Startrite - Inca 343.190 planer thicknesser

[Keithie]

Found one of these for sale for a few hundred quid (one old one on ebay at £500 ...but this one is cheaper and cleaner looking) ... seems to work ok.

Anyone know what I should look for (in terms of possible faults) or what they are worth really?

thanks

 

[marcros]

it very much depends on which model it is. is the motor on the side or below?

They are well regarded. I have the one with the tersa blades, (some with the motor on the side had this head in). I rate mine at 9.5/10. It is excellent.

 

[Keithie]

motor in the cabinet below ..unclear which exact model

 

[marcros]

The advantages of inca is that it is well made, and that it is a quick change over between planing and thicknessing. The model with the motor below, I have read, has a more robust drive mechanism, but I have the other model, so no direct experience here.
The disadvantages are the availability of spares, although common ones are available, and you shouldnt need much. Make sure whatever you buy is complete.

If the machine is working, is complete and is priced right, I would go for it. I think that the £500 for the one on ebay is a bit steep though.

 

[Keithie]

Thanks again...its around the £400 mark and quite tempting but maybe a bit pricey ..though I've not seen how well (/if) it works yet. Will go see it this weekend...what bits might be missing ?? /anything else to watch/listen out for when its running ?

cheers
Keith

 

[marcros]

Thanks again...its around the £400 mark and quite tempting but maybe a bit pricey ..though I've not seen how well (/if) it works yet. Will go see it this weekend...what bits might be missing ?? /anything else to watch/listen out for when its running ?

cheers
Keith

Check that it has a fence, guard, dust shoot, and enough knobs on to adjust the depth of cut for both operations. I am not that familiar with that model, so I dont know what knobs it should have.

It will be better than a new machine at £400ish!

 

[Keithie]

Perfect ...thanks so much ...just asked ..its good for all that except the guard ...but he says he's made one of them :shock: ... but I doubt I need a guard anyway (homer) ...lol

I guess most things can be made given a bit of patience ...so if thats the issue hopefully it can be properly sorted.

Thanks very much indeed for the help

 

[memzey]

I'm only an amateur wood butcher and go overboard on H&S but I'd never use my P/T without the guard! Just the thought of it is scary!!

 

[deema]

This is what I would do. I take a OneWay clock or a similar clock measuring contraption. A straight edge, various screwdrivers and spanners, Allen keys. I never assume that when I'm checking a machine out that the vendor will be helpful when checking the machine!

Check the tables are flat and straight, without any twist or hollows. Check the spindle is aligned with the tables / tables can be aligned with the spindle.

Check that the thicknesser table is aligned with the spindle. (Straight edge / piece of stuff placed in the thicknesser table wound up to just touch spindle on one side, push through and check it just touches on the other side.

Check to see that it has anti kick back fingers for the thicknesser.

Remove the belt drive to the spindle and then rotate the spindle and check for any play / lumpy feeling indicating that the bearings need replacing.

Check the drive belts, some older machines (don't know this model) use leather pinned together belts - not easy to replace.

Check the outfeed roller on the thicknesser , some are rubber coated and either perished or damaged.

Check the infeed roller on the thicknesser, the serrations can be badly worn and won't grip the stuff your thicknesding.

Check that the infeed and outfeed rollers will move up and down. They should be spring loaded.

Raise and lower the tables, check they remain parallel. Some machines the table locating system doesn't work sufficiently well / accurately enough.

Check that the knife setting and clamping system works properly. Remove all of the clamping bolts and verify they aren't cross threaded / knarled up. Check that any knife height adjusters (grub screws normally) are in place and do actually move and aren't rusted in.

 

[Keithie]

Certainly wont be using it, even if I do buy it, without first buying/making a safe and sensible guard and mechanism for it.

Thanks Deema ..particularly helpful list ..have printed it out and will take with me along with tools etc.

I guess that older stuff can be great value if you can fix it properly .. tho some stuff just cant be fixed at anything like a sensible price.

 

[MikeJhn]

Must admit guys if I sold that on e-bay and they came along with that list to check, I would send them away with a flea in their ear, and the comment you have bought it take it or leave it, if it was a private sale then maybe I would entertain some sort of inspection, but not with much tolerance, all of the gear I sell is my own and has been looked after, it is of good quality and I don't suffer fools wasting my time, they should be able to see if its OK or not by a reasonable inspection, not by dissecting the thing and taking it to bits.

Mike

 

[marcros]

i am pretty sure that the factory guard on the inca was a wooden one anyway. It is not without a guard- the seller has made one to suit.

 

[deema]

There are a number of very unscrupulous sellers out there, they don't declare in the description on eBay or other sites the full nature of the item they are selling. You can either trust a complete stranger, or take the approach that under U.K. Law it's 'buyer be aware'. I have never been questioned about inspecting a machine, and if a seller asked me to leave I would all too happily. They would clearly in my opinion have something to hide and I'm better off leaving immediately and taking my cash with me......I always pay cash in collection for machines!

 

[MikeJhn]

I trust everyone until such time as they prove otherwise, taking any other approach is the way to paranoia, incidentally the maxim "buyer beware" is "caveat emptor" and is Latin not UK law, under the consumer act which applies to any goods whether second hand or not the law says anything sold must be of the quality described in any advert, this does not apply to markets/fairs which have very ancient laws dating back to feudal times.

This is why e-bay and PayPal both have returns policies, they acting as the merchant have the responsibility to ensure merchantable quality of the product they sell, paying cash leaves you no recourse.

Mike

 

[Keithie]

Well, the way I look at it is if you're daft enough to buy something second hand from an auction (physical or online) (I do it a lot) then you better have a good idea what you're trying to achieve or be prepared to waste some/all of your money. Consumer protection law is all well and good (I used to advise at Citizen's Advice Bureau) but remedy isnt always easy...its more about judging who you're buying from.

The 20+ yr old bandsaw I got second hand recently is a great example...fair price, really nice guy, good machine with some minor 'medium hassle' faults, easily fixed for less than £100 and now working well.

As for the p/t I'm going to see ...I'm pretty clear what the issues probably are (blades maybe stuck in place, guard broken, replacement guard may need upgrading..but machine basically working ok). Belts, bearings, springs, grub screws etc can be replaced, wooden guards made, but in a medium-low-ish value item, the tables, spindle and the motor seem to me to be the key items to have a glance at (if they're shot then it def aint worth the money).. I imagine that's easily tested by trying it out on the sort of stuff I'm going to use it for.

 

[MikeJhn]

e-bay and PayPal have never failed to provide me with a full re-fund when requested (not often needed) the only cost to me has been my time.

Mike

 

[Keithie]

e-bay and PayPal have never failed to provide me with a full re-fund when requested (not often needed) the only cost to me has been my time.

Mike

Those plus paying by credit card for stuff is almost always good