13" Planer

[Ken Gartin]

Which 13" Planer should I buy for $500 or less?

[Larry D. Wagner]

:) Ken,

Personally I like my Ridgid 13". As long as you don't make the cut excessive the finish is very good and virtually never get any snipe. I've heard good about the newer Delta's and the Dewalt's. My dad has a Delta and I can tell you that my Ridgid totally outperforms it.

Larry :) :) :)

[Maurice Ungaro]

Delta 22-580.

Maurice

[Fred Hubert]

For the price of the DeWalt 735 you are almost in the range of a stationary. The Delta 22-580 gets good reviews. So does the Ridgid TP1300. I have the Ridgid.

~ Fred

[Ken Gartin]

I've heard some pretty bad reviews of the 735. Anyone heard about problems with drive sprockets? I've read at least 2 different reviews in which they broke (Then broke AGAIN after being replaced)

Also, they say the blade situation is pretty pathetic and the way the housings are designed won't allow a thicker blade.

Anyway, this info is taken from a couple of reviews on Amazon (2 VERY SIMILAR reviews). Maybe it's a guy and his cousin trying to smear DeWalt...:D

[Stefan Antwarg]

I have the delta 13" and I am happy with it.

Stefan

[John Gregory]

I just got my April 2005 issue of woodworkers journal. On page 66, under Tool review is a review on bench top planers.

John

[Paul Thompson]

I have been actively considering this choice for the past week and have finally decided on the Dewalt DW735. My consideration was between the Dewalt DS735 (http://www.dewalt.com/us/products/tool_detail.asp?productID=5935) and the Ridgid TS1300LS (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/TP1300LS-Thickness-Planer/).

If you ignore the rest of what I have to say, just read this article (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/features/planers.0204.pdf). It is a popular woodworking Feb 2004 review of a handful of 13" Planers.

<DISCLAIMER>
FIRST, let me note that I have no bias either direction here. In fact, if anything, I would have leaned toward the Ridgid planer as I am a major supporter and enjoyer of their tools.

I have a Ridgid Table Saw (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/TS3650-Table-Saw/), Bandsaw (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/BS1400-Band-Saw/), Oscillating Spindle Sander (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/EB4424-Sander/), Random Orbital Sander (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/R2600/), 1/4 Sheet Sander (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/R2500-Quarter-Sheet-Sander/), and Circular Saw (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/R3200-Circular-Saw/). I am about to buy the Drill Press (http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/DP1550-Drill-Press/). On average, I believe the make great tools for the Ridgid woodworker who wants something that will do quality work, but can not afford to graduate up to the level of cabinet saws, stationary planers, etc.

SECOND, let me note that I take all reviews about tools I buy very seriously. After all, who wants to throw money in a hole. Therefore, my conclustions have been come to after MUCH careful consideration.
</DISCLAIMER>

Now, on to the tools.

Both of the above planers have many great reviews all over the internet. That includes both individuals (epinions (http://www.epinions.com/), amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com), etc) and woodworking sites, magazines, etc.

Both of the above planers have naysayers on the internet - though only in the form of individuals, no complaints from magazines, etc.

In general, the complaints about the Dewalt planer is as follows:

A. The knives dull extremely quickly. This complaint can be found in multiple places. However, there are just as many people, if not more, who claim to have gotten an excellent lifetime out of the knives. One poster, either on this website or the Ridgid BB (http://www.ridgidforum.com) (which are suprisingly uncensored) commented that he believed any problems with blades wearing to fast was likely related to tool misuse - probably attempting to take off too much at a time. Others agreed and I decided that was a very likely explanation, especially considering all of the postive blade notes from others.

B. The sprocket problem. For this one, I don't have much of an explanation. All I can say is that the people who had this problem, had it very immediately and, actually, repeatedly. I have a couple of theories.

