Is the Metabo HC260 any good? Currently dimensioning with bandsaw and handplanes.

[scubadoo]

I would love to buy one of the bigger planer thicknessers like The Axi /CraftTrade or the iTech 260 but for how often i would use it it seems like overkill and whilst i can afford it, too much money. I have a small 3x6m workshop.
So i'm wondering if i can get by with something like the Metabo HC260 or if that is just wasting money. I normally go for buy the best i can afford.

I'm a hobbyist but have done most of the finish carpentry in my house renovation, built a kitchen and furniture etc and dabble with guitar making, box making etc. And i like to be precise.

At the moment I'm planing one face by hand then resawing close to thickness with my Laguna 14BX bandsaw and cleaning up with the plane. Jointing is done on the router table and refined by hand or done completely by hand sometimes. I do like hand-planing but thicknessing by hand is no fun hence using the bandsaw.

So is the Metabo HC260 too light and too innacurate? Like i said, I'm a hobbyist so i know that don't really need a pro machine but will i be frustrated by poor set up and innacurate results?

 

[Yojevol]

I've just completed my first proper job on my new-to-me Metabo having downsized from a 14" Felder and I'm very impressed by it. I've been planing up 2 x 10" yew slabs, so working it to its limit. I'd certainly recommend it for a small workshop. If you're looking for a s/h one keep an eye out for the Record Powers and Scheppachs, they're all the same.
Brian

 

[scubadoo]

I've just completed my first proper job on my new-to-me Metabo having downsized from a 14" Felder and I'm very impressed by it. I've been planing up 2 x 10" yew slabs, so working it to its limit. I'd certainly recommend it for a small workshop. If you're looking for a s/h one keep an eye out for the Record Powers and Scheppachs, they're all the same.
Brian

Thanks Brian, that's good to hear from someone who's used superior kit. Does the fence set accurately to 90deg for joints that are ready to glue up?
Do you find it fiddly to do the changeover?
What made you choose this over, say, the Axi Craft AW2260S?

 

[Yojevol]

Thanks Brian, that's good to hear from someone who's used superior kit. Does the fence set accurately to 90deg for joints that are ready to glue up?
Do you find it fiddly to do the changeover?
What made you choose this over, say, the Axi Craft AW2260S?

I had to adjust the fence to get a reasonable right angle. The mechanism is a bit crude but with a squirt of WD40 it wasn't difficult.
Ready for glueing? I take it you mean lengthwise rub joints. For those I always plane one piece with face side against the fence and the other piece with face side away from the fence. This means any error in the fence setting is cancelled out.
Removing the outfeed table for conversion to a thicknesser is very easy indeed. Conversion back to planer mode requires the dust extraction hood to be in exactly the right position as it has to contact a microswitch which allows the motor to run. I had trouble in achieving this but on investigation I found the switch mechanism to be faulty. As it's not really a safety feature, I've disabled it.
What made me choose it? Well it was available in a local auction so I went for it. My mate used a Schepach successfully for some years and I've had a couple of Metabo products which have given good service, so why consider anything else?
Brian

 

[Jones]

I don't know about the new made in China ones but I had an older model which was very good. The double sided blades are cheap and quick to change which makes a big difference to the quality of finish. The thicknesser is fine and the small block means the rollers are close together so snipe is minimal. The fence isn't great, for jointing boards I usually had to finish with a hand plane. Overall I would recommend one ,you have to spend a lot more money to get a marginally better machine.

 

[Jameshow]

Also look at the record 260 and sip model of the same.

 

[stuart little]

The RP HC260 was previously produced as an Electra Bekum HC 260. Excellent machine.
I've had my RP for several years with no problems. I find changing mode to be quite quick & easy. The price has almost doubled in the last few years (what hasn't?). By using a carrier I can produce 1.5 - 2 mm thick stripwood.

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

I've had an old Elecktor-Bekham HC260 for several years now and can thoroughly recommend it.As Yojeval said you'll have to adjust the fence to get a decent 90° but apart from that it will serve you well.
Have fun.
Martin

 

[scubadoo]

Thanks everyone. Can i ask, for those, that have a planer like this with aluminium tables, do they stay flat enough? I watched a Record PT260 review where he stated that the aluminium tables had warped and would do at temperatures of 38℃ and had to be frequently adjusted. That concerned me.

If only there was a small unit with cast iron tables like the old Dewalt DW1150 - would be perfect for a lot of people!

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

Not a problem I've noticed and mine is ancient.

 

[paullippo]

Hello I have a Metabo 260 and also a hobby woodworker I bought one from new at a show and the same with most things if you set it up properly it will serve you well

 

[Baball]

I got one new a few months ago from FFX on ebay. They have 15% off right now (and ends tomorrow), and I think it's the cheapest you can find it.

It is my first planer thicknesser, and despite a few niggles, it has transformed my enjoyment of making things. Without hand tools I was limited to PSE wood which was never quite straight or square enough to give satisfactory results.

I found setting the supplied blades to be a total pain. On my first few attempts I spent hours trying to get them aligned, but I think there is an inherent design flaw in the blade securing thingy. They are now just about set well enough, but I think I will get the Esta Bruck system.

Changing from planing to thicknessing is ok, but I do find I have to check the fence for square every time.

I'm in a similar sized space and made a cart for it as the supplied legs and castors require a fair bit of room for manoeuvre:


(yes, I drilled the holes for the castors on the wrong side )

To go from nothing to having this was transformative, but I can definitely see myself upgrading at some point in the future; I would love to have longer tables for the planer. The only problem is what to upgrade to? You have to spend about 3x the amount to get the likes of the Axminster, and then the tables are the same length, although they are cast iron and are more easily converted between modes.

