What is this planer worth?

[Greg Woloshyn]

I've been thinking about upgrading from my small Delta lunchbox planer to a larger planer with an induction motor. I've got my eye on an older Delta like the one in the picture below (not the exact one) but not sure what's a fair price. The seller is asking $1000, and the lowest he will go is $950. It's a 13" model not 15". His price seems pretty high, I can pick up a brand new Grizzly 15" planer for $1150, but I know how good these older Delta machines are. Are these types of Delta planers worth around the $1000 range?

308443

[eugene thomas]

I would say price to high......

[glenn bradley]

I would be interested at $400 to $500 for that form-factor in good usable shape. I think the seller has sentimental value factored into his price. Although I did just see a listing for a similar Jet for $900!?! This was in among another Jet for $400 and some similar machines around $500 with the requisite Powermatic fan trying for $1200 for his.

The price is probably area and availability driven to some extent. What are other 15" planers of the Delta, Grizzly, Jet and Powermatic persuasion in your area going for?

[John Cole]

Too high - get the grizzly and you've got a warranty

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

$600.00 is the most I would pay for that planer. I paid $975.00 for my Delta DC-380 15" planer but it's in perfect condition with a nice set of accessories. Hold out until you find something cheaper in price.

[David Kumm]

That is the Delta RC 33, earlier version of the later DC 33. RC is a very nice planer and I would take it over new if condition is good. Most were made in Brazil, dc 33 in Taiwan. That said, 500-750 is going price. If you can get it in the 600 range it is a great candidate for a Byrd head and you will have a better machine than new. 1K is too high. Dave

[Rich Riddle]

Don't worry about purchasing it from him; at that price he will own it for a long time. If you use a Grizzly coupon you will find the new one under warranty for about the same price he wants for his used Delta.

[Raymond Seward]

Not too long ago I sold an RC33 for $450 and was thrilled to get it. There was a glut of 13" machines in my area being sold around the same time....lowest price I saw was $250. Found a DC380 (15") to replace it for the same amount. I find if you are patient and check sale sites regularly, you can find what you want at a decent price.
Ray

[John Huds0n]

That one looks to be in pretty good condition

Couple of years ago I sold my 'one owner' RC-33 for $525 on Craigs List - it only lasted a couple of days

Purchased new in 1987 for $900, made in Brazil with a U.S. motor (that's about $1,900 in today's dollar). It really was a quality machine and they do not make them like that anymore.

Mine did not have the stand or the extension tables. Of course supply and demand is everything. Based on my experience, $600 to $700 would be a reasonable deal, if everything checked out

[Randy Red Bemont]

Go buy the Grizzly. He is asking way too much for a used planer and Delta parts are getting hard to find. If you want to splurge, get one with a spiral cutter head.

Red

[Greg Woloshyn]

I'm not even going to look at it. His craigslist ad says he is going out of business and selling his shop, pricing everything at 50-60% below retail.

I may either look at Grizzly 15", or a Dewalt D735 with spiral cutterhead.

[Rich Riddle]

I'm not even going to look at it. His Craigslist ad says he is going out of business and selling his shop, pricing everything at 50-60% below retail.

I may either look at Grizzly 15", or a Dewalt D735 with spiral cutterhead.
I have purchased many tools and some from businesses. For a business purchase, I set the limit at 10% to 15% of the new price. Figure it's been abused and you will need to replace/repair every consumable item on it (bearings, belts, seals, etc.).

On a side-note, there is a barely-used segmented cutter-head Grizzly for sale from one of our members in New Jersey at a fair price. You can see his post here in the classified section:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?227298-Grizzly-G0453Z-15-quot-Planer-w-Spiral-CutterHead-in-East-Central-NJ

[Kevin Bourque]

I have almost the exact planer the OP is talking about except without the infeed/outfeed tables. I think I paid around $300 for it. Anything over $400 is too much IMO.

