Surface Planer

[johnbulls74]

Hi All,

I am looking to buy a surface planer to help me make better chopping boards. (currently using a jig on table saw but there are many times it doesn't work or I can use due to the wood dimensions)
I already have a dedicated thicknesser so I was thinking of just getting a planer but I can seem to find a descent one in my £300 budget.

I have seen the triton planer but it is not in stock anywhere. I am weary of the Rutland's and the Silverline thinking they will be rubbish unless that is unfair?

Am I best selling the thicknesser and getting a planer/thicknesser as there seems to be more options?

Any info would be appreciated.
Thank you kindly
John

 

[TheTiddles]

Have you tried the sled for the thicknesser trick, it kinda works, not great but means you can surface plane

Aidan

 

[johnbulls74]

Have you tried the sled for the thicknesser trick, it kinda works, not great but means you can surface plane

Aidan

Haven't tried that, didn't know that was a thing..... I will have a look at that thanks

 

[Chippymint]

If you are happy with your thicknesser and you have the space, there is nothing better than having both machines. No faffing about changing tables. It makes your life so much easier.

The down size is that you are limited to choice as Europ seems to be hell-bent on planner thicknesser combinations. Look out for a Jet 60a planner - a superb machine with long cast iron tables, powerful and will do wood widths of just over 8inchs. They did do a 6inch version and has been copied by Axminster, who sell it new.

My only worry for you is that a decent second-hand planner or combination is going to cost much more than your planned budget. You might be lucky if you keep a look out.

Another option is to go for a planner thicknesser and just use it as a surface planner. However, I would recommend that what ever you do, get one with cast iron tables and fence - you won't regret it in the long run.

 

[Padster]

Hi All,

I am looking to buy a surface planer to help me make better chopping boards. (currently using a jig on table saw but there are many times it doesn't work or I can use due to the wood dimensions)
I already have a dedicated thicknesser so I was thinking of just getting a planer but I can seem to find a descent one in my £300 budget.

I have seen the triton planer but it is not in stock anywhere. I am weary of the Rutland's and the Silverline thinking they will be rubbish unless that is unfair?

Am I best selling the thicknesser and getting a planer/thicknesser as there seems to be more options?

Any info would be appreciated.
Thank you kindly
John

This isn't going to help but the Triton one is great!

Just in case you can find it ;-)

 

[johnbulls74]

If you are happy with your thicknesser and you have the space, there is nothing better than having both machines. No faffing about changing tables. It makes your life so much easier.

The down size is that you are limited to choice as Europ seems to be hell-bent on planner thicknesser combinations. Look out for a Jet 60a planner - a superb machine with long cast iron tables, powerful and will do wood widths of just over 8inchs. They did do a 6inch version and has been copied by Axminster, who sell it new.

My only worry for you is that a decent second-hand planner or combination is going to cost much more than your planned budget. You might be lucky if you keep a look out.

Another option is to go for a planner thicknesser and just use it as a surface planner. However, I would recommend that what ever you do, get one with cast iron tables and fence - you won't regret it in the long run.

Thanks for the insight. my thicknesser is a jet one and does what I need it to so happy with that and I prefer the idea of not having to alter bits on a machine to swap jobs.
I will keep an eye out for cast iron although with lockdown second hand items are difficult to see/get.

I was offered a Junior Whitehead cast iron one but I cant see or collect it and they want it gone ASAP.

This isn't going to help but the Triton one is great!

Just in case you can find it ;-)

Well it does tell me its good at least. It might be the one to get when it come back into stock......

 

[danst96]

How big do you need your surface planer to be? Check out D B Keighley website in Leeds, they have a 6 inch SIP surface planer/jointer which I think has a cast iron bed for £150+ vat. If it's just small pieces you are running through it could be ideal

 

[recipio]

You can get a secondhand planer thicknesser for a few hundred pounds. Why limit yourself to a 6 inch table - even softwood is available up to 10 inches wide in the rough. ? I'd look for the older Scheppach machines - even with steel tables they are bombproof.

