Planer/Thicknesser

[Zen]

I am about to invest in a planer/thicknesser for my workshop and just wondering what your thoughts are on having one.

Firstly is it necessary for guitar building--mostly acoustics so far but hoping to do an electric soon
Is the combo version preferable or would separate machines be better ?
I live in Ireland so its a quite a big investment compared to Usa price wise--maybe 900 euro for a Charnwood W583 10" x 7" Planer Thicknesser or a Record planer /thicknesser

There are desk top versions but not as powerful

My wife--She who must be obeyed--seems to think I may not need it as the wood I will be buying will be already planed but obviously thats not the case as the sets I see on lone will still need thicknessing

Just wondering what you guys use for this

Thanks and happy new year to all.

Rusty

[tippie53]

The power planer is not the best for acoustics as it tends to destroy wood at the thickness we need in acoustics A thickness sander works best.

[B. Howard]

The only advantage of a combo machine its the space savings. If you have the room separate machines usually work best. A joiner its very useful. A planner can be helpful.

[Zen]

The power planer is not the best for acoustics as it tends to destroy wood at the thickness we need in acoustics A thickness sander works best.

Thats what I was wondering John but apparently this one -the Scheppach HMS2600ci can thickness down to 1mm . It has 3 knife blades for a very smooth finish .

Confused now
Rusty

I don't think you want any power machine using blades to thickness tonewood.
A planer and thicknesser or a planer/thicknesser is a must have in a woodworking shop.
Not so much in a lutherie shop. Perhaps there is a cabinet shop in your area that will thickness your
tops and sides for a reasonable fee or your tonewood source could afford you that service.
You'll need to thickness a whole lot of guitar wood to recoup the cost of a thickness or drum sander.
$700. US is entry level cost of a decent 10" drum sander. I don't include Grizzly's lower cost drum sanders
because although I've never used one, the results I've seen and the reviews I've read are not good.

-tommy

[Zen]

The only advantage of a combo machine its the space savings. If you have the room separate machines usually work best. A joiner its very useful. A planner can be helpful.

Thanks Brian . Over here in Europe we call them planer/thicknessers but I think in Usa they are jointers but they do the same thing basically ie planer on top and then thicknesser underneath and the one I was interested thicknesses down to 1 mm with a very clean finish.
. Just wondering if its overkill as I have just got myself a belt/disc sander and a bandsaw so I dont know why I thought the next thing should be a Thicknesser.

I envy the choice you guys have when it comes to machinery for woodworking. I am visit over there in march--California-and will be spending some time browsing the big stores no doubt .

Thanks
Rusty

[Zen]

I don't think you want any power machine using blades to thickness tonewood.
A planer and thicknesser or a planer/thicknesser is a must have in a woodworking shop.
Not so much in a lutherie shop. Perhaps there is a cabinet shop in your area that will thickness your
tops and sides for a reasonable fee or your tonewood source could afford you that service.
You'll need to thickness a whole lot of guitar wood to recoup the cost of a thickness or drum sander.
$700. US is entry level cost of a decent 10" drum sander. I don't include Grizzly's lower cost drum sanders
because although I've never used one, the results I've seen and the reviews I've read are not good.

-tommy

Thanks Tommy. You got me thinking now because I had never thought of a drum sander but over here in Europe we use different names for some of the machines,

This is the planer/thicknesser I was thinking about but perhaps youre right about using it for tonewood even though it takes wood down to 1mm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w75V4k2rebk

[Zen]

Then I found this and you guys are right--I dont really really need one--maybe !! My wife will be so happy !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXuh_Q02DP8

[Zen]

The power planer is not the best for acoustics as it tends to destroy wood at the thickness we need in acoustics A thickness sander works best.

John, when you say Thickness sander--can you elaborate as we have different terminology sometimes over here for tools. Is it a drum sander you mean ?
Could you recommend any?



Thanks John

[B. Howard]

The only advantage of a combo machine its the space savings. If you have the room separate machines usually work best. A joiner its very useful. A planner can be helpful.

Thanks Brian . Over here in Europe we call them planer/thicknessers but I think in Usa they are jointers but they do the same thing basically ie planer on top and then thicknesser underneath and the one I was interested thicknesses down to 1 mm with a very clean finish.
. Just wondering if its overkill as I have just got myself a belt/disc sander and a bandsaw so I dont know why I thought the next thing should be a Thicknesser.

I envy the choice you guys have when it comes to machinery for woodworking. I am visit over there in march--California-and will be spending some time browsing the big stores no doubt .

Thanks
Rusty

A joiner, or jointer depending on whom you speak with, is a tool that will put an absolutely true and straight edge on a piece of lumber indexed at a perfect 90 degrees to another face. a Planer is a tool that will surface one side of a board and make it a uniform thickness. Two different tools, two different jobs. to make absolutely square and true stock one must perform both operations.