Seperate planer thicknessers

[Matt_S]

Just pondering at the moment but hopefully later in the year might be buying. What I don't understand is you seem to be able to get benchtop thicknessers which look good quality and would be great in my small garage. But benchtop planers all look a bit cheaper and dont seem to have cast iron tables and fences.

Is this true or can you get good quality small planers?

Or are the benchtop thicknessers also not great just look better in the catalogues!

 

[the_g_ster]

Hey,

I think it depends what you want to use it for. From looking on here there are some good ones out there that are not too expensive. What you do need to think is that it may be great for that small chest of drawers you may be making now, but if you want to do something large in future you will be restricted.

The prices have come down too now China is throwing things out at an alarming rate, I am not sure that Scheppach holds the crown now as it seems some other makes are really well respected now.

Have a look at some is the best bet, and work out what you really need them for. Always remember that good kit has resale value too, so even if you get something wrong now you shouldn't be out of pocket.

G

 

[NeilO]

Matt, having a huge combi planer/thicknesser is great IF you have the space, longer tables, heavier more stable machine etc...
But like a lot of us you seem to be working from either a small purpose built workshop or garage..
I currently have a 10x8 wooden shed, that is my kingdom :lol: and find benchtop machines a good compromise.

My Delta thicknesser will handle 13" x 10" max, and seems to be a larger capacity than most of the combi machines, however short in/outfeed tables let it down, but this can be overcome by utilising benches, table saw top, or even foldaway rollers.

As for jointing I have the SIP 6" model which also has short tables, and again utilise any or everything you can make make your workpiece more stable/controllable and it seems to work pretty much how it should (not expecting to joint 12` boards anytime soon) working within reason.

the real benefit is once you have done your jointing/thicknessing throw the thing in the bottom of some cupboard, or under the bench and they take little of that very precious space that is always at a premium in a small workshop/garage..

HTH

the SIP has a CI bed and fence, (bloody heavy thing too) not perfectly accurate when I got it , but a little tuning worked wonders.

 

[Matt_S]

That SIP 6" planer looks like what I'd hoped you could get. So thank you for answering a question which I've been pndering for a while!

Yeah I work out of a garage shared with our Morris Minor so really only have the end quarter for working in and a strip next to the car for storage. This is why I'm considering the smaller seperates as they could conveniantly be stored next to the car.

 

[WellsWood]

Hi Matt, considering your location I'd recommend a jaunt up to Axminsters place at Bobbing - only about 30mins from you up the 229. You can then have a good look at some of the prospectives in the flesh. If you want to look at some of the competition, Charnwood, Scheppach and Fox for example, then Poolewood are only a mile or 2 down the road.
Don't expect the same level of service or expertise as Axminster though, they're friendly enough but it's a bit of a one horse show by comparison frankly.

 

[Anonymous]

Or are the bench top thicknessers also not great just look better in the catalogues!

Matt

I bought a Delta bench top thicknesser years ago and it is still stunningly good. With newly sharp blades, tit comes close to rivaling a hand plane! The blades spin at 12000 rpm thanks to a brushed (loud ) motor.

I also have an SIP planer/thicknesser that I bought because of the induction motor and a wish not to offend neighbours, and the finish from this is not comparable in any way to the Delta when used in thicknessing mode, but it is very good i planing mode when I control the feed rate. the blades sin at 5000 rpm.

These days I use the SIP as a planer only and the Delta as my thicknesser and if I were shopping once more, I would buy a benchtop thicknesser with a brushed motor and a dedicated planer with an induction motor.

 

[harryc]

I have also been considering buying a bench top planer, alas don't have space for a floor standing model.
Reading the forums it seem one of the more important facts is to make sure the planer has cast iron tables and taking this into account I have been looking at the SIP, axminster and Rexon models, does the fact that the Rexon has total bed length of 860mm compared to approx 740mm for the other two make a big enough difference to justify the Rexon.

Also I have read somewhere the planer should be able to accurately plane timber twice the length of the planer table length.

Any advice appreciated

Harry

 

[wizer]

Oddly I am also in the market for a benchtop jointer. The axminster had been the only one i'd looked at. Wil go have a look at those other models.

 

[wizer]

That SIP Machine looks promising. Does anyone on the forums own that machine?

 

[Rich]

I have the SIP 6X4 P/T, my only grumble is that one has to keep changing the position of the chip ext connection, as I don't use the unit everyday I can put up with this but you have to make sure that the microswitch is activated when you reposition the dx spout, if I had the money now, I would buy 2 seperate units but then I'd have a storage problem as well.
Regards, Rich.