Hello, and question on planers

[Craig Hemsath]

Recently found the site, and love the info found here. What a great resource these sites are.

I was wondering what the board's opinion is on a couple of different bench-top planers. I'm getting tired of driving to my grandpa's to use his, and would like to get one of my own. Due to space (wife thinks she needs to park her car in the garage ;)) I'm looking at the smaller benchtop models.

I really like the Dewalt dw735, but have heard they're very loud. I know planers are loud tools, but I would like to minimize the noise. I have an old neighbor that's touchy about things and don't really want to hassle with noise complaints/upsetting the neighborhood. How would the noise compare to the older dw734 (see lots of them for quite cheap online)? Or the Rigid 12"planer? I've also been looking at the Delta TP305 and Delta 22-540(?)?

Thanks for the responses, look forward to reading more on the board.

[J. Z. Guest]

This noise is going to be about the same. Most of the noise comes from the knives hitting the wood, not from the motor itself.

They say that was one of the main reasons for these fancy spiral cutterhead jointers being produced now. I've never heard a spiral one work, but I can assure you that a planer is likely to be the loudest tool in the shop, whether you have a 7.5 hp three phase or a humble lunchbox DW734 or 735.

[Erech Myers]

I did this comparison a few years ago. I really liked the Dewalt 735, but could not justify the cost. I found a reconditioned Rigid at the Woodworking Show in Atlanta for $225 with a free set of extra blades. I could not be happier. For a weekend woodworker like myself, the Rigid had been perfect.

As Jeremy said, when I upgrade in the future, the only thing I really want is the spiral cutterhead. It is supposed to be quieter and leave a glass surface on any type of wood & knots. That has been my only complaint about my current planer is that a chunk of wood will come out every once in a while. But not because of the planer. It is just hitting a hard place like a knot. The spiral cutterhead should eliminate that. Unfortunately, you won't find a spiral cutterhead in this price range.

Good luck and Have Fun!

[Lance Norris]

This noise is going to be about the same. Most of the noise comes from the knives hitting the wood, not from the motor itself.

They say that was one of the main reasons for these fancy spiral cutterhead jointers being produced now. I've never heard a spiral one work, but I can assure you that a planer is likely to be the loudest tool in the shop, whether you have a 7.5 hp three phase or a humble lunchbox DW734 or 735.

Jeremy... My first planer was a benchtop Hitachi. It was(still is) a great planer. It screams louder than a jet before the knives ever touch any wood. I now have a Grizzly 1021x, which has a spiral head. This planer is quiet, you can hold an almost normal volume conversation while its planing wood.

Craig... Welcome. I dont think you will find a benchtop planer that wont upset your neighbor. Maybe you could make peace with a nice gift from the woodshop. A nice box would be my choice. Good luck.

[Ron Dunn]

Craig, how far away is your Grandfather?

One hidden price you won't realise until it is too late, is that if you buy your own planer, you won't be spending as much time with him.

[Rob Will]

Craig,

Welcome to the creek!

I would save my nickels and get a heavier planer with a Byrd cutterhead. It seems like a lot of money up front but in a couple of years, you will look back and be glad you bought quality.

I run a 15 hp Powermatic 225 with a Byrd head. You can stand beside it and carry on a normal conversation while it is running.

I think PM and Grizzly are now selling planers with the American Made Byrd head factory installed. I would put it on a mobile base and roll it over in the corner when not in use. Here is a pic of a new PM 15" planer.

Rob

[Lewis Cobb]

Craig,

Welcome to the creek!

I would save my nickels and get a heavier planer with a Byrd cutterhead. It seems like a lot of money up front but in a couple of years, you will look back and be glad you bought quality.

I run a 15 hp Powermatic 225 with a Byrd head. You can stand beside it and carry on a normal conversation while it is running.

I think PM and Grizzly are now selling planers with the American Made Byrd head factory installed. I would put it on a mobile base and roll it over in the corner when not in use. Here is a pic of a new PM 15" planer.

