Originally Posted by
David Omatick
Jeff,
So are you saying you liked DW735 with spiral to the Hammer A3-31? What was "better" - smoother finished surface?
This thread along with the Combo vs Separate thread has hit home with me. I was thinking of the DW735 (good price on the package that includes table and blades right now) with a 12" jointer to follow, or the Hammer, Jet or Grizzly combo's and the final option of the 15" Grizzly 453Z planer and 12" jointer. So many choices!
I would assume the Grizzly pair with spiral heads would be the pick of the litter if space and cost are no object, followed by the combos - is a spiral option Grizzly combo a better choice than the straight knife Hammer? And the 3rd would be the Dewalt 735 planer and Grizzly jointer.
I dont miss owning a lunchbox planer at all. I do miss the spiral head, its quiter and without argument less tearout on figured wood. Straight knives are fine for 95% of the planing I do, I prefer to use my drum sander if I need to thickness figured wood (I know, I know, a drum sander is not a planer). My Hammer A3-31 is a great machine, accuracy is spot on plus I can take off as much material as I want without loosing power or finish quality. If I had a huge shop with a wallet to match, I'd own seperate machines, with matching capacities.
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