 

[danst96]

I got a Kity 636 this week for £300-400 price range, might be a better option. I was suggesting the small one as thats what it sounds like he is doing, small pieces. Also i would argue that getting a second hand decent planer thicknesser for a reasonable price right now is not easy. They are selling at a massive premium on ebay at the moment, you even have cheap titan and erbauer etc. selling for more than their original listing price! But now and then you can find a decent one at a decent price, took me over a month of just watching ebay before finding one.

 

[johnbulls74]

How big do you need your surface planer to be? Check out D B Keighley website in Leeds, they have a 6 inch SIP surface planer/jointer which I think has a cast iron bed for £150+ vat. If it's just small pieces you are running through it could be ideal

6inch will be enough for now. I am mainly making chopping boards. I will move onto other things but i cant imagine needing to plane stuff bigger than 6 inches any time soon.
Yeah I had seen the SIP one that but they said they didn't have any left and its discontinued :-(

You can get a secondhand planer thicknesser for a few hundred pounds. Why limit yourself to a 6 inch table - even softwood is available up to 10 inches wide in the rough. ? I'd look for the older Scheppach machines - even with steel tables they are bombproof.

Not seen many yet and most want collection, which we not allowed to do during lockdown. I would normally like to look at it first although id didnt look at my table saw which I got from here...
I haven't been looking at the Scheppach stuff so I will take a look thanks!

I got a Kity 636 this week for £300-400 price range, might be a better option. I was suggesting the small one as that's what it sounds like he is doing, small pieces. Also I would argue that getting a second hand decent planer thicknesser for a reasonable price right now is not easy. They are selling at a massive premium on ebay at the moment, you even have cheap titan and erbauer etc. selling for more than their original listing price! But now and then you can find a decent one at a decent price, took me over a month of just watching ebay before finding one.

Yeah I agree it seems like there is a shortage. Yandles doesn't seem to have any planer/thicknessers in stock.

 

[danst96]

On eBay there is a silverline version of the sip jointer which looks almost identical Heavy Duty Silverline Silverstorm 1800W Bench Planer 150mm Wood Work joinery New | eBay

 

[johnbulls74]

On eBay there is a silverline version of the sip jointer which looks almost identical Heavy Duty Silverline Silverstorm 1800W Bench Planer 150mm Wood Work joinery New | eBay

Are these any good? I assumed the Silverline / Rutlands 1800w planers were rubbish as a lot of the reviews say tables are not flat and it breaks down. my only experience of Silverline tools was my biscuit jointer which I had to replace the first one as it worked once and then broke.
But I suppose it may be the best on my budget for the time being. Thanks for looking

 

[danst96]

I am not sure to be honest, I just noticed it appears to be the exact same thing as the SIP which is generally considered a decent brand I believe and for the money it seems reasonable. Still if wanting something long term and more usable, searching out a decent old Sheppach or Kity or similar may be worth the while. As I said though, they are in incredibly high demand and low supply so price is crazy. I believe it's down to the fact most new machines are not available because of supply chains being affected by covid, at least that's what a few brands such as Zipper and Charnwood have been saying.

 

[RobinBHM]

Yeah I agree it seems like there is a shortage

I believe there is loads of stuff stuck in warehouses awaiting clearance, maybe they will come back in stock....

 

[Chris Hawkins]

Are these any good? I assumed the Silverline / Rutlands 1800w planers were rubbish as a lot of the reviews say tables are not flat and it breaks down. my only experience of Silverline tools was my biscuit jointer which I had to replace the first one as it worked once and then broke.
But I suppose it may be the best on my budget for the time being. Thanks for looking

IMHO they are not good - I bought the Rutlands one a few years ago when it was on offer for £100 - I was curious. They are made of aluminium and are not at all sturdy - especially the fence. It's like a toy. Having said that if you don't have a hand plane or the budget for anything else then it will do the job on small pieces, but not to any degree of accuracy.