Thicknesser meeting Festool Forum User Standards?

[nt900]

For me, I use the thicknesser a lot, and the planer very rarely. I often use the table saw as my jointer to get square stock.

I have a heavy cast iron stationary thicknesser 15" which is great for recycled timber, but would love the addition of a more refined bench top machine for the final finish.

Not that the stationary machine cannot produce a very nice finish when the blades are in good order, its a matter of one machine could take the rough stuff and the other could be kept with nice sharp blades for smaller stock and final pass. The stationary machine tends to get the occasional chip in the blade when I hit a small bit of nail or something. I use a metal detector, but still miss some pieces. And the recycled timber can start quite dirty which dulls the blades.

I expect to spend as much on the bench top machine as I spend on the stationary machine.

[Ratbag]

Warmtone, thank you for the kind comments. I hope I've convinced you to buy an "under and over" if nothing else. As others have mentioned, you can't adequately straighten warped/twisted/bowed/cupped timber any other way than planing the face and edge at right angles to each others to use as datum faces for further dressing.

As to the "where" of what to buy: E-bay isn't really an appropriate place to buy 2'nd hand machinery, as while there's an implied guarantee an item meets a description, you've no way of knowing until it's too late how well it performs its function.

Deceased estate auctions are great sources of semi-commercial top quality well looked after machinery. Your local Trading Post is another place to look. You can always insist on "try before you buy" in these circumstances. What about your local tool retailer? If you've developed a good relationship with him, then he may be able to get you a good quality trade-in with all the usual assurances demanded by State Legislation. Alternatively he could provide leads to previous customers making enquiries with him re updating their own machinery.

As for the DeWalt on E-bay: I had an earlier example many years ago that had a detachable leg stand that would fit into the rear hatch of an Alfa! It was a faithful, reliable friend for many years, and just great for taking on site and home again each day. But I still reckon you shouldn't be paying more than a grand. for a machine that size. If they're still being made (albeit in modified form) then that's more a testament to the quality of the older machines than a recommendation to buy one new.

You should probably pay $500 to $800 for one that would as like as not need a new drive belt, feed rollers and blades (about $200 - $250). The only gripes I had about mine was the need to manually set blade height, and thicknessing depth restricted to 160mm. if I remember it right. Hope this helps.

[warmtone]

Warmtone, congrats on being one of the enlightend and privileged few on the Forum Now you can understand what all the fuss is about

I see you will be thicknessing recycled a fair bit. Having done that myself for a few years, one thing is you will get alot tougher timber than new stuff. I have the little Jet and its a great little machine, but it is still a bit of a toy, and it dose handle new timber ok (but has its limits) my oppinion it woldnt be that great with second hand stuff.
As i dont know your financial situation apart from looking at $1100, i would look at the $199 GMC if its still avail and the ballance get a cheap 8" jointer (dont get the 6" for recycled) That combo will be great to start with and get you started, and then with all the money Baby Domi makes you Save and swap the GMC for a JET/Carbatek/Hafco 15 or 16"

Need pics of your Domi and her work

OK the pictures are coming shortly - but nothing too exciting! On the planer question may I ask where you sourced your 8" JET Planer from in Melbourne? Are Luna Kombi PlanerThicknessers worth considering?

[Lignum]

Warmtone You can get the Jet at the Woodwork Warehouse in Citrus st Braeside. I have the 8" Jet and it is a fantastic machine. Very solid, powerful and low vibration and the quality of cut is superb. I constantly put large heavy 4 x 4 hardwood over it and it hasnt failed yet. Highly recomended. On the Luna, i havnt used that particular combi but Luna is a very respected machine so you can be guaranteed its good value. My only critisism of the combi is (any combi) is by its nature you have to keep lifting the table to access the thicknesser and the more any moving part moves it eventualy has to be realigned. Alot dose depend on what levlel of accuracy your after and some people who have combis wont realy care. But it would drive me crazy to have to keep changing over. As i said i dont know your final budjet but the 8" Jet is excelent and the $199 GMC would make do for a few months and then make for a good stand by after you have gotten a 15 or 16" of better quality

[Flowboy]

Hi Warmtone,

I bought a Carbatec (everybody laugh) 13" thicknesser/planer in May this year. I've thicknessed and planed African Mahogany, Blackwood, Ironbark and Redgum. About 15 hours worth. I have thicknessed squares and dimensioned 100x50 boards on all sides. The unit will accept anything up to 150mm deep and will, in theory, cut 3mm at a pass. (Wouldn't like to try it on Ironbark). The finish is clean and smooth, though you need to be careful of stiping when using deeper cuts. It is a "bench top" unit and sits on a universal stand which is adequate, but not quite universal enough. It doesn't have a dust extractor, but I feel that a wide mouth collector on a 2HP extraction unit would do the trick. I'll let you know when I finally get mine set up. The unit cost about $850 and works for me, though a 15" florr mounted model would be my preference. Lately, Hare and Forbes have been having sales fairly frequently recently, so it may be worth seeing what they will do on price for the type of unit you choose.

Regards

Rob

[warmtone]

Warmtone You can get the Jet at the Woodwork Warehouse in Citrus st Braeside. I have the 8" Jet and it is a fantastic machine. Very solid, powerful and low vibration and the quality of cut is superb. I constantly put large heavy 4 x 4 hardwood over it and it hasnt failed yet. Highly recomended. On the Luna, i havnt used that particular combi but Luna is a very respected machine so you can be guaranteed its good value. My only critisism of the combi is (any combi) is by its nature you have to keep lifting the table to access the thicknesser and the more any moving part moves it eventualy has to be realigned. Alot dose depend on what levlel of accuracy your after and some people who have combis wont realy care. But it would drive me crazy to have to keep changing over. As i said i dont know your final budjet but the 8" Jet is excelent and the $199 GMC would make do for a few months and then make for a good stand by after you have gotten a 15 or 16" of better quality

The Luna is a a serious bit of kit with a wide and heavy die cast table. It is extremely heavy and at $1300 S/H not exactly cheap......for a 20 year old plus mchine with doubtful supplies of spares. It is a 2 cutter Combination machine that lacks some finesse in terms of adjustments and dust extraction but seems to work OK. Is this a reasonable price? I would have thought more like $1000?

I will also be visiting Woodwork Warehouse to take a closer look at the JET option. I believe the JET is so well engineered (from what I've read) that it is probably worth spending the money. The Rabetting Table also looks nicely designed and useful. I'm intrigued why an 8" JET thicknesser is double the price of the 6" unit? Even at $1500 for the 8'' unit there's serious materialand engineering count. I suspect a tool that will last a couple of lifetimes!