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Thread: Dream machine acquired - SCM L’invicibile S50 planer

  1. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Alex Zeller View Post
    I have an igaging DRO for my planer. They make it in different lengths with a remote display. I got a 12" long one and it works fine. I had a round rare earth magnet that I mounted to the bottom and I just found a spot that was easy to see but out of the way. It was well under $100 so I don't know if the quality it the same as the Proscale but so far it's worked flawlessly.
    Alex,

    Thanks for the input. Is this the one you have? https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-Absol.../dp/B00KWCV5MI

    Does itself turn off automatically or do you have to turn it off manually when you’re done? Have you noticed any issues with vibration from the planer affecting your read outs or the wiring connections in the unit?
    Still waters run deep.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Western PA
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    1,242
    You need to be careful with some of the gauges, there are a few POSs out there. I think the jet and Powermatic Gauge needs to be zeroed out every time you go to use it. Who ever thought that was acceptable? I look at these gauges the same way I treat my meat thermometer. I have a relatively expensive thermometer, $75-100, I forget the exact number), but the alternative is a potentially inaccurate or inconsistent tool. Ruin one $60 tomahawk and you would happily pony up for the right tool. Same for going too thin on a stack of walnut etc. For what it’s worth, I had a wixey on a table saw many years ago and found it to be consistent and accurate.

    I need to spend more time on OWWM. I’m glad I’m not the only one that is unfamiliar with this machine. Wonder why it’s so rare? Just in the States?

    What is the consensus with onboard grinders, generally? I always considered them to be a brilliant idea until I read something along the lines of “no self-respecting German would ever tolerate grinding knives in place and spewing abrasive grit within the machine”, and that caused me to pause. That author has a point, by grinding in place, you are potentially introducing abrasive and metal bits into the feed assembly of your machine. Perhaps it’s not a big deal, I mean, many american machines are pushing 70-80 with grinders.

  3. #18
    The only thing I can think of regarding the rarity is that there probably weren’t that many of them sold in the US and maybe it was an expensive enough model when new that there just weren’t that many of them sold period *shrug* ? I feel like I’ve seen 50 SCMI S520 20” planers to every one of these. Maybe SCM didn’t have much market share in the US until later (late 80s - early 90s) though that’s me talking out of school a little bit and I have no clue. I can say that when searching for info on this model almost all of the search hits are from machines in Europe, so that supports that theory.

    I’d like to hear more of the finer points of onboard knife grinding as well. This is the first machine that I’ve owned with this feature and am not sure what to expect in reality. I’d imagine you could try and rig up some sort of dust collection if it was a horrible mess.
    Last edited by Phillip Mitchell; 07-19-2020 at 8:04 PM.
    Still waters run deep.

  4. #19
    Here are some more up-close photos for reference.

    These show the 2 speed feed works.

    From what I can tell (though I’ve been wrong before once or twice) the brake lever (lower to the right) need to be engaged to change speeds. The brake drops the large internal wheel down slightly where it contacts a flat and stops the feedworks. I’m assuming that slight drop positions the “collar”’of the wheel such that the tab on the back of the speed change lever either pulls or pushes the collar and therefore the entire wheel along the central shaft to change the engaged speed. A photo that I saw of another S50 machine online (in Europe) indicated that the two speeds were 25 fpm and 43 fpm, although who knows what may have changed between the years and machines that were imported to different markets.

    F7787B34-5FE4-4E3F-9E94-08C7F70F7C3C.jpg

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    Still waters run deep.

  5. #20

    Motor plate reads “CV - 9” , which from my research of French and Italian motor plates is “cheval-vapeur” and a metric unit of HP that is roughly equivalent to the HP that we know and love.

    Someone please correct me if this is wrong.

    The kW tag is unmarked from what I can see.

    Serial # is also visible and appears to read - B40921 (?)

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    Still waters run deep.

  6. #21
    The table raise and lower mechanism is a large central cylinder / shaft (with a locking lever.)

    I’m assuming the 2 knobs on the right front of the table are for adjusting the height of the bed rollers? Thread / height lock knob on the right side and the actual height adjustment knob on the front. The rollers spin freely, but are a bit gunked up with pitch, etc.

    As you can see, I need to replace the frayed / degraded smaller wiring (that I’m assuming feeds the table raise and lower motor.) That motor is just behind / inside the base and below the hand wheel and not very easy to access or even inspect visually. I may have to jack up the machine on large timber blocking enough to crawl under it and inspect and repair from underneath like a vehicle on a lift?

    There isn’t a lick of sheet metal on this machine. It’s all cast iron and pretty beefy for its size.

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    Attached Images Attached Images
    Still waters run deep.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Western PA
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    1,242
    I assume you are on the right page. Much like the invincible 160 shaper. I’ve seen more of that shaper, but it’s still rare. Unfortunately for me, I watched one sell for $400 a few hours north of me at auction last week. Bunch of machines that sold for cheap, but there’s no room at the inn.

