Logosol PH360

[tomouse]

Hey guys

After a bit of advice if I may.....

I'm close to buying a 4 sided planer/moulder. I have a good deal on a SCM Compact XL with Tersa blocks and was pretty set on it until I got offered a used Logosol PH360 by one of my clients in Germany.

Does anyone have one or has used one?

They look great little machines and I know there may be a little timber prep work needed before puting timber through due to the lack of decent sized and solid infeed table but the larger capacity appeals to me.

They also look a lot easier to set up and maintain. They also use spindle blocks on the side cutters (Of which I have loads) and have the option of putting moulding cutters in the top and bottom blocks.

My concern is that the machine will not be accurate or tough enough compared to a traditional 4 sider.

I work with reclaimed Oak, Chestnut and Elm.... all of which can be very hard and heavy. I produce everything from PAR timbers to finished flooring and mouldings.

So any advice on either machine or any thoughts from you guys in the know?

I was set on the SCM but now i'm torn......

 

[heimlaga]

There are several of those Logosol machines around here. I haven't run one myself but know a couple of owners and have discussed the machines with them and seen the machines up close.

They are great machines for their size and cost........ but a rather cheap lightweight compact machine will never ever be anything more than a rather cheap lightweight compact machine.
They work well so far but somehow they seem to wear and get old more rapidly than heavier built traditional foursiders. They cannot surface plane the wood either so all materials must be straight from the start. Considering the price none of theese drawbacks are very great but drawbacks they are.

One big drawback is that they have only 4 cutterheads which must be set up in place.
The gibs that hold the moulding cutters only allow some 2 or 3 mm adjustment in and out so the moulding cutters must be ground to fit together with the straight knives and once they have been sharpened a couple of times the moulding knives are useless. This system is all right as long as you run Logosol's standard profiles but it provides a lot less flexibility for custom orders.
On a traditional five head machine with removable cutterheads you can run the straight knives in one cutterhead and the moulding head in the next. This gives you much more flexibility.

If I ever get into a situation where I have such work that makes a foursider profitable I would definitely buy a traditional five head machine (or six head if affordable) but fit it out with one removable Logosol head to enable me to use those cheap small moulding knives of theirs in conjuction with straigh knives in another head. That setup would be super versatile for making custom moulding.

 

[RobinBHM]

A conventional 4 sider, like the scm is a well proven machine style for planing 4 sides.

For low volume production, I would choose a 4 sider to produce par material and then use a spindle moulder for any moulding you need.

I use a weinig 4 sider, which is permantly set for producing par material. Set up time is very short, maybe 30 seconds so no hassle to use for running one piece.

You will find a 4 sider needs almost no servicing or work to maintain.

Ive no experience to offer about the logosol, it looks a very good machine, but probably for a niche market.