One poster somewhere commented that he had a Dewalt service center nearby that he regularly visited for tool tuneups, accessories, or something like that. When he was planning the purchase of a DW735, they told him to bring it in after purchasing so that they could oil the gears. They did theis as a free service because, according to the Dewalt Service Center reps, there was a problem at the factory. An initial oiling was claimed to resolve this problem and avoid other problems down the road. Maybe this is related to the sprocket problem.
While there are a handful of folks that have these sprocket problems, the majority of people report NOT having these issues. Furthermore, the folks that have them, often have them repeatedly. These factors lead me to believe that the real problem is not with the sprockets, but rather with either something else in the machine, or with the operator of the machine.
Generally speaking, I just don't buy it. If there was REALLY serious problems with this machine (or even less obvious, but annoying regular maintenance problems), I would expect to see a bigger pattern in internet reviews. However, that is just not the case.

I can't answer whether the machine or operator is too blame for the sprocket problem. However, given the sporadic and repeated nature of the problem, I lean towards operator error.

In general, the complaints about the Dewalt planer is as follows:

Er. sorry, I don't remember. There were some people, I believe, who reported complaints about aligning knives or about mechanic problems. Again, however, the majority of the reports were very positive.

First Conclusion - Two Good Planers

So, I came to the conclusion that they were both planers very worthy of the money spent of them. They'd both do an excellent job in the shop and likely serve me well for many years.

So, next I had to choose between them. I mean - they are quite a different beast.

Ridgid Planer - pretty standard entry level, good quality planer. Is reported to have good controls, build, finish on planed woods, snipelessness, etc. Cost is around $350 for the planer itself, $420 for it plus the Herc-U-Lift caster set (required for my 20x20 shop) and dust collector/vac hookup adapter.

Dewalt Planer - pretty good next level, good quality planer. Again, reported to have good controls, build, etc - almost everything that you get with the Ridgid Planer. However, there are 2 BIG differences.

The Dewalt Planer utilizes 3 blades and provides 2 speeds. Sparing the technical details, that allows it too both provide faster/rougher and slower/smoother modes. And in the long run, the "more cuts per inch" capability of the Dewalt Planer (due to both the slower/smoother mode and the 3 blades) means that the DW735 is going to be able to create a better finish then the Ridgid planer. And that is what reviews of the two conclude.

Now, other big difference is price. The Dewalt Planer itself will run $499. And that does not include a stand, as the Ridgid planer does, or infeed / outfeed tables. Since I would consider those required, the added price comes to around $645.

That's a (holy mackerol) $225 more then the Ridgid planer.

Second Conclusion - Dewalt for Me

In the long run I decided that the Dewalt DW735 is the right choice for me. As I have limited time in the shop, the time saved by having to do less sanding, scraping, etc, will be more then worth the time in the long run. And, the fact of the matter is:

I am only going to buy this once...
I can get the Dewalt's price approved by the wife...
Time is of the essence...
So, I don't know if this LONG tangent is helpful to you at all. Heck - I don't even know if I've come to the right conclusion. However, I have been mulling over it for a while and feel pretty good about it. If all goes well, I might be making my purchase as soon as this weekend.

[Paul Thompson]

I just got my April 2005 issue. On page 66, under Tool review is a review on bench top planers.

John
John - Which magazine are you referring to?

[Karl Laustrup]

I've got a Craftsman Professional 13". I also got the maint. agreement and just got it back from service. New blades and new rollers plus a couple of other things. Blades are included in service. Blades are also reversible so I got my old blades back and can use the other side yet. All told the service bill would have been over $200. I paid $90 something for a 3 year service agreement.

Anyway it does a great job. I've only experienced snipe a couple of times. I did learn to change blades more often though, as that's what happened to the rollers. I've had mine almost 2 years now. Got it on sale with an additional 10% Craftsman Club discount plus a couple of other special coupons that brought the price down to right around $300.

Would I get another? Maybe, as I think it does as good a job as any of the other 13" planers out there, would just depend on what else is available at the time of purchase.

