chipchaser
Established Member
Apologies for yet another post on this subject!
I am looking for a small to medium and not too expensive (cheap!) p/t for my small workshop which is only 3.5 x 4 metres, and with a ply floor on joists. I would prefer secondhand to keep the cost down. It will have to share the space with 2 lathes (1 big 1 small), a contractors 10" saw bench, a Startrite bandsaw, pillar drill, grinder etc and a bench plus other odd tools. You can see why the p/t can't be too big. Typical work will be smallish, say 200x450 or less, and often thin, say 8mm minimum, stuff but of course it would also be nice to be able to run a 200x75mm joist through it occasionally when needed. I do have roller stands to help keep long stuff level when feeding through.
I currently have and use a Nutool BT155 planer jointer which is ok if used carefully, i.e. take thin cuts and take care to support the work and apply pressure in the right place as you feed it through. Snipe is the problem if you aren't careful. The fence has to be set with a square but is firm enough for light use. The fence is not tall enough but you can drill it and screw on a piece of ply to make it bigger It's obviously not remotely as capable as the machine most of you guys use but it is easier than hand planing
.
I have probably read all the relevant posts on this site and am so well briefed as to be totally confused!
Although a big cast iron job from Wadkin or similar appears favourite all the ones I have seen offered are too big, heavy and expensive especially taking my shops floor into account.
Axminster AW106PT2 is often recommended but weighs 150kg and at £570 delivered is too much.
Axminster AWEPT106 Planer/Thicknesser at £400 including a free chip extractor is affordable and half the weight. Axminster have good comments on their own site and it appears generally similar to the Electra Beckum/Metabo HC260 which is often recommended. There is an apparently similar SIP 01454 for slightly less new on Ebay. Are either worth considering or are they poor copies of those Electra Beckum/Metabo machines?
Record also have a PT260 again similar to Electra Beckum/Metabo machines but there are a few comments in the forum criticising Record quality in general.
I did fancy a s/h Kity 439 but was slightly discouraged when I found:
1) they had been taken over. I see they are now available again but am uncertain whether spares will be available for the older machines and
2) I found a comment in the forum suggesting the feed table support was possibly not as good as it could be. Any advice on this machine? It does, as best I can tell, seem to have quick and easy changeover from planer to thicknesser.
I am going to see a Kity 635 which the owner describes as "semi industrial". it has been modified to allow hand feeding, as well as power feed, through the thicknesser to avoid chipping thin stock used by him for model making. He is retiring now and wants to sell the machine but he sounds very competent and knowledgeable. I have never seen one of these before so hope it is not too huge or heavy! Any advice on this machine? Any idea what it is worth?
To be honest I could probably manage with a Woodstar PT85 but my gut feeling is that a s/h Kity or Electra Beckum/Metabo HC260 or one of the clones would be less limiting. I have rejected any thoughts of the B&Q McAllister thicknesser that I enquired about earlier.
Apologies for such a long post but I have tried to cover all my criteria! Thanks for any comments.
I am looking for a small to medium and not too expensive (cheap!) p/t for my small workshop which is only 3.5 x 4 metres, and with a ply floor on joists. I would prefer secondhand to keep the cost down. It will have to share the space with 2 lathes (1 big 1 small), a contractors 10" saw bench, a Startrite bandsaw, pillar drill, grinder etc and a bench plus other odd tools. You can see why the p/t can't be too big. Typical work will be smallish, say 200x450 or less, and often thin, say 8mm minimum, stuff but of course it would also be nice to be able to run a 200x75mm joist through it occasionally when needed. I do have roller stands to help keep long stuff level when feeding through.
I currently have and use a Nutool BT155 planer jointer which is ok if used carefully, i.e. take thin cuts and take care to support the work and apply pressure in the right place as you feed it through. Snipe is the problem if you aren't careful. The fence has to be set with a square but is firm enough for light use. The fence is not tall enough but you can drill it and screw on a piece of ply to make it bigger It's obviously not remotely as capable as the machine most of you guys use but it is easier than hand planing
. I have probably read all the relevant posts on this site and am so well briefed as to be totally confused!
Although a big cast iron job from Wadkin or similar appears favourite all the ones I have seen offered are too big, heavy and expensive especially taking my shops floor into account.
Axminster AW106PT2 is often recommended but weighs 150kg and at £570 delivered is too much.
Axminster AWEPT106 Planer/Thicknesser at £400 including a free chip extractor is affordable and half the weight. Axminster have good comments on their own site and it appears generally similar to the Electra Beckum/Metabo HC260 which is often recommended. There is an apparently similar SIP 01454 for slightly less new on Ebay. Are either worth considering or are they poor copies of those Electra Beckum/Metabo machines?
Record also have a PT260 again similar to Electra Beckum/Metabo machines but there are a few comments in the forum criticising Record quality in general.
I did fancy a s/h Kity 439 but was slightly discouraged when I found:
1) they had been taken over. I see they are now available again but am uncertain whether spares will be available for the older machines and
2) I found a comment in the forum suggesting the feed table support was possibly not as good as it could be. Any advice on this machine? It does, as best I can tell, seem to have quick and easy changeover from planer to thicknesser.
I am going to see a Kity 635 which the owner describes as "semi industrial". it has been modified to allow hand feeding, as well as power feed, through the thicknesser to avoid chipping thin stock used by him for model making. He is retiring now and wants to sell the machine but he sounds very competent and knowledgeable. I have never seen one of these before so hope it is not too huge or heavy! Any advice on this machine? Any idea what it is worth?
To be honest I could probably manage with a Woodstar PT85 but my gut feeling is that a s/h Kity or Electra Beckum/Metabo HC260 or one of the clones would be less limiting. I have rejected any thoughts of the B&Q McAllister thicknesser that I enquired about earlier.
Apologies for such a long post but I have tried to cover all my criteria! Thanks for any comments.
