I want to buy a planer

[bobscarle]

I am looking at buying a planer, something like the Axminster CT1502. Looks like a good machine and fits in the budget of £600. The only problem I can see is the width. I do glue up boards and I am slightly concerned about the 150mm restriction.

Can anybody recommend another machine, bearing in mind the budget? The SIP 01550 Planer Thicknesser looks reasonable. If it was a decent machine I could even sell my DeWalt 733. Does anybody have an opinion of the Axminster machine?

Bob

 

[RogerP]

The only tip I can give is that many of the cheaper machines (I don't think this one) are fitted with screaming brush motors which makes the already noisy job of planing or thicknessing absolutely horrendous. Make sure you get one with an induction motor.

 

[Chems]

I think if you are planning a single board over 6" its probably just going to cup anyhow. The CT150 is a good machine.

 

[marcros]

I think if you are planning a single board over 6" its probably just going to cup anyhow. The CT150 is a good machine.

I have a ct150 that I picked up secondhand. I have hardly used it yet, but can confirm that it was blooming heavy to lift, and has a big slab of cast iron on top!

 

[OPJ]

That's probably the best model you can buy new, given your budget. They're regarded as very good machines around here (if I had the space, I'd have one myself, in addition to my planer/thicknesser! :twisted and they do apparently come with quiet induction motors. You also see them crop up on eBay sometimes (the older models are blue).

With regards to flattening boards wider than your machine's capacity, you have two options, assuming you're not prepared to slave away with hand tools...

First, you could rip each board down the middle on a bandsaw (narrow kerf = no gap), plane and thickness both halves and then, re-join them. That's probably the 'safest' way...

On YouTube however, you'll also find a video from Matthias Wandel on flattening boards that are too wide for your planer or 'jointer'... I couldn't endorse such practice personally but, it does look as though it might get your boards flat enough that you can then run them through a thicknesser. If you were to attempt this 'technique' though, I would seriously recommend you first clamp an L-shaped guard to your fence, which would then sit over the cutter block (obviously, you'd have to remove the standard bridge guard in order to get "full capacity").

 

[RogerS]

It was my first planer and an excellent machine. Has a decent fence.

 

[bobscarle]

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like the CT1502 would be a decent buy. I guess that boards wider than 150mm will have to be ripped down, good point about them cupping anyway. Haven't got a bandsaw so I will have to put up with a wider kerf, but that shouldn't be a problem.

Olly. I am not sure about the "technique" shown in that video. Looks a little scarey for me.

You have convinced me that it would be a good machine to have, so, I am going to order one next week once the shed is tidier.

Thank you all.

 

[woodstainwilly]

I have a SIP 10in planer thicknesser it is a good machine. It is a bit of a heavy lump but the wheels are sturdy enough.
The only down side I have found and it really is nit picking is.changing the blades is a bit fiddly.