[John Gregory]

:eek: Woodworkers Journal. their web site doesn't even show the April issue yet.
sorry about the senior moment.

[Ray Bersch]

Paul Thompson, thanks for that detailed post - I learned two things: one, some solid and useful advice about my next tool purchase and two, there is someone else out there that is as anal as I am about tool purchases! I am not sure if it is a gift or a curse. Oh, by the way, can you post your decision spread sheet for me?

[Fred Hubert]

Paul,

You won't dislike the DeWalt planer -- I hear it is a great machine. But I would like to point out a couple of items that your post leaves me thinking you are misled on:

- The Ridgid comes with a DC hood that will connect to either a 2.5" or 4" hose -- does the DeWalt come with a DC hood?
- Does the DeWalt's estimated $645 total price include a mobile base?
- The presumed less time sanding is something I have to question. Granted I haven't had mine long and have only planed some pine during setup and mahogany after that, nonetheless I can not imagine any desire to get the wood surface smoother out of the planer unless the goal was to forego sanding completely.

It's just me, but my budget seems to be a LOT like yours and I'd be thinking TP1300 AND the drill press with money left over for wood instead of the DeWalt 735.

~ Fred

[Sam Blasco]

I was quite impressed with the Rigid. It served me well for over a year in a small professional environment. With some infeed and outfeed support I was even able to run 10 footers. The only problem I experienced was the locking mechanism, but that could have been due to the abuse I was putting it through, and I was able to fix it. I was forced to get into a bigger, dedicated 15" Jet when a job came in that required me to run a lot of timber for a suspended stairway in a loft. The Rigid was what I could afford at the time and it was a good first step up the ladder to the European jointer/planer combo I have today. I even have to say the cut quality was equal to, if not a little better, than the much bigger Jet. Part of that could have been due to the fact that I left the knives on the Jet too long, because I always dreaded the set up swearing session involved in resetting knives after they were re-sharpened. The Rigid knife system was relatively simple and the knives were disposable. I never played with any other lunch-box planers, but I was happy with the Rigid. Good luck with your choice.

[John Gregory]

Fred has a good point. Similarly equiped, the two planers have different price points. For the price difference, the DeWalt should be better. I own a lot of ridgid tools. When I started building my woodshop I did not know much about differences in power tools and various brands. And did not know of this forum as a resource. I went with Ridgid due to the value I saw. What you got for what you spent. The lifetime gaurantee. And with the large one time purchase I made, the store manager gave me 15% off anything I purchased from the tool department, Ridgid brand or not. And I got it interest free for 12 months. There are better power tools than the Ridgid brand I bought, but many cost more. I think for the most part, Ridgid tools are a good value. I was lucky and bought mine when they had a lifetime guarantee.

John

[Paul Thompson]

The Ridgid comes with a DC hood that will connect to either a 2.5" or 4" hose -- does the DeWalt come with a DC hood?

Cool! That changes the math a little. Some of the information that I came across on the web talked about the need to buy that seperately. Ridgid tweaks the extra stuff that comes in their boxes, every once in a while. I assume that they used to NOT include the DC hood, and now do.

And yes, the Dewalt DW735 DOES come with a DC hood. Actually, even cooler then that - the chip ejection port on the DW735 is fan assisted, which means it actually has something in there actively ejecting the chips. That's a feature which, as far as I am aware and as far as the 13" benchtop models are concerned, is unique on the DW735.

Reviews had really good things to say about that feature, as well.

Does the DeWalt's estimated $645 total price include a mobile base?

Yep. See my next post for more details.

The presumed less time sanding is something I have to question. Granted I haven't had mine long and have only planed some pine during setup and mahogany after that, nonetheless I cannot imagine any desire to get the wood surface smoother out of the planer unless the goal was to forego sanding completely.

That is a useful piece of information. Some of the info I found read talked about "a little bit of sanding or scraping" that was required when using the Ridgid planer. Of course, perhaps those folks were talking more off at a time or something.

