16 or 12 inch planer

[Cameronhill97]

Hi all, im looking into buying a combi planer, been looking at possibly the scheppac models as they seem good value for money. I either want the 12 inch wide or 16 inch wide, the 12 is roughly £2000 and the 16 £3000. Originally i wanted the 16 as obviously bigger is better and i know it is more expensive but i dont want to save money just to wish i got something bigger.

however now this is my problem, i looked on axminster and for abit more then i would save on the lesser model i could get the jet 16,32 drum sander.

so just wondering everyone's thoughts on if i should get the 12 inch alongside the drum sander and use that if i ever need to do anything larger

thanks

 

[Glynne]

As with most questions on buying kit, what is it you plan to make?
Bigger is often better, but if you are a box maker for example I doubt you'd need a 16" machine.
If funds and room aren't an issue then go for it, but I suspect you'd be in the fortunate few!

 

[MikeK]

I asked the same questions here and got answers all over the place. As Glynne stated, it depends on what you plan on doing with it. Most of the people I asked worked with large commercial machines and did not have anything for the home shop.

I plan on making cabinets, bookcases, and shelves for my home, so I bought the Holzmann HOB 260 NL planer/joiner and the Jet JSG-96 disc/belt sander (with 230V 50Hz motor).

I have the Jet now and am still waiting on the Holzmann to arrive, but I am very pleased with the JSG-96. I bought the Jet cabinet as well because it has plenty of storage and built-in locking wheels so I can move it around my garage shop.

 

[RobinBHM]

Ive had a 16" Wadkin surface llaner for 17 years in a joinery making environment and could probably count on 1 hand the number of times Ive needed to machine anything wider than 300mm.

However almost more important is the length of your typical workpiece, if you long stuff then a 16" model is likely to have a longer bed.

I know its always repeated on here, but if I was buying, Id go second hand and buy a Sedgwick MB or similar.

 

[custard]

I've got a 410mm wide planer, so about 16". I don't use the full capacity every day, but I do find it very useful.

It really comes down to the board sizes you're using. I put an awful lot of effort into sourcing outstanding timbers, and that often means tracking down really wide boards so I can make up big table tops from no more than three boards, or making panel in-fills out of a single, highly figured wide board. If you're in the same game, and prepared to invest the time in sourcing exceptional boards, then you'll quickly find the wider your planer the better. But if you source your timbers from mainstream suppliers it's rare to receive a hardwood board wider than 300mm, in which case you'd be spending more on the machine and on planer knife sharpening/replacement than is necessary.

 

[Cameronhill97]

my wood working is abit of all sorts. some days i might be making a little box but the other days maybe a large table.

i think i will be better with the 12 inch model and then the drum sander. as you have said it is rare for me to have a board wider then 12 inches and once everything is milled up and say glued into a table top the drum sander can then be used to machine iot all flat.

i doubt i will need the 16 inch model

thanks

 

[Superstrat]

I have a 12" planer/thicknesser. On the couple of occasions I've had wider boards to run through it I've simply sawed them down the centre, fed them over/through the PT and simply rejoined them after. Invariably this process is needed to relieve cupping on wider, thinner boards anyway.

 

[RogerS]

You don't mention a thicknesser or what type of wood you'll be using. I had an MB (reluctantly sold) and never felt the need for anything wider. What I did find the need for, and was grateful to have one, was the large Jet oscillating drum sander because much of the wood I was using had some really gnarly grain and despite using new blades, thinnest of cuts etc found that tear out was a problem. So thicknessing by drum sander was the order of the day.

The drum sander was also brilliant for quickly sanding down cupboard doors.

 

[heimlaga]

Personally I would never be satisfyed with anything smaller than the 24" combination I have due to it's ability to quickly flatten wide glued up panels. That is an important factor when trying to make a little money. Though there has never been a one size fits all in woodworking.

I think 12" should be wide enough for what you intend to make though I am not sure if a Sheppach is solid enough.