Photo Index - Buss Machine Works, Inc. - 4L

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Buss Machine Works, Inc.
Marlboro, NH; Holland, MI; Grand Rapids, MI; Benton Harbor, MI

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Planer, Wood
Machine Size:	30" x 8"
Submitted By:	Matt Towner

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	4L
Date of Manufacturer:
Serial Number:	4831
Last Updated	12/29/2008 2:30:13 PM

Comments:

I started looking for a 24" planer back in July '08 and was having trouble deciding what I wanted to do. At that time, I didn't know anything about arn nor did I realize that there were people that wouldn't use anything other than old machinery. As my search went on, I saw an ad online for a 24" Buss that was for sale and decided to inquire about it. I had never heard of Buss before, but for the asking price, I figured I would give it a shot (the only pricing I had to compare it to was a new PM or Grizzly 24"). After finding out some more information on the planer, I asked if the price could be reduced as I wouldn't be able to pay for shipping on top of his asking price. After more talk about Buss and the quality planers they were, the gentleman said that he had 2 other Buss planers that he wanted to sell, a 30" and I believe a 36". He wanted less for the 30" than for the other 2 and was able to add a grinder for an extra fee. At this point, I was excited with the prospect of being able to plane table-tops and whole doors, so I made an offer on the planer and told him it needed to include shipping (roughly the same price as a new PM industrial 24"). The deal was done!

Over the next couple of months I started researching the company and stumbled across this site. I was able to find a good bit of information on the planer that I wasn't expecting (both good and bad). Multiple people raved about Buss being one of the best planers ever made with features that were advanced for the time. One of the things that surprised me was the weight. 5200lbs was what the Buss catalog stated... "How in the world am I going to move that much weight" I thought. A gradall lift was $500 to rent, a liftgate truck was goign to be about the same. Luckily, about 2 weeks before the planer was to be shipped, my father suggested I talk to a business down the road and ask if their payloader with forks could lift it. Sure enough, they were happy to assist. It was finally delivered on December 8th and put in my father's shop awaiting tear-down on December 12th. Two people pushing 5200 lbs on pipes was a lot of fun.

Now I have a 30" planer that needs minimal restoration and have started down the slippery arn slope. Hopefully this machine didn't put me in too far over my head for a first project.

I'll keep posting on the progress as I continue.

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