    What diameter is the cutterhead?

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cambridge Vermont
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    2,282
    Quote Originally Posted by Phillip Mitchell View Post
    Alex,

    Thanks for the input. Is this the one you have? https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-Absol.../dp/B00KWCV5MI

    Does itself turn off automatically or do you have to turn it off manually when you’re done? Have you noticed any issues with vibration from the planer affecting your read outs or the wiring connections in the unit?
    I went with the one that had an aluminum rule. https://www.amazon.com/iGaging-35-71...p?ie=UTF8&th=1
    I figured the stainless steel might have less flex. Not sure if it matters though as the bed seams to have no play. I do find that the fraction feature is only sort of useful. Compared to decimal or metric it's not very precise. On my 4 post planer 1/64" is about a 1/4 turn on the raising/ lowering wheel. The stainless version is suppose to be a little more accurate but even the aluminum one is accurate to .003" over the 8" range of my planer. The stainless one says it's sealed to IP54 standards but they look identical.

    I don't think it has an auto power off feature. I'm guessing that if you have it installed on a milling machine you wouldn't want it to turn off in the middle of cutting. It does have an optional power supply (which is what I use). The one thing it's lacking is a back lit display. I can understand not having one to save batteries but when using AC power it would make reading the display easier. The numbers are very large but, at least in my shop, the display reflects light so it can b a little difficult to read if looking at it from an angle. With a planer it's not really a big deal since you just set it and then lock the planer in place. For $50 I figure if it works well I can always upgrade down the road.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Waterford, PA
    Posts
    1,225
    Phillip - If the angle for reading the S/N is giving you difficultly, at work, I often use my phone to just reach in a snap a pic blindly. Often the thin phone can get directly above the plate and give a good image. Then I just blow it up to read.

  10. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by Phillip Mitchell View Post
    The only thing I can think of regarding the rarity is that there probably weren’t that many of them sold in the US and maybe it was an expensive enough model when new that there just weren’t that many of them sold period *shrug* ?
    That's correct. Regarding the grinder, I always thought of that from the same era as bandsaws with welders. I've never personally used one or even seen one in a shop. AWESOME machine by the way. Keep us updated on the progress.

    Erik
    Ex-SCM and Felder rep

  11. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Kane View Post
    I assume you are on the right page. Much like the invincible 160 shaper. I’ve seen more of that shaper, but it’s still rare. Unfortunately for me, I watched one sell for $400 a few hours north of me at auction last week. Bunch of machines that sold for cheap, but there’s no room at the inn.

    What diameter is the cutterhead?
    Was that the one on IRS? I saw one on there recently. I think it went for a little more than that, but still not much considering.

    The cutterhead is a approximately 4 3/4” in diameter, though I didn’t give it an exact measurement, that was an eyeball from above with the ruler held above it.
    Last edited by Phillip Mitchell; 07-20-2020 at 9:18 PM.
    Still waters run deep.

  12. #27
    I’m happy to report that I wired a new cord and twist lock plug on the machine this evening and my 10 HP Kay RPC (MA-R 2 VS) fired up the planer no problem. I’m feeding the RPC with a dedicated 60 amp single phase circuit, which is what Kay recommends for 10 HP output 3 phase.

    I haven’t planed any wood yet with in my shop, but from what I’ve read, the start up amperage can be one of the highest loads (momentarily) and large planers in particular can be a “hard start” for an RPC. Relieved that it seems to be satisfactory.

    Definitely seems like my minimal fiddling with the feed lever placement has solved that problem and I have both low and high feed speeds.

    Next up is cleaning / checking the bed rollers, inspecting the chip breaker, and figuring out the grinder. It may be time for the knives to get a dressing.

    Thanks for all the comments!
    Still waters run deep.

  13. #28
    Quote Originally Posted by Erik Loza View Post
    That's correct. Regarding the grinder, I always thought of that from the same era as bandsaws with welders. I've never personally used one or even seen one in a shop. AWESOME machine by the way. Keep us updated on the progress.

    Erik
    Erik,

    Do you have any history on SCM as a company, specifically on the L’invicibile line of this era? I’ve tried searching online for more general SCM knowledge of this vintage and am coming up mostly empty.

    Do you have any leads on where I might look for and find a manual / original sales sheets, etc for this machine?
    Still waters run deep.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Ouray Colorado
    Posts
    1,392
    You might find a sales brochure if you dig around this site.
    https://wtp.hoechsmann.com/en/lexikon/10733/scm

    I bought my first green invincible SCM in the late 70s when Rockwell imported and rebadged them. They went to the tan color about that time.
    they displayed at the Louisville show before that and am sure they had dealers in the US before Rockwell sold them.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Beantown
    Posts
    2,831
    Hi Phillip, just saw this post and sent you a PM with some info.

    Jeff

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