Planer and/or thicknesser

[bewildered]

Hi Guys,

Happy New Year to you all. I have been a long time reader through your forums. You really have a great community here and I have taken a lot away with me. So thank you all for that, I hope the site continues to get better in 2017!

So, I've made the new years resolution to get a bit more serious about my woodworking. I have been working with planed all round stock that I purchase. But, I have decided to buy a planer thicknesser. I know many suggest that if you can at all, buy separate machines. But, I think for the moment, I would be best suited to a planer thicknesser machine.

I have been searching machines for sale online and have come across a few nice machines that I like the look of... But I know very little about them to be honest, as I have never used/owned a planer thicknesser.

I found a Wilson, Robinson and Wadkin machines for sale. What is the consensus on these machines?

Some of them are reconditioned while others are not. As I am in Ireland and these machines are in the UK. Would it be safe to purchase a machine without having seen it?
Or could you recommend anyone in the UK that would be straight to deal with like this?

Thanks all!

 

[RobinBHM]

I assume you have 3 phase? -as I sure those machines arent likely to be 240v.

If you are buying sight unseen, I would restrict your choice to buying from a dealer since they will sell a proper reconditioned machine and be able to sefely palletise for delivery.

Its a bit tricky to advise without knowing your budget or type of work you want to machine.

One thing to note is that combined planer thicknessers of the old variety like wadkin baos do have short surfacer tables. No problem if you are doing cabinetmaking but not so great for joinery. Combined machines do of course have a change over time due to extraction changes.

Of the machines mentioned, I would choose a Wadkin first, then Robinson then Wilson. Certainly there are more Wadkins around so better resale value, better chance of finding manuals and parts. The others almost no chance.

If these old machines have seen heavy use, you may find the feed rollers worn so wont feed well, they can be recut, but is a bit of a strip down and engineering.

Have you looked at the Sedgewick machines? Lots of small cabinetmaking shops use them, a bit more modern than your initial makes so you will get spares etc.

Also consider SCM and the separate multico machines.

 

[deema]

I would add Dominion to your list of machines to look out for.

I personally would opt for a Sedgwick (I'm biased as I own one!) they are extremely well made, and have similar engineering to the way they used to make them, certainly mine will outlast me and probably the next two generations! I would look out for a blue and light blue or a blue and white machine, which are the more modern versions both of which should have the longer beds and anti kick back fingers as well as being braked.

I think for a Ryanair flightover I would take a look at any machine I was buying. It's not cheap to get anything over the Irish Sea! I've bought machines without seeing them from eBay and had about 50:50 success. Often the machine is not as described.....far worse! But I have to say without exception I've found a solution with the seller.

 

[deema]

There is a lovely Sedgwick on this forum for sale, the MB single phase version. It looks an absolutely wonderful machine. I would be happy to buy the machine without viewing.....but that would be me!

 

[Jacob]

SCM and Minimax are good.
2nd hand for not much more you could probably get a combi, also with saw and spindle

 

[MikeJhn]

Personally with the potential problems of shipping to Ireland and the cost on top of your budget, I would be looking at buying new or second hand in Ireland, second hand machines are a lottery, mostly you loose and have to spend additional monies time and effort to get the the thing into an operational state, then you must consider the spares issue especially with old machines and getting these to Ireland, makes no sense to me to buy anywhere other than on your mainland.

Having said all that Scott and Sargent have a reputation to maintain: http://scosarg.com/used-machines/planer ... ssers-used

Mike

 

[heimlaga]

Wilson and Robinson and Sagar and Wadkin and their likes are industrial machines. Intended to plane big workpieces all day long 6 days a week. Often this has resulted in a bit of wear and sometimes they lack some safety features found on modern machines. In the hands of a mechanically inclined person with a bit of repair time on hand they will perform superbly and guards can be upgraded to fully modern standards.
Their modern equivalents come from makers like Sedgwick and Griggio and SCM l'Invincibile and Martin. Machines that cost a good bit of money when new.
A whole world away from the AxminsterHobby and Jet and Recond machines so actively promoted everywhere.

By purchasing a secondhand high quality machine you can use tax-free and communting-cost-free time and skills to increase the purchasing power of your money at a very favourable rate but nothing comes for free. Every secondhand machine is likely to have one or two hidden problems to sort out if you want it to perform to the high standards it was built to perform.
I have gone down that road with each of my stationary machines. Every time the repairs have costed at least twice as much time and money as I thought when I bought it.
Though in the end I have always ended up with a top quality machine for a fraction of the cash and workhours required to pay the purchase price of a new machine of similar quality. I rekon that time equals money at the rate of my actual netto hourly pay after deducting tax and commuting costs and unpaid time spent commuting. That is around 7 euros per hour.
Spare parts for older machines are generally non-existant. However most parts are rather simple for a machinist to make. Many parts can be made at home using welder and angle grinder and file and drill press. I usually order my parts from a local machinist on such terms that he can have it laying around until next time he is waiting for a delivery or is between jobs. Hence I get it made for a good price.
Electrical components can usually be substituted with modern standard parts and replacement motors can be bought secondhand. Burned out motors can be rewound.

People who lack the time or the machanical inclination needed to increase the purchasing power and who cannot justify the exorbitant prizes of new high end machines will never have a chance to experience a good machine.
They are way better off with a new hobby grade machine including it's weaknesses than with a broken good quality machine and no means to repair it. Some of the hobby machines are actually quite good enough for the needs of the average hobbyist.

Most high end machines were built to run on three phase power. Here in Finland that is no problem as we have three phase mains right to the main board of every house. Then it is easy and cheap to install a few three phase outlets as needed.
In Britain and Ireland you have a much more oldfashioned electrical system with many houses having only a ringle phase in the main board. That is enough for small single phase machines but if you want to run a bigger three phase machine you need to either get three phase mains or convert single phase power to three phase or convert the machine to run on single phase.

So... the conclusion is that there isn't and will never be a "one size fits all" in woodworking.

 

[MikeJhn]

"By purchasing a secondhand high quality machine you can use tax-free and communting-cost-free time and skills to increase the purchasing power of your money at a very favourable rate but nothing comes for free."

The first consultancy speak I have heard this year, gave me a laugh last year and will always make me smile in years to come. =D>

Mike

 

[ScottandSargeant]

The cost of shipping to Ireland might be prohibitive / not justifiable. In the ideal world, try to find yourself a Wadkin BAO/S, there are a FEW single phase ones around. Have a look on Gumtree, it appears quite popular as a market place in Ireland. If you want a quick follow x and peace of mind consider buying a Sedgwick PT new