Hi, I am wanting to move my wood skills up to new levels and make my own doors and windows, I have made similar for outside buildings etc but my quality has to improve so with this in mind I was looking to buy a combination machine (used) and looking at a Record Maxi 26 (eBay) however I am struggling to find any info on the net so does anyone use one of these machines are they any good? I suppose other question is do I need such a machine or will I be better off buying a decent table saw & routing table & replacing my small band saw.
Combi machine help for a newbie
- Thread starter Tony.w
- Start date
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I’ve not owner a combi machine but even a planer thicknesser was annoying to change mode on. I’d only go for a combo if space was not available for separate tools.
Bandsaw or tablesaw is a long running debate with it coming down to personal work style.
The Maxi 26 has a spindle moulder wihich will outperform a router table every time.
The Maxi 26 also has a planer thicknesser which you would need for making windows and doors.
There are a few posts on here about a Maxi26, @Jacob states he had one and it wasn’t a bad machine.
Fitz
Bandsaw or tablesaw is a long running debate with it coming down to personal work style.
The Maxi 26 has a spindle moulder wihich will outperform a router table every time.
The Maxi 26 also has a planer thicknesser which you would need for making windows and doors.
There are a few posts on here about a Maxi26, @Jacob states he had one and it wasn’t a bad machine.
Fitz
Jacob
New Luddism. Awake and resist!
Trip down memory lane! I bought my first combi in 1986, though it was badged as AEG Maxi 26. Made by Lurem I believe. The Record offering looks much the same.
It was a cheap but excellent machine for the money, in spite of having no cast iron tables and being all sheet steel.
The actual changeover was easier than most machines as there was only one motor and a very quick process of swapping belts.
I did loads of spindle work on it.
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Yojevol
Clocking on
I think your second question is the more important one. The usual reason for choosing the combo route is lack of space for separate macines. If you have space then separates will give you a more flexible setup for future development. On the other hand, don't forget that free space is to be valued particularly for door and window frames. If this is to be a commercial enterprise then both elements, flexibility and free space, will be important.
With a combo you need to think through the machining process beforehand to minimise time spent in setting up. The aim is to get all the sawing done, then all the planing, all the thicknessing and so on.
My 20 year experience of a combo (Felder) started in a small barn where space was certainly at a premium. After a few years I moved to a larger workshop and had the opportunity to go separates but chose to stick with the combo basis. In hindsight this was a mistake. Eventually I got fed up with changing from planer to thicknesser and bought a separate thicknesser. On selling up recently I got the impression that the combo had depreciated more than separates would have.
When considering any particular brand bear in mind that the engineering inside a combo is usually just an assembly of the separate machine mechanisms. So feedback on the individual machines equivalents is relevant.
As for the Record, they're a reasonable product for a small workshop. My separate thicknesser was a RP P/T which had lost its tables and was easy to use.
The problem with buying off ebay is that it's difficult to arrange a viewing prior to committing although you can cancel a deal by agreement at the cost of the ebay charges. I sold my Felder on Facebook which was much more flexible.
Brian
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Jacob
New Luddism. Awake and resist!
Good point. For bigger stuff a combi in the middle of a small space could be much more accessible than separates around the edges
