Yates American planer how good ??

[richard dombroski]

Came across a guy moving across country that has a Yates J 180 planer. He doesn"t want to move it as shipping would be high due to its weight.
Trying to find info to see if it would be a good buy. If anyone has experience
or knowledge it would be greatly appreciated.

[Barry W. Larson]

Check out http://www.owwm.org/ for full details. I don't have one, but the folks that do seem to like them. They are likely better than most affordable planers made today (assuming reasonable condition).

Barry W. Larson

[Bill Simmeth]

It's da bomb. If you wind up getting it and it needs a new belt for the power feed, let me know, I can turn you on to a supplier.

Okay, let me explain -- in my opinion, it is the one of the best old iron 18" planers and by far comes in the smallest (most compact, not lightweight) footprint.

PS... and it has the sexiest lines and the way coolest handwheels!
52043

[Rob Will]

It's da bomb. If you wind up getting it and it needs a new belt for the power feed, let me know, I can turn you on to a supplier.

Okay, let me explain -- in my opinion, it is the one of the best old iron 18" planers and by far comes in the smallest (most compact, not lightweight) footprint.

PS... and it has the sexiest lines and the way coolest handwheels!
52043

That's the sort of machine to just sit back and look at. Nice lines indeed.
What? It planes wood too?

Rob

[Joe Jensen]

It's da bomb. If you wind up getting it and it needs a new belt for the power feed, let me know, I can turn you on to a supplier.

Okay, let me explain -- in my opinion, it is the one of the best old iron 18" planers and by far comes in the smallest (most compact, not lightweight) footprint.

PS... and it has the sexiest lines and the way coolest handwheels!
52043

WOW, I love that machine. Too bad a dust collection hood would ruin the lines. How long did it take you to find one? How much would one expect to pay?

[Seth Poorman]

It's da bomb. If you wind up getting it and it needs a new belt for the power feed, let me know, I can turn you on to a supplier.

Okay, let me explain -- in my opinion, it is the one of the best old iron 18" planers and by far comes in the smallest (most compact, not lightweight) footprint.

PS... and it has the sexiest lines and the way coolest handwheels!
52043

I have a 1988 Powermatic 180 and it works Great !!!!!!
But that Yates american is GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WANNA TRADE !!!!!!!!! :D

[Seth Poorman]

Richard
I would buy that planer in a HEARTBEAT!!!!!!!!!
If you dont buy it will you turn me on to the guys name and address..:)

[lou sansone]

yates are great machines and direct drive to boot
lou

[Bill Simmeth]

I should have given proper attribution for that J180 in my original post! It's not mine, Roger van Maren in California restored that one. I had two of them in my queue, but recently sold them as I found a rather rare Newman S600-18.


WOW, I love that machine. Too bad a dust collection hood would ruin the lines.
Actually, Roger did a great job blending a dust hood to the machine and it really doesn't look bad at all! I don't have a picture here, but could post one tonight...


How long did it take you to find one? How much would one expect to pay?
Like most old machines, prices vary greatly depending on condition, area of the country, the weather, the seller's mood, etc. The first one I bought for $150 at an auction in the area of the estate of an old cabinetmaker. It was in decent shape but missing a couple pieces. I found a parts machine at another auction in PA a year later for $200.

[Kirk Poore]

Came across a guy moving across country that has a Yates J 180 planer. He doesn"t want to move it as shipping would be high due to its weight.
Trying to find info to see if it would be a good buy. If anyone has experience
or knowledge it would be greatly appreciated.

Richard:

I have a price on a Oliver 18" planer from about 20 years ago, which was an equivalent machine. The Oliver cost $7000 in 1987. So in new condition your machine would probably be double that in today's dollars. Assuming nothing essential is missing or broken, even if you spent a few hundred on the machine and double that on minor repairs, new bearings, blades, cleanup, paint, and a fabricated dust collection chute, you'd still have a major bargain. Properly cared for it will last your lifetime.

By the way, on the picture of Roger Van Maren's machine that Bill Simmeth posted, the bottom piece is actually a pedestal base Roger built to let him use a pallet jack to move the planer around. Your planer will be shorter.

One other thing: This planer is almost certainly a 3 phase machine. So you'll need 3 phase power, a phase converter, or a VFD to run it. Don't worry, it will be worth it.

Kirk

[Adam Bauer]

It's da bomb. If you wind up getting it and it needs a new belt for the power feed, let me know, I can turn you on to a supplier.

Okay, let me explain -- in my opinion, it is the one of the best old iron 18" planers and by far comes in the smallest (most compact, not lightweight) footprint.

PS... and it has the sexiest lines and the way coolest handwheels!
52043

WOW! Its not often that I see a machine and want it on looks alone but that is one beautiful tool. I have no need for one of those but I want it just so I can see it sitting there in my shop.

[richard dombroski]

Thanks guys. I'm going to meet with him tomorrow and see if I can work a deal. It originally was a school shop machine he got it at auction 10 to 15 years ago. Unfortunately I think he paid a fairly high price for it. I found a Yates American price list for April 1959 listing base machine for $1,145.00. How to relate that to todays dollars is the question. It has always been in a heated shop and has been very lightly used.

[Bill Simmeth]

How to relate that to todays dollars is the question.
Richard, you can't even begin to try to relate the original list price to its value today. First, as nowadays, list price was just that. Most sales took place at prices less than that. Second, you have to decide what this machine is worth to you right now. That's all that counts. If that doesn't match up with the seller's expectations, so be it. There are always other machines to be had.

I'm not surpised to hear this is a former school machine as the Yates J-Line was targeted towards school shops. A former school machine can be a blessing or a curse. It's only as good as the school's shop teacher's machine stewardship skills. Some of these folks were incredibly anal about their machines, others were real slobs. So, look the machine over real well and judge it on its own merits.

GOOD LUCK!

[Seth Poorman]

Thanks guys. I'm going to meet with him tomorrow and see if I can work a deal. It originally was a school shop machine he got it at auction 10 to 15 years ago. Unfortunately I think he paid a fairly high price for it. I found a Yates American price list for April 1959 listing base machine for $1,145.00. How to relate that to todays dollars is the question. It has always been in a heated shop and has been very lightly used.
Richard
Sounds like a machine of a life time , I wouldnt let this go..

[Ryan E. Doyle]

Came across a Yates j180 that might be my next project. Does anyone have information for if $750 is a good price. Seller states it needs a new belt