A New Planer

[Shakespeare]

I'm going to do some segment turning, and understand I have to get some really straight and level surfaces, but, I need to get a planer. The ones I've seen, that are fairly affordable are 6" versions. If my workpieces are 8" or more, is it ok to run the piece through, and then reverse it to plane the other half, or am I missing something.
Secondly, any advice as to what machine to buy would be great, remembering of course, the cost, and the lack of space in my shed.


Baz

ps. Apologies for not realizing that a similar thread had already been pasted.

 

[DangerousDave]

Hi Baz, I've got one of these and I can't fault it. Ben Plewes wrote a very good article in The Woodworker autumn special 2007 on how to build a jig that enables you to use a thicknesser to plane wide boards (i.e. >6"). I'm sure others have built something similar, a search of the jigs and tips forum might throw something up. Or if you have time why not use a hand plane and winding sticks? Hope that helps
Dave

 

[DangerousDave]

Found it, here's the article by Ben Plewes

 

[Shakespeare]

Hiya DD, nice looking machine, and read the report, unfortunately though, too expensive for me, and the size looks as though it'll be too large. I was thinking more on the lines of a benchtop unit. Thanks for the info though, much appreciated.

Baz

 

[Tintin]

Well if your after an 8" P/T your choices are

Charnwood W588
Fox F22-564
PT85 Woodstar Planer

About £200 for the Charnwood and Woodstar versions and £160 for the fox

 

[filsgreen]

I have this model Baz and would recommend it, I've had no problems with it.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/sessionID/BJF/product-Axminster-WP150-150mm-Planer-21722.htm

Phil

 

[snapper]

what do you get for the extra £90 for the axminster WP150 compared to one of the cheaper ones like the Sip 6" planer?

Mike

 

[filsgreen]

Can't really comment Mike, never having owned the SIP model.

 

[ByronBlack]

you should have kept the benchtop rexon model I gave you a while back

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/21600/Pow ... ch-Jointer

I would get one of those, they are quite cheap from screwfix, and you can use your bandsaw to thickness to an approximate size.

8" wide machines are going to be too big for your space so you are limited to bench-top, which to be fair is all your going to need, that rexon machine has decent length beds, and is pretty accurate.

I would avoid the jig in a thicknesser route - It's what I'm using at the moment, and is a right pain in the neck.

If your workpiece is wider than 6" then you need to rip the board into smaller segments (using the bandsaw), flatten a face and an edge with the planer, and use these nice new straight edges to re-join the board, sounds more work than it is, only takes a couple of minutes to get into clamps, and using titebond, you'll be up and running in a few hours.