good bench top planner

[Zack Teal]

hey guys i was lookin at bench top planners. i have just resently goten a dewalt table saw and i am very happy with it and have used many dewalt tools and have been very happy with them so if you guys have good things to say about the dewalt planner thats the way ill go. but i am open to other sugestions i am all ears.

[Will Overton]

DW 735 is an excellent choice for a bench top unit.

[Lance Norris]

Whatever benchtop planer you buy, make sure a dust collection hood/boot/connection is available for it. I started with a 13" Hitachi planer, and although it did a good job, there was no hood available for it. That was no fun, and I quickly replaced it with a much better machine. I probably would still be using it today if I could have hooked my dust collector to it.

[Chris Kennedy]

I have the DW 734. It has three knives, which I really like. The 735 is supposed to be great, but I couldn't justify the price. I'm happy with the 734.

Chris

[Bobby O'Neal]

The DW735 is money. Find a used one for $350-$450 with some patience. I paid for $400 for mine with a table and extra knives.


Bobby

[Bill Huber]

The Dewalt 735 gets great reviews but the cost is high, if you can find a good used one that would be the way to go.

Now if you can't fine the 735 used at a good price then the Ridgid 4330 is a good buy. I do not have the facts to back it up but just from looking at the Dewalt 734 and the Ridgid 4330 I really don't see much difference in them and the Ridgid is a little cheaper.

I have the Ridgid and it is a great little machine, makes a very smooth cut.

[glenn bradley]

I have the DW734, dad has the DW735. Both do a very nice job but the 735 was expensive when it was $450. I see they are trying to price the 734 out of the market as well. Watch for a good price on either. As to other options; avoid planers without carriage locks or a design that minimizes snipe without them like the 735 or the Ridgid 4330. Any improperly adjusted machine can snipe but some just don't seem to be adjusted out of it. Do a search here and you will find the 'more complained about' snipe-masters to avoid.

[Ellen Benkin]

The DeWalt is great but VERY LOUD. If you have neighbors nearby it will drive them nuts and you must always use hearing protection.

[Jesse Wilson]

Get the Makita, it's a great planer and zero snipe. Very affordable as well.



Jesse

[Greg Plowman]

I have the dewalt DW735 and it's terrific, just make sure you have the power to back it I popped the breaker for my lights the first time I used it because It's 110.

[Paul Ryan]

I owned a ridgid 4330 for a about 3 years and it was a great planer. The only reason I sold it was a got a deal on a 15" powermatic I couldn't pass up. I have a close friend that has the 735. Both are nice planers and both are very loud. The 735 has better dust collection due to the internal fan, but the ridgid does a nice job as well. In my opinion the 735 is not worth the extra cost over the ridgid after you buy in feed and out feed table for the dewalt you will spend close to $200 more than the ridigd. The tables are a must otherwise it is a snipe master. I don't have any experience with the 734 so I cannot comment on that.

[Craig Hemsath]

Have the 734, got a great deal on it at the Blue Borg (sale + coupons = sub $300). Love it, works great. Hook the shop vac to it and dust isn't much of an issue. Finish is super smooth, very little sanding needed. Replacement blades aren't cheap though.

[John Mark Lane]

Seems like mostly people like the benchtop planer they have. That's good. Tends to suggest they are all pretty much ok.

Does anyone have a model they really don't recommend?

[Will Blick]

John, these "lunchbox" planers really our amazing considering their relatively low price tag vs. the larger stationairy planer. This is the value of "contractor volume" vs. lower volume stationairy tools...

As mentioned, the Makita, DW, Rigid, all will perform well... there was a recent article in one of the wood magazines that tested these....

But more importantly, if I were to buy a new Lunchbox planer today, I would strongly consider the Stell City new 13" with Helical heads...it was just a question of time till this feature made it down to the lunchbox planers.... I am sure you have read or know the virtues of helical vs. straight blades.... for $600 this is a bargain...

http://www.steelcitytoolworks.com/products/40200H/40200H_tool.jpg

[Zack Teal]

thanks guys i think that im going to look at all of the options that you guys gave me and find one that is not to pricey and when i make my disition you guys will definalty see a tool gloat

[Don Dorn]

Not everyone likes theirs - I have the older Delta model and it gives allot of snipe and the after market dust collection hood was such a pain, I gave it to my brother (what's that say?). The only positive thing is that changing blades is very easy. It gets the basic job done, and then the thickness sander takes over after the parts are milled.

I'm eyeing a new one so this is a good thread. Sounds like the Ridgid is a decent choice - I have thier OSS and really like it.

[Maik Tobin]

Just to toss out another option...I have the 13 inch Steel City. It is basically the same as the Rigid but it has a helical head. Best of both worlds. I have had it for about 6 months now and I am very happy with it.

[Chris Kennedy]

But more importantly, if I were to buy a new Lunchbox planer today, I would strongly consider the Steel City new 13" with Helical heads...it was just a question of time till this feature made it down to the lunchbox planers.... I am sure you have read or know the virtues of helical vs. straight blades.... for $600 this is a bargain...



I am really curious about this machine. While it does have a helical head, the inserts are HSS, not carbide, as I understand. Even if they dull much faster than the carbide counterparts, I assume that replacement cutters will be cheaper than replacement knives.

Cheers,

Chris