Rikon Planer/Jointer

[Stew Hagerty]

OK, so I was thinking about changing up my shop a bit (like none of us ever do that) and I ran across the Rikon 25-210 12" Planer/Jointer combo machine. At around $1900 it appears to be a pretty good deal. The reviews I read are weighted heavily on the high side too. UT, as always, I trust you guys far more than online reviews when it comes to shop equipment and tools. So... What do you think? I currently have a DeWalt DW735X with the stand. And I do not have a Jointer because I really don't have room for one. However, if I could replace my DeWalt with a combo unit, that could work. Any thoughts? Anyone have this machine or heard things about it?

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[larry senen]

If you buy it i think you should get the helical head model .

It appears to be similar to the SCMI machine i had, if it is ,keep all the hinges well oiled.

[David Kumm]

Take a Oneway type gauge and level the infeed and outfeed tables. Open and close the jointer tables a few times and measure to make sure they are still in alignment. Also check against the knives. Then I would lower the infeed as normally used, take a reading and repeat the open close. If there are machine issues with a jointer planer it will usually be the inability to return to exact settings. If it passes the test, you have a decision to make. If not, run for cover. Dave

[Stew Hagerty]

If you buy it i think you should get the helical head model .

It appears to be similar to the SCMI machine i had, if it is ,keep all the hinges well oiled.

The helical model is $700 more (37% more).

[Greg Parrish]

Never seen one but like the idea. I'm sort of wishing I had one with the helical head instead of my DW 735 on stand and my Powermatic 54a jointer. Would loose an inch of planer space but would gain 6 inches of jointer space. Also, would take only the space of one tool which is good in a small garage sized shop. Good point about about maintaining square after moving from one function to the other and back.

[Stew Hagerty]

Take a Oneway type gauge and level the infeed and outfeed tables. Open and close the jointer tables a few times and measure to make sure they are still in alignment. Also check against the knives. Then I would lower the infeed as normally used, take a reading and repeat the open close. If there are machine issues with a jointer planer it will usually be the inability to return to exact settings. If it passes the test, you have a decision to make. If not, run for cover. Dave

The problem is Dave, where I live there are none to put my hands onto.

[David Kumm]

Sorry, Stew. I thought you had run across one locally ( physically ). If buying sight unseen you need reviews from anal guys who use theirs enough to know if they hold up. Dave

[Stew Hagerty]

Sorry, Stew. I thought you had run across one locally ( physically ). If buying sight unseen you need reviews from anal guys who use theirs enough to know if they hold up. Dave

Yeah, that's why I came on here. Online reviews are one thing, but I don't know who they are, or if they are even real reviews -VS- paid reviews.

[Roger Feeley]

If you need a 12" jointer, fine. It seems out of balance to me. If I could justify a 12" jointer, I would want a 24" planer.

I use a Jet 6" jointer and plan to upgrade my lunchbox planer to a 20". If I want to flatten the face of a board, I generally hot glue it or wedge it to a carrier and feed it through the planer. About all I use the jointer for is edges.

[Stew Hagerty]

If you need a 12" jointer, fine. It seems out of balance to me. If I could justify a 12" jointer, I would want a 24" planer.

I use a Jet 6" jointer and plan to upgrade my lunchbox planer to a 20". If I want to flatten the face of a board, I generally hot glue it or wedge it to a carrier and feed it through the planer. About all I use the jointer for is edges.

That is basically how I have been getting by. I use a sled in my planer for faces and I use my nice vintage Stanley #8 for the edges. Whenever I have needed to plane something wider that the 12 1/2" the DW735 can handle, I have just done it by hand. And I really don't run into that very often. No I don't need a 12" jointer, but then I've always heard you should get the widest one you can afford. My interest in it is not the size (as long as it is at least 12"), so much as it is the combo part. It wouldn't take up much more space than my Planer, and yet fulfill both functions. And I thought at $1900 is didn't sound like that bad of a deal. Especially since I know I can get $450 for the DeWalt with the stand. That drops my cost to under $1500.

[larry senen]

$2369@ performance tool center.com spiral head.

[Stew Hagerty]

$2369@ performance tool center.com spiral head.

Ah, well if it's just $400 more then that might not be so bad.

[Curt Harms]

It looks like the Jet JJP-12. Lots of people like the helical cutterhead, especially for twisted/interlocking grain or figured wood.

[rudy de haas]

When I was buying my stuff I went to a wood working shop in Calgary where the staff were deeply uninterested in helping people who don't know their secret handshake. However, they had the rikon 10" combo on display and didn't even seem to notice as I did everything except run it (no wood and no power). Overall it seemed very plasticy and loosely put together. I thought it junk, but in retrospect the staff may simply not have assembled the floor model correctly.

The machine I liked best was grizzly's (and I would have bought one if they'd been reasonable about shipping to Canada) G0675 - still on Amazon as Made in the U.S.
--see https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-G0675.../dp/B0027W4488 - which it is not, but solid and vastly more convincing as a quality product than the rikon.

[Dick Mahany]

I'm looking at the Rikon.......Down-sized about a year ago, and let my JJP-12 go. BIG MISTAKE. With all of the reported shortcomings reported about the smaller tables and inconveniences of changing from jointer to planer mode.......just try and get by without either in a new shop. I never had one problem with the Jet JJP-12, but can't afford to buy it again with current pricing. I'm not a full time professional and don't need the Felder/Hammer quality, but 12" proved to be everything I ever needed. I would still pass on anything anything 10" or less for my needs, but Rikon and Grizzly are now getting my attention.