Used Thickness Planer Shopping... Now with Table Saw and Edge Sander opinions needed!

[Jon Wilson]

I found 3 used thickness planers, what are your experiences / opinions on these;

Delta TP 305 - $169.00 or less
Delta 22 540 - $199.00 or less
Dewalt DW733 - $299.00 or less

All 3 are in fair to decent condition. I have no way to check the blades other than visual inspection (they look to be in ok condition), but the shop I'm looking at has a 7 day return policy.

[Tom Bain]

I've had the DW733 for about 9 years, and it has been a great little planer. The cutterhead lock works well to minimize snipe and blade changes are pretty straightforward. So even if the blades you get are shot, you can order new ones and swap them out no problem. My only complaint is that it's super loud, but that's true of almost all lunchbox planers. No experience with the other models.

[Bill Geibe]

I have a DW733 and have been really happy with it. I bought it used for $200 a couple years ago (a good deal) and have done minimal service to it. I changed blades once and took some of it apart once to clean sawdust out of the elevation mechanism. The DeWalt 733, 734 and 735 generally bring premium prices used because of their good reputation.

You might consider that at $299 for that 733, you aren't too far away from the price of a brand new, three-blade 734: http://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-15-Amp-12-1-2-in-Corded-Planer-DW734/100634640

There are different models of the Delta Planer but this guy didn't like his: http://www.kevinsbrady.net/shoptip08.html

Bill

[Earl McLain]

I've had both the Delta 22 540 and a Dewalt 733--the 22-540 kind of turned me off Delta tools for a while. The 733 was pretty doggoned nice. The comment that $299 doesn't put you too far from a new 734 is something to pay attention to. Even if you have to save up for a while, seems a new 734 can be had in the $350-$370 range.

By the way--I paid $120 for the Delta, sold it for $175. Paid $150 for the 733, sold it for $225. Bought a new Dewalt 735 for $370 plus tax when sears closed them out--effectively I was out of pocket $270 over 18 months to get a new 735. Now I'm done.

earl

[Bruce Wrenn]

The 22-540 is a twenty year old design. The TP 305 is basically the same machine with indexed blades. I have owned a 22-540 since the early ninties. It's a great finishing planer, but you have to allow for about 2" of snipe on each end of the board. I would look at buying new DeWalt instead.

[Danny Hamsley]

I had a DW 733 for 12 year and planed thousands of BF through it. It cost $299 new in 1998. One good thing about the DW733 is that you can re-sharpen the knives yourself. On the DW734, the knives have two sides and are disposable (cannot be re-sharpened). The DW734 is essentially the very same machine but it has 3 knives whereas the DW733 only has two knives. I believe that three knives are better. I also think that a used DW733 for $299 is too much. That is essentially new retail price for a discontinued model. You would be far better off buying a new DW734 for only a few $ more. It is $369 on Amazon, with free shipping, and there is a $25 DeWalt promotion, so the net price would be $344.

The DW734 is a proven little champ. I have not heard good things about the cheaper Delta planers. From my experience, I would definitely buy another DeWalt lunchbox planer if I was in that market. I now have a 3 HP 15" planer with the spiral inserts, so I could never go back:).

[george newbury]

If you are getting up in the $300 plus price range this is where a 240V line and surplus equipment shines. I'll post this again for this thread.

In Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Pennsylvania there have been many quality pieces of equipment sold as surplus from high schools and colleges. Some single phase but many 3 phase.

I bought a 16" powermatic for about $1,000, with a few extras thrown in:

One more update to this thread -
from public surplus -
Listing was "Tools" - Very descriptive!
Auction was only active for 4 days


Auction Started
Sep 10, 2013 2:11:50 PM EDT


Auction Ended
Sep 14, 2013 4:30:00 PM EDT



When you clicked on it the final description was:Rockwell/Delta Radial Arm Saw. 1 Powermatic 10" Table Saw. Powermatic Planer. Rockwell/Delta Belt/Disc Sander. Fair Condition. No Photos.

Real descriptive.

This is what I got:
Rockwell/Delta Radial Arm Saw
Model 33-732 (pic at bottom, I don't know why)

Powermatic 10" table saw w/Biesemeyer fence (fence and extra leaf not in pic) /edit model 66

271245

Powermatic 160 Planer with the 60lb piece you mount the grinder on for sharpening, 5HP 3 phase motor.
271249

Delta 31-710 Belt/Disc sander
271250

And then a couple of extras NOT listed

Powermatic model 60 Jointer
271252
Powermatic model 81 Band Saw
271253

Craftsman 10" table saw

271251

I was fairly well pleased.

now I need a RPC, about 8 or 10hp I figure.

/edit - I hadn't planned on getting a RAS, a sander, a bandsaw or two more table saws (brings me to 5 table saws), but it looks like since I started this thread I made out for less than $1K. The shop teacher also threw in two extra set of new blades 1 for the jointer, 1 for the planer. And it had ALL been operational and just "tuned" up before the school closed the section of shop it was in and put in a computer lab.

MOST of it's now in my workshop down here in Mississippi.

Don't discount having 240V and industrial quality equipment.

http://www.publicsurplus.com/sms/docviewer/aucdoc/Nov13Sur%20008.JPG?auc=1024454&docid=8563352&thumb=b

The 24" planer above just went for $510 by itself.

I just cant' convince SWMBO I need a third large planer :(

[Anthony Diodati]

I had the early delta for a while, the one where there was no head loc, and the tables just sat in front and rear of machine,
Got the DW 733, only used it now a few handfulls of times, but it has be a great machine.
Generally no snipe at all.

Buy yeah, $300.00 used did seem a little steep.

[Jon Wilson]

ok... here's the update.

DW 733 - I talked them down to $200, is that a fair price?

I also found a Ryobi Rapid Set Planer (AP1300), asking price of $89.00

and while I'm getting some great advice...
How about a Rockwell 34-580 table saw, asking $99.00, may be able to get them to come down on that price.
and a Ridgid Edge Sander (EB4424), asking $139.00, again may be able to get them to come down on that price.

The Ryobi Planer, Rockwell Table Saw & the Ridgid Edge Sander are all at the same shop so If I get all 3 at the same time I will definitely get a price break on them.

Again, thanks for the feedback!

[Earl McLain]

I vote "no" on the Ryobi planer, "maybe" on the DW733--would need to be in pretty good condition.

On the Ridgid sander--that's a great little machine. New at Home Depot right now it's $199, but with a Lifetime Service Agreement to the properly registered original owner who has kept all of his/her receipts and paperwork. $139 on that machine is right about the price for reconditioned (with 90 day warranty??) when you can find them (CPO is out of stock right now). I think I paid $130 for mine reconditioned. I don't know the used market prices (I haven't seen many of those come to CL used, actually), but I do know that if mine was stolen I'd buy another without hesitation.

My opinions only--your mileage may vary!!
earl

[Bruce Page]

Had the Delta 22-540. POJ, I would not recommend it to anyone. Major snipe on both ends of the board.

[Curt Harms]

Had the Delta 22-540. POJ, I would not recommend it to anyone. Major snipe on both ends of the board.

That was my experience as well. There are tricks to lessen the snipe but with modern much-reduced-snipe machines, why bother unless it's really cheap.

[Anthony Diodati]

That was my experience as well. There are tricks to lessen the snipe but with modern much-reduced-snipe machines, why bother unless it's really cheap.
True, but even on my d/w 733, I find that if I hold down on the board as it enters the planer, there is even less chance of snipe.