Thickness planer diappointment
I had a Makita thickness planer[12″] for years.I used it and abused it ,and it handled it all.Now 10yrs. later it was time to shop for a new one.
I did my research,and tried the no.1 dewalt with 4 threaded posts, and a chain to keep the posts operating in unison.The threads got clogged up with dust,while in use with dust containment.
I took it back and got another one with the same problem.
The next one was the 12″ dewalt735or 734, ican’t remember,the blades dulled almost instantly.
Finally i tried the rigid, which i have now.
None of these are worth the money.If i’m going to plunk down 400+$’s,i expect them to perform, and plane hardwood, not just poplar or alder.
Is it my imagination, or are the blades just absolutely not able to keep an edge for any time at all?
And the rollers…a few week old machine not feeding the piece thru,and the rollers nice and clean with no pitch build up.
What has seved you well..specifically re.,sharpness retention,and roller outfeed of material.
Thanks rob
Replies
I have a 13" Dewalt DW735 and
I have a 13" Dewalt DW735 and have had zero issues. I have planed 2-3" thick hard maple, cherry, mahogany, a well a a bunch of tear out prone butternut. I get a surface that can be sanded at 150 grit. Snipe is not an issue as long as entrance and exit rollers or good hand support is used.
It is not a hogging planer, however. I remove at most 1/16" per pass. I have not yet reversed the blade and only have a few nicks in them.
Its feeding power is increased dramatically by keeping the polished bed lubed with dry spray lube. I have had difficulty with 2" thick, 8" wide, 8 ft long wide roughsawn lumber and I have to help it by pushing until the"wobbly" surfaces are leveled.
If the width of boards fit my jointer, I do face plane.
I find it to be an incredible labor aving machine and would buy again. It however is not my father 24" wide 5 hp production planer.
I use my planer on top of my workbench, with a stand supported infeed roller and a bench supported outfeed roller. Due to the 90 lb weight and a 63 yr old back, I use a 500# HF hoist to move the planer from it rollable storage cart to the bench top.
Jerry
Lube..?
Great tip, on the lube..anything special that you use?...thanks for the input... rob
Portable planers are fine for occasional use but they don't compare to stationary units. You will need adequate dust collection and the necessary electrical supply but you will have adjustability in a more robust machine. $400 may seem like a lot of money but it's entry level in planers. Top of the line single sided planers can be in the $20,000 range. I use a Delta 15" after having an older 24" Oliver. I does a very good job, the tables can be folded down and the unit rolled into a corner when not in use. There are other brands in the same price range, $1200 +-. That's still a fair amount but a unit of that type should last a lifetime. I just replaced my blades, cost $40 to grind 3. Depending on what I'm planing, they should last for a couple thousand lineal feet or more.
bought my makita in 78 and still being used all the time. just replaced the rollers. it is pain to set the blades on , but with that speed reduction sprocket that I put in when I got it, it has to be the nicest cutting planer around on difficult grain
ron
My 2012 NB Makita has been in service for approx 5 years. Did not keep track of BF planed, but it is used regularly. Blades not reversed or replaced yet and I get good quality finishes.
One of the best tools I have purchased to date. Absolutely no complaints.
Question for you Rob... You had a Makita planer for years which gave you great service and results. Why.. why... did you not get another Makita? The 2012 is probably the best lunch-boxes on the market and has been time tested to agree with that statement. Yet you went to one Dewalt.. then another and then to a Ridgid. Why did you not at some point go Makita during that process?
I have a 20" 5 HP hog but.. if I were to ever pick up another lunch-box I know without question which one if would be... make mine Makita in that case! :>)
Three things can cause poor feeding, not just rollers. Based on what you are describing you are probably getting poor feed because of dull blades and possibly a dirty base table. While the big DeWalt has gained some notoriety for its blades dulling quickly, I have personally had good luck with blade life on the Ridgid machines. Cleanliness of the outside of the boards and the species of the wood can have a dramatic effect on blade life.
Floormeister,
Let me chime in with those who like the 735. I've had mine for about 4-5 years and have had zero problems. While I don't use it non-stop for 8 hours a day, I have put quite a lot of wood through it; white and red oak, hard maple pine, lots of cherry, sapele, some walnut, yellowheart, and tonight bloodwood and Gabon ebony. Like others,l I brush and blow the wood clean, take light cuts, keep the feed rollers clean, wax the bed, and support the workpiece. I use parrafin on the elevation screws, and a dc to keep that under control. It may seem hard to believe, but I am still on the first edge on the blades and have had only one nick. I just scooted one blade over a little and it was fine. Tonight I planed a piece of ebony and it was beautifully smooth.
For me, it's one of the most useful and satisfying tools in my shop. I'd buy another tomorrow if I needed to. I hope what you have is satisfactory and that you enjoy what you're doing.
Steve
I have had my Dewalt for 7+ years. It has planed all the cherry, sugar maple, oak, walnut, hickory, and more that I can put through it. I have two sets of blades that I rotate out, but frankly, I have only had to sharpen a set once every 2 yrs or so on average.
I think it is a great machine and would not hesitate to buy another.
Why not Makita?
Excellent ques.!!. I did a lot of research, mainly in FWW mag., but also alot of online research.Everything ponted to the Dewalt.
Also ,the makita was not avail. locally,and would need to special order.
Finally, i did not assume that just because i had a good makita exp.15yrs. ago...did not mean things haven't changed..think toyota..
thanks for your input, rob
A couple of thoughts--
I have the same planer. I've been paying close attention to all of the information written that I come across.
It came highly recommended to me that when I go to replace the blades, to change to carbide blades from Infinity. Carbide blades (so I've read) will last much much longer. You can get them on Amazon, but they aren't cheap.
Great tip on the bed-- keeping it clean.. I might try some woodglide and see if that helps.
I'm fighting snipe on my thick bench boards-- even with the folding table attachments. Fortunately so far, the snip is where I'm cutting tenons, but it's really annoying. Anyone have tips? I have a roller stand, but discovered a sure-fire way to set the height properly.
Michael
Where can I get a set of straight carbide blades to fit my trusty Makita 2012NB thickness planer?
I’ve had the dewalt 735 for 10 plus years and love it - about 2 years ago I was able to put a Byrd cutterhead in it - big investment but it made my awesome lunch box planer even better!
Good luck! Layne
So do you think the byrds head is worth the money? I am not happy with my hss blades from dewalt. They dull fast. I do mostly red oak. They only get a few hundred board feet and are dull. Not replacement dull, but make the machine work a little more, not glass smooth. Just dont want to make the jump in cost and not be sure of it.
The Byrd cutter head is totally worth the money and I have heard people say they get many years of cutting on just one side of the 4 sided cutters, times that by 4 sides and you get many years on one set of blades, not to mention like you said the hss knives are terrible and expensive over time. Im on year 2 so far and no complaints. Another plus is if you nick a blade, you just rotate that one cutter by a quarter turn - no need to change knives for a nick. The machine is quieter and the finish is still excellent.
I did a Byrd conversion on an older DeWalt and it was a mixed blessing. I delivered all the benefits of helical carbide heads, but it could only cut 1/32 at a time. I wound up buying a Rikon, which is probably not as good a machine but at least in can manage 1/16 at a time, a bit more on some woods.
I understand that the current DeWalt conversion might not have this limit, but for those upgrading older machines, check on it.
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