Replies

1. 
   Dustmight | Dec 19, 2004 12:59am | #1

   Hi Frank - The biggest problem with the TP300, or any planer without a cutterhead lock, is snipe.  If you're willing to deal with a slight divot across each end of the board, it'll work out fine.   

2. 
   forestgirl | Dec 19, 2004 10:00pm | #2

   As mentioned above, the lack of a cutterhead lock is a signficant downside.  So too, in my mind, is the fact that the knives are not "quick change" knives (self-indexing).  The 22-580 is the 2-speed, 12.5" planer, much more expensive, but the single speed 12.5" TP400 is the equivalent to the older 22-560 that alot of us have.  When Delta introduced the name "Shopmaster" they changed some of the model numbers.

   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" .... :>) 

3. 
   Thumbsmasher | Dec 21, 2004 06:11am | #3

   I have a Delta 12" benchtop planer, and it gives a really nice finish, especially with freshly sharpened blades.  The downside is that it is really slow because you can't take more than about 1/32" per pass, with wider boards it's more like 1/64" (you can completely disregard the manufacturer's claims on this one). 

   If you plan on mainly doing light surfacing, then the benchtop model will work really well for you.  If you intend to work with much rough-sawn lumber, it will still work well, but you will spend a long time doing a monotonous task.  Do this for a few hours, and you might wish you had a "real" planer.  I certainly did.