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What do Y'all think?

Started by DanG, May 12, 2002, 09:26:15 PM

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DanG

I caught an ad in a local classified sheet for a Foley planer/moulder for sale. The guy wants $750 for it. I've seen the ads for this machine for many years in magazines, but haven't ever actually seen one. I'm going to look at it tomorrow evening, as much to meet the guy, as to check out the machine. He is a potential customer, since his current sawyer is "down" right now.
I'm thinking that I can use the Foley for my own purposes, and a little light commercial use, until I can afford a 4-sided planer-moulder, such as the Logosol. I could get a bench-top planer, brand new, for half the money, but it would be worth squat when I'm through with it, and I think this one would still be worth $750, 2 years down the road.
Are any of you familiar with this machine? Is it worth the money, assuming it's in good shape? :P
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Bud Man

I'm pretty sure Joey Lowe has a Foley/ Belsaw planer. As far as your question, if you can recapture your cost and use it for two years seems to be a done deal !  Might even take some of the cost out in trade ?
The groves were God's first temples.. " A Forest Hymn"  by.. William Cullen Bryant

woodmills1

I have a Belsaw planer from the mid 1970's If that is the type of machine you are referring to.  mine has a 5 horse baldor 220 volt motor and does yoemans work for me both planing customer and my own stock and producing moldings.  It does take awhile to set up as planer or molder, and some sort of guide needs to be fashioned to get any quality on moldings.  the company used to be foley-belsaw but is now just belsaw.  knife selection is quite extensive and i think all the parts except for the saw option are still avaliable for the older machines.  now if i only hooked up a sawdust removal system so I could stop shoveling :D
James Mills,Lovely wife,collect old tools,vacuuming fool,36 bdft/hr,oak paper cutter,ebonic yooper rapper nauga seller, Blue Ox? its not fast, 2 cat family, LT70,edger, 375 bd ft/hr, we like Bob,free heat,no oil 12 years,big splitter, baked stuffed lobster, still cuttin the logs dere IAM

Tom

When I was shopping for a shop planer, the two that drew my interest were Wood Masterr and RBI.  The Woodmaster was the oe I bought but it has turned out to be lightet than I prefer.  

A Foley Belsaw was available at the time but was dismantled in the back of a Semi Van. the owner was disillusioned and complained about the blade size (not readily available) and the setup.(he could never get it to quit sniping.)

It looked solid to me and was built in an iron frame.

I saw another, later, and the complaints were the same.

Those are questions I would ask to see if the current owner suffered the same malady.  Perhaps there is something to it.

On another note, I have two friends with imports.  Not being particularly in favor of imports they wouldn't be my first recomendation but........

The first is a Deaf old man with a 20" Grizzly.  He can't hear the strain of the motor and shoves hardwoods in there with the knives set to take off way more than the planer was built to handle......the whole house will shake.  The planer has done him a good job though and excepts the abuse with no serious complaint.  I've been amazed.

The other  planes mostly pine, cypress and cedar but uses a 20" Chinese planer that I've never heard of before.  As a matter of fact, the only English on the machine is the name. He planes commercially and has run a phenominal number of feet through it with no problem.

The main attribute I have identified with longivity is an iron frame.

Frank_Pender

Woodmills, I  did hook up with  removal system, it is the neighbor boy.  I pay him $7.00 + an hour. 8) 8)
Frank Pender

DanG

Thanks for the input, guys. I've decided to pass on the Foley. While it is probably a fair deal, it probably isn't the bargain I thought it might be. I don't really have a need for a planer, yet, but would go ahead and get one, if the deal was good enough. Meanwhile, I have plenty of uses for $750, without getting the cart before the horse. ::)
"I don't feel like an old man.  I feel like a young man who has something wrong with him."  Dick Cavett
"Beat not thy sword into a plowshare, rather beat the sword of thine enemy into a plowshare."

Texas Ranger

I use an OLD Foley-Belsaw, and it requires maintenance, but the parts are still available, and a dude on the phone that will talk you through the problems.  Ours does not snipe.  We will, however, be replacing the feed mechanism this year.  Wore plumb out.

I got mine for $75 from a widow.  have put in about $100 worth of parts, with a  couple more hundred needed.  But it planes.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

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