Real Planer Thicknesser

I've hit these forums several times in my search for answers so I figured it was time to join. So here goes my first post.

I've wanted to buy a planer thicknesser for a while but as an amateur on a limited budget (purse strings not controlled by me) I'd like to be very careful what I buy.

I've noticed a number of "planer thicknessers" on the market (Ryobi, DeWalt) but they are not really planers, just thicknessers (my Dad, 90, a carpenter his whole life, explained the difference to me).

Mitre 10, now stocking Rockwell since Ryobi became exclusive to Bunnings, have a Rockwell Thicknesser and Planer in one, model RT7561. Planer on top and thicknesser below the planer table.

ROCKWELL: Benchtop Planer Thicknesser

I have been unable to find any reviews on this machine anywhere. I already have a Rockwell drill press and belt sander and have had no issues with them at all.

Does anyone know anything about this machine? Am I trying to get too much in one machine for too little price? Any feedback welcome.

Cheers.

I'm at the stage where I'd like a planer and/or thicknesser too. A machine very, very similar looking to the Rockwell (same factory in China maybe?) is available here. I've looked at one and I'm not buying it. They just seem too lightweight. So I'll hold out for a decent secondhand machine.....or two.

204mm width may be limiting. I'd like something like this but want 330mm width.

How much is it then?

Rhancock, well, the going price at Mitre 10 is $409. Not much different in price to the Ryobi Planer Thicknesser (that really only just thicknesses) at Bunnings.

Is the price too good to be true for a combination machine like that? I hunted around on the web for other combination machines and your looking at $1300+ for a machine that comes on a cabinet stand with a planing table that is 1 meter long. I just don't have the space for something that size.

Fly, I noticed the width issue too, but I generally use smaller material and biscuit joint them to make larger panels anyway.

Cheers.

I very recently had need for a cheapie corded drill and a rechargable so I bought Rockwell.
These are what I term jobsite tools so cheap is the name of the game. Far too soon to give a long term review but no nasty surprises so far. They seem good enough for what I want.
But, having said that, a combination thicky/planer is a whole different world.
Personally, if I had a budget of $400 to buy, I think I'd be looking at second hand.
Some of the older machines are very good value and bang for your buck.
Just make sure you try it out first and factor in a re-sharpen or replacement blades.
Cheers
Jim

I have never had a look at rockwell tools yet so will say nothing either way about build or quality. I will however point out the practical limitations of that machine. The bed is very short so jointing long bits of wood is going to be hard to do. Good jointers have long cast iron beds. the longer the better for big work. May be ok if you only do boxes or small projects.
Regards
John

Grandad, Orraloon,

Thankyou both for your advice. The problem is seeing one of these set up on display somewhere. You can't tell a lot looking at a picture on a box.

I may have to look at buying two separate machines but I expect that will double my expenditure. As for a second hand machine, they're all so big and I have limited space in my workshop. I'll keep hunting to see what I can find.

Cheers.

I know nothing about the machine you linked to, however some food for thought
The planing width, 204mm is, IMO, OK. Rarely would you need to go wider
The tables are far too short -- ideally they should be a minimum of about 800mm
The thicknessing range -- 5 to 120mm -- is too little, ideally it should be >200mm
The machine is too light -- my planer/thicknesser, which is a 200mm unit, weighs in at around 170kg

I appreciate that your budget is limited -- what do you want to build?

Ian,

Thanks for your input. Your comments are consistent with what others have said. I need the machine to be semi-portable as I don't have a huge amount of room. 170kg is not something I would move in a hurry.

As for what I build? Well, my wife makes reborn dolls and I've made her dolls furniture to pose/photograph the dolls on. I've also made a relatively large corner computer desk with drawers, shelves and doors for my step-son. So in answer, if it can be made of wood, I'll try to make it.

Woodworking is a hobby for me. I spent many an hour as a kid watching my dad make things and I guess some of it has rubbed off. Can't beat the smell of freshly cut wood.:roll:

In a nutshell, I'm looking for a benchtop version, but after the responses I've had here I think I may be expecting too much from a combo machine. There are plenty of thicknessers available, but I haven't found a benchtop planer yet.

Cheers.

I am also watching this thread with interest.

