Thicknesser

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Huddsgent

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I had decided after a bit of research and saving up my pennies to buy a Dewalt 733 thicknesser. I'd seen it for sale in Screwfix, unfortunately, they have sold out. And everywhere else seems to have sold out too. I originally chose the lunchbox style because of space limitations. However, after reorganising the workshop, I think I might be able to accommodate a stand alone Planer/thicknesser.

It still needs to have a relatively small foot print. So, I'm hoping some of you might recommend a particular make and model? My budget is circa £1000 - 1500. Quality and reliability is my primary aim, so do I need to spend more?

Kind regards Huddsgent
 
Hi, I’m afraid I have no experience to offer as I’ve had a thicknesser for years and recently got a Triton surface planer, so I have separates but did a quick search and this thread is fairly recent Planer thicknessers

hth

Padster
 
I have one if the Axminster 106 things. It's fine for what I paid for it (used) but, at its new price, I would certainly go with old British cast iron (wadkin or similar) although these would take up more space again.

The Axminster, and possibly others, are frustrating in that the planer table opens on the "wrong" side, so you're always having to either spin the machine or lean over the open table when using the thickenesser.

I wonder somtimes how necisary the planer is and if I wouldn't do better with just a nice floor standing thickenesser and, where necisary, backing the material on somthing flat before running it through the thickenesser.

The 10inch limit of mine is really quite restrictive. I mean it's fine for reducing the size of pre cut boards, but for anything where you're buying in rough sawn it would be way easier and less wasteful to have a larger blade.

Just my comments. I'm a CNC operator more than a joiner, so take them all with a pinch of salt...
 
I had decided after a bit of research and saving up my pennies to buy a Dewalt 733 thicknesser. I'd seen it for sale in Screwfix, unfortunately, they have sold out. And everywhere else seems to have sold out too. I originally chose the lunchbox style because of space limitations. However, after reorganising the workshop, I think I might be able to accommodate a stand alone Planer/thicknesser.

It still needs to have a relatively small foot print. So, I'm hoping some of you might recommend a particular make and model? My budget is circa £1000 - 1500. Quality and reliability is my primary aim, so do I need to spend more?

Kind regards Huddsgent
Axminster have an ebay outlet shop auction at the moment, there was a planner/thicknesser and two thicknessers, ill try and work out how to attach the link !
https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/axminste...-chance20201128Manual+-+Targeted&LH_Auction=1
 
DeWalt 733's are easily had second hand. They are bomb-proif, easy to use and will sell on at a good price.
Price, about £250. Blades, new set, about £25-30.
I had one shipped from Surrey to Belfast for very few notes, 24 hour delivery. Had sizeable change from £300, ran it for 6 years before I changed practices and bought an Elektra Beckum HC260, another excellent small footprint machine. It has more than earned its keep over last 6 years. Recomnend you get the sharpenable blades for it though, the disposables are a bit wimpy.
The DeWalt ones are beasts and mine were resharpened regularly ( lot of teak) for about £15 for 2.
Either option will see uou banking dosh to use elsewhere. These two no-frills workhorses are suoerb for a small shop.
Sam
 
how about a DeWalt D27300 planer /thickneser.....I bought mine cos it's transportable....never been a problem.....
accurate all the time.....not cheap tho......
have a proper 3phase machine in the w/shop....
or the original was from Elu before Dwalt bought em out....mine was 3phase or 240v.....
still better to get something old and Brit, cast iron, then u'll have one for life....
 
Never quite understood the price of the Axminster AT330ST; having seen one in the flesh I didn't think it looked any better built than the significantly cheaper Metabo DH330. That said; I do understand the spiral cutter blocks are very good - I just wonder if the added cost on a lunchbox style planer is justified (vs spending the extra on a bigger/better cast iron machine).

If you're prepared to spend a bit of time on restoration (and have the space) then a second-hand cast iron planer thicknesser would be a good option. E.g. I picked up an old version of this combined planer and thicknesser / HOB320P_230V / combined planer and thicknesser - HOLZMANN Maschinen GmbH on eBay a few years ago for £500, and with about £150 in spares and a 3 phase VFD it works well. Bl**dy scary trying to drag ~300kg of machinery out of a Luton van on a sloping driveway though ;)
 
how about a DeWalt D27300 planer /thickneser...
or the original was from Elu before Dwalt bought em out...

