Axminster AW128PT thoughts? Need a jointer/planer

[dkaardal]

Jointer/planer or planer/thicknesser, however you slice it I find myself in need of one. I don't normally go anywhere near combination machines, but as I'm having to put together a new workshop in a tiny little space I'm seriously considering just ordering one of the soon-to-be-discontinued AW128PT machines from Axminster.

While I don't have anything bad to say about Axminsters customer service, this unit is about to be discontinued so if there are any real issues with it then replacement parts might be very hard to come by.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this Machine? I'm mainly worried about the fact it has an aluminum fence on it. Coming from North America, I've only ever seen aluminum used on cheap junk (in the jointer and/or planer world). I've been really surprised to see it on a machine that costs as much as these do.

I just ordered a Record BS400 based on Random Orbital Bobs review, and I'm kinda hoping there's someone else around that has similar insights on the Axminster P/T.

or, you know, wants to show up on my doorstep and sell me an old wadkin with a single-phase motor for that price.

-Donovan

 

[PAC1]

Does not the current price, the fact it is being discontinued and the reviews on the Axminster site tell you enough?

 

[mikefab]

I came pretty close to buying one of these (before the reduction). I thought they were quite nice and I had a play on the demo model in store. In the end I bought the Jet 310 because I preferred the design of the tables lifting in-line and together and the fact that the fence stays in place - all good things for my smallish workshop. The Axminster machines seemed nice enough although the finish wasn't quite as nice as the jet, for example it was a little rough around the edge of the tables although this wouldn't affect them in use at all.

We've seen Axminster sell things off really cheaply before, like the TS-200 saws when they were discontinued at Christmas. I wouldn't say that it means there is a problem with them, just that they want to clear their stock as something new is coming. Their reputation is that they can often supply spares for many years to come I believe.

I heard a rumour that the new PT will still have the gull-wing tables but will have a spiral cutter as an option if not as standard....

 

[dkaardal]

I'm not too fussed about the gull-wings, though that might be due to ignorance of this style of machine more then anything else. I really, really don't like the idea of an extruded aluminum fence though - which I believe the Jet still has. the Jet you mentioned is also twice the price of the AW128PT at the moment. Out of curiosity, would that have influenced your choice when you picked the jet over the axi one?


As for it being discontinued, I'm usually quite happy to snap up a deal when a company is refreshing their lineup. I'd lay odds that the new machines will be much nicer, but they'll also be full price.

I suppose I should be sensible though. The aluminum fence makes me nervous, and I'm not a fan of 4-blade cutterheads anyway. I'd rather get an old machine second hand then trust something new, it's just that time is a bit of a factor - I'm putting a shop together to make a crib for a friend, and there's a pretty firm deadline for it!

Thanks for the responses. I'll probably go by Axminster in Basingstoke and talk to the guys there this weekend, but I suspect that I'll end up looking elsewhere for a machine.

Donovan.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

What struck me as odd about the 128 is that it scores lower than the 106 and the 168 - and the 106 I have has a very solid and heavy cast iron fence. It looks like the 128 may be the weakest link in the range.

 

[mikefab]

My reasons for choosing the Jet were:

1) no need to remove the fence when switching between surfacing and thicknessing. I used to have an old elektra Beckum and was fed up of finding somewhere to put the out feed table, the fence and the dust hipper whenever I was thickness planing.

2) better choice for my narrow workshop: I thought that the wings on the axi machine might get in the way when walking around the machine to extract/support boards coming out of the thicknesser

3) blade adjustment mechanism. The axi has springs in the block and is reliant on a cheap looking jig to press them into place before tightening up the bar. The jet has grub screws to adjust the blade height before tightening in place. That seemed preferable to me.

4) good package offered by my local axminster branch on the jet. I went in intending to by the 260 model but they offered me a very tempting reduction on the larger model with a mobile base and the digital thickness gauge.

 

[heimlaga]

I don't know anything about that very Axminster machine but I can assure you that a planer/thicknesser is a very sound concept provided that it is well enough made.
You have to plan ahead a bit better than when you use separates as most combinations loose the settings when going from one function to another but you gain a lot of space from having one machine instead of two and having to keep only one clear path for the wood that goes through the machine instead of two separate clear paths. From another wiewpoint one can say that you can cram a full size industrial machine with all it's adwantages into the same space as the typical American would use for his 6 inch jointer and lunchbox planer.
Unfortunately there are lots combinatrions that aren't well enough made and where difficult setup and flimsy frames take out all the adwantages.

There are some high industrial surface planers (jointers across the pond) with solid and well made aluminium fances so that alone should not be anything to worry about. Once again it comes down to how the fence actually is made as there are plenty of too flimsy and totallu useless aluminium fences as well.

If you are short of time you may be forced to buy new. You always have to spend a bit of time on finding and transporting and repairing a secondhand machine. However that time spent on a secondhand machine would give you a tremendous leverage on your invested money. Essentially you could get a top quality industrial machine with 400-600 mm capacity for roughly the same cost as a new hobby grade machine with 250mm capacity or you could get a hobby grade machine for a quarter of it's prize as new. In the end your life situation is what determines if you are going to exploit that leverage or not. A good machine that you cannot use because you have no time to fix it up to running condition is just as bad as having no machine at all.

Choose what fits you best.

 

[PAC1]

If you are minded to buy on the basis that it is a bargain not to be passed. Then ask
1. Does it have the Axi warranty (the Website suggests not!)
2. Can you fit table extensions? A 1500mm table is on the short side if you want anything over 2m to be straight

 

[dkaardal]

I can work with a short bed planer if I have to - though obviously I like a nice long one if I can get it!

At the end of the day I couldn't bring myself to buy it. I ended up bidding and winning on an old Startrite SD310 that came with a good sized 1-bag dust/chip collector for half the price of the Axi combo machine.

I'll spend a bit of money replacing bearings and belts, but it's a small enough amount of money that if I really can't adjust to a combination machine then I can sell it easily enough and start looking for separate machines.

Thanks for then help everyone!

Donovan.