Juan Lauchu
12-02-2007, 7:15 PM
If you are considering the new Ridgid R4330 planer then read on. If not, skip this thread. This is just one man's tool review.:cool:
Friday I brought home the Ridgid R4330 Benchtop Planer. I have to admit, I had been tossing back and forth between this one and the Steel City. My local Steel City dealer did not have one in stock and I was impatient. Honestly, it came down to impatience and money. The SC is $420 and the Ridgid was $370.
After having read the FWW review, and considering my own personal situation, I chose this planer for the following reasons: 1) I don't want to spend more than $400 on a bench top planer that will eventually (in at most 2 years) be replaced with a floor model 15" or 20," 2) I don't need or want a dust blower, everything I need for dust collection I have (not interested in Yellow or Craftsman, 3) when you look at the many authors and contributors of FWW, most people have those Ridgid planers, albeit the older model, and 4) my impatience.
Out of the box, and put together, there was snipe. Just as FWW had said. However, now is a good time to mention that the machine has 3 cutters and not 2 as FWW has listed. After some simple table adjustments and having run roughly 200 board feet of oak and maple (various widths and thicknesses)
I find the cut to be extremely smooth and with extremely little snipe. Less than 1 millimeter. I fussed a little more with the tables and perhaps I will continue to work with the snipe issue but I honestly don't find it hindering my use of the machine or the stock I plane. There are small marks (patterned ridges) that are noticeable to the naked eye from the cutter and I am assuming that any bench planer would leave marks. It only takes a quick, and I mean quick, swipe with my Festool sander at 180 grit to knock it out! The motor has plenty of power. Dust collection again, is not an issue for me. It is not a monster to move from place to place and this was perhaps another little factor in my purchase as I do, occasionally work for my Church on building issues and furniture. Last, it is not as loud as I had expected. Not a whispering machine, but not as loud as some shop vacs I have had! Note: I always wear ear muffs anyway.
Overall, I am very happy with this purchase and would do it again. I think it is a good machine and would recommend it if you were in the same situation as me. I can see that some would want a lot more from a simple bench top planer but if I want more... I'm purchasing a floor model with 3-5 horses and the best cutter I can buy. Let's call this what it is, a good $370 planer; not a $3700.00 planer.
Hope this helps someone looking into a bench top planer.
Happy Holidays,
Juan
Friday I brought home the Ridgid R4330 Benchtop Planer. I have to admit, I had been tossing back and forth between this one and the Steel City. My local Steel City dealer did not have one in stock and I was impatient. Honestly, it came down to impatience and money. The SC is $420 and the Ridgid was $370.
After having read the FWW review, and considering my own personal situation, I chose this planer for the following reasons: 1) I don't want to spend more than $400 on a bench top planer that will eventually (in at most 2 years) be replaced with a floor model 15" or 20," 2) I don't need or want a dust blower, everything I need for dust collection I have (not interested in Yellow or Craftsman, 3) when you look at the many authors and contributors of FWW, most people have those Ridgid planers, albeit the older model, and 4) my impatience.
Out of the box, and put together, there was snipe. Just as FWW had said. However, now is a good time to mention that the machine has 3 cutters and not 2 as FWW has listed. After some simple table adjustments and having run roughly 200 board feet of oak and maple (various widths and thicknesses)
I find the cut to be extremely smooth and with extremely little snipe. Less than 1 millimeter. I fussed a little more with the tables and perhaps I will continue to work with the snipe issue but I honestly don't find it hindering my use of the machine or the stock I plane. There are small marks (patterned ridges) that are noticeable to the naked eye from the cutter and I am assuming that any bench planer would leave marks. It only takes a quick, and I mean quick, swipe with my Festool sander at 180 grit to knock it out! The motor has plenty of power. Dust collection again, is not an issue for me. It is not a monster to move from place to place and this was perhaps another little factor in my purchase as I do, occasionally work for my Church on building issues and furniture. Last, it is not as loud as I had expected. Not a whispering machine, but not as loud as some shop vacs I have had! Note: I always wear ear muffs anyway.
Overall, I am very happy with this purchase and would do it again. I think it is a good machine and would recommend it if you were in the same situation as me. I can see that some would want a lot more from a simple bench top planer but if I want more... I'm purchasing a floor model with 3-5 horses and the best cutter I can buy. Let's call this what it is, a good $370 planer; not a $3700.00 planer.
Hope this helps someone looking into a bench top planer.
Happy Holidays,
Juan