I can’t vouch for the internals such as motor windings and bearings, but other than color, the Sunhill SM-346 and the Woodtek 115-946 appeared identical in my tests. Both have plenty of power, provide a good surface finish, and allow easy knife changes. The crank handle for depth-of-cut control can be located on the left or right, and dust collection is good. These machines rely on a headlock for snipe control. Rollers on the leading edge of the infeed and trailing edge of the outfeed table add some convenience, but the feed tables are lower than the planer bed where they meet and can’t be adjusted flush with the bed although they can be adjusted for tilt. These are a good value, though the Sunhill was too far out of parallel.
Photo: Anissa Kapsales
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Ridgid R4331 Planer
Priced nearly $300 less than the DeWalt 735X, the Ridgid R4331 is an excellent value. Its three-knife cutterhead left wonderfully clean surfaces on plainsawn white oak and white pine. It did not perform nearly as well on curly maple as the 735X.
The thick, felted bag on this Shop Fox is a plus and a minus. On one hand, it makes the unit much less expensive than collectors with canister filters, and also lighter and easier to hang on the wall. Without a separate plastic bag to catch chips, however, they stay in the felt bag, and the shortish zipper on the bottom makes it tough to shake them out. Otherwise, the W1826 is an excellent value.
At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy.
With its graceful curves, cabriole legs, and ornamental back splat, a Queen Anne side chair is a bucket list build for many woodworkers. Dan Faia had a very specific Queen…
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