Thickness Planer suggestions

[David Handsman]

I am considering purchasing a thickness planer and I am looking for suggestions and ideas. I have a home workshop. I make boxes, bowls and platters. Can anyone suggest ones they like and ones they don't like.

Thanks.

David

[glenn bradley]

Hmmm, a budget number will get you better responses. For small items most folks prefer a finish (lunch box) planer. They are less expensive and what they lack in capacity, they make up for in noise ;-) I have a De Walt DW734, three knife, single speed lunch box that I am keeping despite adding a 15" spiral headed floor model to the shop.

In your position I would grab another DW734 in a heartbeat. The Ridgid from Home Depot has a loyal following here as well as the perennial bake-off winner, the DW735. Most folks refer to their Delta planers as "Snipe-Master" (as a lampoon of the Delta moniker, Shop Master).

[Cary Falk]

What are you looking for, lunchbox or stationary? I had a Delta 22-580(now discontinued) and liked it. It has the typical lunchbox problems like noise and small cuts. I now have a Grizzly G0453Z 15" spiral and like it mo betta.:D

[David Hawxhurst]

for lunch box ones i'd look at the steel city w/helical head other wise i would look at something more substantial. used a friends lunch box planer and knew right then and there i was not ever going to buy one. saved up and bought the hammer a3-31 as i also need a jointer.

[David Handsman]

Thanks. My workshop is in the garage, so it must be mobile. I am certainly looking for a finish planer, I have a stack of curly maple boards that I would like to reduce in size and make some boxes.

[art san jr]

I have a C/man 12 1/2" from some years back. Does a very good job, very little snipe after some experience.
Pretty loud for such a small machine. I expect any lunch box will be OK, take off a little at a time and 'no hurry'.
If you have the money, mo money will = better machine.

Best wishes for the NEW YEAR.

[Trent Shirley]

I only have experience with the Dewalt 734 Glenn mentioned above but really like it. Does a great job for a decent price.
The only issue I have is it is a bit loud and I get a lot of static shocks from the outfeed table probably caused by static generated in the shop vac I am using for dust collection.
I could also wish that the dust collector shield came off without need of a screwdriver so that the outfeed table could fold up easily.

[Ellen Benkin]

If you want to do curly maple you will need a helical cutter or you will get lots of tear out.

[Jim Leslie]

Got a Dewalt DW735 yesterday and it is great! On the slow feed rate position and a light cut, it leaves no planer marks at all. No regrets.

[Gary Herrmann]

I used to have a DW735 and really liked it. A budget will help us guide you better.

[Van Huskey]

Thanks. My workshop is in the garage, so it must be mobile. I am certainly looking for a finish planer, I have a stack of curly maple boards that I would like to reduce in size and make some boxes.

By mobile do you mean a lunchbox planer or can it be a stand alone with a mobile base. You probably should give a budget as well.

[Cary Falk]

A budget will help us guide you better.

When spending other people's money, have we as a forum stuck to the budget? I recall a whole lot of "If you just spend $xxx.xx more......":D

David, give us a lowball figure so we are sure to come in under the real budget.

[David Handsman]

Budget -- 500-700. But for Cary, that's 300-500!

Thanks.

[Van Huskey]

Budget -- 500-700. But for Cary, that's 300-500!

Thanks.

I would love to suggest the Grizzly G0453P 15" 4 post planar with its built in mobile base for ~1,100 shipped as I think it is the best long term value by a mile but at your budget the DW735 is probably the best bet. I am reluctant to get on the Steel City band wagon because the helical head has HSS inserts and not carbide. I hate changing knives BUT turning 26 inserts about as often as changing knives would be a serious chore, if they were carbide it would be a no brainer.

[Cary Falk]

Budget -- 500-700. But for Cary, that's 300-500!

Thanks.

So..... The G0453z for $1500 it is. :eek: Actually the Ridgid at $399 gets good reviews. As much as I hate saying this because every location is different(mine sucks), used 4 post stationary planer with straight knives. upgrade to spiral when money allows.

[Matt Day]

I've had a DW734 for about 5 years and it's been a real workhorse. I'll be upgrading to a 15"+ 4 poster when we move to a new/bigger place toward the end of the year. I hope to find a good used one and upgrade to a spiral cutter head soon after.

[Dave Lehnert]

A little pricey if purchased new but don't overlook a Shopsmith wood planer if one pops up on Craigslist or the like. It is a workhorse of a planer that does not get much press. It has a one piece cast iron bed, separate cutter head and feed motor.
Made in the USA Dayton Ohio. My Shopsmith planer is around 20 years old and runs like new. A new unit is like $1,450 now. I gave $899 20 years ago. I got it because it ran of 110 and 20 years ago there was not much choice for a home shop planer.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/planers.htm

175629

[Jim Finn]

I have the DeWalt 735 and like it. Best thing for me is...the chip discharger fan it has. Coupled with my dust collector it is geat!

[Loren Hedahl]

A neighbor upgraded to a DeWalt and sold me his little Ryobi 10inch for a pittance.

Over the five years I have had it, I've used it a lot and figured out how to practically eliminate the snipe that was the reason the neighbor sold it.

I ended up raising the level of the input and output tables a little and bought a couple of Home Depot flip top stands to support the stock going in and coming out.

To reduce snipe even more, I save a cutoff of the wood I am planing. I use the cutoff ahead of the first piece going through the planer and feed piece after piece through without letting the planer run free, then as the last piece finishes I follow it with the cutoff even though nothing will be planed off the cutoff. Doing it this way, I get no detectable snipe.

If you don't want to go through this trouble, a DeWalt snipes less than the Ryobi -- so -- both my neighbor and I are happy!http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/icons/icon7.png

[Pat Barry]

I have the Ridgid brand planer for over a year and have been very happy with it. It has good adjustability, a depth gage indicator which I like a lot and does a good job of discharging the cuttings right into a garbage can thru a four inch piece of hose.

[John TenEyck]

I have two planers, the most elegant of which is an Inca 10-1/4" jointer/planer with a 1.5HP Baldor motor. At only 10-1/4" it seems a little narrow, until you remember that it's also a 10-1/4" jointer. How many people have one of those, and in one machine, and which weighs only about 60 lbs? I've had this machine for more than 25 years, bought it third hand for $950, and have replaced one planetary gear belt for about $20 in all that time. Mine has two straight HSS blades, but later models have Tersa heads and maybe even helical heads. It's no longer made, but are sometimes available, and one was just for sale on WoodNet a few weeks ago. Small and easy to move, it would be perfect for someone who works in a garage. The castings are anodized aluminum so rust is not an issue.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Craigslist is your friend. Here recently there was a Grizzly 20" for $800. 13" - 15" four posters go for between $200 and $900, depending upon brand, age and owners attitude. A friend picked up a "generic" 15" for $200 a couple ears back. Planer was less than two miles from my house, but I didn't need another as I have a Delta 15", Rockwell 13" (made in USA), which weighs close to a thousand pounds, and a couple of Delta lunch boxes.