Edgebander ID?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I still need one, this one is coming up for sale soon, no description available yet. I know practically nothing about them, can someone ID this machine? Only pic I have unfortunately.

https://mcphersonauction.com/wp-content/gallery/c-m-custom-woodworking/IMG_0024.JPG

485097

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Had a clue, the auction company posted yet another terrible pic, in the background of another item you can see this machine and I think SCMI. I'm 60% on that. What era was SCM stuff this color? Just trying to determine rough age +/- a decade so I can investigate the electronics and see if I think it's worth the hassle.

[Wayne Fuder]

Steve,the SCMI model 3200 sliding tablesaw changed from green to white colors from 1999 to 2000. I have no idea if their complete product line also changed color at the same time, but it seems reasonable that it would have.

[Steve Jenkins]

If you look at the bottom frame by the dust collection and blow it up it does look like SCMI on the ID plate.

[Jonathan Jung]

SCMI badge spotted

[Kevin Jenness]

Whatever machine you get, make sure it has support, both for parts and operation. Edgebanders can be tricky to get and keep dialed in. When they're good they can be very good but when they're bad they're horrid.

[Walter Plummer]

In my experience they like to work everyday all day long preferably with the same edging and same thickness substrate. The tinkering starts after they set for a while or you change materials a lot. In one shop we were always processing different materials. Tape, solid wood, laminate, pvc.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Excellent info guys, much appreciated.

I'm looking for a bargain, hoping a used machine works well but expect it to be a hassle to some extent. I'm not really expecting to use it heavily so there should be times to fix and adjust but I could be wrong there. All that is a theory, like Walter and Kevin mentioned, I might just get frustrated by the machine being aggravating to deal with and go back to what I'm doing now. It is something I can just leave one set up in. I've been making due with other methods for a couple years now but it would sure save time if I could speed that process up. I've been making closet pantry built-ins, nothing fancy but the customers rave, and glue/clamping edge on ply is so time consuming. The price of cabinets has also gone up enough that I can make $ again building them myself for our construction projects, so I fired up the cabinet shop again on the last set.

[Dave Sabo]

Be careful , old, high mileage edgebanders can be a nightmare in old age.

Lots of moving parts, electrical, and air stuff to wear out , go bad and , not be available for replacement. If you’re not familiar with banders and can’t check it out in person , prepare yourself for the possibility you’re buying an expensive boat anchor.

By the sounds of your operation, something like a festOol conturo in a table or a Maksiwa setup would be better suited, more reliable and cheaper. That scmi is a beast and will require more than a fair amount of space, power, air , and dust collection. Do you have excess capacity for all of those in your shop that just came outa mothballs?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Excellent points Dave. I do have space, power, marginal duct collection. I'm mechanically inclined, I know I can make one work, however no one is paying me for fixing my own old wore out machine, so a bad one is worse than not having. Considered the mini banders like the festool they are interesting. I'd have one already if the had trimming capability. I have something like the maksiwa that works sort of ok, but the trimming again.

Good comment, made me quantify the purpose in my shop, to gain anything in my situation, I need a machine that band trim and cut the four edges of a panel at least substantially faster than my current method. I'm talking 4 hours old system, 30 mins new system. I think it's possible. Am I wishful thinking?

[Kevin Jenness]

I need a machine that band trim and cut the four edges of a panel at least substantially faster than my current method. I'm talking 4 hours old system, 30 mins new system. I think it's possible. Am I wishful thinking?

No, but you have to budget for it. Watch out for "bargains" on edgebanders.

[Walter Plummer]

Maybe the Virutex? https://www.virutextools.com/automatic-hot-melt-edgbander-eb140-pid469. I have used one and it seems like a good small machine.

[Dave Sabo]

Both Maksiwa and Festool have trimming options. FT’s is handheld , but pretty good for what it is. Maksiwa’s is table based and I’ve only seen it demoed for a few minutes in person.

Kevin is correct , watch out for “bargains” If they were that great , the owners wouldn’t be parting with them since they’re already paid for.

[Jonathan Jung]

I'd also be considering a clamp rack and RF gluer instead of an edge bander. This will let you fly through the solid edging process and be usefull for many other things.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Well, against the sane and sage advice you guys gave me, I now own a new to me old #4000 edgebander.

Let me explain, I'd put a low big on it when I first saw it so I got updates from the auction company. I never raised that, and when the auction started, I was busy with the other stuff. It was all online, but the auction company did the seller a major disservice by setting the bid timer wrong, at least I think it was accidentally because if they intended to only extend auction times by a few seconds upon a bid in the last minute, it was a terrible idea. They jammed way too much stuff in far to short of a time, and put all the like stuff together, so if you wanted multiple items that were listed within 10 lots of each other, you didn't have time to raise your bid if anyone bid against you. At first, everything was selling fast and cheap, but I think people started getting as frustrated as I was and just put a really high bid on some things. I was trying for several Leiser shaper heads, didn't have a chance, they ended up bringing quite a lot over new price. Anyway, the edgebander was grouped with three shapers a molder and a nice gang saw. As I was watching the clock tick down, it occurred to me that I still had the bid at $177. As the other machines took off, it never moved, and I ended up having to figure out how to get it home today.

On a good note for me, my bid pretty much bought the 200# of glue that came with it, and the edgebander was free?? I feel for the seller. Anyway, now I guess I have another project as this thing needs cleaned. It did run fine in his shop though, so hopefully not too many nasty surprises.

[Kevin Jenness]

I wish you the best of luck. I'm curious though - how do you know that "It did run fine in his shop"? Is that the auctioneer's description or have you been in contact with the seller? If the latter, maybe you can get some guidance from him on operation and parts availability, especially if you offer a "consulting fee" as a sweetener. Then again, maybe you luck out and all you have to do is hook it up and run the banding and glue that comes with it. If it does work for you the price is right.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Kevin, no I wouldn't trust practically anything an auctioneer said. This was from the seller and a friend who went to the preview. The seller offered to buy it back when we were loading it actually, discussed it quite a bit, I think he might be open to some coaching too. I didn't make it to the preview, but an acquaintance did and he saw it demoed. I doubt he would know a good banding job it it hit him, but at the very least it did all the things he thought it was supposed to. Interesting experience. At the very least, 10 motors and copper is high right now...

[Jim Becker]

Aside from the transportation fun, under $200 for that machine is, um...something else I would think. It's good you have had contact with the previous owner and hopefully, they will remain inclined to answer questions, etc. Beverages and/or a meal can sometimes help with that. :D

[Dave Sabo]

Well, at that price :eek: even with the rigging/freight added in you can afford a lot of hassle and aggravation to get it running.