter heads to be honest quieter very clean cuts and awesome if you have tricky grain you are dealing with.
Maybe the price is a little aweful..i can't remember the 8" roughly $650 Delivered from the US. The 20" I bought maybe 2 months ago and it was $1150 i think delivered. $1150 is a lot of re-sharpening for the existing HSS blades that come with the machine but the noise reduction and no probs at all with tear out sold it to me after using the buzzer for a little over a yr. I doubt few would ever consider HHS router bits so i suppose TCC inserts for buzzers and thicknesser will become the norm in time.
Carbatec has a spiral head cutter but it is different to the Byrd. Is it better or worse i have no idea. But

I have been thinking a lot about those Helix cutters.
I can't work out how you, among all that many pieces, can know which one needs replacing.
Do they just chip out?
Cheers
Wolffie

Originally Posted by Wolffie

I have been thinking a lot about those Helix cutters.
I can't work out how you, among all that many pieces, can know which one needs replacing.
Do they just chip out?
Cheers
Wolffie

You bung a test bit of timber through against one edge & the measure in to the line left by the chipped blade..
When you open your machine up you measure in to find the damaged one, it should be obvious by then.
Next, loosen the screw on it, rotate it 90°, tighten the screw & bung the lid back one, fixed.

Originally Posted by Bagmann

I spoke to the guys in the Adelaide carbatec store last week and was told they had a demo unit in store to look out and their stock 'should' turn up late this week, but it would be nice to get some idea of what they are like before handing over the hard earned.

Was in there yesterday, checked it out and handed over the hard earned !

Had about a 10 minute play with it last night....straight out of the box whacked a piece of spotted gum through it and it came out WAY nicer than what my ML 392 has been doing to my timber. Noise? Well the motor alone is much noisier than the induction motor on the 392 but when cutting the machine is overall much quieter. Cutters are only 2 sided, not 4 so that is something to consider comparing to other spiral cutter heads. Only 1 speed infeed, 26ft per minute.

Anyway that was my 10 minute play in a nutshell and on the weekend I will build a stand etc, "tune it up" and give it a hard time....hope I'm still as happy as my first impressions left me.

Redgy

I also went to Carbatec yesterday and bought the 330X.

After reading of Superbunnie's purchase I was considering a Dewalt from The Brisbane service centre but after 5 unanswered phone calls I gave up and went to carbatec.

For the price I am happy with the machine. It is easy to use, cuts nicely and isn't too noisy.

But, after 10 mins of use it began to leak oil which the cutter head then spread across a lovely piece of figured hoop pine.

A phone call and visit today is in order.

I will let you know what the outcome is.

Sorry to hear that Craig....

Let us know how you go and if possible where the oil is leaking from.

Are you able to post any pictures?

Dropped into Carbatec today with the thicknesser in tow and explained my problem.

The staff were more than helpful and I walked out with a replacement unit.

It appears to me that maybe a seal in the gearbox may have failed although I am guessing. I didn't take any photos I'm sorry although you probably wouldn't have seen anything anyway, apart from a bit of gear oil.

I understand that things like this happen and with the attention I received from Carbatec it was really no big deal. It is worth mentioning that mine was the first to have a problem and they have sold quite a few since their release.

So probably not indicative of the quality of the machine, just one of those things that happen from time to time.

I bought my CT330-x on Monday, but haven't had a chance to plug it in yet. Fingers crossed

My De Walt is still going nicely and would not change it in a hurry. The three blades do make a difference and I have been putting some nice thick and long Qld Maple through it lately, what a nice finish it still produces.

I have had a little snipe but a quick adjustment to the out support solved that, only had to adjust 1/2 mm. It seems as a longer and heavey boad goes through, the weight gets transferred to the out support and if you don't give it some extra support or make an adjustment then you get some snipe as the weight forces the board up into the cutters as it leave the thicknesser.

SB

Hopefuuly you're right Craig and it's just one of those things. CT in Adelaide also said they had sold a lot of them since released so if there is a general problem it will soon become apparent over the coming weeks as new owners put some time on them.