Cliff Rohrabacher
03-22-2006, 1:10 PM
Opinions sought. Even strident ones.
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I’m considering plopping a wad of cash on some machinery.
I want to upgrade to nice equipment that I won’t be trading out of or up from - ever.
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So I’m looking to hear what other folks think about the equipment they have been running.
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I sort of, pretty much, kind of, yah I maybe kind of, do know what I want to do ( sort of). I do musical instruments and cabinetry. That’s my hobby. I will not ever attempt to earn $$ this way, but I do like to travel first class. I am exacting and demanding of my equipment.
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Planer and jointer issues I’m struggling with have a lot to do with three questions: (1) How much money do I want to save to get a big re-saw band saw 18 or 20” capacity; and (2) How often am I ever going to need a jointer larger than 8”; (3) or planer larger than 12” ??
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Planning the pieces for a large project can happily be done in a single run obviating the need to lay them side by side. Why do people have a need to own a planer larger then 12” Am I nuts to think I might need a 15” planer?
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Jointing is a similar question in terms of overall capacity. How often is the ability to joint anything over 8” going to be a big issue?
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If I go with the 2 Griz units I’ll have enough $$ to get a Re-Saw from Grizz right away. They are not at all expensive at about 1/3 the cost of a Laguna.
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If I go Felder, or with the 2 Powermatics I may have to pinch my pennies for a while before I get a Re-Saw.
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The Table saw is pretty much a decided matter. The decision was between a Laguna TSS slider and a Felder/Hammer.
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Felder Hammer: The “Hammer Winner” Is the saw. It’s a slider with a 51” cross cut with 12 inch blade driven by a Baldor 4 HP (30/40%) at 4800 RPM. Can cut 4” high. I’ll pay additional for a carbide insert Dado & the Flange to run it.
The Saw decision is pretty much cast in concrete.
That leaves Jointers & Planers
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Jointer & Planer Choices are
Option #1:
Felder / Hammer A-31 12 inch combo jointer / planer
12 “ of jointer and planer in one machine,
Jointer: quick change 3 blade cutter head, 5/32 max depth of cut, 4 HP Baldor (40/50%), Jointer table length 55” w/ a 45” Fence, Max Jointer depth of cut: 2/32.
Planer: Planing height min.: 5/32 & max.: 8 7/8, Planer Table 21”, Synchronized feeder drive 24 ft.min,
(can add a Mortiser any time for about $800.00)
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<o =""></o>Versus the following:
Option #2:
A Powermatic 171791210 model 15S - 15” planer
Powermatic 8” Parallelogram Jointer
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Versus
Option #3:
Griz 15” Planer GO453
Griz 8” jointer GO4090
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Space: It’s not a huge shop. It can take all that equipment plus a BS, if I put some on rollers but someday I may build a dedicated one.
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<o =""></o>
I’m considering plopping a wad of cash on some machinery.
I want to upgrade to nice equipment that I won’t be trading out of or up from - ever.
<o =""></o>
So I’m looking to hear what other folks think about the equipment they have been running.
<o =""></o>
I sort of, pretty much, kind of, yah I maybe kind of, do know what I want to do ( sort of). I do musical instruments and cabinetry. That’s my hobby. I will not ever attempt to earn $$ this way, but I do like to travel first class. I am exacting and demanding of my equipment.
<o =""></o>
Planer and jointer issues I’m struggling with have a lot to do with three questions: (1) How much money do I want to save to get a big re-saw band saw 18 or 20” capacity; and (2) How often am I ever going to need a jointer larger than 8”; (3) or planer larger than 12” ??
<o =""></o>
Planning the pieces for a large project can happily be done in a single run obviating the need to lay them side by side. Why do people have a need to own a planer larger then 12” Am I nuts to think I might need a 15” planer?
<o =""></o>
Jointing is a similar question in terms of overall capacity. How often is the ability to joint anything over 8” going to be a big issue?
<o =""></o>
<o =""></o>
If I go with the 2 Griz units I’ll have enough $$ to get a Re-Saw from Grizz right away. They are not at all expensive at about 1/3 the cost of a Laguna.
<o =""></o>
If I go Felder, or with the 2 Powermatics I may have to pinch my pennies for a while before I get a Re-Saw.
<o =""></o>
The Table saw is pretty much a decided matter. The decision was between a Laguna TSS slider and a Felder/Hammer.
<o =""></o>
Felder Hammer: The “Hammer Winner” Is the saw. It’s a slider with a 51” cross cut with 12 inch blade driven by a Baldor 4 HP (30/40%) at 4800 RPM. Can cut 4” high. I’ll pay additional for a carbide insert Dado & the Flange to run it.
The Saw decision is pretty much cast in concrete.
That leaves Jointers & Planers
<o =""></o>
Jointer & Planer Choices are
Option #1:
Felder / Hammer A-31 12 inch combo jointer / planer
12 “ of jointer and planer in one machine,
Jointer: quick change 3 blade cutter head, 5/32 max depth of cut, 4 HP Baldor (40/50%), Jointer table length 55” w/ a 45” Fence, Max Jointer depth of cut: 2/32.
Planer: Planing height min.: 5/32 & max.: 8 7/8, Planer Table 21”, Synchronized feeder drive 24 ft.min,
(can add a Mortiser any time for about $800.00)
<o =""></o>
<o =""></o>Versus the following:
Option #2:
A Powermatic 171791210 model 15S - 15” planer
Powermatic 8” Parallelogram Jointer
<o =""></o>
<o =""></o>
Versus
Option #3:
Griz 15” Planer GO453
Griz 8” jointer GO4090
<o =""></o>
Space: It’s not a huge shop. It can take all that equipment plus a BS, if I put some on rollers but someday I may build a dedicated one.
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