Small 3 phase planer thicknesser

[Alan Bain]

Hi,

Having spent too tuch time tediously planing hardwood boards flat by hand for furniture making, I know I can do this (and am glad to have mastered the hand skills involved), but the time has come to get a planer thicknesser (or maybe separate machines?)

My workshop has 3 phase power and I have a preference for well built machines with cast iron tables but am open to other things if well built, but space is limited and if a combined machine the process of switching from planer to thicknesser needs to be reasonably quick. I suspect a 9 or 10 inch machine would be a compromise between size of machine (and ability to do smaller work) and what I normally need.

I'd welcome any suggestions for machines to look at?

Alan

 

[topchippyles]

Go for a sedgewick or wadkin and you will not go wrong.

 

[Myfordman]

a possible problem with P/T is the changeover between Planer and thicknesser modes.
1) Making sure that the infeed and outfeed tables move as one and have good lock downs when in planer mode and
2) That the dust collection changoever is as painless as possible.
My first P/T was a Kity which broke both rules above and as a result needed test cuts and tweaks everytime I changed back to planer mode.
This poisoned my opinions of P/T, possibly unfairly, but I now have separates.

As per suggestions above really if you have the space. I'm pretty certain that the wadkin tables dont even move. Not sure about Sedgewick ones.

 

[heimlaga]

The Swedish made Ejca combinations are pretty good too. Some were sold by Luna in the UK though far from all Lunas are made by Ejca.

 

[clogs]

there's plenty of the older cast iron P/T out there but 10 inch is quite small......
u'll get a 16incher for the same money and proper made ones you can go straight to the P or thicknesser mode without flipping table....
if u have the room go for seperates......
there are a few combo's that are very good, no messing with, 2 or 3 motors but they tend to be very expensive..
my old but long gone Wadkin 20incher P/T must have weighed a literal ton.....so think about moving this stuff around......

 

[Cabinetman]

I have been using my used SCM for 6 years now, I don’t remember the model but it takes 3x 305? Tersa blades, heavy cast-iron tops – separates. never been a problem, mine is the single phase but it has bags of power I can put 12 inch wide oak through the thicknesser and take 4 mm's off and it doesn’t blink.
The finish is superb, a lot of people wouldn’t do anything more than just varnish it! Can recommend. Ian

 

[RobinBHM]

if you have time to wait, maybe pick up Multico 12 surface planer and thicknesser -I had a pair, simple machines but worked really well.

 

[Trevanion]

What kind of budget do you have in mind?

There aren't really many planer thicknessers in the sub 12" category that aren't basically toys, the only ones I can think of in a 10" size worth having are the Sedgwick PT and Startrite PT260 and I can't think of any combination planers in a smaller size but there are surface planers commonly in sizes smaller than 10", but quite rarely thicknessers in less than 12". 12" is pretty much the standard starting size for most heavy-duty machine manufacturers so if you start looking at them you'll be opened up to all sorts of really good quality machinery for good prices since you've got three-phase on tap, Machines by Dominion, Cooksley, Danckaert, Sagar, Robinson, Wadkin, Sedgwick, SCM L'invincible, Multico, Bursgreen, Whitehead, Dodd, Whites and Felder are all worth looking at, prices vary.

 

[Alan Bain]

Not really too budget constrained - it's space in the workshop (it's a home workshop) that tends to be limited! I tend to want to buy good machines that will last (in the metalwork side I have a Hardinge HLV-H). I don't mind doing a bit of restoration work as I have the tools for that, but I definitely don't want toys. I'd be very willing to consider 12" machines - that does open up possibilities.

 

[Trevanion]

If space is a big issue I'd be looking at the more compact 12" models like the earlier Sedgwick MBs (Later ones had much longer tables which are handy but do take up space!), Wadkin BAO/S and the Startrite SD310 to name a couple of decent ones, all can be picked up for under £1000 or much less.

(in the metalwork side I have a Hardinge HLV-H).

Hardinge HLV-H...

I've got a CVA MK1-A, Similar to a Monarch 10EE.

 

[ScottandSargeant]

Try to find a not too old Good condition Wadkin BAO/S... 70’s onwards. They were really well engineered and had a pressure bar which helps when planing thin materials.. here is the leaflet:
https://www.scosarg.com/media/leaflets/Wadkin/Wadkin BAOS 300 Planer Thicknesser.pdf

 

[johnnyb]

buy a quality 12 inch+ machine. in my opinion buy buy new. must have spiral inserts or tersa. say hammer felder scm. whilst I do like british cast iron much is worn out.

 

[Dovetaildave]

I'm happy with my Sedgwick PT255.
Had it three years now, no problems.
http://sedgwick-machinery.co.uk/?page_id=86
Regards,
Dave

 

[ScottandSargeant]

Sedgwick don’t offer conventional cutter blocks any more... and only offer Tersa on the PT (as standard) now. They only offer the upgrade option of spiral block on the MB and CP

 

[Alan Bain]

If space is a big issue I'd be looking at the more compact 12" models like the earlier Sedgwick MBs (Later ones had much longer tables which are handy but do take up space!), Wadkin BAO/S and the Startrite SD310 to name a couple of decent ones, all can be picked up for under £1000 or much less.



Hardinge HLV-H...

I've got a CVA MK1-A, Similar to a Monarch 10EE.

Well I bought a BAOS 12 inch in excellent condition. Only lacks the knife setting jig and is remarkably compact! New set of knives indicated, but no signs it has had a hard life.

 

[pe2dave]

Scheppach hms 260 Planer thicknesser If you are interested.

 

[Doug71]

I had a BAOS for years, great bit of kit. There is a worm wheel and worm in the gearbox on the BAOS which you must make sure is greased as can wear out and is expensive to replace, probably worth looking into it.

I just swapped the knives on my Sedgwick for disposable ones (see link below), the holders are over priced but the knives work out more or less the same price as getting normal ones sharpened plus they are self setting so saves time. The system really modernises an old machine.

https://www.advancedmachinery.co.uk/machinery/tooling.asp?section=esta-bruck-knife-system-382