Hi,I’m looking to buy a thickness planer. I have a budget of 600.00 dollars to spend. I was wondering does anyone of suggestions on buying a thickness planer and what brand would you go with. I bought a Yorkcraft 8 inch joiner back in August at it is working real good.
thanks
Steve
Replies
I have a 1965 Powermatic 221 I will sell for $600. It needs some repair to the sectional infeed roller. I have all the parts ready to go back together but can't find the time to work on it. Been busy with a flood of jobs. A couple days work and you would have a great machine.
DJK
DJK,
If Chief Bull is not interested, I would be. That's a great planer. Where are you located, and is shipping an option?
Lee
DJK,
Thanks for the offer but I'll try for a new model. I'm looking in buying a bench model at this point I don't think I can afford a floor model.
thanks
Steve
I am not sure if your looking for a bench top planer or a floor model. Not sure if you can find a 15" floor model for that budget, but a bench top will cost less than $400.00 for a good planer.
Anyway, the purpose of my respone is to give my first hand experiance with both types. I just sold my Delta benchtop 13 1/2" planer and upgraded to a Griz 15" floor model. The Griz can chew wood like cutting the grass. The Delta obviously could not compare. However, in hindsight I should have kept the delta for the final pass. The wood came out ready too go after a final 1/32 pass. I find the Griz leaves so slight roller marks that I need to go over by hand after. I dont want to take too much pressure off the roller, because I plan on feeding some good size pieces through.
Best of luck.
Joe P
Dear Chief,
I am not not sure, as another mentioned what you are looking for, bench or floor model. I have a 12" Makita, that I have used commercially for at least five years, if not. longer. I used to burn up a Delta a year, then in a moment if weakness, I tried the Ridgid, that went back immediately and finally ordered the Makita from amazon. I have since acquired a 15" Delta as well and although the Delta can really hog off material, I use the Makita, still for the final pass.
Best,
John
I bought a Powermatic 180 not too long ago for $750, but that's a touch over your budget anyways. :)
I also have a Ridgid 13" benchtop planer which I find to be fantastic. I've seen prices on them ranging from $250 on eBay to whatever they sell for new at Home Depot. $379 or something like that. Plenty of power, cutterhead lock, easy blade changes, spare blades, stand, overall a really nice machine. I have planed over 3000 board feet of pine and hardwood with mine in the past three months and except for eating two sets of blades, it's been great.
The next step up is a BIG step - I don't think you can get a better planer for less than $1000. The asian-made 15" models with the motor on top are OK but may not be something you'll be happy with in the long run.
Since you're focused on the benchtop models, I'd suggest the DeWalt 13 2-speed planer, model 735. Here's one on-line review of it. You have enough in your budget to get the extension tables and set it up right.
When it first came off the production line, there were some problems with sprocket breakage due to bearing failure, but that was corrected in January 2004. See this thread. Many people look for aftermarket blades, available at http://www.infinitytools.com .
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
hey forestgirl, i have that very planer. bought it earlier this year and like it very much. fits in his budget too, around my place it's $500 at hd.
Not too many people can find fault with that DeWalt, it seems. It makes my little Delta look pretty puny, LOL! I'd love to have the 2 speeds.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I've got the 2-speed Delta and I have to say the results look the same at either speed. The only real difference I can tell is that it takes a lot longer at the slower speed - LOL.
Have you run any figured wood through it? That's where the slower speed is supposed to come in handy. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Good point - -no, I haven't. I have learned a lot about reading grain patterns and feeding it in the right direction - man, can it make a mess out of a piece of maple if you feed it in the wrong way!
Which, come to think of it, is along the lines of the figured wood. Some of the boards had grain going both directions, and there was definately tear-out regardless of speed.
Hmm... do they make Tersa heads for any of the portable planers?
"...do they make Tersa heads for any of the portable planers?" Only in your dreams, LOL! forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
i've used a technique on figured wood for a few years now that works. use the slowest speed possible on your planer and take extra light cuts. wet the entire top surface of the board to be planed with a damp sponge and plane right away. if any tearout occurs, it is absolutely minimal.
greg
Hi
I own a Ridgid and use it alot. It has never missed a beat in all the time I've had it. Very user friendly and remember it won several awards. Many very good features especially easy blade changes.
Enjoy
Wayne
Chief Bull
I have just recently purchased a Dewalt 735 and I am extermly pleased with it. I had a Twaineese knockoff (Totalshop) for the past 15 years and finally sold it and got the Dewalt. All of the product reviews that I saw were very good and after using it they were correct. It is a very good tool.
Greg
Ditto Forestgrrl (Sorry Jamie, Couldn't resist) The DW735 Is one great little planer. It breezed through some hard maple and beech with no problems. And with 3 knives in the cutterhead and two feed rates you get a super smooth finish, With very little hand sanding using 220 paper your ready for finishing.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
DW735 is the one to get. Go to Amazon today (or wait for one of there $xx off when you order $xxx or more deals for even more savings).
I have the Delta 2-speed and it's a terrific machine. Can't say enough about it.
Real value and great results.
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