It's just me, but my budget seems to be a LOT like yours and I'd be thinking TP1300 AND the drill press with money left over for wood instead of the DeWalt 735.

Your probably right, concerning budget. I have a nice bonus coming in late this week / early next week. With that I am going to get the tools and a pile of wood for building a dining table and chair set for my wife.

I'll have to think about it some more. the $240 - $250 or so is also enough, possibly, to get a beginner level router - somewhere along the 1.75 - 2.?? HP motor.

I'll have to think about it some more now - darn you! :)

[Paul Thompson]

Paul Thompson, thanks for that detailed post - I learned two things: one, some solid and useful advice about my next tool purchase and two, there is someone else out there that is as anal as I am about tool purchases! I am not sure if it is a gift or a curse. Oh, by the way, can you post your decision spread sheet for me?
How funny - I never mentioned that I created a spreadsheet. How EVER did you know that I made one? ;)

Well, of course, I did. It might be a little more limited then you were hoping for, but here is a quick overview. Email me and I would be glad to send you the original spreadsheet. Same goes for anyone else, though it's not much more interesting then what is available below.

Dewalt DW735 - Planer Cost

&nbsp;&nbsp;Thickness Planer (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CCXU8/qid=1109196150/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/103-5259670-1404632?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;= $&nbsp;499.00
&nbsp;&nbsp;Mobile Planer Stand (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CCXU9/qid=1109196150/sr=8-3/ref=pd_ka_2/103-5259670-1404632?v=glance&s=hi&n=507846)&nbsp;=&nbsp;$&nbsp;&nbsp;99.99
&nbsp;&nbsp;Folding Tables (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CCXUA/qid=1109196150/sr=8-2/ref=pd_ka_1/103-5259670-1404632?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846)&nbsp; (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000CCXUA/qid=1109196150/sr=8-2/ref=pd_ka_1/103-5259670-1404632?v=glance&s=home-garden&n=507846)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=&nbsp;$&nbsp;&nbsp;44.99
&nbsp;&nbsp;Total for DW735&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=&nbsp;$&nbsp;643.98

Follow this link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-images/B0000CCXU9/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0/103-5259670-1404632?%5Fencoding=UTF8&index=0#gallery) to see pics someone posted to Amazon of the stand they made for their DW735. Amusing is that they posted them as "customer pics" for the Dewalt manufactured stand for the DW735.

Ridgid TS1300LS - Planer Cost

&nbsp;&nbsp;Thickness Planer&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;= $ 349.00
&nbsp;&nbsp;Planer Stand&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=&nbsp;$&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.00 (included)
&nbsp;&nbsp;Folding Tables&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;=&nbsp;$&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.00 (included)
&nbsp;&nbsp;Mobility (Herc-U-Lift)&nbsp;=&nbsp;$&nbsp;&nbsp;79.00 *
&nbsp;&nbsp;Total for TS1300LS&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;= $ 428.00

* I could not find a direct price for the Herc-U-Lift caster system. However, I found people in the Ridgid forums who claim to have got it for $49 from Home Depot. I would swear that when I got the same caster system for my Ridgid bandsaw, that it cost more like $79. I'd guess that the $49 might have been a discount, though it's also possible that they've simply brought the price down.

Based on these numbers, you'll end up paying 215.98 MORE for the dewalt planer "package" then the Ridgid planer "package".

Now, please keep in mind that there are plenty of ways to save a little money on all of this.


Amazon.com, if you buy the Dewalt through them, I believe has deal something like "spend $199 on tools, save $35". You'd have to check around.
Amazon.com - shipping would be free. And I am not sure, but you may not pay sales tax, which could save you a nice little chunk, at least.
Home Depot / Lowes - there are various ways to get 10% off coupons from HD, Lowes, as well as Woodcraft and other stores. This ranges from Moving coupons, random stuff they send in the mail, etc.
Again, more rambling. Hope it helped.