I have one of those, it's 30 this year, and has been in daily use for the past 4½-5 in a heavily trafficked workshop on loan to a community organisation.

I've put a new pair of rollers on, replaced the dust extraction adaptors twice and gone through 5 sets of blades (resharpened until you couldn't get them to cut anymore) but the core machine just keeps on trucking.
 
Never quite understood the price of the Axminster AT330ST; having seen one in the flesh I didn't think it looked any better built than the significantly cheaper Metabo DH330. That said; I do understand the spiral cutter blocks are very good - I just wonder if the added cost on a lunchbox style planer is justified (vs spending the extra on a bigger/better cast iron machine).

If you're prepared to spend a bit of time on restoration (and have the space) then a second-hand cast iron planer thicknesser would be a good option. E.g. I picked up an old version of this combined planer and thicknesser / HOB320P_230V / combined planer and thicknesser - HOLZMANN Maschinen GmbH on eBay a few years ago for £500, and with about £150 in spares and a 3 phase VFD it works well. Bl**dy scary trying to drag ~300kg of machinery out of a Luton van on a sloping driveway though ;)
Weight, portability, ease of storage and then of course the big issue, especially for spiral over straight blade - Chipping.
Glue can and will chip a straight blade, especially epoxies, but plain old wood glue will too.
When it happens it means the entire blade needs reground, not just honed but reground to remove the chip. That will cost, and the vast majority will need to send it off somewhere to be done.

There's a fourth reason why its better than a standalone machine, and thats the length of the thicknesser bed. I've mentioned previously the problem of snipe, where the weight and length of the board and the shortness of the bed causes the board to tip up into the cutters as it completes the pass, but with the portable 'Lunchbox', the bed is or can be made easily to any length and the board passing under eliminates any possibility of snipe.

A chipped blade is a real pain, a total pain in the proverbial, and you shouldnt need to carry 2 or more sets of blades in case one is damaged. Chipped it leaves long raised(whatever you call them) tracks, which need removed, especially if you intend to glue those faces together, this means MORE WORK.

The spiral, by the nature of lots of blades means you only need removed the chipped ones, and in fact not even remove as most have 2 or 4 cutting faces so it only needs revolved. Less down time, less waiting for a blade set to be returned from grinding.

I've a basic RP Pla/Thi' but ive worked in industry and am used to 400kg 18-24" wide planer/thicknessers to stand alone thicknessers. Chipped blades happen often and are a real pain in the proverbial. If i had a choice again, it would be the Axminster one.
Unfortunately due to working in the house, the record power is induction motor but tha axminster is brush motor, and that is seriously louder, just running never mind putting a length of maple or oak through, so iuts for the neighbours ive opted for the one I have
I know theres P/T available with spiral blocks, but again theres the size,weight and portability to put into the equation. Certainly theres been a number of jobs where I'd like to have that portability of the 'lunchbox' style.

Oops, almost forgot reason five - How the blade striked te wood. not solid whole blade at once at a right angle, but in an angled strike so it doesnt slam into the timber, but gives more a slicing action. It pretty much eliminates *wayfield pitch marking, so again less prep work to clean those up.

* I think this is the term, been decades sine it was taught, so not 100% sure. Someone clarify that will ya ?
 
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Weight, portability, ease of storage and then of course the big issue, especially for spiral over straight blade - Chipping.
Glue can and will chip a straight blade, especially epoxies, but plain old wood glue will too.
When it happens it means the entire blade needs reground, not just honed but reground to remove the chip. That will cost, and the vast majority will need to send it off somewhere to be done...
Oh - absolutely; if you can afford it a spiral head is better, but my point was that the the price of a spiral head would be a significant fraction of the cost of a small lunchbox planer (possibly doubling the price). I do wonder if spending 2x the money of a straight blade lunchbox planer by buying a larger cast iron (also straight blade) planer might be a better investment for many than a lunchbox planer + spiral head.
 
To clarify some positions.
When originally at college, "Snipe", is the chunk taken from the end of the board, and 'Wayfield pitch" is the ripple effect caused by the cutter taking each cut as the board passes under the cutter.
Cannot remember is Wayfield is spelled exactly , but its too odd a word for me not to remember.
 

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