Planers?

[Dave Parsons]

I've been searching the site but I think it's hurting as much as helping. I would consider myself a new woodworker. I have a Ridgid TS3660, the Freud $99 router they had on sale recently and that's it for now. I found a local sawmill going out of business. They had hard maple for $1.60/bf, soft maple for $1.40/bf and ash for $1.20/bf, so i bought 200 bf of the maples and 150bf of the ash for no other reason than it was a good price. I had always planed on getting a planer but now I need one for this lumber. I plan on building a router table & using it as a jointer for now to save money and would like to not break the bank with a planer so I guess i looking for advise on the portable planers. Is the TP305 they have on the lowe's site for $239 good enough?

[John Keeton]

Dave, you don't show your location, but there is a DW 735 for sale in the classified forum - WV location. Just a thought. Search craigslist before buying a new one.

Putting your general location in your profile will be helpful to others that may have some ideas or suggestions.

[Dave Parsons]

Sorry, didn't know I didn't have my location. I've been on craigslist quite a bit, I almost had a dewalt 734 for $200 but it sold before I could look at it. Not much else on there right now.

[Jacob Griffith]

Hi Dave,

I can't speak to the TP305, but there are a lot of happy customers out there with the DeWalt 735, myself included.

[Myk Rian]

You won't be face jointing stock on a router table, The edge, yes.
You could build a router sled and flatten boards that way, or even use a planer to do it. Others use hand planes. A jointer is really the way to go.
I have a Dewalt DW735 planer. Try to find one of those on craigslits. Keep looking, but you may have to drive a bit when you find one.

[Mike Parzych]

If your happy with the TS3660 you might take a look at Rigid's latest planer. I have the previous model and it's worked fine. Never had much snipe. I was looking at the latest one (can't remember the number designation) and they've made some good improvements over the old one - it's a 4 poster and they've beefed up the infeed and outfeed tables. Ridgid's always been rated at the top of their price class.

The only down side is that the older model was loud when planing. Don't know if they've improved that part.

[John Czaplicki]

Hey Dave,
About 1 year ago I was in the exact same position as you, considering the EXACT options...no jointer, no planer, and evaluating router options. I bought a high end Milwaukee router and some nice long straight cutters with the intention of using that as my jointer to save money.

It worked ok, but clearly not getting the results I wanted. I found a bench top Delta 6" jointer on CraigsList for $100. It was one of my best, if not the best purchase. Results are night and day. It does not have the long in/out feeds some stationary models have, but most of the "better" jointers I've used do not put as nice a face on wood as my bench top model with absolutely no snipe. The edge jointing on the router table is not even close. My recommendation......you have to buy a jointer.

I still don't own a planer. $$ is the major issue. I've been able to get amazingly good results with my jointer and bandsaw.....and my back up plan for larger pieces is to use a rounter sled, but I haven't had to do that yet.

good luck.

[Jack Ellis]

I have a Ryobi AP1300 (with infeed and outfeed tables). It has cutterhead locks. So far the only drawbacks I've found are noise (it is LOUD) and the high cost and relative scarcity of replacement knives. I limit cut depth to no more than 1/16 inch.

You should be able to pick one up for around $100 used when they become available.

[Dave Parsons]

Well, I did alot more research this weekend and thought I was going to get the Grizzley G0689 planer, but then I noticed they don't sell the replacement knives for it! I have no idea who thought that was a good idea. I think I going to look for a dewalt, either the 734 or 735. I was hoping to spend less but I'm worried about finding knives in the future and I figure I should be able to find them for the dewalts.

[Chris Allen]

I have the Ridgid planer. I'm happy with it.

[Matt Day]

If you're just going to get a planer and not a jointer, you'll need to make a planer sled to face joint with the planer. You can edge joint with the router table, but not face joint. BIG difference there!

You can do fine without a jointer, but you'll really see how much more efficient a jointer is rather than a planer sled once you have one. And for that much lumber, I would think it would be worth it to find a used jointer.

Good luck!

P.S. I have a Dewalt 734 and it has done very well for me. And I would think you could get replacement knives for the Grizzly planer from somewhere like Holbren.

[Eric Franklin]

If you are looking at the Dewalt, you might want to check out Steelcity's new 13" portable helical head for $599.00. I'm saving money to by that planer right now.

The planer is not on there product page yet but it is on a sneak peak link on the front page of there website.

[Jules Dominguez]

You can easily do without jointing the edges of boards cut on a tablesaw which has a decent blade set at 90 degrees to the table.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

I've been very happy with my Ridgid R4330 Planer. I also have the Ridgid JP0610 Jointer and have been very happy with it as well. Having one or the other is good, but having both is fantastic.

Paul

[Jack Roberts]

Ive had a delta 13" for around 5 yrs now. Its always been good to me.

[Curt Harms]

http://woodworking.jettools.com/Results.aspx?cat=2560693. I have no knowledge of these machines aside from what's on Jet's site. For preparing rough stock it's sure useful to have a jointer wide enough to face joint most of your stock. The beds are fairly short-around 36" I believe-and I suspect the motor is a universal so they may be loud. You'd need infeed and outfeed support, like roller stands. Too much of a "toy" to be useful? Still, for around $400 for a 8 to 10" planer AND jointer..........

I have a friend who has a Delta TP305. It's a 2 post machine no cutterhead lock and is a sniping little rascal. I'm sure some of the sniping can be adjusted out but expect snipe on both ends.

[Dave Parsons]

If you are looking at the Dewalt, you might want to check out Steelcity's new 13" portable helical head for $599.00. I'm saving money to by that planer right now.

The planer is not on there product page yet but it is on a sneak peak link on the front page of there website.


Well I was hoping not to spend that kind of money, but to get into a helical cutterhead for $600 seems pretty good. I guess they are supposed to be available in April, I going to give this one some serious thought.

[Eric Franklin]

Well I was hoping not to spend that kind of money, but to get into a helical cutterhead for $600 seems pretty good. I guess they are supposed to be available in April, I going to give this one some serious thought.

I talked to a Steelcity Rep a week ago and he said they are shipping now.

[Eric DeSilva]

Taunton's Fine Homebuilding mag just did a review of a bunch of lunchbox planers, including the SC. My recollection was that they weren't impressed by the helical head. Top overall was Dewalt's 735, top value was the Rigid.

[Shawn Honeychurch]

Is the TP305 they have on the lowe's site for $239 good enough?

Hey Dave;
I have this exact planer and it is great. Easy to adjust, holds adjustments well and double sided knives (real easy to change and self positioning) to boot. No snipe at all, it just plain works fantastic. With good knives the surfacing is perfect, no need to even sand. It's loud but they all are. Get it!.

I built a sled to allow me to use it as a jointer as well and it is great, I am seriously considering getting rid of the jointer to open up some more space in my shop.

Shawn

[Jim Rimmer]

Don't know how much work you're going to be doing. As a hobbyist, I recently purchased a Ryobi surface planer (as well as a Delta jointer) from eBay. Only problem was the knives on the surfacer had nicks but they are double sided so I just flipped them over. These machines are not for folks who do a lot of planing but work fine for me. Much better equipment is out there for more $ but these fit my needs.