Portable/bench top thicknesser - which one?

[marcros]

i do exactly that too on my axminster. Drop it by 1/2 to 2/3rds of a turn each pass, which takes about a mm off. it will do more, but like you it probably adds a couple of minutes to the task and leaves a better finish.

 

[John15]

One of Peter Parfitt's New Brit Workshop U Tube videos shows him fitting an Axi thickness gauge on an Axi P/T. So I bought one to fit on mine but months later it's still sitting on the shelf - I don't really need it - another impulse buy which seemed a good idea at the time!

John

 

[sploo]

i do exactly that too on my axminster. Drop it by 1/2 to 2/3rds of a turn each pass, which takes about a mm off. it will do more, but like you it probably adds a couple of minutes to the task and leaves a better finish.

Exactly. Though my only disapointment is that even with tiny cuts (1/8 turn on the DH300 => 0.25mm) I'm getting snipe. It's at the "feel it but can't easily see it" level, but on walnut it's not trivial to sand off, and obviously you don't want to be binning chunks of expensive wood.

I haven't had chance to do any cuts for a few days, but I've made a disposable "sled" by screwing two long pine rails to two pine rails (that are just shorter than the width of the material). It's held the "good" wood very tightly, so when I next get chance to run the thicknesser it'll hopefully protect the wood from snipe.

One of Peter Parfitt's New Brit Workshop U Tube videos shows him fitting an Axi thickness gauge on an Axi P/T. So I bought one to fit on mine but months later it's still sitting on the shelf - I don't really need it - another impulse buy which seemed a good idea at the time!

John

Yea, I have a feeling it's going to be a bling purchase if I go for it

 

[Alf Beharie]

I have just bought a used Axminster MB1933 planer/thicknesser on ebay. It's got an 1800 Watt motor, same as the Dewalt DW733 which I used to have, but it can cut a bit wider 330mm vs 315mm. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but hopefully it will be as good as the Dewalt. I need to get a dust extractor shroud for it as that was missing when I bought it...I have contacted Axminster about it and I am awaiting their reply. If they cannot supply one then I will have to make one.
One bonus from having the MB1933 is it has a choice of two feed rates...Both of them being slower than the Dewalts single feed rate, so its planning quality, in theory at least, should be better.

 

[sploo]

I have just bought a used Axminster MB1933 planer/thicknesser on ebay. It's got an 1800 Watt motor, same as the Dewalt DW733 which I used to have, but it can cut a bit wider 330mm vs 315mm. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but hopefully it will be as good as the Dewalt. I need to get a dust extractor shroud for it as that was missing when I bought it...I have contacted Axminster about it and I am awaiting their reply. If they cannot supply one then I will have to make one.
One bonus from having the MB1933 is it has a choice of two feed rates...Both of them being slower than the Dewalts single feed rate, so its planning quality, in theory at least, should be better.

I don't know that particular model, though I've always been impressed with Axminster customer service for parts.

Personally I tend to try to use the Metabo outside - it creates buckets worth of shavings that even my big dust extractor doesn't really like. Much easier to run it outside and sweep up at the end of a job.

It'll be worth checking the planer blades on your purchase though; as it may have been pushed hard by the previous owner.

 

[Alf Beharie]

I got an email back from Axminsters special purchase department saying the dust extractor cowl is available, for £12.50 + postage & vat. Cheaper than I thought it would be. Well I picked the MB1933 up on Friday evening, after work, and finally had a chance to try it out yesterday...The motor was running fine but the cutting roller and the feed rollers were not moving!...Took it apart to discover the drive belt had snapped!!...Not only that but the previous owner had tried to glue the broken belt together again...with epoxy!!!
I will now have to order a new drive belt as well...In fact, maybe I will order two, just in case. I may as well order a new set of blades and a set of brushes for the motor while I'm at it, to take advantage of a single postage charge.

 

[sploo]

The motor was running fine but the cutting roller and the feed rollers were not moving!...Took it apart to discover the drive belt had snapped!!...Not only that but the previous owner had tried to glue the broken belt together again...with epoxy!!!

It's a tad naughty not to mention that in the sale (I assume he didn't)?

Still, if the price was good then you've still probably got a good deal, allowing for the cost of the consumables.

 

[Alf Beharie]

The motor was running fine but the cutting roller and the feed rollers were not moving!...Took it apart to discover the drive belt had snapped!!...Not only that but the previous owner had tried to glue the broken belt together again...with epoxy!!!

It's a tad naughty not to mention that in the sale (I assume he didn't)?

Still, if the price was good then you've still probably got a good deal, allowing for the cost of the consumables.

I paid £220 for it!

 

[sploo]

I paid £220 for it!

Ouch.

 

[Alf Beharie]

I paid £220 for it!

Ouch.

All the parts I need are on their way from Axminster...about £45 the lot.