Carbatec 6" benchtop jointer

[Lyle]

I have searched for info/comments on this jointer in this forum, without luck. Saw one was sold recently. But can't find more info. Just found two old threads from 2007 and 2008, that didn't seem promising. Broken adjusting shaft! Wonder if that flaw was fixed on these newer models.?
Carbatec 6" benchtop jointer TB-6.
Does anyone own one, can you comment?
Is there a thread I missed with review comments?

I have limited space, infrequent use, small jobs (2'-3' lengths) and not a huge lot of $$. It seems to fit the tasks I'd have, but would like some user critique.
Maybe another new machine or suggested secondhand machine to look out for. I'm in Medowie so would have to buy from Carbatec in Syd (the nearest one).

Thanks
Lyle.

[orraloon]

Lyle,
I cant comment on the actual model and I have never used a benchtop. I toyed with the idea of one years ago but with the common view on this forum being that they are very limited I stayed away. The limiting factor is the length of the beds.( I was surprised to see the carbatec one is 1 1/2 hp however.) I guess for small light work like boxes it would do but thats about it. I got by for years with a hand held electric plane and finished off if required with hand planes. I now have an old (very old jointer) with a bed length of about 1.2m and I find that longer heavier bits of wood can be a problem. It is very hard to adjust outfeed rollers exactly to the bed height. Well my cheepo roller stands anyhow. So quite often back to the old fashoned way.
Planer Jointer (W619) - Hare & Forbes Machinery House
This would be about where I would start with jointers. One of those things where bigger is better. I would like a big 12'' plainer thicknesser beastie but nither budget or space would justify that purchase.
Regards
John

[mark david]

I have this particular jointer and would recommend it even though it had a faulty switch which carbatec replaced under warranty.

It's ok for short lengths of timber as you intend to use it,would recommend fixing it to a bench top or separate stand as it's quite heavy for it's size,

my only real criticism is it rather noisy.

[crowie]

G'Day Lyle,
I purchased the Carbatec 6" benchtop jointer TB-6 through the forum,
but as I'm still in recovery from a hip replacement haven't mounted it or run it.
Mark is correct on the weight at 42kg, I had a builder mate put it away for me.
I intend to install it a fixed position in the shed and use it for clearing up or resizing short lengths of timber for toy making.
I'll try to remember in about a month or so to put up a "user report".
Cheers, crowie

[Lyle]

Thanks Crowie, any info greatly appreciated. Don't rush it on my behalf, get yourself sorted before doing anything too heavy.
How is the new hip?
Lyle.

[crowie]

Thanks for the followup on the hip Lyle,
I had a huge set back 3 weeks ago at the 6 weeks mark;
my calf swelled up to the size of my thigh & I couldn't put the leg vertical let alone put weight through it.
I had an ultrasound & they found a half dozen blood clots/blockages in the calf plus a couple of partial blockages in the groin area.
With 2 weeks bedrest, clot dissolver needles morning & evening plus blood thinning tablets things have settled this week and I'm again becoming more mobile.
Just very thankful for my wife who has done so much extra during this past 9 weeks and so life is good.
Can't wait to get back into the shed, but slowly slowly.
Cheers, crowie

[Lyle]

My best wishes go out to you. Get well soon, but do not rush it. Like you said, slowly slowly.
Get better soon.
Lyle.

[STAR]

I have the Carbatec 6 inch bench jointer. I have not used it for awhile but that is because if I have any heavy work to be done i get it done on the Wood Clubs one.

But, for what I needed it has been satisfactory and does the job but I am careful not to overload it. One thing I did do though was to build a permanent out feed station to extend the length in the front. I was going to build one for the back but haven't really needed to to do that.

I think I got the idea from a Shop Notes magazine. I used four lengths of 12mm galvanized metal thread and used 25 mm ply as a base which was long enough for the jointer to sit on. then I put some ply on the front of the out feed table.

The metal thread allow you to adjust up or down the four corners so you get a perfectly level surface. I think it helps to have the long ply base with the jointer on it because it offers some stability.

I have found it to be a workable solution and does not take up too much extra space.

Pete

[crowie]

G'Day Pete,
Could I trouble you for a couple of photos of the out feed station, please.
Cheers, Crowie

[richmond68]

Apologies for dragging up an old thread, but I thought my experiences might be useful to someone.

I bought one of the se from Carbatec on sale a month or so ago, for a few reasons: I needed to dress some hardwood right now, it had to be cheap, and had to fit in the back on my small hatchback. So, how did it do?

No major problems out of the box - set up was ok, though one of the 4 screw/bolt holes in the fence was not tapped correctly, resulting in a stripped thread - I suppose one day I'll pull the bolt out and drill/tap a new thread, but it's holding ok for now. Putting the fence together was fiddly but no major dramas, same goes for the cutter guard. The instructions are a bit inadequate - I'd recommend downloading the PDF manual for the Grizzly G0725 jointer, which apart from the cutter guard appears the same and is written a bit better. Take your time in adjusting the fence for square, small incremental steps worked best for me. Infeed and outfeed tables were square to the cutter out of the box, and outfeed was coplanar to the cutter which surprised me. It's typical chinese build quality - done to a price, but you don't complain much given the price.

Planing performance was good enough for my needs - the short length of the tables limits what you can put through it, but the 800 long pieces of 4x4 mixed hardwood I fed through it were no drama. Motor power is adequate - it's rated at 1.5hp, which sounds high for a 6" jointer until you realise it also drives the internal fan providing chip extraction.

This internal fan is both a bonus and a limitation - while it enables you to use it without a dust collection unit (a dustbag is supplied), it does sap some power and as it drives through a 2.5" port, it limits dust extraction if you do have a bigger dust unit. As it's integrated in the machine, it's not a simple matter to fit a larger (such as 4") port. Worth bearing in mind as despite its small dimensions, it is still a 6" jointer and makes as much mess as any 6" jointer. At 40kg, you could easily mount it to a castor wheeled cabinet and move it outdoors when needed to help deal with the dust extraction limitations. The fan makes it noticeably noisier than other 6" jointers as well.

To sum up, if you are space and budget restricted, work with lengths under a metre and mostly in softwood you'd find this quite a reasonable unit. The fence adjustments are imprecise, and it's better to do a couple of passes than try to remove to much material in one go, but if you work within the machine's limitations, it's quite a useful little tool. For what I paid ($239) it compared favourably to handheld power planers.

[crowie]

G'Day Richmond,
Good write up.
Just wondering if someone might know if the old style "blade guard" like on my machine can be replaced by the new style on your machine.
Appreciate that info if anyone knows, thanks.
Cheers, crowie

[rosegum]

I have owned mine now for a few years and it handles all the jobs I use it for well, but like previous comments I work within its limits.

The only issue I have had is with the Allen headed screws holding the blades. The screws are a soft material and prone to rounding out, the screw were not secured with excessive pressure but have found that some bind up. The combination of these two facts mean a simple task of taking the blades out for resharpening becomes a painful evolution.