Thicknesser Help Please

[samlarsen]

I would be grateful if the "been there done that" among us could help with this one.

The dilema: I need to convert rough sawn timber into useable wood for general joinery work. I have a good shop bandsaw for dimensioning but no good planes / planer.

I have around 250-350 quid to spend on some kit to get the rough sawn into accurately sized stock. I do mostly site work so something easily portable would be good, and space is always at a premium. I only buy branded kit with good spares back-up as I've been caught out here before. That leaves the Dewalts and Deltas of this world, rather than SIP, axminster etc as far as I know.

If I buy a thicknesser alone (for now) how would I go about forming the exact 90 degree angle between adjacent faces prior to thicknessing without a planer and fence? Anyone out there have a method I've not thought of?

I suspect the only real answer is to buy either separates or a combination machine and enlarge the budget to dewalt 733s country at 500quid ish. If this is the case I'll hold on and do it right when the funds will stretch rather than spend less and have something that'll not do.

Any thoughts from anyone who's been down this road would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Sam

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Sam

It might be your lucky day, but you'll need to be quick.

Have a look at this https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1388

Cheers
Neil

 

[samlarsen]

ok

correction: enlarge the budget to dewalt 733s country at 480 quid.

Cheers

Sam

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Sam

If you want the DW, don't wait around too long because at that price it/they will quickly go.

The replacement is about 700.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Aragorn]

I need to convert rough sawn timber into useable wood for general joinery work.

How "useable" are we talking here???
If you had a thicknesser, you could produce nicely planed wood, but it wouldn't be flat or straight. On the tablesaw (or bandsaw) you could put a 90º edge on it, but again, it wouldn't be straight. With a smoothing plane, you could get that 90º edge nice and smooth....
The only efficient way to get useable timber for joinery (i.e. straight, flat and square) is to own a planer and thicknesser (separate or combi), or to buy it prepared that way.
Of course, some amongst us would produce it with a handplane, but at least they're in the Hand Tools section!

 

[gidon]

Tip in a mag this month - (think it was American Woodworker), was to make a carrier board for your board. Shim it with wedges of wood and hot melt glue so it won't rock and then pass it through your thicknesser. Then flip it over and bob's your uncle. Never tried this so proceed with caution!
Then your could use a router and a straight edge to get a square edge, and rip to final dimensions on your table saw. Or pin the board to a board with a straight edge and guide this along your table saw producing your first square edge. Or, god forbid, use a hand plane to get a square edge.
Lots of options. I'm sure everyone who's bought (or considered buying) a planer thicknesser has gone this thought process. Not an easy decision.
Good luck,
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Midnight]

Any thoughts from anyone who's been down this road would be much appreciated.

granted, it may not be the most practical method for contract work..... but I've just finished rough stock prep on over 200 board ft of roughsawn oak and elm.
Tools used....Stanley #5, Lie Nielson #'s 4 1/2, 7 and 62 to true the first face and joint the edges to within 2 thou over 6ft, Rexon thicknesser to rough plane the opposite face, L-N 4 1/2 with a York pitch frog to finish plane.

Some of the stock was pretty ropey in places, though you wouldn't think that to see it now; some beautiful tiger oak... nice figure on the elm too...

only down side was that it took a while.

 

[ProShop]

Hi Sam

If you want the DW, don't wait around too long because at that price it/they will quickly go.Neil

Neil, you mentioned you had seen a demo of the DW machine, in your opinion what was the quality of the finish, I ask as I'm torn between the DW, axminster AW106PT, the Fox version(£40 cheaper) or the Sheppach HMS260. I think :? :lol:
Regards
John

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi John

you mentioned you had seen a demo of the DW machine, in your opinion what was the quality of the finish, I ask as I'm torn between the DW, axminster AW106PT, the Fox version(£40 cheaper) or the Sheppach HMS260. I think

I have seen neither the Fox nor the Axminster, but I have seen the DW and the Scheppach. imho there was no discernible difference in the finish between the two.

I would have been very happy with either.

If you go for the DW just run it at the lower speed for the really good finish.

Cheers
Neil

 

[Anonymous]

Sam

I have the SIP P/T and spares are no problem, likewise replacement blades

Tony

PS it works very well and costs little

 

[samlarsen]

Many thanks for all your help so far.

I'm slowly coming around to the conclusion I thought I'd end up with - planer thicknesser for £500 ish. It seems the only other alternative is to surface the faces by machine and hand plane / cut the edges as above?

Anyone know anything of the FOX brand ie spares back-up, liklihood of going bump in the next recession etc? Anyone have a link to their website so I can check out their p/t?

Cheers

Sam

 

[ProShop]

Sam

I have the SIP P/T and spares are no problem, likewise replacement blades
Tony
PS it works very well and costs little

Thanks Tony, I have not seen these until reading your post, I saw via the net a firm selling one inc dust
extraction for just under £500. I would like to see what the finish is like though.
Regards John

 

[ProShop]

Anyone know anything of the FOX brand ie spares back-up, liklihood of going bump in the next recession etc? Anyone have a link to their website so I can check out their p/t?
CheersSam

Hi Sam, it appears we are both looking for the same thing, and it's difficult making decisions without a demo, or look at the finish of the various machines. I don't know enough about them that's my problem at the moment. But I can tell you that the Fox F22565 is the same machine being just being introduced by Axminster AW106PT so I wouldn't see spares etc being an issue. The Fox is at the moment about £30 cheaper than the Axminster
Best Regards
John

 

[Alf]

With a smoothing plane, you could get that 90º edge nice and smooth....

But with a jointer you could get it nice and smooth AND straight. :wink:

Of course, some amongst us would produce it with a handplane, but at least they're in the Hand Tools section!

But occasionaly let out for good behaviour.

I was going to suggest the method Gidon mentions. Luckily for me he's saved me the difficulty of explaining it. :wink:

Midnight Mike, I'm not certain, but if you tot up all those L-Ns of yours, wouldn't it work out at the price of a pretty good P/T...? :lol:

Sam, I reckon the P/T is probably the time-efficient way to go. With that offer on the DeWalt, if you can move now, you're laughing. As a bonus it's light enough to take on site. You know it makes sense.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Hi John

The finish with the planer on the SIP is second to none. However, I did struggle to get a finish I was happy with from the Thicknesser operation. However, after several pieces of advice from forum members I am now very happy with the thicknessing - mainly had to set blades differently and wax the table

To be brutally honest though, my Delta thicknesser gives a slightly better finish (blades spin much faster) and is 12" wide rather than the SPI's 10"

I saw an article in an American mag recently where they tested the new Dewalt 3 blade thicknesser which looked stunning and performed exceptionally well

Cheers

Tony

 

[llangatwgnedd]

Just ordered a Dewalt 733s from Mtspowertools for a total cost of £441.80 with £30 delivery

*Re-edited to include delivery

Cheers Neil for finding that offer on the internet :wink:

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi SP

Cheers Neil for finding that offer on the internet :wink:

Glad to help. Please tell me you're not a Jack supporter. :wink:

Cheers
Neil

 

[llangatwgnedd]

Rugger chap me, live nine miles from them


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[Newbie_Neil]

Excellent SP

Cheers
Neil

 

[Anonymous]

Just ordered a Dewalt 733s from Mtspowertools for a total cost of £441.80 with £30 delivery

That must have been excluding VAT, surely?