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Thread: Wahuda/Cutech Planer and Jointer

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
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    Detroit Suburbs
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    56

    Wahuda/Cutech Planer and Jointer

    I've been looking at Planers and Jointers in the small shop/beginner category and I've been looking at the Cutech lines because I've read nothing but good things about them. Cutech recently rebranded as "Wahuda Tools" and came out with a new line of Jointers based off the original Cutech Line. It's basically the same design with improved cutting heads, a cast iron top and longer fence/supports.

    Long story short, I bought the 8 Inch Wahuda Jointer and a 13 inch Cutech Planer, both with carbide cutters because they were offering a free shipping promotion. I will give you guys a detailed review of the Wahuda Jointer once I have it up and running and I've used it a it.

    Hopefully I don't regret my gamble, but it seems like a good brand just starting off. Sometimes you got to take a chance with the little guy.
    Last edited by PHILIP MACHIN; 02-13-2020 at 8:24 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2015
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    Ingleside, IL
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    1,417
    Philip - I bought the Cutech 8" jointer 5 months ago and am very pleased with it. I think the kind of work you do will have a lot to do with you satisfaction with it. Most of my stuff is made from rough boards and 90% of the pieces I mill are 5' and under. For milling this size of lumber it works great, and the ability to dress 8" boards in a small hobby shop like mine is a real plus. I've done some 7' boards on it but it was frankly a struggle. The finish the spiral head leaves is pretty amazing - better than my Dewalt planer with new blades. The alum tables are scratched up, but it doesn't affect the work - and I waxed the tables so the work glides well. All of the adjustments are still solid, and the fence - which was my biggest worry since it's pretty cheesy looking - is still dead nuts 90 degrees to the table. So for a small shop doing mostly chairs, end tables, bookcases, clocks, boxes etc it is a great investment.
    Stand for something, or you'll fall for anything.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
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    Detroit Suburbs
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    I’ve read a lot of reviews on the Cutech version that sounded positive. It sounds like they are addressing some of the complaints with the new rebranded Wahuda version. It has an iron table top and a sturdier fence and infeed/out feed support.

    Like yourself, the longest board I’ll ever have to work with is 8’, and I’m willing to make some adjustments for the rare occasion that happens.

    The cost of Jointers and Planers seems to skyrocket exponentially after 8/13” respectively. I think these cutech bench units are a reasonable amount of bang for the buck for your run of the mill garage Woodshop flunky like myself.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Wenatchee, WA
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    I ordered one of the new Wahuda models, that shipped at the end of January. It arrived literally a day or two before I had to head out for a trip, and I haven't had a chance to do much more than unbox it. Looks pretty nice - hopefully it performs as well as it looks.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Doylestown, PA
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    7,551
    The Cutech/Wahuda planers look like the older Ridgid benchtop planers which were pretty well regarded. One thing to be aware of, evalulate the likelihood of knives being available in the future. Some benchtop machines have indexing pins and slots in the cutterhead & knife respectively. They're great in that its quick and easy to change knives but the knives MUST have those slots, can't just buy and install generic knives. There are also 'standard' sized carbide cutters for spiral heads and non-standard carbide cutters. I prefer standard sizes for if/when the manufacturer no longer sells machine specific cutters.
    Last edited by Curt Harms; 02-18-2020 at 8:23 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    Detroit Suburbs
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    This occurred to me after I already ordered it. Maybe I’ll load up on cutters just incase. I noticed there are some third party tool companies offering blades on amazon. Not sure of their quality, but at least they’re out there if needed.
    Last edited by PHILIP MACHIN; 02-18-2020 at 9:11 PM.

  7. #7
    hi - have you been able to try it out yet? Am interested mainly in how true the cast tables are.


