Edit... lol, in title I meant "next planer"
I've been using a dewalt 734 lunchbox planer for years, and it's been performing fine. It absolutely screams (soooo loud) but hearing protection for the win.
Yesterday I installed a new set of knives for the first time in awhile, and it occurred to me how imprecise the plastic jigs (which come with the tool) are compared to all the care I have (little by little) learned to take everywhere else in the shop to get things right. I use precision measuring gauges to set jointer knives, 5 cut method to build a table saw fence, and then I eyeball these plastic / magnet thingies to install planer knives.
Now, I will say that the boards have always come out pretty darn uniform... If you were you compare two successive boards to each other in any orientation, they are same thickness. I think if I were to more precisely measure, I'd learn that they're pretty good (but not perfect).
All that to say this... Pretty much all my other tools are upgraded to the point of my skill set at this point (or beyond... since my skill set is decidedly a work in progress), and I have found myself wondering lately if something "better" would be a good investment soon.
When I went through this same thought process and moved from 6" to 8" jointer, I was amazed at the improvement to my work quality and productivity (and enjoyment). Would upgrading here be like that?
Some buddies have gone to the dw 735 and swapped in a different cutter... and like that a lot. Price there is modest.
I've seen others go further up into Grizzly 15" options (again with non-straight knife cutter)... that seems to be good too. Price still pretty modest.
Then, others go wayyy up to places I don't have space for, would be overkill (I think), and price no longer modest.
So I guess questions are:
- Is it nuts that I'm using those plastic jigs to set knives on the 734 (i.e. should I be doing it another way, or is it "good enough")?
- Would upgrading from lunchbox to something "bigger/better" bring a lot of gain (similar to when I went from 6 - 8" jointer, or from contractor to cabinet saw etc.)
- And, if yes... how much of an upgrade is really sensible for a highly active hobbyist / small time business that also sells to about 1 customer per month on average. (yes, I have all licenses, insurance etc.)