[roger wiegand]

The seller is probably like me and can well remember what the machine cost new and how painful it was to come up with that much cash back then. I feel his pain-- not that that has anything to do with current value.

I've been thinking seriously about upgrading mine with a Shelix head, but this conversation has me reconsidering the wisdom of that. OTOH, it continues to work very well and new machines I've seen that I could afford seem flimsily built with somewhat crude castings and such by comparison.

[cody michael]

I bought a grizzly 20 inch for 550$ it works great for me....

[julian abram]

Yeah $950 would be way too much, around my neck of the woods it would be $500ish at the most.

[Rick Thompson34]

How has that 10-15% limit worked out for you? That just seems unrealistically low, but there's not a price point where I'd be interested in a Grizzly/Jet/other import machine when buying used so I might just not be in the same market to know where prices lie.

To the original poster's question, I do think the seller's price is too high. If you're in that price range you should be able to get a good quality vintage machine that you couldn't possibly wear out -- I'd start there before considering a new machine at that price point.


I have purchased many tools and some from businesses. For a business purchase, I set the limit at 10% to 15% of the new price. Figure it's been abused and you will need to replace/repair every consumable item on it (bearings, belts, seals, etc.).

On a side-note, there is a barely-used segmented cutter-head Grizzly for sale from one of our members in New Jersey at a fair price. You can see his post here in the classified section:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?227298-Grizzly-G0453Z-15-quot-Planer-w-Spiral-CutterHead-in-East-Central-NJ

[Harold Weaver]

$1000 is way to much. As others have said, that is a $400-$600 machine all day long. I have even seen them for less. If a new machine can be had for $1150, you are better off. If my memory serves correct, that machine is an oil bath gear box too. PITA on those. I opted for the older PM 100, no oil, all belt drive. But Powermatics in that size range are pricey if in good useable condition. Unfortunately, I am not too familiar with the Jet or Grizzly machines, but hey, if new is your route, you'll get the warranty if anything goes wrong.

[Ellen Benkin]

The difference between 13" and 15" is more than 2". I'd go for a bigger one. Also, as someone else pointed out, getting parts for an old Delta will be tricky.

[rudy de haas]

hi:

In general you can get a good feel for national and some regional pricing for used products by using google's site specific search tech. In this case
the search box entry "delta planer site:craigslist.com" (without the "s) gets you many listings some of which look applicable depending on where
you live etc etc.

P.S. One of the things to be concerned about is access to parts. Old iron may be the best iron, but when things go wrong they can stay wrong for months while you scrounge around for a new bearing or whatever it is - and, in that context, doesn't the grizzly come with a three year warranty?

[Daniel Hartmann]

Lord, I've been looking for a new planer here on CL and everything I find is horribly over priced. None of it moves either. $350 for old delta lunch box planers and $1200 for rusty 3 phase 15" non operational planers. It's nuts. Il buy a new grizzly, I guess.

[David Kumm]

Probably easier to find parts for old Deltas than new. The RC 33 was well liked if in good shape and preferred over the newer Delta 15" that was made first in Taiwan and later in China. Now if you find a 14" General you will have the pick of the small planer litter, new or old. Dave

[mark kosse]

To the op I have a question. Why go from a lunchbox planer to a planer with lunchbox size capacity? I've used the delta 560 and dewalt 735 and liked them both. If you going to upgrade to a heavier machine, get a real planer. Hold out for a powermatic 160 or 180. Increase capacity and value.I'm so lucky I have a pm 225 at work. One fine 24" planer.

[jack duren]

To the op I have a question. Why go from a lunchbox planer to a planer with lunchbox size capacity? I've used the delta 560 and dewalt 735 and liked them both. If you going to upgrade to a heavier machine, get a real planer. Hold out for a powermatic 160 or 180. Increase capacity and value.I'm so lucky I have a pm 225 at work. One fine 24" planer.

The Delta 13" rc or dc-33 isn't a luchbox.