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Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Rob » 14 Oct 2015, 22:23

I think there is yet to be an electrical or motor related problem that would confound Bob of this very parish!
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Woodbloke » 14 Oct 2015, 22:50

When I was looking a few years ago it was either the Ax PT106 or Jet 260. I'd previously had a good natter with Waka from UKW, who'se got the bigger Jet 310 and he reckoned it was the dogs danglies. I have an inbuilt thing against 'butterfly wings' opening tables and lugging the fence on and off the Ax machine was going going to be a complete pita, so the Jet 260 it was.
Thus far, it's been absolutely brilliant and has even been fitted with one of Bob9f's cunning devices to lock the thicknesser table, which is now standard but wasn't fitted on mine at the time - Rob
I no longer work for Axminster Tools & Machinery.
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Wizard9999 » 15 Oct 2015, 08:17

I must admit, I was hoping that when Axminster were refreshing the PT range they would move away from split lift tables, so was disappointed when the revised range still had this mechanism. Based on what I have heard here and other discussions I am coming to the conclusion that I am unlikely to buy a machine with a split lift mechanism.

Terry.
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby TrimTheKing » 15 Oct 2015, 11:03

Wizard9999 wrote:I must admit, I was hoping that when Axminster were refreshing the PT range they would move away from split lift tables, so was disappointed when the revised range still had this mechanism. Based on what I have heard here and other discussions I am coming to the conclusion that I am unlikely to buy a machine with a split lift mechanism.

Terry.


Interesting views on this, I have the 106PT2 and have absolutely zero problem with the split lift, and I read lots before like you Terry. The tables are adjusted by way or grub screws the sit on, so once they were set (7 years ago) they have stayed exactly where they were put, and the PT have been physically moved to 2 new workshops since then!

Don't discount them based on everything you read, that's all I'm saying…

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby 9fingers » 15 Oct 2015, 12:34

I've been sitting on my hands on this one so far but I had nothing but trouble from a kity P/T which had infeed table lift to convert to thicknesser mode.
So much so that I scrapped it and bought separate machines. I'm not saying that there are not acceptable P/T out there with quick reliable mode changeover but a prospective purchaser has to satisfy themselves that their target machine is flawless in this respect.

Old cast iron is much more likely to behave itself than any modern sheet metal based device. As others have aluded to, any motor issue can be sorted out and in most cases bearing can be changed if needed on old machines.
If you do end up buying new get it from somewhere like Axi where the customer service is good and the odd production lemon or poor design can be sent back for exchange or refund.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby kirkpoore1 » 15 Oct 2015, 13:52

9fingers wrote:....

Old cast iron is much more likely to behave itself than any modern sheet metal based device. As others have aluded to, any motor issue can be sorted out and in most cases bearing can be changed if needed on old machines.
...

Bob


Preach it, brother!

Uh, sorry, got a little enthusiastic for a minute there and forgot y'all are English. :)

Another thing is that used machinery holds it's value. If you don't like it you won't be able to sell it at a profit, but you'll be able to get your money out of it as long as you didn't way overpay to begin with or sink a lot of money into refurbishing a running machine. It's kind of like buying an old house in a flat real estate market.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Newbie_Neil » 15 Oct 2015, 14:29

The best decision I made when purchasing my equipment was to get a separate planer and thicknesser.

It does cost more and takes up more space, but life is a lot easier down the line.

I ended up with the 8" Jet planer and the Makita thicknesser.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby 9fingers » 15 Oct 2015, 14:36

Newbie_Neil wrote:The best decision I made when purchasing my equipment was to get a separate planer and thicknesser.

It does cost more and takes up more space, but life is a lot easier down the line.

I ended up with the 8" Jet planer and the Makita thicknesser.

Neil


I've got the 8" jet, it is a joy to use. next to my Excalibur TS, it's my favourite wood working machine.
No longer made I understand?

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Wizard9999 » 19 Nov 2015, 20:42

My local Axminster finally got the new PT107 planer thicknesser in and I went to have a look this afternoon (I was so keen they hadn't quite finished assembling it when I arrived).

Short answer, disappointed.

