The $1000 Gift Question

[ROBERT FALK]

Buying first Jointer and Planer and need opinions on the best two to do hobbyist woodworking which includes cabinet making and millwork.

I know there are a lot of products to choose from however I've learned to trust this groups advice.

I kind of like the new Jet 6" jointer with the long bed option and the Dewalt 13" 2 speed planer.

So lets here what you'd pick.

Thanks everyone!

[Jamie Buxton]

A 6" jointer has a serious shortcoming: you can't face-plane lumber wider than 6". There's lots and lots of lumber which is wider than that. I suggest you find some way to get a wider jointer in your budget -- buy used, change the budget, or something.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

I built a lot of nice furniture on a craftsman 6" short bed jointer. It worked, but that said, I now wouldn't trade in my 8". Face jointing changes the way you work, everything is easier :)

My advise buy what you can afford, but don't worry about trying too hard to get something you will never replace because you probably will replace the 6" at some point.

Good luck!

[Chris Damato]

As far as the planer side of things, I just ordered the Makita 2012NB. It should be at my place when I get home from work today. I did tons of research on this and found this model to be the most recommended portable planer. You can get it on amazon for $459.99 -$80 off right now and no freight charges. JMO.

-Chris

[Andy Hoyt]

I've got a 15 year old Makita 2012 and the damn thing just won't give up the ghost, despite my "assistance" in this regard.

And go for an 8" jointer. You won't be sorry like I am.

[Tom Saurer]

I've heard good things about Sunhills. If I were in the market I would look at them and see what they can offer. From what I'm told, they're a generic brand made in the same factories that Delta and Jet are. I would search the archives to find out more. A web search will find their homepage. I can't remember what it is, other wise I would give you a link.

[Jerry Bittner]

I have had the 735 Dewalt 2 speed for over a year now and it is a fine machine. Workbench magazine I believe in this months issue did a rating of all planers and the DeWalt was head and shoulders above what they tested.

[Charlie Plesums]

If you buy top grade lumber, everything except walnut must be over 6 inches wide. Therefore I found my 6 inch jointer almost useless. I was planning an upgrade to 8 inches, when I took the plunge and went to a 16 inch jointer, 16 inch planer combo.

Incidentally, I almost never edge joint boards. I have my saw set up well, and generally get glue quality joints or edges ready for sanding from the saw without jointing.

[scott spencer]

Many of the jointers come from the same factory and are close enough in perfomance that's it's fairly safe to assume comparable results will be achieved, which leaves you to compare capacities, price, features, warranties, circumstances, etc. That said, I agree with the suggestion to go with an 8" which will give longer and wider beds, more mass, and probably more HP.

I like the Delta 2 speed, but honestly think that the TP400LS, either DeWalt, Ridgid, or Makita planer would do really well too. Buy the one that allows the 8" jointer to fit in the budget.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I use a 6" jointer. I've had it for a long time. I'm only a hobbyist and purchase my lumber with some degree of surfacing already done so I can see the grain. Often, unsurfaced lumber is difficult to read and has unpleasant surprises upon planing it. I also stay away from anything that is twisted or cupped from the get go. So I generally don't use my jointer for surfacing, and a 6" width is fine with me.

However, the shortcomings of a 6" jointer are the overall bed length which dictates the length of board I can work with. But I see a lot of new 6" jointers that sport longer beds now.

As far as planing for the hobbyist, I think the lunchbox planers are great. They are inexpensive and give you a nice finish. They are slower, but this is a hobby for me and time is not money. My Delta lunch box planer is very old. It was one of the very first batch delivered to the market. It has worked well for over 16 years. But there are two downsides: they are loud and they are not really portable at nearly 100lbs.

I've seen nothing but good things said about both DeWalt portable planer models, the Delta 2-speed planer, and the Makita planer (which is also said to be the most quietest of the bunch).

have fun shopping...
cheers, Jeff :)

[Allen Bookout]

Robert,

Here is what I would do. First add $200 to your budget. Then get a Dewalt 735R (reconditioned) planer for $389.99 plus $8.00 shipping (Toolking has them for this price) and add a GO490 for $825.00 delivered for a total price of $1222.99. Or you could get the GO586 instead of the GO490 plus the Dewalt 735R for a total of $1187.99.

I have the reconditoned DeWalt 735R and it arrived in like new condition. It has been very good so far. It seems to have glowing reports on line also. The only thing is that it is noisy but that does not bother me. You can look at the post on the GO490 on this forum for impressions on this model. From the test on the GO586 it seems to be a very good machine.

If you absolutely have to stay within the $1000 instead of the Grizzly model jointers I would get the Ridgid 6" jointer and the Dewalt 735R for a total of a little over $800. Or in this case you might want to buy a new 735.

As a note I have a Ridgid 6" jointer and once I got my tables correct it has been very good product. There is a lot of chatter on at least one other froum about this product and every report that I have seen has had really good things to say about it.

I know that there are many other combinations that others will recommend that I am sure are very good but I know firsthand that you will not be dissapointed with the DeWalt 735 planer or the Ridgid 6" jointer.

Good luck in your quest and let us know what your final decision is.

Allen

P.S. Try your very best to work in an 8" jointer. May be you can find a good used one.