Pro Planer...

[osx-addict]

Just thought I'd pick your collective brains.. Someone locally is selling a pro planer that is described as having some rust on it and its also in need of some parts including the following (as provided by the seller):
"like metal brackets that mount it down to shopsmith rails and the handle that raises the planing table up and down as well as the speed control box"
I gather the speed control box is the big ticket item.. He's looking to get $275 for it.. Any comments as to whether the price is good or not would be appreciated.. Funding is very tight right now so that may ultimately be my limiter for now regardless of how good a deal this is (or isn't). Thx!

[dusty]

Because I like to tinker, I might offer this person $50 for his scrap pile but I would be very hesitant.

The items that you describe as missing or need replacing total about $400. Without the speed control, I don't believe you can verify that the motor works. The motor itself is $470.

A new unit sells for about $1100. You do the math.

Click on PDF Father's Day Catalog, Inside Pages and see for yourself:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/

[brown_hawk]

"like metal brackets that mount it down to shopsmith rails " makes it sound like the SS mount planer. If that is the case, with the feed motor, you are running about $500 in parts plus however bad the rust is (And if any more parts are missing).

If it is the pro planer with the stand, etc. you can check on the motor turning the cutter head. You should be able to check on the other parts as well. Dust chute? Belts? Blades?

If it is the stand mounted Pro, and everything checks except the parts missing, you might go as high as $100-150. If it is the SS mount, $50-75. Then get the parts as you get money for them.

If they are talking about the speed control box and not the motor, that's $300 there. If the motor isn't plugged into the speed control box properly, and both work, it might be worth $275.

Hawk

Depends on your budget and long range plans.

[osx-addict]

I got some more info from the seller but at this point I'm not as interested.. Its been sitting for good number of years and the seller claims it still works and is willing to demo it for me by hooking it up to his SS -- meaning to me that its not a 'Pro'.. Anyway, he's replaced it with a new SS planer (seems odd to me) so I'm leaning on the basket-case side of the fence on this one and will probably just skip it.. Thanks for the info -- that gives me enough info for the next time around.. Thanks guys!

[woodburner]

Sounds funny that he can demo it for you even when these parts are missing/not working, especially the mounting tubes and speed controller. Sound like you are doing the right thing by "skipping " it.