It looks well made, seems to have all the expected functionality, but, change over from planer to thicknesser, what a palaver. Starting in planer mode:
Step 1: remove guard - you could actually retract it fully and leave it in the guide, but then it is in the way for...
Step 2: remove fence - easier said than done as you can't just pull it towards you and out, no instead you have to kind of jiggle it upwards at the same time as you pull it forward so that it will clear the guide for the guard, seemingly no way to move the guard guide out of the way
Step 3: release tables and lift
Step 4: fold dust extractor over

Doesn't sound too bad, but it is Step 1 and 2 that are the annoying and time consuming parts. Went over to the small Jet, no faffing with guard or fence, just pull the levers, lift the table in one and move extractor hood. I reckon the Jet was done in a third to a quarter of the time of the Axminster. Even the guys in the shop helping me said how much easier it looked. But it is an extra £300 plus.

The whole thing with the guard and the fence really did feel like a bit of a design balls up. If the arm the fence was mounted on was only 10mm shorter there would be none of the wiggle, jiggle, force fence up onto an angle business. I know it has a three year guarantee, but it did feel like I was having to force the fence to do something it didn't want to do and that in the future something was going to end up broken or bent or both.

I guess Axminster are trying to give full extension so the fence can be moved forward so you can use all parts of the blades when edge planing and therefore use all parts of the blade evenly, but it is just a bit too long from what I can see as you can extend the fence right to the very edge of the blade leaving nothing to pass anything you want to plane over. Maybe it has been made wrongly with a part that is longer than intended?

The alternative way of fixing this would be if the arm holding the guard could be raised, but as Axminster have provided a noce long fence that is almost as long as the tables this wouldn't work either as the fence would hit arm where it is attached to the table.

Afraid I just don't think I could live with it. Shame that a brand new product seems to have such a fndamental design compromise.

Looking online the Record Power version of the PT107 appears to offer less movement of the fence because the arm it is mounted on is shorter, but presumably this means the fence can be removed much more easily. So this is what I want to have a much closer look at now.

Terry.
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby RogerS » 19 Nov 2015, 21:48

I don't know if it helps or hinders but I've never moved my fence on my Sedgwick. You spend a lot more time planing the face then the edge. I see little need to move the fence.
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby 9fingers » 19 Nov 2015, 22:10

Terry, At the sort of price of the axi 107 or the Jet (I presume the 260 model) you could get some really capable old English cast iron and still have change to get an inverter for 3 phase or fix the odd problem.
Would that be an option for you?

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Wizard9999 » 19 Nov 2015, 22:20

9fingers wrote:Terry, At the sort of price of the axi 107 or the Jet (I presume the 260 model) you could get some really capable old English cast iron and still have change to get an inverter for 3 phase or fix the odd problem.
Would that be an option for you?

Bob


Honest answer Bob, I'll really don't think it would. As per prior mentions on here I have looked at second hand, but then only really at second hand Hammer or Sedgwick and not really at old ones but rather only a few years - even on online auctions these go for more than I am thinking of spending. But my lack of mechanical know how really does mean I don't fancy taking on something I would have to 'fettle'. It may not be rational and so far so good with my Xcalibur table saw, but I just don't think I could bring myself to buy something too old. Maybe irrational, but that is where my head is at right now.

I also presume that generally we are talking about larger machines, and space would then be an issue as well.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Wizard9999 » 19 Nov 2015, 22:21

RogerS wrote:I don't know if it helps or hinders but I've never moved my fence on my Sedgwick. You spend a lot more time planing the face then the edge. I see little need to move the fence.


Which makes the length of the arm the fence on the Axminster machine even more puzzling / annoying.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby 9fingers » 19 Nov 2015, 22:36

Wizard9999 wrote:
9fingers wrote:Terry, At the sort of price of the axi 107 or the Jet (I presume the 260 model) you could get some really capable old English cast iron and still have change to get an inverter for 3 phase or fix the odd problem.
Would that be an option for you?

Bob


Honest answer Bob, I'll really don't think it would. As per prior mentions on here I have looked at second hand, but then only really at second hand Hammer or Sedgwick and not really at old ones but rather only a few years - even on online auctions these go for more than I am thinking of spending. But my lack of mechanical know how really does mean I don't fancy taking on something I would have to 'fettle'. It may not be rational and so far so good with my Xcalibur table saw, but I just don't think I could bring myself to buy something too old. Maybe irrational, but that is where my head is at right now.

I also presume that generally we are talking about larger machines, and space would then be an issue as well.

Terry.



Ok fair enough if you have considered well used kit but you know you are in a community of people who can help out if you did have the odd problem.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby RogerS » 20 Nov 2015, 06:04

And Terry, the forums are full of posts where people have bought new machines and then had to spend time fettling them.
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby kirkpoore1 » 20 Nov 2015, 16:26

9fingers wrote:

Ok fair enough if you have considered well used kit but you know you are in a community of people who can help out if you did have the odd problem.