 

[stuart little]

I got one new a few months ago from FFX on ebay. They have 15% off right now (and ends tomorrow), and I think it's the cheapest you can find it.

It is my first planer thicknesser, and despite a few niggles, it has transformed my enjoyment of making things. Without hand tools I was limited to PSE wood which was never quite straight or square enough to give satisfactory results.

I found setting the supplied blades to be a total pain. On my first few attempts I spent hours trying to get them aligned, but I think there is an inherent design flaw in the blade securing thingy. They are now just about set well enough, but I think I will get the Esta Bruck system.

Changing from planing to thicknessing is ok, but I do find I have to check the fence for square every time.

I'm in a similar sized space and made a cart for it as the supplied legs and castors require a fair bit of room for manoeuvre:

View attachment 158386
(yes, I drilled the holes for the castors on the wrong side )

To go from nothing to having this was transformative, but I can definitely see myself upgrading at some point in the future; I would love to have longer tables for the planer. The only problem is what to upgrade to? You have to spend about 3x the amount to get the likes of the Axminster, and then the tables are the same length, although they are cast iron and are more easily converted between modes.

I set my blades by Peter Parfitt's method in his YT video.

 

[Baball]

I set my blades by Peter Parfitt's method in his YT video.

Hi stuart, I used his approach with measuring the height (by seeing how much a straight edge is moved by the blade as it rotates), which is all good.

I had trouble securing the blade at that height. The Metabo has a different locking bar to the Electra that he uses, it lacks the locating lugs that can position the blade vertically. The Metabo locking bar only has four bolts to apply pressure to the blade and three grub screws that change the height of the bar, when they are tightened I found that the locking bar can move enough (normally in an upwards direction) that any alignment is thrown out. Perhaps I will get better at it with more practise, but it was extremely frustrating!

 

[Fitzroy]

Magnets do not stick to the tables on my DW1150 so don't think they are cast iron, anyhow not really important!

I would say expectations will be a big part of your experience of a machine at the smaller end of the spectrum. My DW1150 (a similar sized machine) frustrated me as I was asking too much of it, trying to put long (2m+) lengths of heavy timbers (75mm x 200mm) over it. However it was great for more regular jobs, ie <1.5m and 25mmx200mm, where I could ensure the board had pressure at the correct point and would not cause the tables to move due to this pressure.

 

[Fitzroy]

View attachment 158386
(yes, I drilled the holes for the castors on the wrong side )

Just the sort i thing I would do and also feel the need to point out the error!

 

[stuart little]

Hi stuart, I used his approach with measuring the height (by seeing how much a straight edge is moved by the blade as it rotates), which is all good.

I had trouble securing the blade at that height. The Metabo has a different locking bar to the Electra that he uses, it lacks the locating lugs that can position the blade vertically. The Metabo locking bar only has four bolts to apply pressure to the blade and three grub screws that change the height of the bar, when they are tightened I found that the locking bar can move enough (normally in an upwards direction) that any alignment is thrown out. Perhaps I will get better at it with more practise, but it was extremely frustrating!

I've come across that problem with those pesky grubs. I tend to take a softly-softly approach to them with a hex. screwdriver, while keeping down pressure on the blade with a piece of wood, most of the time I get it right. I do have to be more critical when producing 2 mm strip. I find a depth gauge helps at times.

 

[Togalosh]

I purchased a second-hand E Beckum HC260 +5yrs ago from someone on here. Until this week I rated it highly as a hobbiest's machine... I now have a twisted/ warped "Thicknesser Bed".

I made a small table top a few weeks ago without any need for hand planing prior to gluing up so I'm a bit baffled.

However the bed was always difficult to adjust as the lead screw threads would clog up immediately after being cleaned as they are not shielded from the dust/chips... perhaps this has lead to uneven raising/falling & then warping.. ???

Needless to say but I am gutted. I am short on space & cash so I'm thinking of getting it machined flat. Ho hum.

 

[Farm Labourer]

In short - I'd be surprised if you were unhappy with it.

I bought one s/h 23 years ago (Elektra Beckum HC260) and had no issues until later in life when the chain jumped when lowering (my fault, I should have tightened it periodically) . It took me some time to work out the fix and it was as good as new. Switching between modes not really an issue but then I fell on a larger p/t, so had the HC260 for edging and the other for thicknessing.
For footprint I've gone back to a silent-block Hammer A3 (which I love) 18 months of pretty solid hobby usage on one side of the four faced cutter tips and more life in them!

 

[SammyQ]

I had trouble securing the blade at that height. The Metabo has a different locking bar to the Electra that he uses, it lacks the locating lugs that can position the blade vertically. The Metabo locking bar only has four bolts to apply pressure to the blade and three grub screws that change the height of the bar, when they are tightened I found that the locking bar can move enough (normally in an upwards direction) that any alignment is thrown out. Perhaps I will get better at it with more practise, but it was extremely frustrating!

I think it is possible you are cofusing two different blade types for the 260's. I have had both. The original EB blade fixing was four bolts, pressure fit, grub screw alingnment. The better, later, blade mounts (which are freely avaiable online) use a blade with slots cut in, and 'turnscrews' - with a ledge fitting into the blade slot.
I started with the original; fine, took a while to get 'the knack' of setting them, but the slot/turnscrew ones are a different ballgame. Super easy.
Incidentally, both blade types are easily sharpened by (I vaguely recall) Appleby Woodwotsits and others. I now have several sets and rotate them during a prolonged job. Getting an identical degree of protrusion upon swopping a blade is seconds work.