    I bought the Cutech 8" a year+ ago and was dissapointed in the aluminum tables(otherwise all good). If I recall (and memory not the best) anything at/under .008" was acceptable and one was cup'd beyond that. Cutech didn't have any tables available so they sent me a 2nd machine...2 for the price of 1! I picked the 2 best tables between the 2 and sent the extra back (good CS in general), and it's served me well on wider pieces but a bit iffy on more narrow pieces (could be technique as my time with jointers is limited). Just upgraded my aluminum router table to a cast iron one and am blown away by the difference and am considering 'upgrading' to the new 8" Wahuda - any info appreciated.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    Wenatchee, WA
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    445
    Hi there,

    Sorry I didn't update this sooner. I did get mine put into service. The assembly was very simple - basically bolt the fence to the bracket, and the bracket to the tool base/body. I didn't put an lot of effort up front into testing everything in exhaustive detail - I took my Woodpecker 8" square up between the fence and table, at both ends - looks good. Put my Veritas 24" precision straight edge across the tables, side to side - no visible gaps. Close enough for my needs at this point.

    The fence is thin aluminum and *very* light duty, and does flex a little on the infeed side if you push into it much with the stock while feeding. Probably not something one *should* be doing anyway, so I don't know that I'd really count that against it.

    The finish cut quality is pretty decent... maybe not *quite* as good as my DW735 in finish mode, but pretty close.

    The next big 'test' is going to be coming up in the next couple of weeks - I'm working on a drop-leaf table for the RV, and want to try out making tapered legs. I've seen a number of videos on doing it with a jointer, rather than a TS jig/sled, so we'll see how that works. Definitely gonna make a 'test' piece for that one first, though

  9. #9
    Thanks for the reply and I'll keep an eye out for updates.
    Spent about an hour with my Cutech yesterday and discovered that the infeed tables position/angle varied slightly depending on whether I was increasing or decreasing the cut depth - LSS, was able to find a decent work-around for now(far from ideal), but think something else with cast tables is in my future.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    Phoenix AZ, (west side)
    Posts
    74
    Philip Machin, how have these machines worked for you?

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Chance Raser View Post
    Philip Machin, how have these machines worked for you?
    Hi Chance, I’ve had the Cutech 13” industrial for about 6 months now. I bought the upgrade one with snipe lock and carbide cutters.

    Overall a nice machine that is about as good as you can expect for a lunch box planer. I built a custom cart with extensions to help with snip and got it dialed in pretty good. It’s made in Taiwan and seems to be a well built machine.

    I wish the head had more cutters but it’s better than old straight knives. Not quiet but not super loud either. You can buy better cutter heads for the dewalt from shelix, but then you start to get up there in price range. The replacement cutters do seem to be on the expensive side but have yet to turn mine.

    Softer woods like pine and poplar come out pretty clean with minimal sanding needed. Figured and harder woods like Sapele will tear out and need additional sanding.

  12. #12
    Thanks for the input. I've been looking into one of these machines for quite a long time now. May get one for my birthday...

  13. #13
    @Dean - Sorry to report the tables are not all that flat. On the 8" Wahuda Jointer I received, both the Infeed and Outfeed table had dips in the middle; .005 and .006 respectively. Doesn't seem like much, but when you have shorter boards you end up with that coming out in your finished work as you are basically digging that out of the middle as your board rides the hump of the cutter.

    I was actually on this thread to see if someone has discussed "sanding" the tables to be flat... not sure if that's possible or advisable to even try? Hate to be out $550 with nothing to really show for it.

    Quote Originally Posted by Dean Nikou View Post
    hi - have you been able to try it out yet? Am interested mainly in how true the cast tables are.


    I bought the Cutech 8" a year+ ago and was dissapointed in the aluminum tables(otherwise all good). If I recall (and memory not the best) anything at/under .008" was acceptable and one was cup'd beyond that. Cutech didn't have any tables available so they sent me a 2nd machine...2 for the price of 1! I picked the 2 best tables between the 2 and sent the extra back (good CS in general), and it's served me well on wider pieces but a bit iffy on more narrow pieces (could be technique as my time with jointers is limited). Just upgraded my aluminum router table to a cast iron one and am blown away by the difference and am considering 'upgrading' to the new 8" Wahuda - any info appreciated.

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