Delta 22-680 15" planner

[Richard Andersen]

Found a Delta 22-680 on CL. Have sent email to find out more info but have not heard back yet. Can't tell much from the picture except that it has a lot of saw dust on it. Don't know if this is a good planner or if the price is good. Does anyone here have experience with a Delta 22-680 planner? What would be a good/fair price if all is in good working condition?

[Ron Bontz]

Hi Rich. I have had the DC-380 for about 13 years and it still runs like a champ. It has the 2HP motor instead of the 3HP. Delta has had, I think 3 different versions of this planner. Mostly just a different base style. I am sure the parts were made in different places. The worth is really dependent on how old and how well maintained it was. I knew someone who had a worm gear go out in the gear box, I believe. If it is covered in rust, not dust, then I would be skeptical of paying anything over 50% of new cost. If you go look at it, pay attention to the condition of other tools. Run a piece of wood through it if you can. Listen for anything that doesn't sound normal. Shift it from slow to fast speed and back properly. I never use the faster speed on mine. But you may want to. Ask how long ago the gear box oil was changed etc. Hopefully you will get an honest answer. Ultimately if a new on sells for 1500 the I think I would start at 750 and go from there. Which CL btw? Good luck. :)

[Chip Lindley]

Richard, you don't say what the seller's price is. Price depends on condition and operability. You would have to see the machine in person (preferably in operation) to make a judgement as to it's real condition. IF everything works, $500 or less would be a very nice price. Considering the price of new ChiWan 15" planers at around $1000, $600 might be a great buy.
Besides condition, price depends on how badly a guy NEEDS this machine. Some go too high, some are steals. Some sellers are Motivated. Others are Just Fishing!

[Richard Andersen]

I did not mention price because I did not know if I would be break some rule. Anyway the ad says $400, but I have yet to hear back so maybe it's already gone even though I responded within a few hours of the posting.

So it sounds like $400 may be a really good deal provided the thing has no major problems or in need of repairs???

Maybe I'll send another email, although if I seem to eager the seller may be less willing to haggle a little.

[Richard Andersen]

Well I guess I must have been too late, I went back to CL and the ad was gone. The good deals get snatched up almost instantly. This seems to be my luck with trying to get good deals on machines so I can start woodworking, I'm always a little too late on CL and the Home Depot's and Lowes in my area/region are not having the crazy clearance sales like everywhere else. Funny thing is for the last month I spend a majority of my time on my days off cruising the "deals and bargins" forum and repeatedly looking at Craigs List in several cities around me hoping to land a good deal on a jointer, planner, dust collector and the very rare SawStop listing. This is causing my home remodeling projects to come to a standstill since I spend pratically all day in front of the computer and yet I still seem to miss deals. This tool hunting is becoming very frustrating and I'm about to the point of just buying new machines instead of wasting my time sitting in front of this computer all day. I was hoping to get started without spending a lot of money, but at this rate it may take several months or longer to attain good deals from CL. HEck, if it's going to take me that long to attain used machines I may as well just slowly over the next year budget and buy new machines, at least that way I get a new tool with a warranty, PLUS I could start to be productive again with my time and I won't have to hear my wife complain how I spend all day on the computer and never getting anthing done anymore! (mainly refering to her bathroom remodel with is only half done and the dozen other projects in various stages of not finished) :rolleyes:

[Rod Sheridan]

Richard, sorry to hear that you missed the planer, that was my experience, I always missed the good stuff.

Time to save some extra money and buy some new stuff, just make sure you get good stuff that will be a one time purchase.

Not that I was always that smart, I'm replacing some of my original machines this month.

In my opinion it's more cost effective to spend more the first time.

Regards, Rod.

[Don Jarvie]

Richard, all that time in front of the computer is not really wasted. The more you look you are going to get a better sense of whats junk, whats over priced and whats a deal.

I'm also a member of OWWM.org and while they don't appraise tools you see what others are buying and what condition they are in, what they need in parts, etc.

Using all this information you can look at a saw or planer and know if its worth the money and time to get it and fix it up if need be.