Thinking about buying my first planer

[William Burgess]

New woodworker here. Topic says it all, should I buy the DW 735 + folding table + mobile base (this is a must) for around 800 or step it up to the G09453 for around 1100. Is the 300 dollars worth the jump or will I be happy with the DW 735 in the long term. I don't mind spending extra money if I won't be needing to replace it in the future. This is my first planer, but I don't want to buy a cheapo thing which I need to replace in a couple years.

William Burgess

[keith micinski]

Whatever you do get the 15 inch planer. It is ten times the machine and well worth the money. The 735 will do what you want but at 800 dollars that way to close to a REAL planer price for me. If you found a used one for 350 or 400 I would say go for it but at full price no way.

[Ray Newman]

Quick Question: what are you using for dust collection? A planer is notorious for spewing out massive amounts of dust and chips. DC with a planer is something to think about. Also, invest in hearing protection as a planer is very loud.

[Philip Rodriquez]

The DW is a good machine... but it won't come close to what you can get from the Griz. However, 15" planers require much greater care to set up and maintain. If it were me, I'd look at buying a smaller ($400 range) planer and save up for other tools. A good TS, an 8" (or larger) jointer, a BS, and a good DC.

Just so you know, I have a 15" planer, a 10" jointer, a 3HP ICS Sawstop, a 3 hp cyclone, and an 18" BS. IMHO, bigger = better on the other items.

[Neil Brooks]

Generally, I look at these as verrrry individual decisions.

Is the Grizzly a better machine ? Yeah.

Is it worth the extra money to YOU ? Dunno.

If you can stretch, then -- generally -- it's hard to go TOO far wrong if you follow the maxim, "Buy it once. Buy it right."

For that matter ... if you could make the leap ... I'd pop for the helical head (I think that's the G0453Z, right ?)

DC is a very valid question ... as is 220V availability.

[Stephen Cherry]

I would get a tiawanese 15" clone used for about 400-700 dollars. Good machines for not a lot of cake. One thing to remember about planers is that mass matters.

[William Burgess]

Thanks for the great answers. I have a decent table saw and band saw, the G0715P and G0555P from grizzly. For a DC I have the Jet DC1100 with cannister which I wheel around from machine to machine, not the best setup, but I manage. I do have 220V wired in the garage, so thats not an issue. I don't have a jointer, but I haven't found a need for it YET. I can buy wood planed from the lumberyard I go to for 16 cent extra per board foot. Problem is they sell me way more than I need (ie I bought some cherry, needed 8 foot they sold me 16 feet.) So I end up with a lot of extra lumber which could be used for other things if I could plane it down to different thicknesses, which leads me to the planer question. Dunno if I will spring for the helical head, is this something I could buy down the line and retrofit the machine? Or are the machines different. Thanks

[Ray Newman]

One thing to remember is that a planer will not flatten a board that is cupped. To plane a cupped board to a desired thickness, one face of the board must first be flattened, usually via a jointer. Then planed to thickness by a planer.

If a cupped board is run through a planer, the rollers will flatten the board, but upon exiting the planer, the board will spring back to its “cupped” profile.

I’ve heard some say that it is possible to first rip a cupped down the middle, then flatten/thickness it on the planer and finally glue it back together. But I ‘neva’ done that way, so I really can’t comment on how effective that method is.

[Robert Chapman]

In my opinion a planer serves one major purpose - to dimension rough cut lumber after you use a jointer to flatten one side. If you do not have a jointer you cannot create flat stock. If you are going to invest in a planer get at least a 15" one and get a helical head - it will plane figured lumber with little or no tear out and you will rarely if ever have to change/sharpen blades - they are also much quieter.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I purchased a used 735 on Craigs List for $300. I then ordered replacement blades. Works great. I do not own a jointer, so this is a manual process for me; meaning I flatten with my hand planes. With the hand planes, I a fast job, but not perfect. I want it flat, I don't need a perfect looking face. So, if it is pretty much flat but there is some rip out it does not really matter because i can flip the board over and pretty up that side as well. The trick, of course, is making it flat on one side first, flatten the other side, then the final clean-up the first flat side if needed. Still a lot of work, but.....

[Kent A Bathurst]

If you do not have a jointer you cannot create flat stock. If you are going to invest in a planer get at least a 15" one and get a helical head - it will plane figured lumber with little or no tear out.....

Now, Robert, that's some bold, emphatic, unequivical, stuff right there...:D.

Contrarian viewpoints include:
1] The Neander gang would point out that a hand plane will let you flatten one side well enough, and quickly enough, to send the board through the planer, and you can surface both sides from there.
2] If a jointer is the required first step, then it seems like your formula requires a 15" jointer to go with a 15" planer.
3] Search the threads for "planer sled". There are a LOT of guys that have a planer and no jointer. There are those of us with 8" jointers that use sleds for 12" boards thru our 15" planers.
4] Helical heads are good stuff, no doubt. OTOH, that horse wasn't in the race when I got started. Turns out that sharp, properly aligned, straight blades plus misting with water a couple minutes prior plus canting through the planer will let you run highly figured wood pretty doggone well.

