TechSoft Minimax FS30E Planer Thicknessers

There is no shortage of makes and models to choose from these days, but not all machines are the same and even ‘trusted brands’ will not necessarily possess the quality that their badge suggests. To give schools and colleges the quality of machine they need at an affordable price, TechSoft are delighted to have entered into a partnership with the Italian company SCM for bandsaws and, indeed, our full range of woodworking machinery. SCM have been established for over 50 years and are now global leaders in the design, manufacture and supply of production machinery for all sectors of the furniture and construction industry. Products range from huge CNC-controlled machines for mass production, to the Minimax range of traditional machines for workshops, schools and colleges. All machines are built to the highest standards at SCM’s state-of-the-art plant in Rimini, and all undergo rigorous quality procedures to ensure years of reliable service. In the UK, SCM’s large and well established facility in Nottingham provides the assurance of speedy, and dedicated, service and support should it be needed.


A solidly built and reliable planer/thicknesser is an important compliment to a good circular saw or bandsaw. There is no better machine to achieve accurate datum faces on rough, bowed or warped boards, and nothing to beat the consistent accuracy and smooth surface-finish that they produce.


Timber can only be sawn to the required dimensions if it is flat and has a true datum edge to run against the saw fence. Softwood usually needs little attention but hardwoods are a different matter. The cheapest and widest selection of hardwoods are always available as sawn boards and these need preparation by planing first, then sawing and then thicknessing to precise dimension. If the material is already flat and true then sawing, or maybe just thicknessing, is all that is needed to achieve a smooth, planed finish. Our two machines combine both planing and thicknessing into one compact, robust unit. For planing, the material is run across the large surface tables where the cutter block achieves smooth datum faces. To thickness the timber, boards are fed in below the tables where a power-feed takes up the material and feeds it through at steady speed under the cutter block. These are preparation room machines that offer the chance of premium grade material at economy prices in any ‘bespoke’ section.


By choosing an SCM machine from TechSoft you can have confidence in knowing that your machine will be superbly engineered to give lasting repeat accuracy. These powerful machines all feature accurately-machined surface tables and robust construction to support the cutter block and feed tables. For both machines we supply a three-knife Tersa cutter block as standard. This advanced system allows blades to be changed in minutes with no specialist tools. Centrifugal force holds the blades in place and a simple locking bar automatically ensures perfect alignment, perfect balance and optimum cutting performance every time.

Choice of model will largely be determined by capacity, both machines have generous thicknessing capability which is likely to exceed most demands in schools and colleges. Width is more of an issue. The FS30 model will machine boards up to 300mm wide (probably sufficient for most schools and colleges) but the FS41 machine has the added advantage of longer surface tables as well as 410mm width capacity. These longer tables will be an advantage for all work even if machining larger sizes is only an occasional requirement.

All machines feature ergonomically-designed controls that have a positive action and (of course) meet all safety requirements for guarding, isolation and extraction capability.


Converting between planing and thicknessing is quick and easy with the pivoting table. The generous extraction hood simply swings up or down into the required position.