[John Hulett]

Paul,

Had you considered the Delta 22-580? Obviously you did your homework, but was wondering why it was excluded from your short list. I read a magizine (can't recall which one just now) review from last fall that had the DeWalt 735 outperforming the Delta 22-580, but only slightly; such that it was not significant enough to spend the extra $150 and recommended the Delta as a better value.

- John

[Paul Thompson]

Had you considered the Delta 22-580? Obviously you did your homework, but was wondering why it was excluded from your short list. I read a magizine (can't recall which one just now) review from last fall that had the DeWalt 735 outperforming the Delta 22-580, but only slightly; such that it was not significant enough to spend the extra $150 and recommended the Delta as a better value.

- John
You know what - good stinking question. Honestly, for some reason, I have somewhat of a bias against Delta tools. The more I think, however, I guess that's totally silly and I don't have a real reason there.

I'll have to read up on this a bit. The price on Amazon for the Delta 22-580 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000648AS/qid=1109204280/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/103-5259670-1404632?v=glance&s=hi&n=507846) is great at $349. Plus $24.99 for the dust connector (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005Q7D4/ref=hi_de_acc_1_2/103-5259670-1404632?v=glance&s=hi&n=507846), then minus $25 with the current amazon tools deal ($25 off purchases of $199 and up) (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/552145/103-5259670-1404632), that makes the final price $348.98.

Now THAT's a darn good price. And shipping is free. The question is, will I pay tax?

I do have a 10% off coupon for woodcraft, I think, but their price is higher - $419 base price for the planer. Anyone know if Woodcraft will price match with Amazon?

Then there's the Home Depot Price of $377. Again, I think I can swing 10% off. If they have the dust connector for $24.99, that would make the total there (before TAX) come to $361 something.

Hmmnn, still more expensive then Amazon. Interesting.

Apparently, everyone should ignore me. The Delta sounds like a great deal. (Here goes me reconsidering this for a couple of more days....)

[Todd Davidson]

Don't rule out the Dewalt 734 (comes with hood / no stand or extra knives). There may still be the $50 mail in rebate available - check Dewalts site. I picked one up when Lowe's had the 20% off X-mas promotion (plus 10% off for opening an account). Then there was the $50 mail in rebate. Lowe's retail price is $357 for the 734. With all said discounts mine was $207.

[Ray Bersch]

Paul Thompson, Obviously you made a spreadsheet - I saw too much of me in you.

Anyway, all of this info is a big help to me so I will just sit back and watch some more.

[Scott Parks]

After doing my reasearch, I chose to buy the Rigid. I came to pretty much the same conclusions that were already stated. Anyway, I went to Home D, and wheeled the Rigid up to the checkout... And didn't have my wallet... So, I'll buy it another day... In the meantime, I scored the Delta 22-580 for a steal ($229-$20 card-$30 rebate = $179!). I love the Delta 13" planer.

To sum it up, I don't think you'd go wrong with either the DeWalt 735, Rigid 1300, or the Delta 22-580. They all get favorable reviews.... Pick your color...

[Jerry Bittner]

Had a Dewalt 12" and sold it becausue I got a tremedous buy on the DeWalt 735 (gloating I am)

Lowes had it on sale for 20 percent off the $499 list so I went to Home Depot and they let me have the planer on the basis of their "match and beat" plan. So they matched Lowes price and knocked another 10 percent off.

I too was warned about the sprocket on the 735 and called DeWalt and was told that was in the first production models --well into last year--and since then has been corrected. Have had no problems with mine and am very satisfied with the performance.

[Fred Hubert]

If you can wait 10 months for it I'm sure the 20% off holiday sale will return again...

