I have a general question regarding the purchase of a new thickness planer. I bought new a AP10 10 in Ryobi planer years ago, but it has outlived its usefulness and its time to put it out to pasture. I would use the planer for occassional use and need at least a 12 in min width with the new one. The only other requirement I have is a good chip evacuation system. Cost is a consideration, but not an overriding one. I looked at the high end Dewalt earlier, but read too many bad reviews about it on line (primarily easily dulled knives). Any feedback that can be provided would be appreciated.
ADM47
Replies
You might want to look around and see if you can find a source for non-DeWalt knives for that planer, because if you want good chip evacuation, there's no doubt you'll get it from the DW735.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I think there's a Craftsman model that has chip evacuation. Not sure if there are others besides that one and the DW735.
Check out the Ridgid at Home Depot. It got good reviews in some rag I read recently. I looked it over at the store and was impressed. it's supposed to produce much less snipe than the AP 10 you and I both have.
When mine dies, the Ridgid will be top on my list.
Chris
Check out the Delta 22-580, 13", two speed planer. Do a couple searches here and you'll find quite a few comments on it. I got mine for $300, new but it was from a local sale that I found in a classified. But it is still considerably less than the Dewalt even from a store.
I was thinking of the Dewalt but in my opinion it is neither fish nor fowl. It is considerably more $$, but not much less than a larger fixed-base planer. But it supposedly has super chip ejection (the Delta has an optional chute for $25 and w/ a shop vac I get 99% of the chips/dust), heavy, three blades, etc. You can also find a lot of them reconditioned. I think this has to do w/ the early ones having problems w/ the plastic gear wheel breaking, and they supposedly fixed the problem.
But, I am glad I bought the Delta. For my needs the extra money for the Dewalt wouldn't have paid off. The finish I get from the slow speed on the Delta is pretty amazing. I get no snipe at all 99% of the time.
I have the DW 735 and after they finally remedied the initial design problems it has been a jewel. I traded from a Delta that coughed and quit. The dust extraction on the DW is amazing; I usually hook it up to my dust collector but it is not needed. One day I forgot the hook up and it blew chips against my garage wall 20' away. I have not experienced the problem you describe with the knives; I run a lot of oak through there and it does fine; I am not looking for a fine finish so perhaps I haven't noticed the problem. I do know the finish with new knives is perfect.
Your comment about the knives is an attention-getter! Wonder why there is so much "out there" about the knives being easily dulled and not lasting very long at all? I've seen reports in several different places. Is it possible they have redesigned the knives since the first came out?? Just doesn't make sense that they'd design and manufacture such a nice planer and stick it with sub-par knives.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Maybe I'm not as picky as most. I have had some knicks from some rough lumber when I was doing the boat but after some new knives I just haven't noticed; maybe I will pay more attention if evreybody else sees a problem.
I'm not sure "everyone else" sees a problem -- you know how these things go, especially with the reviews at Amazon added in the mix. I would truly like to hear that, if there was a problem in the beginning, they've solved it.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Have you considered a planer with an induction motor as opposed to the universal motors on the bench tops.Jet ,Grizzly and others have 3 hp 15" planers for not much more than the Dewalt 13" planer. There are many advantages to the larger planers, even for occasional use. They last a long time, much quieter, motor problems can be fixed, and they do not take up that much more space. Many benchtop planer users make some sort of stand for them, they usually are almost the same size as a large planers footprint.If you upgrade, do it once.
mike
"Have you considered a planer with an induction motor". I second that notion. I have a delta 13 1/2 " with dust chute hooked up to 1100 cfm DC. Not impresed with the collection %. Its a good machine with little to no snipe, and I have run hundres of red oak bf through it. Had to replace drive bet once (very easy) and knives once. Blades are cheap and reverseable and easy to replace too. Cons, VERY loud and heavy for a portable. Infeed and outfeed tables flex too much with longer stock. Bogs a little more than i would like with with stock (8" and wider) but eats up narrower stock no problem. Excellent cutterhead lock and stop. It is a great machine all in all for a portable, but I'm ready for a stationary planer with a min of 15" cap. Go right to a stationary if poss, I do not think you would regret it, as I am now.
I had looked at the DeWalt at around $500 in the big box stores like Home Depot. I then looked at a Grizzly 15" 2HP model for around $725. While 225 is not a insignificant amount of extra money I am so happy I did it. I have put 12" wide 10 foot long red oak boards through it and it eats them like candy. I cannot imagine any bench top/portable model doing that. For me the extra money was well worth it there is a world of difference.
Thanks to all who inputed my inquiry about purchasing a thickness planer. The wealth of your knowledge is impressive.
Appreciatively.
ADM47
The key to good (great!) chip evacuation is the dust collector attached to the planer. I have the old version of the Makita 12" planer (2012) (10 years old and still works great). It gets at least 1-2 hours on time per week...
I work out of a basement shop and the only thing more dangerous than dust and chips is my wife when she sees dust and chips...
I attached a 4X10" to 5" round heating system ductwork transition to the chip outlet on the planer and this goes to my shop dual bag 3 HP dust collector (2400CFM).
This setup works so well I don't even have to clean the machine after use..
Edited 1/27/2006 5:10 pm ET by canadian
I'm very happy with the Delta 22-580. Got it from Amazon and they threw in the dust shute for free. I hook it up to my dust collector with a 4" hose and have no problems with chips/dust.
I wouldn't reject that dewalt solely on the basis of some reports of rapid knife blunting-these can be replaced by a better grade, surely, and it is not caused by the actual machine.
But then again, if cost is not an issue, why not get something that will spur you on to greater things-somehting approaching a real thicknesser, something on a par with General or Powermatic? Or am I going over the top?
It has been noted in an ongoing discussion on surface defects regularly seen on timber processed by the average home-use machines that the more expensive machines (read those tending towards industrial quality) are less likely to suffer from this-i.e surface defects arising from poor chip evacuation-even with the aid of an extraction system)
It's the same old thing-one gets what one pays for....
I bought a Ridgid 13" thickness planner about 3 years ago and have no complaints. I purchased a 20" stationary planner sometime back to speed up the planing of glued up panels, thinking I would sell the Ridgid - but I couldn't part with it so I set it on top of the stationary planer and still use for narrower parts quite a bit. The stationary can't match the finish that the Ridgid provides either. Home Depot still carries these units.
does the rigid planer come with a dust collector attachment and do the beds support larger stock well?
Yes, the Ridgid dust collector chute is included plus it has a 4" hook up on one side and 2.5" on the other so you have the option of shop vac or dust collector.
The table length is 34" overall so it's right up there with the longest beds. I'm not sure what the warranty is now - it was lifetime at the time that I bought but I think it's three years now.
Good Luck
I looked and researched for over two years before buying a bench top Planer and found the Rigid from Home Depot was the best buy. Its heavier than all others, has the only US made Emerson motor in it, more RPM than Delta or Dewalt comparable models. The knives are larger which disipates heat better and the Rigid came with an extra set of knives($50 value) plus a stand. I've run a lot of hardwood through it with no problem and even with just a shop vac hook up for DC it is great on chip removal extraction. If you go with the bigger planers as has been suggested the extra cost is worth it but for the job the bench tops do the Rigid is my choice.
Thanks for your response. There is a Home Depot close to our home. Will take a lood at the planer you mention the next time I'm by.
Appreciatively,
ADM47
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