There are [I]a lot of dead presidents required to go from straight to helical [not to mention the size of that crowd if a jointer must come first], and each time I have thought about that upgrade to my 15", I end up sending those fellas out to fetch me a bottle of Sassicaia and something like a new compressor, LN 4-1/2, Wenzloff half-back, Wynn filters..........you get the point.

I don't have an argument with the general position. I simply think it is not an absolute.

[Derek Gilmer]

New woodworker here. Topic says it all, should I buy the DW 735 + folding table + mobile base (this is a must) for around 800 or step it up to the G09453 for around 1100. Is the 300 dollars worth the jump or will I be happy with the DW 735 in the long term. I don't mind spending extra money if I won't be needing to replace it in the future. This is my first planer, but I don't want to buy a cheapo thing which I need to replace in a couple years.

William Burgess

How often do you need to thicknes stock over 12"? If it is often step up to the big one. Or if the $300 more is an option step up to the big one.

If you don't need the wider size, need the mobility of the DW or don't/can't spend the extra $300 the DW is a fine machine. I've got one and find it a joy to use. I don't think the quality of the DW will make you replace it in a few years. I'd guess you would replace it for needing more power or capacity LONG before quality issues.

[Cary Falk]

Either planer wil serve you well. I have a hard time justifying $800 on the DeWalt. I had a Delta 13" lunchbox and just traded up for the Grizzly G0453Z. It is night and day difference. If I were in your shoes, I would buy the Grizzly or use the same os lesser money and get a Ridgid planer and a jointer. I find that if I am already thinking about a larger tool, I might as well get it because I will end up upgrading to it within a couple of years anyway. Save yourself the trouble.

[Shawn Christ]

3] Search the threads for "planer sled". There are a LOT of guys that have a planer and no jointer. There are those of us with 8" jointers that use sleds for 12" boards thru our 15" planers.
I don't have an argument with the general position. I simply think it is not an absolute.

Ditto, I use a planer sled with my DW735. Don't have room for a large jointer in my 13x17 shop. I got my DeWalt reburbished from ToolKing via eBay in 2007 for around $350 (now they are $450). Just got the extension tables for Christmas but haven't tried them yet. I clamp the planer on my table saw top and use my trusty 16 gal shop vac and CleanStream filter for chip collection. If I'm doing a lot of planing, I make a lot of trips upstairs to empty it, but for the most part it works for my needs.

If you can't find a used DeWalt or don't want reburbished, and if you have the room and cash for the Griz, that seems like the route to go.

[Scott Hildenbrand]

If you're close to Ava, Il.. Someone listed a 20" Grizzly for $850. No model #, but most likely the G0454.

http://carbondale.craigslist.org/tls/2108892059.html

Older listing (12/12) so may not be around anymore though.

[Rick Fisher]

It really depends on you. The DeWalt is a portable planer with a 115V, universal motor. The 15" Grizz is a cast iron " machine " .. I upgraded from a Makita 2012NB to a General 20" with Helical Head.. The only thing the two machines have in common is that they both plane wood.. The Helical head is amazing.. Really great if you dislike changing knives.. great finish, and most importantly to me, quiet..

I disagree with the notion that your jointer needs to be the same width as your planer, although it would be really nice.. lol.. I plane many glue-ups and often wish I had an even wider planer. Your comparing apples and oranges.. if it where my decision, I would go cast iron over portable everytime.

Funny.. when you figure out the price per lb.. The 15" Cast machine seems like a bargain.. 5 x the weight, probably 3-4 times the power and 1/2 the noise (if helical) for 50% more money..

[Van Huskey]

If you have the room and the money get a 15" four post planer like the Grizzly or others. They are just simply better machines that can last a lifetime in a hobby shop, the lunchbox planers may last quite a while but unlikely a lifetime. Furthermore the resale value after say 10 years will be almost nothing on the Dewalt. Don't get me wrong that Dewalt is the king of lunchboxes but they only make sense if you either don't have the money, room or you aren't truly serious about the hobby. As far as room goes if you put a lunchbox on a mobile cabinet with in/out feed tables the difference in footprint is pretty minor.

PS one more note if you need liftgate delivery the Grizzly will be about $1185 BUT currently Amazon has the Shopfox version (same company really) shipped for $1153.33 the benefit is that the SF has a 2 year warranty vs 1 year for the Grizzly. Usually the SF stuff is a little more expensive then the Grizzly but currently Grizzly has almost no sales going. Note my price comparison uses the Polar bear version (same machine save the handwheel different color) the green version is $50 more currently.