Planer thicknesser

[Bolman]

Hi,

My first post so hope I supply enough information for a decent reply, I am helping my son to decide on a planer thicknesser for him to use at home in my workshop, he has just completed his apprenticeship as a bench joiner.

The budget maximum is £1500, I assume the Rolls Royce machines will be out of reach but want to avoid the rubbish too.

Have seen the Axminster machines but my son preferred the build quality of the Jet machinery, what about the Scheppach or any others that are available, any advice thankfully received.

 

[deema]

I can't recommend enough a Sedgwick. Secondhand they should be within your budget for say a MB machine.

 

[memzey]

+1 for a used Sedgwick MB. I bought a single phase MB for around your budget and it's awesome. I'm not sure what the "Rolls Royce" of planer thicknessers is (possibly a Wadkin) but I would say the Sedgwick is pretty close. Maybe more like a Land Rover or something like that?

 

[YorkshireMartin]

+1 Sedgwick, any model. A refurbished example of a PT from a good dealer will be roughly on budget. It will outlast you and do anything you ask of it.

Depending on your needs, theres also the MB and CP models.

They are made in Leeds, even now. Buy carefully but generally, any problems with these machines can be resolved. Parts are still available from Sedgwick (costly) although spares regularly turn up on eBay as do machines than can be broken for parts.

Not sure if the MB and CP come in single phase, but the PT does. I own one in single phase. It does require a 20A supply which is something to keep in mind.

 

[Woodmonkey]

We've recently acquired a startrite sd31 and it's an excellent machine, and about your budget.

 

[custard]

Whatever you get make sure the knife changing procedure is simple and straightforward, and both you and your son are slick enough to do it in your sleep.

I reckon the majority, maybe even the great majority, of hobbyist planer/thicknessers are almost unusable because the knives are completely blunt, but the owner puts off changing them because it's such a faff.

Good luck!

 

[MikeJhn]

Have a look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuTkYUCX3ao

Mike

 

[Bolman]

Hi again,

Thanks for the replies from all, it seems like the Sedgwick is the model to go for if available secondhand, problem is as a mechanic by trade I would'nt know if I was buying a good or bad carpentry machine, and we really wanted to buy a new machine, no faults and comes with a warranty, plus it would be delivered.

How do the Jet 260 and the Startite sd31 compare, are there any other planer thicknesser's for £1500, we are trying to purchase away from the budget range but want to leave enough money for further pu

Lastly, would there be a review site of different planer thicknesser models.

Thanks.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I've had the Startrite SD300 (now the 31) for 5 years and it's a gem. Solid as a rock and blade changing is acceptable.

 

[deema]

If your a mechanic, buy a secondhand either light blue and blue or blue and white machine. They are built like tanks. If it starts, there are no indications of bearing rumble, you're almost certain to have a superb machine. They are incredibly simply to take apart and virtually nothing to go wrong. The quality of the machine is IMO far better than what your proposing new.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I"m only a real amateur, but I was very impressed by a spiral block demo I saw a couple of years ago. Advantages include:
- really good finish (the cutters shear rather than chisel)
- lower noise (a bit)
- lower power usage
- easier to maintain (if you nick something you change only that small cutter)
- can handle really nasty grain patterns and thinner stock (less force involved in the cut)

I doubt you can get a spiral block machine for that price, so I'm only mentioning it as I'd be looking for a machine that could take such a block at a later date. There's at least one third-party supplier (in the USA) of conversion kits for decent machines, so I'd do a bit of Googling to see.

Just twopence from an enthusiastic observer (with an ancient Kity 7" p/t).

 

[marcros]

I am not sure if there are any user reviews of the axi with spiral block on the forum yet. Might be worth seeing in action. A sedgewick with tersa block in would be my choice though, even without warranty.

 

[heimlaga]

I second the others. For 1500 pounds you can get either a mediocre new machine to get him started or a very good secondhand machine which will last your son's entire life and half the life of his grandchildren as well. After you two have fixed it up a bit.
If you both are very busy with your respective jobs and lives then he will be forced to make do with a mediocre new machine........ but to me a joiner and a mechanic sounds like just about the ideal skill combination to maky use of the leverage you get on your money when you buy secondhand.
It is your choice of cause.

Right now there is an internet hype going on with spiral cutterheads and other types of cutterheads where you don't have to set the knives manually.
Setting the knives manually isn't too complicated once he has learned it properly. However many hobbyists never get past that initial learning curve. If you buy a machine with a traditional head he must be prepared to climb that learning curve otherwise the machine will be pretty much useless. Maybe he has learned it already during his training. Ask him!
I got past that stage and have never looked back. My two knife cutterhead from 1957 is perfectly adequate for my semi-professional needs.

Spiral cutterheads and Tersa cutterheads surely have their advantages for certain uses.
-Quick changeovers between cheap disposable blades with Tersa. That is great for those who are very short of time or use a lot of recykled wood.
-Smooth surface on highly figured wood with a spiral head. Great for those who use that sort of wood for very high end furniture or smaller items.

 

[Woodmonkey]

The startrite machine is far from mediocre.

 

[Bolman]

Hi,

Thanks again for all replies.

I am now thinking that we should go for a new Sedgwick PT as it will last a lifetime, I can sense what will be coming back to us, look for a second hand machine of better size and quality, not sure my current workshop would take a larger model what with his other tools, not forgetting my mechanical tools ( Work in the garage office now so my tools are redundant now)

 

[deema]

Great choice, you will not regret it, and it will hold its value really well. If you can I would try and make the pennies stretch to buy one with a Tersa head if you don't have much experience, the most difficult thing is usually setting the blades, on a Tersa block you don't have this problem.

Do not lift it EVER by the tables, it can throw them out of alignment. It's fairly easy to set them back up on a Sedgwick but again if your new you want to use it when it's setup correctly.

You will need a straight edge and some feeler gauges. This is to verify that the tables are level with each other and the entire surface (both tables) are completely level. The out feed table must also be level with the cutter block. If your mechanic and have some gauge blocks or a clock these are brilliant with a straight edg for checking the out feed table is level with the cutter block.

 

[memzey]

As long as it's not a complete lemon I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Sedgwick machines are a kind of sturdy, made in England quality that is hard to come by nowadays. All my machines are older English made ones and when I wander around Axi looking at the bits of Chinese made tin I could have got for roughly double the combined price I paid, I just smile

 

[deema]

A Sedgwick MB machine with a Tersa block just sold in eBay fir £750ish. It needed a tiny bit of work (broken bits easily fixed), which would have cost c£200 tops if parts purchased from Sedgwick. Just thought I'd mention it!

 

[Bolman]

Thanks to all for the ideas and recommendations.

The Sedgwick PT255 planer thicknesser order was placed today, hopefully I can let my son take over any carpentry needs now, he also purchased the following below, it just requires the workshop to be adjusted from my mechanic/DIY set up to his requirements now.

Bosch GTS 10XC table saw
Bosch GCM 12GDL mitre saw
Bosch GKT 55GCE plunge saw
Lamello top21 biscuit jointer
Mirka deros 5650V random orbital sander