Looking for a new planer

[Nathan Palenski]

Sometime in the next 2 months I'd like to replace my Dewalt 735 with a nicer floor standing model. I'm looking to spend $900-$1200. So far I've checked out three units which all look ok.

The Grizzly G0453 is $1140 to my door. 15", 220v and 2 speeds.

The jet JWP-160s is $1150 to my office and then I'll have to truck it home myself or $1200 to my door. 16", 220v and 2 speeds.

I haven't found the best price on the shopfox W1742 yet but looks like I can get it for around $1150 to my door. 15", 220v and 2 speeds.

Does anyone have any experience with these? I'm having trouble with the dewalt sniping on both ends and I've run I dont know how many board feet of wood through it trying to set the feed tables to prevent it.

[Van Huskey]

I have used enither one but they are both clones of planers that have been around for years, I have used both and prefer the Grizzly type machine.

I understand it may be a budget buster but this is the time if you have the spare cash this is the best time to consider a helical head.

[Mike Cruz]

Hey, Nathan, ugh, snipe. Well, let me just say that you can get the most expensive machine in the world and still end up with it. You could run pine through with significant amounts, then oak with almost none. Thick boards with a lot, and thin boards with none....or vice versa. The whole lift the board as it is exiting thing is a mystery to me...works sometimes, doesn't others. If you are getting snipe, there are adjustments that can be made to minimize it. Unfortunately, what you do to mimimize it for one type of wood might make the planer not grab another wood to pull it through. Unless you are going to plane a WHOLE lot of one wood, you just have to set it to a happy medium and deal with it.

That said, GO GET A NEW PLANER!!!!!!!! New toys are the best. I would say that if you have $1200 plus to spend, you could find an awesome deal on a used one for that or much less. 15 inchers regularly (every couple months or so...maybe even every month) go up for sale in our (around the DC area) area for about $500. I picked up 20" Grizzly from a very kind gentleman for $450. Another Creeker found a 20" Grizzly for about the same price that I saw on CL and posted in the Deals and Discounts section here on the Creek. The problem with used is that you can bet that it will need some parts here and there, and will need some TLC clean up to make it "acceptable" to you.

If you are going new, Grizzly has been getting better and better. Shopfox is their lower grade stuff (in my opinion). I have heard more complaints about the Shopfox stuff than the Gizzly stuff. Can't speak for Jet. But, I can say that Grizzly's CS is unbeatable. Something that makes me turn to them whenever I can.

Good luck!

[Joe Shinall]

Nathan, I found my 15" Grizzly on Craigslist for $400, barely used. If you are looking to spend that much, look around for a used one and use the spare money to upgrade the cutter head. If you keep your eye out in your area and maybe about an hour or two around (Depending on how long you are willing to drive) you can definitely find a great deal.

[Ray Newman]

About 6 years ago,a Sunhill Machinery 15“ planer, CT382, followed me home.

Made by Geetech, who makes planers for other numerous companies. So far it has not failed me.

I visited the showroom and was impressed with what I saw there. IMO, Sunhill is a “sleeper” in the woodworking machines industry.

When I was looking for a new planer, several other satisfied Sunhill users told me about their machines and how satisfied they were with the.
http://www.sunhillmachinery.com/

But no matter which planer you buy, don't forget to ask 'bout shipping, which can be a "deal breaker"....

[scott vroom]

I have the G0453X with the spiral cutter...well worth the money vs straight knives. And, I get absolutely ZERO snipe! I have a garage shop in a residential neighborhood and noise is a big issue for me; one big advantage of the spiral cutter is how quiet it operates. You'll notice a huge difference vs the DeWalt.

[Nathan Palenski]

That said, GO GET A NEW PLANER!!!!!!!! New toys are the best. I would say that if you have $1200 plus to spend, you could find an awesome deal on a used one for that or much less. 15 inchers regularly (every couple months or so...maybe even every month) go up for sale in our (around the DC area) area for about $500. I picked up 20" Grizzly from a very kind gentleman for $450. Another Creeker found a 20" Grizzly for about the same price that I saw on CL and posted in the Deals and Discounts section here on the Creek. The problem with used is that you can bet that it will need some parts here and there, and will need some TLC clean up to make it "acceptable" to you.



Some good info on the snipe. I've run all kinds of wood through the dewalt and its the same snipe on all of them. I'm just tired of it. I was going to build a stand for it and decided to replace the whole thing.

I've built almost my entire shop with craigslist deals. I pretty much live on craigslist. I've always got the wash dc tools and materials open. Most of the time I've got baltimore tools open too. Its just been so long since I've seen a nice looking planer I'm getting ansy. I'm about to start a new bedroom set in red oak and didnt want to have to sacrifice 6-8 inches off every board.


Nathan, I found my 15" Grizzly on Craigslist for $400, barely used. If you are looking to spend that much, look around for a used one and use the spare money to upgrade the cutter head. If you keep your eye out in your area and maybe about an hour or two around (Depending on how long you are willing to drive) you can definitely find a great deal.

My original plan was to get a used model and put a shelix in it. (what I did with my jointer)

I drove from DC to pittsburgh for one of my tools. :D As a matter of fact I'm getting up early to drive an hour tomorrow to pickup some maple turning blanks I found on craigslist.

[Mike Cruz]

Nathan, not to give away my "secrets" of CL, but I search Western MD, Harrisburg PA, Frederick, MD, NOVA, Baltimore, and Martinsburg WV. I just have them in my "favorites", already cued to Tools, and browse 1-5 times a day.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Nathan - re: snipe.

Out of frustration (and also being out of new cusswords) I spent the bucks for a 48" Starrett straightedge (it lives in it's custom-made plywood box) and a One-way multi gauge. With those 2 tools, the snipe on my 15" Delta DC-380 was gone forever - to the point where I don't even have the infeed/outfeed "wings" installed on the machine.

I'm sure that isn't the only way to do it - it's just what I did, and it worked great. However, at today's prices, there is $350 involved, and they come out of their hidely-hole rarely - for planer, jointer + TS calibration. But, I've had them 10 years now, and will have them forever. $350 over 10 years is $3/month - for NO snipe, and calibrated jointer beds - on some pretty big-money QSWO, Cherry, QS Sycamore, walnut....you get the idea. I'm a happy guy.

The straightedge does get used more often than that, but a cheaper version would do just fine for those non-calibration tasks.

[John Stan]

Nathan, I found my 15" Grizzly on Craigslist for $400, barely used. If you are looking to spend that much, look around for a used one and use the spare money to upgrade the cutter head. If you keep your eye out in your area and maybe about an hour or two around (Depending on how long you are willing to drive) you can definitely find a great deal.

I have had much better luck with Grizzly products that products made by WMH (Jet, Powermatic) I have has terrible luck with the service provided by WMH.

[glenn bradley]

The Griz 453X is on my list. I wouldn't be able to bring myself to buy a planer without a spiral head now that I've had one on the jointer. Nothing worse than getting that nice finish off the jointer and then tearing out some birds-eye on the planer. Even with new knives, some woods are real prone. The materials you use will contribute to the importance of this benefit.

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Nathan.

Before you buy any machine, take a look at the product-line from Woodmaster Tools. (http://www.woodmastertools.com/s/specs.cfm) Their equipment is 100% made in Kansas City, USA, plus the US made Leeson motor.

[Jon Hutchinson]

I've been using a Sunhill (Geetech) 10" table saw for nearly 20 years and love it. Haven't even had to change the drive belt. I had a Sunhill 12" planer for about 15 years; used it till it smoked. Replaced it with a Ridgid.

[Don Jarvie]

The Woodmaster planer looks like the Belsaw planers.