Besides that, my suggestion would be to see what the best deal is that you can get out of the 'top 3' of the Ridgid, Delta, and DeWalt 735 (could also include the 734). I imagine whichever you get you will be very pleased with it and not envy another model -- and this is why I recommend the one for the lowest price... I'm not sure about the potential hassle of returning merchandise to Amazon, though I've heard their CS is great. But I do know that the Ridgid comes with a 90-day satisfaction guarantee. Additionally, I'm pretty sure HD offers a 30-day satisfaction guarantee on other brands of tools.

~ Fred

[Rob Horton]

Which 13" Planer should I buy for $500 or less?

Ken,

I personally have the Delta 22-580, which I got from Lowe's not long ago. I really enjoy the planer and it does everything I need it to do.

Delta's documenation on the planer could be better though. I've learned much more here at the Creek about using it than I did from the manual.

[Kevin Jaynes]

I wonder what the consensus of the 735 owners is now after having sung such high praises for a tool with which they had no experience.

I am thoroughly dissatisfied. I bought mine in mid 2004 and literally, the FIRST board I ran through it (on a remodel job no less) and the sprocket broke.
No problem, things happen. Unfortunately, it was not a false start. I have had nothoing but blade problems.
I noticed one of the posters in this thread mentioned that (paraphrased) "half have had blade problems BUT half have not.." so the half that have not had problems somehow cancel out those that have had problems, so the score is even. this is the kind of logic they use in D.C. and part of the reason our conutry is going the way of Rome. But tha's another issue.
I also doubt that operator error can be flippantly assigned to the large number who are having blade issues as the reason the blades are prematuriely dulling.

I am curious to see how hindsight stacks up against what I detected as blind, brand loyalty.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

* I could not find a direct price for the Herc-U-Lift caster system. However, I found people in the Ridgid forums who claim to have got it for $49 from Home Depot. I would swear that when I got the same caster system for my Ridgid bandsaw, that it cost more like $79. I'd guess that the $49 might have been a discount, though it's also possible that they've simply brought the price down.


If you can find a Herc-U-Lift it should be well under $15 at this point. The problem is that you will not likely find one as they were discontinued a few months ago and have been on clearance since then. You a likely going to have to go to a HTC 2000 or something like that (still around your $50 price point).

[Jeffrey Schronce]

Now, other big difference is price. The Dewalt Planer itself will run $499. And that does not include a stand, as the Ridgid planer does, or infeed / outfeed tables. Since I would consider those required, the added price comes to around $645.


Why not go with the 15" Yorkcraft from Wilke @$699?

[Richard Kagen]

I bought a 10% off coupon on ebay brought the price to $314 on legs with an extra set of reversable blades. Register on line and you get 90 no question return to store, 3 year warrantee and life time service agreement. How can you go wrong for a planner that lots of people rate as the "best 13" planner".

The DeWalt has some kind of known mechnical/gear problem and you have to buy the in/out feed tables, plus build a stand/bench. You are into 2x the cost, is it two time better? hard to imagine.

[Liem Tran]

Wood Magazine issue 173 rated the Dewalt 735 as top tool and the Ridgid tp1300ls as top value. I have the Ridgid model and love it. Changing the knives is very easy on this model.

[Jerry Olexa]

I've had the Delta 13" for 2 years now and very happy. It won over the DeWalt as I got an extremely good $ deaL ON THE Delta!!

[Geoff Barry]

I've had mine for a little over a year, and been very happy. It produces an excellent surface, and very little snipe. Of course, I am NOT a heavy user - I've probably run about 200 bd ft of lyptus, pine, and oak, though in some cases I was making 1/2" thick boards the hard way (so many passes). Nevertheless, not heavy use by any means. Still on the original knives. No problems with the sprockets.

I paid $349 at toolking for a reconditioned dw735, and then bought the tables for $51 (also at toolking) a few months later. If toolking had a reconditioned 22-580 at the time i went in there to buy a planer, I would have bought that (as they had them for around $319 at one time). However, at the time I had the money and opportunity to get a planer, my choices were a reconditioned 735 for $359, a new 22-580 for $419, a new 735 for $489, or a rigid for $349 at Home Depot. The reconditioned dw735 seemed the best choice, and it has worked out very well for me. Not having a dc, I like the fan-assisted chip ejection.

