steel city lunch box planer

[nick brigg]

anyone have any experience with it? i was thinking of going with their 15" big mama planer, but im limited on space(AND CASH!!) so are there any reason why i should go for a big mama planer instead of a lunch box one, id love to hear some opinions!

[Art Mann]

The industrial grade cast iron planers are quieter and faster than the lunchbox variety. It is also easier to handle long heavy stock because of the sheer mass of the stationary planer. Obviously, they will last longer with the heavy duty construction and induction run motor.

Having said all that, I have to say I own a Ridgid lunchbox planer and am not looking to upgrade. The output of this planer is as good or better than what I have seen with industrial units. The knives are much easier to change out because they are indexed and no adjustments are required. There is no other maintenance or adjustments required. I have enough room for either type in my shop, but it is nice to be able to move the Ridgid around with ease. I simply can't justify spending any more money when the unit I have now does everything I want it to. If I were going to upgrade planers, I would buy a 20 inch.

[Bruce Mack]

The Ridgid 1300 (old style, 2 knives) is solid, snipeless, and produces a smooth finish. Nothing is lacking unless you need to do really heavy cuts and frequent planing.

[Nancy Laird]

Nick, if the lunchbox planer is as well-built and works as well as our 15" SCTW, I'd say go for it. Ours is turning out planed boards that need only a going-over with a ROS to be finish-ready.

Nancy (104 days)

[David Weaver]

Do you have access to a big planer? In my case, I use a Delta 22-580 and am very satisfied with what it's capable of, but a buddy has a Delta DC580 (similar number, entirely different machine - it's a 5hp 20" stationary model) and I will use his machine if I have something that doesn't fit in mine. If I didn't have access to his or something similar, I might think about getting a bigger planer.

I don't know anything about the steel city planer. The 22-580 is very easy to set up and if it's set up correctly, the cutterhead doesn't jostle around (it has a lock feature for the cutterhead) and it makes snipe-free cuts, and very good quality cuts, too.

[Joe Spear]

American Woodworker just came out with a benchtop planer review article. Under $400 they liked the three-knife Ridgid R4330 best. Between $400 and $500 they picked the Steel City 40200. Over $500, they picked the Craftsman 21759 with digital readout and the Dewalt DW735.

[Tim Marks]

The stationary planer has an induction motor instead of universal motor , so it is significantly quieter and will last much longer.

The money difference between a good lunchbox planer and a decent stationary planer is not significant considering the additional benefits and how much more tool you are getting for the money. Toy vs. heavy machinery...

I have a Dewalt 435 planer... a great planer and it works wonderfully. But for an extra $200 (or less by the time I bought in/outfeed and stand) I could have got a very decent grizzly 15" planer; wish that I had gone that route.

I didn't realize how much joy you can get over feeding in an ugly chunk of wood and getting a beautiful polished plank out the other side...