The Esta system is great if you already have a machine that has the old knives that sit on springs and you are going mad trying to set them up like I was, but if starting from new then you simply avoid that type of machine and buy one with the Tersa knives which is exactly what I would have done had I known the issues I was going to get. The added cost of the Esta system is not a cheap option and although gets you out of a jam it is still not the Tersa system.
Fair points. I haven't yet been able to find a unit that comes with tersa knives that meets my footprint / cost requirements, but I'll keep my eyes open.
Not used a record power planer but I'd say the quality of the Jets is....good. The castings are flat and heavy enough, and the sheetmetal body is very solid and rigid too, which is especially important if you're moving it about like I have to. The thicknessing table is rigidly supported and the fence is solid in use, if not the most sophisticated (I use a square at both ends to get it set, but realistically you don't do this very often). 3 knives is good. The cutterblock is 70mm diameter, so not the biggest. The feed speed seems perhaps a touch fast for the finest work to me, but with sharp knives it does a great job. You can disengage the feed for manual feeding, which seems a nice touch but I've not tried it in anger.