Recently, a fiend of mine bought a planer at toolking. The day we went, they had a recondition 22-580 for $289, a reconditioned 735 for $369, and a new 735 for $519. Easy decision - he got the 22-580 :)

[Curt Harms]

After doing my reasearch, I chose to buy the Rigid. I came to pretty much the same conclusions that were already stated. Anyway, I went to Home D, and wheeled the Rigid up to the checkout... And didn't have my wallet... So, I'll buy it another day... In the meantime, I scored the Delta 22-580 for a steal ($229-$20 card-$30 rebate = $179!). I love the Delta 13" planer.

To sum it up, I don't think you'd go wrong with either the DeWalt 735, Rigid 1300, or the Delta 22-580. They all get favorable reviews.... Pick your color...

I have the Delta and it leaves a great finish and no snipe, even without the cutterhead locked. I very seldom use the slower speed, though some say it helps with squirelly grain. The one fault with the Delta is the chip collection isn't perfect, especially with narrow stock it seems. The biggest complaint I've heard on the 735 is that it's really noisy. All portable universal motored planers are loud, but the 735 is LOUD .

[Jack Ganssle]

Paul,

Did you factor in the price of replacement knives? I haven't been able to find the cost of those for the Rigid.

Jack

[David Cramer]

I agree Curt that the DW735 is loud. I am sure someone has pointed this out, but most all of the power tools you use should be used with hearing protection.

It may be louder than the quietest planer on the market, but even that planer requires hearing protection or the onset of "tinnitus" will eventually set in. I am in my mid 30's and I already have it in one ear. It is no fun and very annoying to say the least (on and off patterns of continual ringing in my right ear). It is no ones fault but my own and I should have had hearing protection on when sanding, routing, sawing, etc..... when I was in my early 20's. Now, when I sit at night with my wife and it's quiet in the house (kids are in bed), I get an on off ringing in my ear that lasts minutes at a time.

Not picking on you Curt. I just thought I would bring this up so that no young whipper snappers out there go without hearing protection, and then later on in life get what I and many others have. Take care.

Dave

[Ted Miller]

I have the Makita 12" and I also have had the Makita 15" the one that was made in Japan, had this unit forever and it works great. I have always liked the construction of both of these units and have had zero problems with either one...

[Jake Helmboldt]

I have the 22-580, got it for a good price locally ($300 + $25 for the DC hood). On the slow speed it gives excellent smoothness. I only have a shop vac hooked up for DC and it does an adequate job, but with a real DC it would probably be as good as the 735 (which as you noted has assisted chip ejection).

The extra cost of the 735, especially with the in/outfeed tables pushes it into a "no man's land" pricewise. The WOOD review noted that the Delta only just got outperformed by the 735 for best tool. If you can find the Delta for close to the Ridgid I think the Delta wins hands-down. Plus I have my own reasons for not buying orange tools, so I have a bias there.

JH

[Paul S Denny]

I have had the Dewalt 735 for over a year now and love it. Maybe I don't demand a lot out of my planer, so all I know is that I put wood in one side and it comes out the other side nice and smooth with little or no snipe. Blades are a piece of cake to change. Love the two speeds and the blower inside that machine will chuck chips and sawdust a city block, so hook up a DCS. I bought the rolling stand from Dewalt and the total package works like a charm.

[Larry Rose]

I've had the Rigid for 3-4 years and have run a lot of rough lumber thru it with no problems. If the infeed and outfeed tables are set right , snipe is almost nonexistant. Changing the blades is a snap. They are indexed so you almost can't put them in wrong ( and thats saying something for me)and are double sided. They can be changed in 10 min easy. If I needed a new one, I would buy another Rigid.