Planer/ Thicknesser

[Andrew1]

Hi looking for some advice or guidance please
I am contemplating getting a thicknesser/ planer as i have access to sawn lumber which i can rip down. i have a limited budget for this so cant really justify mega bucks. I appreciate you get what you pay for but as it would be used infrequently, can i get a respectable one for under £250.

 

[MikeG.]

Hi looking for some advice or guidance please
I am contemplating getting a thicknesser/ planer as i have access to sawn lumber which i can rip down. i have a limited budget for this so cant really justify mega bucks. I appreciate you get what you pay for but as it would be used infrequently, can i get a respectable one for under £250.

Buy second hand. You should get something really nice for that money. Mine cost £80.

 

[Andrew1]

Thanks Mike for coming back. Would you have any suggestions as to what one second hand should i be looking out for

 

[MikeG.]

No. I'd rather just say look for a single phase unit if that's the power you have access to, and get the longest beds and widest blades you can afford in an old cast iron machine. Never mind dust extraction, whether it has 2 or 3 cutters, what the guarding is like, and so on, and don't be put off by a little rust or dodgy paint.

 

[user22161]

I bought one of the cheap generic ones like this - https://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-erb0 ... 230v/81126 - and it was OK for thicknessing but rubbish for planing/jointing as the tables weren't co-planar which appears to be a common fault with the vaious badges of the same machine, also in the case of Screwfix Erbauer, no spares available.

I agree with other posts, look around for better quality second hand.

 

[Andrew1]

Thanks Graham. As my knowledge is limited any suggestions on what would be a secondhand reasonable one for my price bracket

 

[user22161]

Sorry but my experience is very limited, I've only used the one I mentioned plus the Record PT260 I have now which is far better, although suffers from snipe, maybe due to the short bed. Old PT threads should list good "old" models to look out for.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Graham
Snipe when planing is caused by the blades being set too high WRT the outfeed table.
Snipe when thicknessing is usually caused by lack of support when the workpiece is held down by only the outfeed roller. The weight of the board makes it drop, thus pushing up the end which is still underneath the cutters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHfjSatKITQ&t=2s

 

[user22161]

Thanks Steve, that's understood. Planing gives very good results, snipe is only a problem when thicknessing and I can reduce it by supporting ends of boards as they enter and leave. Keep thinking of using a long sled to give better support as the machines with longer beds or hinged infeed and outfeed tables seem to suffer less. For occasional hobby use, can't justify more expensive and don't have room for bigger older machine.

 

[Phytoland]

Hi everyone, I have used this forum to view other threads but have just joined so I can ask this. I am new to woodworking and have been teaching myself as I go. I need to buy a planer/thicknesser and I am between the Sip 8x8 or the Charnwood 8x5. (This seems to have plenty of good reviews and it was mentioned that they have a better fence than most benchtop models and is a slightly less fiddly swap between the two modes). However the guy at Poolewood machinery asked if I had considered the Fox F22-564-250.

I know a 260 type model is preferable and that these models can be loud but this is what I am limited too both in space but more importantly budget as I am disabled and don’t have much wiggle room with it. Can anyone help me out regarding which machine/a comparable model because the last thing I want to do is waste this much money! I could really do with some help.

Many thanks everyone, Amanda

 

[mbartlett99]

I don't know about the machines mentioned but the Record PT260 can give very good results and is often found on ebay for not a lot. I had one to start with and it only struggles when dealing with really heavy long boards.