jointer planer dilema

[Nathan Callender]

So I've got a problem. Currently I don't have a jointer and my planer is a lunchbox. While my planer is awesome, I really would like something quieter. I would like to add a jointer but would like to keep space used to a minimum. I'm not looking to spend a whole lot so here are some options. Also my shop does not have 220 and I would like to avoid installing it.

1. Live with the planer and buy a 6 inch jointer. Not the best space solution and doesn't address the screaming planer.

2. Sell the planer and get the grizzly g0675 10 inch j/p. This would be getting close to the top of my budget and would require 220 and the reviews aren't great from people who have seen the unit but I can't find any owner reviews.

3. Sell the planer and get a rikon 10 inch j/p. This gets good reviews runs on 110 and is small but I can't decide if it would hold up to general use. It just looks a little too light weight for the price point.

4. Keep the planer for occasional use and get a set of good bench planes.

So what would you guys do? I have a new child in the house so I see my shop time happening later at night in shorter stretches. So quiet is a good thing but time is at a premium as well.

[Dave Lehnert]

Why would you want to avoid an install of 220? Nothing magical or hard about it.

[Chris True]

I looked at both the Grizzly and the Rikon, decided to go with the Grizzly. I just took delivery Wed., got it set up and tested that night. This weekend I milled up all the wood for this blanket chest, very happy with the machine so far. The 3 raised panels on the front are 9.5" wide, it was pretty nice to mill them out of one 10" wide board :).

[Nathan Callender]

Chris - a couple of questions. Do you think a mobile base would work on this machine? Also, how is the noise while planing and jointing compared to a lunchbox planer? How's the build quality now that you've been able to see it in person?

[Chris True]

No reason a mobile base couldn't work although, the tables arealready fairly high off the floor. I'm 5'9" and wouldn't want them any higher. If that was a problem you could always build your own lower base section that is shorter - the planer sits on a base as is, everything below the green strip is the seperate base section. The machine itself is quite, being a straight knife machine planing or jointing a wide board is not quiet :). Also, you've got to run dust collection so the total noise is higher than I'd run at night if I had a kid sleeping in the house.

The build quality seems fine to me. While I haven't put a micrometer to anything it puts out a flat board. The machine is basically a large lunchbox planer with an induction motor instead of a universal screamer. Most of it is heavy gauge sheet steel like a lunchbox rather than cast iron, there are heavier chunks of steel at some points like the table pivots. The tables are cast iron. I guess if you are comparing it to a 600+ pound cast iron planer it isn't as sturdy but it seems sturdy enough for the job at hand. Many use lunchboxes for years right?

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I own a thickness planer (DW735) which works very well for me, but even that is a stretch as far as available space is concerned. I do all of my jointing by hand. A machine would be much faster and easier to deal with, but due to space I improvise. I don't need to make things perfect to then run it through the planer, I can perhaps take down the high spots using a scrub plane so that it is flat (but not totally smooth), then use that face when I run it through the planer. I don't consider my system to be perfect, and I expect that I may end up removing more thickness than if I used a power jointer... Given the option (space, money, etc) I would acquire a power jointer. Would still sometimes use the hand planes, but I really would like a jointer.

[Nathan Callender]

So, another option that struck me today was to upgrade the planer to either a 13" planer/moulder (with induction motor) or a 15" planer with helical head and forgo the jointer. For those of you with one of these machines, do you think it would fit the bill for something a little more quiet?

[Curt Harms]

I am a proponent of Jointer/Planers for space challenged shops. Chris' review is the first I've seen of the Grizzly 10". Induction motor powered machines are so nice compared to the universal motor powered machines. They're still not quiet once woods hits the blades but the noise is not the high pitched scream of "portable" planers.

[Bernie May]

I also have the G0675. Space was an issue for me and I wanted something bigger than 8". You can't beat the price on this machine except for those low end jets (8 and 10"). Initially I was disappointed in fiddling with alignment of the infeed table. but once I set it up and started working, I have been quite pleased with the unit. I have probably had it for a year and a half at least and do mostly boards for cutting boards. I tend to use my Ridgid 13" planer rather than the planer on this machine, just for convenience. My eventual goal is probably the short bed 12" grizzly jointer and a 15" planer.

[John TenEyck]

Another option is to sell your lunchbox planer and get a used Inca j/p. I've seen two for sale recently, one here. I've owned one for more than 20 years and can attest to their precision, capability, and durability. Thousands of BF and replaced the planetary gear belt once, at a cost of about $20. Same two sets of blades I started with. Anyway, the Inca has a small footprint, can run on 110 V with the standard 1.5 HP motor, or at least mine can, is easily moved if need be, and will joint and plane a board up to 10-1/4" wide. If you can find one, the typical price is around $900. IMHO, there is no better combination machine at that price.

[Nathan Callender]

That sounds like a pretty good fit - how do the used incas compare to something like the new rikons? It looks to me like they are somewhat similar.

[Brian Weick]

Nathan,

Just something you should realize..http://www.rockymountainbathrooms.com/images/smiley/poking.gif. you stick to 110 vlts you can expect 110vlt results,along with a lot of limitations. If your serious about your work maybe it's time to step it up a notch - 2-5hp machinery - 220vlt single ph is the next step up, if you really want to ramp things up http://www.kolobok.us/smiles/artists/snoozer/koo-koo.gif- next bump up: VFD's/RPC;s and 3ph machinery....the most cost efficient/steady power system for the serious woodworker in mind.http://www.contractortalk.com/avatars/leo-g-2467.gif?dateline=1117500626 (http://www.contractortalk.com/members/leo-g-2467/) (IMO)

B,http://www.contractortalk.com/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

[Jason White]

Chris, that's the machine I'm thinking of getting (the 10" Grizzly). Would you mind showing a couple of pictures of the machine in "planer" mode? I'm curious as to where the tables and fence end up when in planer mode. Thanks! Jason

[Chris True]

Sure, I'll snap some pics in a bit. The fence comes off completely (easy, flip a lever and lift off the machine), jointer outfeed table flips up and the dust shroud flops over. Feeds from the left in planer mode

[Chris True]

Here you go...