Scheppach Plana 3.0

[Wizard9999]

Am looking for a planer thicknesser and the Scheppach Plana 3.0 is on the short list. My problem is that it does not seem anyone in the UK (let alone near me) that has one available to look at. I could buy one on the basis of a free return in any time between 15 and 30 days, but I think to take advantage of this it needs to be in the original packing and in as supplied condition. So I presume once it is out of the packaging and it together I will struggle to use this option.

The approach seems a little different to comparable priced models. The Scheppach has two blades (as opposed to the more common 3 at this price point), but spins them more quickly thereby getting a roughly equivalent number of cuts per minute. I also can't see another model that looks like it is the same 'clone', unlike the Record Power PT107 and Axminster AT107PT which look like they are based of the same design. Is there something else using the same base design as the Scheppach (and in particular the change over to thicknessing where only the outfeed table is lifted) that I have missed?

If anyone had any direct experience of the Plana 3.0, good or bad, I would be interested to hear about it.

Thanks in advance,
Terry.

 

[Wizard9999]

I never had any feedback on this question, which suggested to me that the Scheppach Plana 3.0 was not a machine many people had direct experience of.

However, I have just found out from somebody online who has been considering a Scheppach Plana 3.0 that as recently as November this year the importer of this model dumped three brand new ones on ebay for £599, that is a whopping £450 off the list price the same agent sells them for on their own website! Obviously I can't be sure what is going on (and you can all draw your own conclusions as to why they might feel the need to do this), but it seems a bit suspicious to me.

Can the agent really have a mark up of 75%? Either way it is not a good story. If they don't they have been selling machines at a loss recently (in which case why?) and if they do have such high margins that they still make a profit at £599, is this level of mark up typical for similarly priced woodworking machines or is this just a cheaper machine being marketed at the same price as other higher quality ones?

Whatever their rationale I now certainly won't be taking the risk of buying one unless it is at a similarly discounted price.

I'm guessing by the lack of response to the original post there are not many people out there with a particular interest in the Scheppach Plana 3.0 but I thought I better post this for anyone that is.

Terry.

 

[blackrodd]

I know nothing about the Scheppach plana 3, But if it's anything like the hm260's from years ago then it should be a decent machine as I use one.
I think most of the queries here, on planer thicknesser's and saw benches tend to be in the £6, or £700. ranges,
Meaning there could be very few plana 3 users here regularly.
Personally, if possible I would wait for the shows to start, get a demo, and hopefully a delivery and cutter deal too!
I read somewhere that the Germans don't allow cut throat deals, and I also read here you can trace the sold prices on e bay have reached, so you ought to be able to check out the story, given the alleged sale month.
Sorry I am not much help.
Regards Rodders

 

[Wizard9999]

Thanks Rodders, glad to hear you have good experience with the prior model.

I certainly wouldn't have posted something like this without checking up first, and whilst I am no expert on things like eBay I was able to find the listing for the Scheppach Plana 3.0 at £599...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HALF-PRICE-SC ... 7675.l2557

...soI know it is not just some Internet rumour, but is correct. Now it was stated in the eBay advert that it was a Black Friday deal, but whatever the occassion I still wonder why you would sell below cost and if this wasn't below cost how on earth the mark-up can be justified. It's not like this is a loss leader for a shop getting you in the door and then hoping you will buy a lot more than the loss leader item - as supermarkets often do if I understand correctly.

Terry.

 

[blackrodd]

A good find the previous advert, Seems real cheap, even for black friday.
I see the second re listed one went for a bit more again.
Judging by you're comments you have probably seen this seller, Cheapest I could find, free delivery.

http://www.kendaltools.co.uk/shop/produ ... 2600ci.htm

Regards Rodders

 

[Wizard9999]

Yes, I see they relisted it at £799. Strange as the original advert said only 3 available and three sold very quickly, so not sure it really was a relisting, but maybe relisting is a cunning way of avoiding some of eBay's listing fees. Interestingly it doesn't look like the relisting at £799 yielded any sales, not a big surprise as I guess many people would not be keen on paying £200 (or about 33%) more than the last person who bought one - I guess this is where relisting doesn't help as it may make that a little more apparent.

Until the eBay adverts Kendal Tools did look to offer the best price. As I understand it, NMA are the importer or maybe agent is the right word, for the UK and they will be the ones supplying people like Kendal Tools. If my supplier was going direct to the market and undercutting me I would not be a happy bunny. So if I were Kendal Tools (or any other reseller of the Scheppach Plana 3.0) I would be having a few words with NMA or Scheppach about it.

Terry.

 

[Alexfn]

i bought a Scheppach pl75 from the same seller for £155 a couple of weeks ago, i think they sold around 12 of them, looks like they have just had a clear out of Scheppach stuff

if id seen that planer for 600 i would have snapped it up

 

[Wizard9999]

i bought a Scheppach pl75 from the same seller for £155 a couple of weeks ago, i think they sold around 12 of them, looks like they have just had a clear out of Scheppach stuff

if id seen that planer for 600 i would have snapped it up

Wow, so a 45% reduction versus their website price of £279, and on their website it says this is a new product, so not like they would be getting rid of old stock. But again I would have to ask, do they such have a massive margin on these that they can sell with that discount and still make money, did they desperately needed cashflow or did somebody have a mad moment in the sales department and decide to sell them at a loss? Whatever the answer unless there was no choice as with the Plana 3.0 not great business IMHO, if you know it has been for sale for £155 surely you'll baulk at paying full price for a while.

Still, sounds like you got a great bargain!

Terry.

 

[RobinBHM]

i bought a Scheppach pl75 from the same seller for £155 a couple of weeks ago, i think they sold around 12 of them, looks like they have just had a clear out of Scheppach stuff

if id seen that planer for 600 i would have snapped it up

Wow, so a 45% reduction versus their website price of £279, and on their website it says this is a new product, so not like they would be getting rid of old stock. But again I would have to ask, do they such have a massive margin on these that they can sell with that discount and still make money, did they desperately needed cashflow or did somebody have a mad moment in the sales department and decide to sell them at a loss? Whatever the answer unless there was no choice as with the Plana 3.0 not great business IMHO, if you know it has been for sale for £155 surely you'll baulk at paying full price for a while.

Still, sounds like you got a great bargain!

Terry.

I also bought a scheppach pl75 from NMA at £155, Its no festool, but is still a very useful tool at a bargain price. I dont understand why they sold a dozen off at this price as what received was the full kit with clamps and 2 guide rails -its currently available from screwfix at £369.99

I can only think NMA were clearing out some slow moving stock, I dont think it has any negative reflection on scheppach products as such.

 

[Alexfn]

i cant be sure the pl75 they are selling on the website is the one i got because it only mentions coming with one rail, the full kit i bought was £370ish everywhere else online, came with 2 1400mm guide rails + the connector , 2 clamps and the side guide rail.


bargain for the price, its a little large but i used it to cut 3 solid pitch pine doors and it didnt break a sweat

 

[Wizard9999]

i cant be sure the pl75 they are selling on the website is the one i got because it only mentions coming with one rail, the full kit i bought was £370ish everywhere else online, came with 2 1400mm guide rails + the connector , 2 clamps and the side guide rail.

Which just makes me all the more suspicious about the motives.

Terry.

 

[jonnio]

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f171/sche ... 0-a-197280

Hi just saw this if it helps.