Big changes a coming...in the shop!

[Jim Barrett]

Well.....sold my MM CU 300 Smart. I had it just about a year and never could get use to the combo situation. Just the way I work I guess...so I sold the machine fairly quickly, I thought for a very fair price. Any way I am going back to what I used previously....hmmmmm.....thought about going with a MM slider saw and a jointer/planer....gee that sounds too familiar. So I will be ordering a General 350 cabinet saw (yep right tilt :eek: ) General International 12" jointer 80-300, and a General International 15" planer 30-125-CE-M1. PHEW....glad I got that out. I know there are plenty of people out there that will think I am nuts....going back to a cabinet saw after having a "kewl" European saw.....don't get me wrong.... the MM equipment is good stuff, heavy duty and the slider is nice.... and the folks at MM are just about the best around....just not a "European" type of guy I guess ;)
So I am pretty excited about my new equipment and will post lots of pics when it shows up, hopefully before Christmas. In my previoius life (b4 divorce) I had a General 350 TS with an Excaliber fence and slider....DJ 20 and a Delta 13" HD planer, really good stuff....probably would have kept it all...if.....

Jim

[Matt Allan]

Jim,

Sorry to read about not liking your combo equipment, especially after getting rid of the stuff you liked for it then having to unload the MM. Was there anything especially you didn't like about the combo? If you don't mind I would like to hear all of your cons with the setup and any pros you thought with it as well.

I have been playing around with the thought of one myself, or at least the MM slider. I have been afraid of getting all setup and just not liking it as much as I thought like you describe. Then looking back at my old tools and missing them, lot of money to regret spending.

Thanks

[Frank Pellow]

That's an interesting change. Just because you prefer working with a different style of equipment certainly does not make you nuts.

I have heard good things about all the General and General International equipment you are getting. I am in the market for all three pieces of equipment as well and there is a reasonable chance that I will end up with almost the same things (except that I am looking at an 8" rather than 12" GI jointer).

[Paul B. Cresti]

Jim,
Interesting choice you made. I sold my Unisaw, PM jointer and General 14" planer (all great stuff in their own rights) and went with the 315ws, fs41 j/p and the T50 shaper and have never turned back! I was reluctant in the begining to give up my ole faithful machines but the speed, accuracy and safety I gained with these MM machines far out weigh anything I could have imagined. Good luck with your new machines

[Jim Becker]

The way you work should always be a consideration when it comes to choosing tools. I love my J/P combo and would never go back to separates there unless I had a multi-person pro shop (not gonna happen!) but have not yet been able to reconcile moving to a Euro slider, especially since I work primarily with solid stock, rather than sheet goods. (I have the AFT55 for the latter anyway at this point).

[Jim Barrett]

Matt,
I would tell you to spend some time with a combo machine before you purchase or at least visit someone who has one and see how they work with it. Using the combo just felt clumsy to me, again this is my feeling and I am not criticising anyone who has a combo. Kind of like right tilt vs left tilt or metal planes vs woodies....
I found myself more productive using my old machines, Paul and many other users feel differently, that is cool, I am glad their purchase has worked for them.
I will miss the Tersa blades, very cool and easy, never used the mortiser or the shaper so I can not comment on those parts of the machine.

Jim

[Jim Barrett]

Paul,
I know you have some great equipment there, little bit out of my league $$$. Did you ever consider going with a combo machine instead of the separates you have?
Jim

[Jim Barrett]

Frank,
Yes I think General has excellent equipment, will be interested in seeing how the jointer and planer stack up! Biesemeyer will be new to me, had an Excalibur fence before which I really liked using.

Jim

[sascha gast]

i actually understand what you mean. even though euro combos perform werll, i still like the feel of a cabinet saw. it does sometimes feel clumsy with a big saw like that. i know i'll never get one, i just don't care for them played with a few of them, not for me.

sascha

[Tyler Howell]

Wow Jim,

Interesting change up.

I like the dime store chocolates over the Gadiva and Garidelli too!;)

[Ted Shrader]

Jim -

Very interesting post and thread. Just illustrates the need to touch machines before you buy. Even more so on the high $$$ ones.

All machines you had (in previous life, too) are good quality machines. Individual work preferences dictate which machines are the right ones for each individual.

Regards,
Ted

PS And congratulations on your pre-gloat! ;) :)

[Alan Turner]

Interesting decision. I am going through that a bit as well, in the following sense. I am trying to buy into an industrial building, and that for the purpose of both executing larger scale commissions, but also for the purpose of being able to teach in a large space, both power tools, and hand tools. Hopefully the focus will be both discrete skills, as well as project specific courses. If this shuold come to pass, I have been thinking about tooling, and safety will have to come first. It is the TS that most often bites people. So, was thinking about the Euro machines from a safety point of view, but the review of the SawStop in the new FWW Tools edition may make me rethink that approach. FWW gave it a favorable review. I can't imagine anything worse than an injured student.
Were I buyiing a customary 10" TS today, the General 350 would probably be the choice.
Alan

[Jim Barrett]

Alan,

I think the splitter on the MM is excellent, the orange blade guard I did not care for. Probably would have been better if it was clear instead of orange so you could see through it. Probably some OSHA requirement :eek: ?

Jim

[Paul B. Cresti]

Jim,
No I never really wanted to go to a combo. My only combo I was thinking of and went with was the J/P. Yes, for the most part, these machines are out of my $$ league also but, I am now a pro and decided to invest in my business. I find myself very often using all the machines at once including my bandsaw so a true combo most likley would not have worked for me either.The machines I do have now i would never give up unless financially forced to. These MM machines are safe, accurate and a joy to use.

[Manny Hernandez]

Hey Jim,
I sorta did the same thing. I had a separate jointer and planer. Went to a Felder AD751 20" for about a year. Sold it and went back to separates earlier this year and never looked back. Ain't never gonna do the combo thing again. Changing back and forth just didn't work for me in the longrun. Only took a minute or two to change between jointer and planer, but it started to wear on me after a some projects. But there were other issues that led to parting of the ways.