Clarke Planer Thicknesser - cpt1000, repair project or scrap

[craynerd]

Good evening guys, I'm a hobby metal worker with clocks as my thing but I've been collecting wood working tools for the last year and improving my skills. I've been looking for a planer Thicknesser for a while but they are too pricy for me right now. Today I was excited to to pick up a Clarke CPT 1000 for £20!! - I knew it was "broke" but was hoping for the best. Anyway, I've got it but I'm not too sure! The motor works but on pulling off the side cover, it is missing the main drive pulley on the cutter bearing block and the belt. That would be fine and easy repairable, I could even possibly make my own pulley BUT it is also missing ALL the required gearing, pulleys and "stuff" for the auto feed on the Thicknesser to work!

I'm gutted :-(

The machine is £320 new. Bearing in mind I'm into metal work and can fabricate some of my own simple stuff. I can probably get the main cutter running for less than £10. However, can a Thicknesser be used, with care, manually pushing the material through with a push stick or is that not possible? Is it worth it just to get the planer on top working and ignore the Thicknesser? I have requested a parts cost list from Clarke but I expect there are so many parts missing to make the auto feed working, it won't be economical.

I can post pictures later but any initial thoughts as to whether this machine is worth fixing, bearing in mind I've only paid £20 for it or is it just worth scrapping?

I'll post pics soon and this will be a project log if I do decide to restore it. I just can't see making the auto feed work a possibility as there is so much missing.

Chris

 

[blackrodd]

Hello and welcome. I think you're cpt 1000 is a bargain at £20 for spares alone, motor etc, etc. and as there are several similar models with different badging. there should be quite a few around.
Hopefully, someone will be along who owns one and can spare the time to help you out.
Maybe you have seen this link for Clarke spares, have a butchers.
HTH Regards Rodders


http://www.clarketooling.co.uk/tools/Cl ... rvice.html

 

[craynerd]

Hello there, thanks for the reply. Yes I have emailed Clarke but I really do need so many spare parts I'm not sure it will be worth it. I does seem a bargain for £20 but I admit, I wasn't expecting so much missing. When you remove the side enclosure, it is all the gearing for the autofeed. Being into metal work I'm quite into machine repairs so it doesn't scare me, just I don't know how the machine should run and all the original parts are plastic. I'm just conscious that by the time I've paid for new parts, I'll be near the price of a better working machine!!

You made a really good point in that I'd love to know any similar machines that I can look out for to harvest parts. Pretty sure the cpt800 uses the same parts but what about any other non Clarke models? Or any other info or advice gladly received.

Chris

 

[blackrodd]

It sounds possible one or more of the original pulleys/sprockets stripped or failed and the previous owner came to the not worth repairing conclusion
Would it be possible to make a top pulley and get a belt fitted? At least you could use the top. part,
You probably don't need reminding don't forget to check all bolts and nuts especially the cutter block.

just seen a Draper 09543 check out woodstar and scheppach models too!
Regards Rodders

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/sear ... ory/page/1

 

[craynerd]

I fully agree that if I make a top pulley I will at least get a planer working. I know little about thicknesssers, is the auto feed essential. The work can't be hand fed using a long push stick? (Ready now for the net nanny onslaught!)

 

[blackrodd]

I fully agree that if I make a top pulley I will at least get a planer working. I know little about thicknesssers, is the auto feed essential. The work can't be hand fed using a long push stick? (Ready now for the net nanny onslaught!)

You can try it but I'd say Definitely a no no!
You would have to release the two feed rollers which also serve as a holding down function and keep the stock flat and stable in conjunction with the pressure bars, without a steady feed, You'd more than likely be heating and burning the blades. and the first and last 6" of it would be rippled etc.
If you were able to work out the ratios, find out the feed per minute, you have the driver given, motor rpm,
Work out the driving pulley, driven cutter block pulley. Turn out vee belt pulleys for the feed as a tester.
A well fitting vee belt and tensioner isn't too far from a cheap sprocket drive surely?
Regards Rodders

 

[Fergal]

If you only want to use it as a planer, what about removing the cutter head, bearings etc and making one of these?

http://woodgears.ca/jointer/homemade.html

At the same time you could also swap the motor for a less noisy induction type.

Fergal