Rob

That looks like the 20" unit not the 15. I'm currently waiting for the ice to disappear from my driveway so I can get a trailer up it with a new PM 15" unit on it :D

[Russ Sears]

Craig, I just went through the benchtop purchasing process and settled on the DW735. The deal at Lowe's was too hard to pass up, plus I used the one-time 10% off "moving" coupon on top of that.

This is the only planer I've owned or used so take that into consideration. I believe they are all loud; you'll use hearing protection no matter which one you buy and if one will disturb the neighbors, they all will. Part of the reason the 735 is said to be loud is because of the built-in chip blower. When you hook a hose or a bag to the output, it muffles the sound quite a bit. I wouldn't let noise be a deciding factor in this class of machine. I just can't see that they are all that different in that regard.

So far I love this thing. I don't have the infeed/outfeed tables but find that I get very little snipe if I feed carefully. It's so little that it's easily sanded out.

[Matt Day]

Unfortunately the lunchbox planers are very loud machines. It's the only tool in my shop I always wear hearing protection with.

I would think about soundproofing your garage doors with insulation board to try and appease your neighbors. There's some good suggestions in the "there goes the shop" thread from last week.

[Mike Heidrick]

I own a 734 as my banckup lunchbox planer. It is awesome and very loud. All lunchbox planers are more than likely. It is a workhorse of a lunchbox though and if you see one cheap do not pass it up.

You have a couple more days on the Lowes sale though on the 735. I do not know the details but I read some threads here or on woodnet about the sale though.

[Tony De Masi]

The Lowes sales on the DW735 runs through the end of the month. Regular price was $549 which they are running a 17% sale on. Add the 10% coupon you can get from the post office and I got mine for $410 plus tax. Just couldn't pass it up.

Tony

[Rob Will]

That looks like the 20" unit not the 15. I'm currently waiting for the ice to disappear from my driveway so I can get a trailer up it with a new PM 15" unit on it :D

Yeah, I think you are right. Some dealer had it shown on their website as a 15" but I am skeptical too. I think it is a 20".

Rob

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Lunchbox = loud. turn them on they're loud and shove a board through and they just get louder. I have an old DeWalt, a friend with a Delta, another friend whose Makita I have used.....put the earmuffs on. A friend and I are setting up a wood operation and we got a Grizzly and put a Byrd shelix on it and its about the quietest of the bunch. Before I got my Dewalt I was planing a few things at my friend's house at night with his Makita and don't know as I would have blamed his neighbors if they'd slashed his tires.

The larger the planer you have the more you can handle. You didn't say how much you anticipate using it so the smaller lunchbox may be all you need. They do have two things going for them if they will suit your needs. Cheaper and smaller. I have my DeWalt on a little "dolly" and when I need to use it pull it out from under a work table and when I'm finished put a plastic dust cover (plastic bag :) ) over it and shove it back under the table. I don't really know what you might do to lessen the noise other than run it inside with all doors and windows closed.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Get a true helical cutterhead ( they cost more) and you can talk in the phone next to the planer while you reduce a 2*10 to a toothpick on one pass.

[Quesne Ouaques]

Hi Craig:

I have the 13" Delta 22-580 and I'm very happy with it. I'm sure you'll get good performance out of the Dewalt, too. Also, I never met a lunchbox planer that did not whine loudly.

FYI - FWW had an article recently called "Benchtop Planers". It was a great review of a number of models. You can easily find it on the website. Pretty sure it is in their free area. Just do a search.

[Craig Hemsath]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I knew the things are all loud, just *hoping* maybe one was better than the others. I don't need anything to terribly glamorous, as I don't plan on running massive amounts of lumber through (just personal/family stuff). I just hate buying the super expensive stuff from box stores.

[Lee Koepke]

Just got the DW 734 last week, ran a few pieces of cherry and one maple.

NICE cuts. my first planer, so I have no benchmark. It is loud, and I will use my hearing protection from now on ...

[glenn bradley]

DW734 here. All universal motors that work that hard are pretty loud. I would say that when planing 12" wide maple it give a free hand router a run for its money, noise-wise.

The only motorized tools I use without ear muffs would be a cordless drill or the drill press. I live alone so as long as I'm wearing muffs, I don't care. If you have others in the house or nearby, their opinion may differ ;-)