Opinions on jet JPS10TS table saw and Carba Tec CT-330x thicknesser
Hello all, I wasn't sure where to put this post as I'm asking about a couple of different machines. Admins please move it if it's in the wrong spot! I've been turning a few pens recently and watched Davids series on making pen boxes, something I want to make. I would like to advance my wood working to the next level and to do this I need a couple of new tools:) I'm in the market for a table saw and a thicknesser. I was lucky enough to pick up a second hand jet 8 inch jointer recently and my brother sold me his Woodfast bandsaw. For my 30th birthday I got a Kreg precision router table and I also bought myself a Leigh dovetail jig at the start of the year. I'm starting to get there as far as wood working machines are concerned but without a table saw and thicknesser I'm having a world of troubles trying to get any timber straight... I dropped into Carba Tec Adelaide the other day and had the usual fantastic service I always get there. I was pointed in the direction of the Jet 10" Pro Shop tablesaw.(Jet 10" Proshop Tablesaw : CARBA-TEC) Its left tilt, rise/fall riving blade and seems to have a nice fence. I don't have a heap of room in the shed and this seems to have a small footprint but big enough to handle most of what I want to do. What are peoples thoughts on this saw? Is it money well spent? Its priced at $1499. its at the higher end of my budget but from every thing I've read it seems but quality, buy once is the general rule. Is this classed as quality? They are sold out but should have some more in a few weeks. Now to my second question, a thicknesser. I would love to get a x series spiral head but the price has knocked me out of the market at this stage, so looking at the Carba Tec 13' spiral head CT-330X.(Carba-Tec® 13" Spiral Head Thicknesser : CARBA-TEC) it seems a compromise, it has a set of blades set on a round shaft. Not what I would call a true spiral head but looks like a good entry level machine. Has anyone had any experience with one of these machines? The lady at Carba Tec highly praised it for work with figured timbers. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Ash.
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Carbatec CT-330X 13" (pseudo) spiral head thicknesser
Hi Asheddie,
I've recently become a fan of the work of thicknessers in preparing stock (now I just need a bandsaw for resawing and a jointer...) and, like you, I looked at the carbatec spiral head thicknesser. I ended up buying one while they were on special in May.
It took me three weeks to get time to even turn it on, so my apologies for not being able to get this info out to anyone else who may have bought one while they were on special.
I'm sure anyone who's read up on the CT-330X will have come across reports of some oil leaking. For what it's worth, I didn't get a drop out of mine and I deliberately made no attempt to clean it up before its first run to see how bad it would be (or not as it turned out).
Well, a picture and 1000 words and all that... Before:
Attachment 271557Attachment 271558
...you can see the mill marks all over it and it's a bit difficult to see any of the what the grain will look like.
And AFTER the very first pass through the machine:
Attachment 271563Attachment 271564
Maybe a comparison of the (still rough) edge and the face will help:
Attachment 271565
Of course what photos will not show is how smooth it feels. I can assure you this face feels as smooth as I've had from professional timber mills after resawing and dressing! It is simply flawless.
I (unfortunately) have nothing to gain financially from this or any other product/vendor - I just tell it how it is for me, and this has been a very happy experience.
My advice for anyone considering this thicknesser: don't be put off by the 'pseudo' nature of the 'spiral head' on this thicknesser, don't necessarily be put off by reports of some oil (but thanks to others who've reported it as a possible issue - just give it an inspection and clean, like the manual says, if you're in any doubt) and most of all, just go buy it. You and I (hopefully) won't be sorry if it keeps spitting out great results like this.
