On 20 Dec 2003 09:55:51 -0800, (Mark)
wrote:

These start at about £300 for a small portable one - e.g. Axminster
CT344.

CT330 is a much better machine than the CT344, and current prices are
barely different. The tables are longer and there's a head lock to
reduce snipe.

Thanks for replying. The CCNPT looks like it may fit the bill.

It's a very good deal for the money, however (like most combined
machines) it's narrower than a dedicated thicknesser. Most of my
boards are between 10" and 13" in width, so this is a feature I really
need.

In terms of accurate - it has to be bang on - I want to be planing 90
degree edges on my timber - not 89 or 91! Surley even the smallest
tool should be capable of this?

The tool may be capable, but you may need a taller fence to hold the
timber square enough.

1 degree accuracy is unusual in woodworking. You'll also need to use
quartersawn timber here, as shrinkage is enough to warp by a degree or
two.

Also, the CCNP spec mentions that it may need a 16amp supply if the
voltage is 'on the low side'. What do they mean by this?

They mean that taking a 10" slice off oak is damned hard work ! If
the voltage is low, then heat lost in the motor is higher for a given
output. This machine is a bargain for the price, but the tables are
bendy and the motor is on the diminutive side. If you're going to be
thrashing it, I wouldn't buy a CCNPT.

Am I correct in assuming that the machine can be run from a
single-phase domestic supply?

Yes. But run a ring main or a heavy gauge radial through your
workshop, not just a string of extension leads to the garden shed.

--
Smert' spamionam