# looking for a thicknesser



## GarethHarvey (Apr 2, 2011)

I have a cheap thicknesser at the moment that I bought off ebay for around £130.00, it have quickly become apparent that you pretty much get what you pay for. The tool struggles to feed and trim the smallest of stock.

I have a budget of £400.00, would anyone have any suggestions, I am looking for just a thicknesser.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

GarethHarvey said:


> I have a cheap thicknesser at the moment that I bought off ebay for around £130.00, it have quickly become apparent that you pretty much get what you pay for. The tool struggles to feed and trim the smallest of stock.
> 
> I have a budget of £400.00, would anyone have any suggestions, I am looking for just a thicknesser.


Hi Gareth:

Take a look here:

http://www.routerforums.com/woodworking-articles/27849-12-12-5-13-inch-planer-summary.html

It is a comparison of thickness planers and a discussion of how to overcome the problems. However, none that I'm aware of have the symptoms that yours has. Is it possible that a bearing is gone or that the armature burned?

The article will help a bit with the decision process too.


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## GarethHarvey (Apr 2, 2011)

Many thanks, the problem with mine is it is just not powerful enough, I didn't research it and thought it would do the job. This link should help.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

GarethHarvey said:


> Many thanks, the problem with mine is it is just not powerful enough, I didn't research it and thought it would do the job. This link should help.


Hi Gareth:

All of the machines that I'm familiar with are 15A @ 120V. That'll be around 8amps on your 240V. That makes them about 1600 watts. All of the machines have a maximum depth of cut at 1/8" or even less at 3/32". My machine slows down a lot when it makes a cut of 1/16". Even cutting 1/64th inch it slows down. Do you have a picture of yours and a brand and model number? The reason I'm saying all of this is the hobby class of thickness planers are all designed to be inexpensive to operate and provide a modicum of function. The alternative is the commercial size at much increased cost as well as a much more complicated installation. Any information you can provide will help figure out what's happening.


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## GarethHarvey (Apr 2, 2011)

I can't find a picture on the web, but the brand is Nutool, the power is 1250 watts. Mine struggles to cut 1/64 on 2 inch stock. The cutters have been replaced and the tool makes an incredible noise when feeding.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Just bought a Nutool bench planer - tips wanted
Just bought a Nutool bench planer - tips wanted
Nutool PORTABLE Planer Thicknesser: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools
Google


========


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

GarethHarvey said:


> I can't find a picture on the web, but the brand is Nutool, the power is 1250 watts. Mine struggles to cut 1/64 on 2 inch stock. The cutters have been replaced and the tool makes an incredible noise when feeding.


Hi Gareth:

Yup, I found NuTool in Doncaster but not a mention of their inventory or online sales. Do you have a manual or any other information?

Rockingham Way
Redhouse Interchange
Adwick-Le-Street
Doncaster
South Yorkshire
DN6 7FB

Is this the same outfit?

I'd like any information you can provide, including a picture or two showing the on/off switch side and the top of the planer. This will tell me if it is a two or four screw and any speed controls.

Thanks again.

Ron


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## GarethHarvey (Apr 2, 2011)

Pics below, I believe this is the company, can't find much information about them. There is no speed control and it has four screws to wind the head up and down.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Gareth

Long shot but you do use a good Vac.on the planer right,if you don't the chips will go a round and round and slow/load the machine down big time..


=====..


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

GarethHarvey said:


> Pics below, I believe this is the company, can't find much information about them. There is no speed control and it has four screws to wind the head up and down.


Speed control? Do you mean feed speeds? If so you might be disappointed. A lot of portable (lunchbox) thicknessers have but a single speed. The only one I've much experience with recently is the Makita 2012NB which is pretty robust, the infeed/outfeed tables are fairly rigid and it is powerful enough to plane 6in wide oak by the mile (done that) so long as you don't expect it to hog off 6mm at a time. Downsides: it requires some form of dust extraction (we used a makita 440 vacuum) and it is noisy, but then all these portable machines are. Build quality is excellent. All that and available for under £400, or just over if you go fot the stand with it.

Phil


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## GarethHarvey (Apr 2, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Gareth
> 
> Long shot but you do use a good Vac.on the planer right,if you don't the chips will go a round and round and slow/load the machine down big time..
> 
> ...


I do, it's a pretty good system the extractor connects directly to the back with a 2m pipe, I really think it's the quality on the tool. I would never be able to put a 6" piece of oak through, in fact I would struggle with a 2" piece


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## GarethHarvey (Apr 2, 2011)

Phil P said:


> Speed control? Do you mean feed speeds? If so you might be disappointed. A lot of portable (lunchbox) thicknessers have but a single speed. The only one I've much experience with recently is the Makita 2012NB which is pretty robust, the infeed/outfeed tables are fairly rigid and it is powerful enough to plane 6in wide oak by the mile (done that) so long as you don't expect it to hog off 6mm at a time. Downsides: it requires some form of dust extraction (we used a makita 440 vacuum) and it is noisy, but then all these portable machines are. Build quality is excellent. All that and available for under £400, or just over if you go fot the stand with it.
> 
> Phil


Thanks, I am considering increasing my budget, beginning to think if I spend wisely now it will last me for years. Will take a look at the makita.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

GarethHarvey said:


> Thanks, I am considering increasing my budget, beginning to think if I spend wisely now it will last me for years. Will take a look at the makita.


Well, Makita have sufficient faith in their lunchbox thicknesser that it's available in 110 volts (for our non-UK members 110 volts is the almost mandatory voltage required on construction sites, etc whilst we in the UK use 230 volts in domestic settings). It certainly looks up to taking quite a bit of commercial jobsite punishment so I doubt that a home shop would tax it too much. I'd still keep below the maximum width of cut on any of these lunchbox thicknessers, though. We were mainly using it to take down 1in and 2in thick English oak sections to thinner on a bar fitting job (Witherspoon's "Mardi Gras" in the Trafford Centre, if you're ever there)

Regards

Phil


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

GarethHarvey said:


> Pics below, I believe this is the company, can't find much information about them. There is no speed control and it has four screws to wind the head up and down.


Hi Gareth:

Thanks for the pics. Could you take a closer one of the name plate please.

Ok, what I see from the pics:

there are two screws and four columns with sliders. The motor is the original style. Try cleaning the armature and replacing the brushes. Take the existing brushes to a vendor and match them to anything you can find of the same size. Try cleaning out the chains and check to make sure the belt is not too worn. Any of the manuals in my article will suffice to help lubricate everything.

Onto below...


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

Phil P said:


> Speed control? Do you mean feed speeds? If so you might be disappointed. A lot of portable (lunchbox) thicknessers have but a single speed. The only one I've much experience with recently is the Makita 2012NB which is pretty robust, the infeed/outfeed tables are fairly rigid and it is powerful enough to plane 6in wide oak by the mile (done that) so long as you don't expect it to hog off 6mm at a time. Downsides: it requires some form of dust extraction (we used a makita 440 vacuum) and it is noisy, but then all these portable machines are. Build quality is excellent. All that and available for under £400, or just over if you go fot the stand with it.
> 
> Phil


Hi Phil:

A bunch of things. The Makita is the same as all the other thicknessers, albeit with the Makita the chances are excellent you'll be able to get parts in the future. I don't particularly like the Makita because it is a two screw machine. 

I do like the SteelCity 40300H. It works at 26 feet per minute feed speed but it has the helix cutter head which leaves a very nice cut and this machine has four screws. If you can find one and the speed change works, the 40200 with the standard head is the same as the 40300H except it has two speeds and three blades. Of all of this class of planer, this is the nicest.


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