Planer thicknesser

[Jezzza55]

I have always used heavy duty woodwork machinery. I am looking for advice. I want to buy a small light planer thicknesser for garage use. Any recommendations please? Looking at the Record PT 260. I wonder if I would be disappointed.

 

[RobinBHM]

I used to have one of the original elektra beckum ones which I used when I started out. I think they are great machines for smaller work. If you want to machine up timber for big windows then maybe not.

The surfacer tables need to be handled a bit gently as they can go out of parallel.

The handle for the guard is great, I wish bigger machines had the same style

The thicknesser works very well and machines up cleanly

I think from memory mine worked on a 13amp plug but would blow fuses sometimes.

 

[custard]

What Robin said.

There's nothing inherently wrong with many small P/T's, but they are what they are. Aluminium tables that are prone to distortion if mishandled (and how many delivery drivers or users can resist moving them by grabbing the tables?), plastic handles that break easily, knives that aren't particularly easy to remove and replace, thicknesser tables that aren't absolutely parallel to the cutter block and are difficult to adjust, fences that will easily go out of true if bashed by a board, etc etc. But find a good one, treat it carefully, and it'll get the job done.

 

[mbartlett99]

Until recently I had a Record 260 - I thought it was great for what it was. Decent finish, decent capacity and very portable. Ok the tables weren't hugely long and processing big lumps required some thought but for the money it was pretty good.

Like the guys say its not built of bricks and the finish on the table is prone to come off but you could do a lot worse. £300 should get you a decent 2nd unit.

 

[Phil1975]

I recently bought a used Sedgwick PT, which is a great machine to use & I suspect it will out last me!
It's not physically a huge amount bigger than the PT 260, in fact it's almost identical to the bigger Record PT (I can't remember the model number).
The Sedgwick is very heavy, I will admit, but a wheeled base gets around that & I don't struggle to push it around the garage.
If you are used to industrial tools then you may find something like a PT260 a bit 'tinny'?
Price wise a new PT260 is around the same as a Second hand Record.
I'm not knocking the Record power machines in any way, but you did say that you were used to more insustrial machinery, so maybe something like the Sedgwick could be a viable option?

 

[RobinBHM]

Certainly Sedgwick machines are used by many small professional cabinet shops, 2nd hand they get snapped up quickly.

 

[MrDavidRoberts]

I also have the metabo 260 , for the size it's a very capable and good + very well made machine. It strugles a bit with pieces longer than 3-4metres however (due to small outfeed tables).
The next step for me after these units would be a full blown 4 side moulder because I do not think it's worth to get anything larger/more expensive for home / small workshop than one of the 260 range machines because it's rather capable already!

Also I considered buying at first it used , however.. I spent 2 months looking for one and they usually go for £300-£350 (in very good condition I would want to buy). + you have to spend on fuel to go get them + waste half a day doing so + you would need to spend some £25 on new blades, so doesn't really makes sense to buy used when new can be had for £500 delivered to your doorstep.

 

[edcruwys]

http://www.axminster.co.uk/jet-jpt-260- ... ser-600671
Bed is single unit, cast iron reeded bed, £1300 inc VAT. Hard to beat at the moment