Used Makita 2030 vs New Planer (Dewalt, Ridgid, etc.)

[Jake Cox]

I was planning on finally buying a thickness planer after working without, and was looking at getting a Dewalt 735 or similarly-priced 12-13 inch planer. However, I came across a decently maintained Makita 2030n planer/jointer combo for about 500, and I'm wondering if this would be a large upgrade machine-wise over a new bench-top unit. I've found all kinds of glowing reviews for the 2030, but not really comparing it to something like a dewalt 735, and so I'm not sure how to figure out which machine would be best. The rollers on the Makita would need to be replaced or recovered, so there is probably at least $150-200 that would also need to be put into the machine to get it into good shape for use.

I already have a Jet JJ6-CSX jointer, so I probably don't need the jointer side of the 2030...however, the Makita looks like it has longer tables on the jointer, and I could always sell the Jet jointer to finance the upgrade (my wife would be very happy to hear me mentioning "selling" any of my tools, rather than the more usual "buying" that takes place...:D). To be honest, though, the Jet has been fine for my purposes, and the Makita planer side is also a 6 inch, so I think it is really just going to come down to which planer would be best for me. I'm not an everyday woodworker, but I do like to use exotics and harder woods that tend to put machines to the test.

Anyone have any thoughts or insight???

Jake

[joseph merz]

i have two table top makita planers ,12" .they are not very fast . i believe that one your considering will be faster,more agressive . maybe you can get carbide blades for it also,which the table top type do not seem to have.probable last longer and have less downtime.

[Jake Cox]

I was actually even looking at the Byrd Shelix heads for the Makita J/P - would be about 400 for the jointer (or 350 to replace the knives on my current Jet JJ6) and 900 for the planer. Which essentially means...I will be changing knives for the foreseeable future, and not getting a helix head. :)

Actually, that's one of the appeals of the 2030 planer, it looks like it is really easy to replace the blades quickly and accurately, so I'd probably get by just fine without the Byrd heads for a while.

Anyone have a 2030 who can comment on the planer and compare it to the quality I'd get out of a lunchbox?