Rarely need more than 150mm in any direction,
Extremely short on room.


oh and here is a bench top jointer Carba-Tec® 6" Benchtop Jointer : CARBA-TEC

The 170kg sits on a roller stand like this one Universal Mobile Base - 227kg capacity : CARBA-TEC
Moving it is easy

But if you know how to flatten one face and square an edge using a #5 or #6 orv #7 plane, then maybe a thicknesser is all you need

LOL DavidG, I just found the jointer you posted on another site.

So, this is what I've found so far. The Makita 2012nb seems to be a good quality mid range thicknesser for $775 (always liked Makita) or the Carbatec Economy for $429. Then there is the Carbatec planer/jointer that goes for around $270.

Problem is, I have to convince the finance manager that I want to spend more than twice the amount on two machines. A good combo machine would have been ideal, even if it was a couple hundred $ more. It seems the option is small and cheap or big and expensive, nothing mid range.

Here's a nice looking machine.

DRAPER BENCH MOUNTED 1500W 230V PLANER THICKNESSER | eBay

The UK seem to have access to a larger range.

There's also a model from Metabo Product catalogue halfstationary and stationary tools - Products - Metabo Australia - Power tools built by professionals for professionals
I've seen them at the Sydney wood show, but am unsure of the price

Whichever way you go you will need a chip extractor as well

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MeasureTwice

Here's a nice looking machine.

DRAPER BENCH MOUNTED 1500W 230V PLANER THICKNESSER | eBay

The UK seem to have access to a larger range.

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Re-badged Rockwell.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DavidG

Re-badged Rockwell.

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Is it really? I know it looks similar although I thought it looked a little more robust. Well there you go!!!

So it seems that Rockwell/Draper are the only bench top Planer Thicknesser combo on the market then. Now there's an opportunity for the more trusted brands.

Very similar. Probably out the same Chinese factory.
Slight variations to suit the badge.

Still trying to work out the relationship between Rockwell and Delta.
Porter-Cable

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MeasureTwice

Here's a nice looking machine.

DRAPER BENCH MOUNTED 1500W 230V PLANER THICKNESSER | eBay

The UK seem to have access to a larger range.

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You can probably add this Dewalt offering to the list of things we miss out on :(

Quote:

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Originally Posted by T.C

You can probably add this Dewalt offering to the list of things we miss out on :(

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T.C., Absolutely!!! If that machine was available here I certainly wouldn't be so hesitant to buy a combo Planer Thicknesser. DeWALT sell here, and being from the U.K. it would be 240V, so why not make itavailable in Aus too?

I see someone else has already suggested doing the jointer part of dressing the timber with hand planes, then making use of a dedicated thicknesser for the rest. Why not explore this option? It is obviously more time consuming and more labour intensive, but if you're not doing huge projects constantly maybe it would suffice?

Thanks Poppa. It is a thought, however, I don't know if I'd be able to get an edge straight and square enough that would be suitable for biscuit joining into larger panels.

The use of a dedicated thicknesser would be fine for smaller projects where I just want to reduce the size of the material, however, when I made a larger computer desk getting the wood flat and straight was a major problem. I had to do a lot of sanding to minimise the effect of the cupping in the wood. Wood be nice if you could just buy flat wood. :roll:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MeasureTwice

Thanks Poppa. It is a thought, however, I don't know if I'd be able to get an edge straight and square enough that would be suitable for biscuit joining into larger panels.

The use of a dedicated thicknesser would be fine for smaller projects where I just want to reduce the size of the material, however, when I made a larger computer desk getting the wood flat and straight was a major problem. I had to do a lot of sanding to minimise the effect of the cupping in the wood. Wood be nice if you could just buy flat wood. :roll:

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Those little jointer/thicknessers or benchtop jointers you are looking at have a mixed reputation -- box makers seem to like them, those working on larger projects do not.

As to getting an edge straight and true, my expectation is that producing a straight and matched edge would be faster and easier with a #6 or #7 hand plane than with a bench top jointer.
Note I nominated a straight and matched edge -- if you plane both edges together, the edges don't need to be exactly 90º to each face, as any error cancells out.

Also, a hand plane is the best tool to flatten a glued-up panel. Search for "traversing" "scrub plane" note that many dedicated scrub planes (eg Stanley #40) are a little short for traversing.