Planer thicknesser

[fraser]

Hi,

I am hoping soon to buy my first planer thicknesser for my workshop at home. I do have use to one at work but although space is tight at home I could accomodate one and going to and from work with a load of wood to plane up all the time is starting to drive me a bit potty.

I have been looking at the AW106PT2 from Axminster, which would be my limit price and size wise. It does have to be a planer thicknesser and not two seperate machines due to space. I wondered if anyone, for the money, or even less money, can recommend a better machine if buying new. I know I could buy a better machine second hand, and if anyone wants to recommend a particular model to look out for that would be great also.

Any help would be great

Ta

 

[mailee]

As for the second hand stuff, I can highly recommend the Elu or De Walt P/T 1161 model. I had one for years before I upgraded and it gave me faultless service and pretty accurate too. Mine was the Elu 1161 and was second hand when I bought it. I had it for about four years and now it has a new owner. Great machine if you can pick one up.

 

[merlin]

+1 for the Elu 1161, you can still get the spares ok.

Merlin

 

[Karl]

For the price of the Axi, you'll find a used Sedgwick 10" p/t on e-bay sooner or later. It will be the older (green as opposed to blue) model, but they're a far better machine than the axi.

No need to lift the tables to thickness either.

Cheers

Karl

 

[fraser]

Thanks will keep an eye out on ebay
Any other recommended makes/models?

 

[Karl]

Jet 260 goes for about the same money too. Both much better machines than the Axi.

 

[Guggs]

I must completely agree with the Sedgwick post . Far far better machine , heavy solid and reliable . Far better finish . Axminster are ok ..Sedgwick miles better .

 

[fraser]

Thanks guys

Seems to be a fair few problems with the thicknesser table dropping-a lot of people have said this

Will keep an eye out on ebay for a sedgwick-also on here. Always a problem getting down onto the Isle of Wight though..

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

spotted this on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sedgwick-Thic ... 500wt_1204

 

[fraser]

Hi
Haven't had much luck so far on sedgwicks but do have a couple of others as maybes
What are startrites and scheppachs like? There is no model particularly at the moment
Also a rojek msp310m is a maybe, any ideas on that one?

 

[fraser]

Also watching a kity 636 and a sip 01575. any ideas? a 10" Sedgwick seem
Few and far between, especially anywhere near local.

 

[fraser]

also, the planer is going to be against a wall. i dont have a great deal of space also. i heard that the sedgwick (pt's) cant be placed against the wall because of the fence mechanism...

 

[Steve Maskery]

I have a Kity 637 (same as the 636 but with a (very slightly) better fence. It's a good little machine and I built a houseful of furniture with it. The tables are aluminium rather than CI, but they are a good little machine. The rear fence guard does stick out of the back, but that is true of just about any planer.
You should be able to get one a bit cheaper than a Startrite, too.

S

 

[fraser]

Thanks very much for the reply. Is the ally fence any good? Also do you know how these compare with the sip's, schppachs and rojeks, these all appear to be a similar price,
Thanks again

 

[Steve Maskery]

It's not bad. A bit short, but That's true of lots of machines in that price range. But I've had it nearly 20 years (well, this one and its predecessor) and I don't regret it. When I get a workshop again I'd like to have separates, because swapping is a pain, but when you don't have the space, you don't have the choice.
S

 

[fraser]

Yea, combi is a definate in my case but if it takes up loads of extra space against a wall to open the table out to get to the thicknesser that's probably a no for me.

Another thing im concerned about, and I probably should have said this first, is weight. It is going into a pretty standard log lap shed, with a t+g groove floor, sitting on bearers on a concrete base. I screwed 1x1" down to the t+g, every 300, both ways, then filled in the squares with polystyrene. Then on top of that is a 18mm t+g groove chipboard floor. What do people think I can get away with weight wise? Combis seem to be 150-250kg-500kg

 

[fraser]

Bump

 

[RogerM]

Whilst I'm sure the Sedgewick is a tasty piece of kit, just make sure you have the room to place it in a permanent position in your workshop. I find that space required expands faster than I can create it. If you want to thickness a 3m length of timber you'll need about 7m of space to feed it through and the Sedgewick is not something you can manoeuvre easily when that need arises. For the last 5 years I've been using a SIP 10 x 6 p/t 01344 and whilst it's a bit basic and agricultural, it's taken everything I can throw at it, and with the wheel kit it can be moved to wherever in the workshop it's needed. As I work in a garage, I move it to the door opening when planing long pieces and I wouldn't want to be without that facility.

It may not be the most refined machine available, the extraction is poor, but the fence stays square, the thicknessing table doesn't creep and once it's little foibles have been mastered it is a great little workhorse.

 

[fraser]

Thanks for the reply Roger. Like you I am in a small shop, and whatever machine it is would have to be on wheels. I too have to open the doors when using anything long, which is fine. Thanks for the recommendation on the machine, I will keep a look out.
Meanwhile, I have been offered a 10" Sedgwick, absolutely fantastic piece of kit. It's 180kg but has a draw back in that it is three phase. Im not clued up at all about this but understand a 3hp inverter or converter is the cheapest way to go? This would probably, for the near future anyway, is the only 3p I would have, so getting it installed wouldn't be cost effective at all. Could anyone advise please.

 

[Harbo]

Have a look at Bob's sticky on Motors.