Bob


Yes, Bob, we need to help him come over to the dark side...

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby 9fingers » 20 Nov 2015, 17:15

kirkpoore1 wrote:
9fingers wrote:

Ok fair enough if you have considered well used kit but you know you are in a community of people who can help out if you did have the odd problem.

Bob


Yes, Bob, we need to help him come over to the dark side...

Darth Kirk



Sssh Kirk! Don't scare him off until we have lured him into the dark! :text-lol:

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Wizard9999 » 21 Nov 2015, 09:58

9fingers wrote:
kirkpoore1 wrote:
9fingers wrote:

Ok fair enough if you have considered well used kit but you know you are in a community of people who can help out if you did have the odd problem.

Bob


Yes, Bob, we need to help him come over to the dark side...

Darth Kirk



Sssh Kirk! Don't scare him off until we have lured him into the dark! :text-lol:

Bob


Bob

Let me know when you have dumped the nice modern Jet planer for a huge lump of green painted English cast iron and I'll be right behind you :lol: .

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby 9fingers » 21 Nov 2015, 10:34

Since when did we have to follow our own advice Terry? :lol:

I've a mix of equipment ages from relatively recent purchase new - table saw like yours, bought new but in the 70s & 80s, Myford lathe, Myford knee mill, Chinese pillar drill to machines that are possibly older than I am, Startrite bandsaw and Pollard pillar drill from the late 40s. The Kity spindle is n'th hand possible 70's
The Jet planer is becoming an honorary member of the old CI club as it is both well made and no longer available. I bought that secondhand about 8 years ago as a rare find - not many get sold as they are so good.

I'm see less and less current new machinery that I feel attracted to own.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Wizard9999 » 21 Nov 2015, 11:05

9fingers wrote:I'm see less and less current new machinery that I feel attracted to own.


Which is why I was disappointed with the change over mechanism on the Axminster machine, I had hoped that as they were bringing out a new version backed by their excellent service that it could well be the one for me.

All joking aside, as much as my mechanical ineptitude the size of the older kit is an issue. I have been requested by SWMBO to sort out storage under the stairs. It will need to involve a pull out unit and a bog standard shelf until with a sloped top section. The later is far from huge, but I was still in the workshop yesterday thinking, hmmmm, so where am I going to glue this up then? Now The workshop is currently in a bit of a mess and is more cluttered than it should be and can be tidied up, but adding a PT any bigger than it needs to be is not going to help.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Wizard9999 » 05 Feb 2016, 21:43

Just to complete this old thread, I finally pushed the button on a Startrite SD31 today.

Startrite confirmed previously that their 'Show Prices' would be the same as at the D&M Show from October until March 1st this year. They had a show today at John Davis Woodturning, though not quite the same scale as the D&M show (an awful lot closer to me than the show at Yandles in two weeks time). So I ordered the SD31 for £1460 including wheels, digital read out and delivery, which is almost exactly £300 less than buying it off their website, so I was very pleased I had hung on to the flyer from the D&M show. Should be delivered next Friday.

Terry.

PS Never been to John Davis before as I am not a wood turner, but he is a thoroughly nice chap, as indeed was Peter from Record Power who was there today.
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Dan0741 » 05 Feb 2016, 22:01

Lovely looking Machine Terry.

I am planning on my first substantial purchase being a lathe - just considering my options currently. :D
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Wizard9999 » 05 Feb 2016, 22:06

Dan0741 wrote:Lovely looking Machine Terry.

I am planning on my first substantial purchase being a lathe - just considering my options currently. :D


Sure there are a number of people on here who will be able to help you decide how to spend your hard earned :lol: .

Terry.
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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby wallace » 08 Feb 2016, 16:53

I'm on the side of the old stuff. I bought this a few years ago, changed a bearing made it look pretty and never had to fix anything on it and its done some graft as well. It dates from about 1930 and is a pleasure to use.

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Re: Planer Thicknessers (not phones lol)

Postby Doug » 08 Feb 2016, 17:25

The Startrite looks a good machine Terry.
I've only just read this thread but re your opening post, the most useful thing on my A3 41D is the metric dial gauge that allows me to set accurately the thickness I want, if I want more stock of the same size latter I can just redial the size in, it really is a great feature.
I believe you can retro fit digital thickness gauges, Bob 9fingers knows more about these than me but they really are a worthwhile addition.
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