Any advice on planers?

[Muhammad]

Thanks for the link, Rat.

To answer the more detailed use questions... I'm looking at the portable models, under $500.

At this point I'm leaning towards the DeWalt DW734. Seems like it'll be hard to go wrong with that, and it includes a dust hood. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[timb]

In that last few years it seems like every new review out on the then-latest batch of 'portables' seems to get more favorable - but the best of these all seem to be in the $400-$500 range. At that kind of price unless I absolutely needed 'job-site portability' I'd be awfully tempted to bump up into the low end of the imported stationary units in the $600-$700 range. Examples - the Grizzly G0550 or G0551. Unfortunately while I know a few people with even bigger Grizzly planers (they like them a lot) I haven't gotten any feedback on those or similar units. The mass, stiffness, and real power differences compared to the portables are obvious but the devil will be in the details you can't tell until you use it.

 

[higgy]

I have a portable powermatic, and it is a great machine. If you get a top quality portable it will do you weel

However.

I have bought a stationary planer with 15 ich cabability. Bought it used, put new switches in it and had the bed milled. All up I have about 600 in it now.

After using this machine I would not go back. I now use my small ones on site at jobs, when it dies that will be the end, I will not replace it. The small portables are not capable of the accuracy and finish of the larger machines.

They are out there used, you just have to look, and when you find the deal don't hesitate as someone else will not.

Just my 0.02.

Dane

 

[texbaylea]

I have an RBI 6 x 12 that I have had 20 years. It is a workhorse plus it can be used as a moulder and as a drum sander. I dont know what they are producing currently since a I see them advertising scroll saws more.

Among the bench tops, deWalt are probably the best right now. Grizzly also makes good stuff among its larger machines.

Vernon

 

[MarkV]

Muhammad, sounds like you are getting good advice from everyone. I have a portable planer (Jet) that has worked well for a good number of years on small projects. To me planers are a bit like compact tractors. The bigger and heavier the more they can do faster. You can get things done with the portables but if you have a lot to do it is slow and you will need to take very shallow cuts on a 10” wide board. That can make for a lot of passes to cut a ¼” off a board. If you need to run much stock you might look for a local custom mill that would run the stock on a large planer.

Guys I have talked to on job sites are happy with the DeWalt units. Have fun and let us know how the project goes.

MarkV

 

[Muhammad]

Actually, the finished product will only be about 1.5" wide, so I can plane 6 1/4" widths to put less strain on the planer. As I understand it, the DeWalt can take 1/8" off of a narrow piece of stock, while it can only do 1/32" on 12".

 

[Egon]

Those stats on planning depth will vary according to wood species, dryness, grain direction, blade sharpness and desired end smoothness. Sometimes even the day of the week can be taken into account.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Muhammad]

<font color="blue">At that kind of price unless I absolutely needed 'job-site portability' I'd be awfully tempted to bump up into the low end of the imported stationary units in the $600-$700 range. Examples - the Grizzly G0550 or G0551... The mass, stiffness, and real power differences compared to the portables are obvious... </font>

Well, I don't need portability.

Before buying anything I went to a local lumber yard and had them plane some boards for my current project.

Seeing their setup made me think twice about getting a small planer---I'm not too keen on running a board through 4-5 times to get 1/4" off. Their gigantic planer did it in two passes. While there's a bit of snipe, that's not a concern for my particular project.

So what I'm saying is I might just keep my eyes opened for a larger unit rather than buy a portable right now.

 

[beenthere]

Your plans for a stationary unit make sense. The portables are not really very portable, but quite a bit lighter than the stationary. Now, with the new portables on the market, the heavier stationary ones are becomming more available on the used market, from what I see.

Snipe is hard to avoid, and its best to not cut the parts to length until after the planing is done. That way the little bit of snipe can be trimmed off.

 

[higgy]

I think that is a good choice. Depending on how many feed speeds you have on the unit and cutting blades you can get any where from 400 cuts per inch all the way down to 40 or so. The end finish will very greatly depending on the cuts per inch.

RBI is still making equipment and is a very nice unit. They now market some under the Hawk brand. Look at hawkw2oodworkingtools.com. They have a unit that planes, molds and gang saws.

I have been debating selling my other 2 and getting one of these.

Hava a look.

Dane