Which planer/thicknesser?

[Grayo]

I wouldn't want to try and lift it. I think with the mortise attachment it's 100kg but it's the shape of it as well it's a big lump. I've got a Sip 8x8 PT now which I think is 50kg which isn't so bad but again the shape makes it awkward.

 

[rafezetter]

Oh. eerm... 80kg ish and 2.5ft wide ish.

Well there's a spanner and no mistake. My shed door widest point (if I take off the door jambs) is 2.5ft wide. and I'd have to lift it up a 1ft step to get it inside. I'm a pretty big bloke, but I can see that doing that each time I wanted to use it, then put away again will become a problem that'll develop fairly rapidly into one of those ICBA (I can't be..) problems, thereby slowing down my woodworking rather than speeding it up.

edit: Unless... what about a box? Osb board, on wheels, hinged at the bottom, or removable sides and top. Rubber sealed at the joints. If I'm really clever I can make the ends hinge in the middle and become extended infeed / outfeed tables! a bit of salvaged thin steel plate I have (from the 2 sides of a fridge), waxed and voila.

Sounds like a plan? (and I hate to give up before all possible solutions around anything are considered.) or grasping at straws?

 

[Grayo]

If I were you I would go and have a look at it Alan only lives two miles from Junction 32 of the M4. I can tell you now you won't be disappointed but your biggest problem is storage. It's to good a machine to leave outside.

 

[SurreyHills]

I would go for a s/h Metabo or Elektra Beckum. They have aluminium beds and the motor is mounted using 2 levers and can be removed in 30seconds. This would enable you to store the motor somewhere dry when not in use. When you have space, permanent cover etc. sell the Metabo and get a more robust, bigger machine. You should find the resale value of the Metabo to be close to what you have paid for it.

 

[Tony Spear]

Oh. eerm... 80kg ish and 2.5ft wide ish.

edit: Unless... what about a box? Osb board, on wheels, hinged at the bottom, or removable sides and top. Rubber sealed at the joints. If I'm really clever I can make the ends hinge in the middle and become extended infeed / outfeed tables! a bit of salvaged thin steel plate I have (from the 2 sides of a fridge), waxed and voila.

Sounds like a plan? (and I hate to give up before all possible solutions around anything are considered.) or grasping at straws?

I reckon that you'll still get condensation problems if the outside temperature drops a fair amount below the temperature that existed when you closed it up.

I once built a film drying cabinet (in the days that people still used 35mm. film) and in that I had a fairly wide inlet vent at the bottom with a simple diffuser and a smaller exit vent at the top. Fitted below the bottom diffuser it had a single 60w tungsten filament light bulb. It worked perfectly - up to 8 films, no uneven drying, no melted emulsion etc.

I've never tried it on anything larger, but I reckon you could create something akin to a miniature well ventilated and heated workshop. :idea:

 

[rafezetter]

I reckon that you'll still get condensation problems if the outside temperature drops a fair amount below the temperature that existed when you closed it up.

I once built a film drying cabinet (in the days that people still used 35mm. film) and in that I had a fairly wide inlet vent at the bottom with a simple diffuser and a smaller exit vent at the top. Fitted below the bottom diffuser it had a single 60w tungsten filament light bulb. It worked perfectly - up to 8 films, no uneven drying, no melted emulsion etc.

I've never tried it on anything larger, but I reckon you could create something akin to a miniature well ventilated and heated workshop. :idea:

I'd read another thread about people using small heating mats for tool areas and such, and I've read that using a 60w bulb can work as a small heat source, it would cost me about £20 a month for a 60w bulb.

Would anyone have any thoughts on this idea?

 

[Grayo]

How about lining your shed with 8/10mm ply and put some insulation in the void behind the ply. Then if you can get hold of some old pallets for the floor and lay some old carpet on top. I don't know just a thought ???.

 

[rafezetter]

How about lining your shed with 8/10mm ply and put some insulation in the void behind the ply. Then if you can get hold of some old pallets for the floor and lay some old carpet on top. I don't know just a thought ???.

Yes I've thought for a while I could do that as a project to make the whole space better - with a bit of sound insulation as an added bonus, and do some needed maintenance at the same time, but it's not something I could do in a short timeframe, and I really don't want to put the seller to any more time than I must as he's already been more than generous in allowing me to explore possible avenues.

The floor is going to be a bit of a problem as the shed and door is already 10" or so higher than my work area as it sits on a concrete slab that I guess some previous owner just poured a thick slab on top of the bare ground instead of digging it out, so an old pallet floor is out of the question.

I'd wondered about rubberised paint but would durable enough to be a barrier to creeping moisture in the slab?

I've even considered a timeshare scenario for this P/T; shared ownership, but they provide the storage in exchange for unlimited use, but I have no idea if anyone would be willing to entertain that idea, and annoyingly the only place I can see that offers rentable workshop machines on a day by day basis.. they don't have a P/T at all.

I do appreciate all the suggestions so far, but I'm starting to think I'm grasping at straws somewhat.

 

[carlb40]

Build a ramp for access to the shed. If you try the paint option, also do the outside of the slab to stop any rain adding moisture to it. Then you could just lay ply on top of the concrete, only needs to be 12mm. That way you protect the paint, your tools if you drop them and it's easier on your feet.

 

[rafezetter]

The ramp I can do, the slab has one half under decking that can't be taken up.

 

[Phytoland]

Hi everyone, I have used this forum to view other threads but have just joined so I can ask this. I am new to woodworking and have been teaching myself as I go. I need to buy a planer/thicknesser and I am between the Sip 8x8 or the Charnwood (8x5. This seems to have plenty of good reviews and it was mentioned that they have a better fence than most benchtop models and is a slightly less fiddly swap between the two modes).

I know a 260 type model is preferable and that these models can be loud but this is what I am limited too both in space but more importantly budget as I am disabled and don’t have much wiggle room with it. Can anyone help me out regarding which machine/a comparable model because the last thing I want to do is waste this much money!

Many thanks everyone, Amanda

 

[MikeJhn]

Sorry to ask, but if you are in a wheelchair it may be wise to get a machine that does not have a planning bed that has to be removed/lifted to convert from one mode to another, had occasion to be in a wheelchair a while back and it's very difficult to lift the beds, got out my old Kitty 439 which does not have the facility to lift the beds and it was much easier, just a thought.

 

[Phytoland]

Hi, it’s ok to ask. No not in a wheelchair but I have been in and out of them on a regular basis. I do walk with 2 sticks due to damage to my spine and nerves. I don’t think you have to remove these planer beds to thickness just the dust extraction system. I just called the shop to enquire if he had both the charnwood and sip in and he asked if I had considered the Fox F22 564 250 as it has a 3 year warranty but can’t find much information about these. Would be grateful for any feedback. Thanks