Tips and what to check in buying second hand planer thicness

[Wouldchuk]

Hello all,

Still pestering in the hunt for a planer/thicknesser. I am going to look at a second hand Elektra Beckum HC 260 M at the weekend and wondered if anyone can give me a sensible ‘buyers guide’ – with some tips on what I should be checking for. Ive never owned and rarely used one so would value any advice.

Am I right in thinking that the 260 M is the better respected German made machine?

I was going to take a straight-edge to check how true the tables are – I was going to check each table independently, checking the diagonals and any ‘winding’, bends etc.

Same goes for the fence and its attachment – not bent in any way etc.

Checking the guard to ensure it is operating properly, is not damaged etc.

Will check for any obvious scratches or dents which could make feeding the machine difficult.

The function of the switch and the obvious stuff around freely rotating motor, cutter block etc.

Check the rise and fall mechanism to ensure that is in order.

Are there any other checks I should undertake – anything I ought to look for, considering I am a complete newbie to p/ts.

Thanks

Tim

 

[tomatwark]

Hi Tim

I don't know the machine you are going to look at but if I was buying a secondhand P/T this is what I would do in addition to your list.

I would take some tools with you take the back off and check any drive belts/chains and pulleys and cogs etc.

See if the bolts that hold the cutters in are chewed up they can be difficult to get out if they are.

Also if the machine has rubber feed rollers look at them.

When checking the table put them as high up as they will go and put a straight edge across both of them to make sure they are not running up or down as this is a sign the machine has been lifted by its tables and may be a right pain to correct, as I found out on a Startrite machine I bought on Ebay.

And finally if the seller will let you run a piece of wood through the thicknesser.

If the machine does not look abused it will probably be OK but IF it has been used for a business it may have alot of heavy use hours on it.

Tom

 

[dance]

lifted by its tables and may be a right pain to correct, as I found out on a Startrite machine I bought on Ebay.

I think this may be the case with my HC 260. Any ideas how one might go about correcting the problem?

 

[Wouldchuk]

So - for 250 quid I picked it up today - its in great shape. The chap that sold it (via a well know auction website) has never even used the planer, having used it only to thicknesser timber for making some windows in his house. I have yet to get it into the workshop to test but all looked in order, smooth operation and a surprisingly quiet motor. All looked square and true with the angle/straight edge but the proof will be in getting it properly set up.

All in all, im pretty pleased with it so far - I think that 250 was a pretty good price for a very lightly used, great condition machine. Hopefully it will get me motivated to get on with some projects now!

Dance - sorry, I cannot help, but if in setting it up i work out anything of use I will let you know.