Thicknessers and dust

Gerard Scanlan · 7 Mar 2012

I am considering buying a thicknesser.

Should I go for a big bad old robust model that has some life left in it or one of these mobile things like Axminster and Metabo sells? :?
My first instinct is to go for an older more robust machine but... many of my older machines have, have been a devil to collect the dust from. I had to build a shark guard for my table saw and make modifications underneath and the same was true for my bandsaw. I built a drum sander hoping that I would be able to skip the thicknesser, it is very good but only at taking off small amounts at a time. :roll:
As a thicknesser creates even more shavings and dust I thought it might be wiser to go for one with a good hook up for a dust extractor.
So really I am looking for a thicknesser that doesn't make a big mess when hooked up to a chip/dust extrator.

Digit · 7 Mar 2012

So really I am looking for a thicknesser that doesn't make a big mess when hooked up to a chip/dust extrator.

Then you're looking for a modern one! Riving knives, crown guards, remote stop buttons, chip extraction, all unheard of when I were a lad. Chip extraction was by apprentice with broom and shovel!
On the other hand, if you're 60 or under buy old Brit CI, it'll see you out!

Roy.

Lord Kitchener · 7 Mar 2012

Gerard Scanlan":h6xtt936 said:
So really I am looking for a thicknesser that doesn't make a big mess when hooked up to a chip/dust extrator.

older Kity 626/627 machines are good in that respect, if you can find one, they went bust a few years ago. Some of them are 20 years old. I don't know what the modern Kity ones are like, they look a bit chinese to me

Gerard Scanlan · 7 Mar 2012

I have seen an old kity thicknesser for sale but it doesn't have an extraction hood. The seller said that they had been available but he had never bothered with one. Both your remarks confirm what I had suspected, I will probably need a nasty modern one if I want decent dust and chip extraction, and I do want that.

Digit · 7 Mar 2012

Modern may mean good extraction, it doesn't guarantee it, I have a SIP TS and a Metabo thicknesser, and the extraction is rubbish.

Roy.

heimlaga · 9 Mar 2012

Please do not make a copy of my misstake. I bought a combination machine which was rather abused and very very worn. Just because it was cheaper than similar ones in decent condition. After buying original spare parts and having plenty of spare parts made locally and shifting out at least 16 ball bearings of different sizes and having the thicknesser table machined flat plus a huge number of unpaid workhours sacraping and filing and welding and cleaning I have a decent machine but it is no cheaper than those that were in decent condition from the beginning. The best buys are old machines that have been carefully used and well maintained. Even if they are twice or three times the price of an abused machine of the same model and age.

Just my oppinion.