DeWalt Planer from Lowes

ttriff · Dec 5, 2012

handymansvs · Dec 5, 2012

Hi,

I found the Carbide Blades did not last nor cut as well as the cheaper Steel Blades! I bought one set of the Carbide Blades and quickly threw them away!!

Joe

Charlie Packwood · Dec 5, 2012

I have the one on the left and have had it for about 4 years, planed a lot of Maple and oak 5 and 6 quarter stock and still have the original blades. I have not had any feeding issues, like others have stated you need some sort of chip collector. Setting the thickness is easy and accurate. I would buy another of these any day.

studor · Dec 5, 2012

I have never had this problem with other brands.

Where can I begin -- Craftsman, Honda, Briggs & Stratton -- just to name a few. Those that don't just plain discontinue have a tendency to either start selling whole assemblies (so you pay $80 to get a $3 part) or just plain rule it obsolete. JMHO
On the planer -- the other important thing is to keep the feed table slip coated and clean -- it is amazing how much it improves the feed and planing quality

hunterridgefarm · Dec 6, 2012

The main purpose will be to use this planer at our other farm that has no power. I will use a generator to run it. If you need dust collection to keep the shavings clear I guess I can hook up the shop vac to the generator also.

studor · Dec 6, 2012

The DeWalt planer comes with a fan and ejector attachment that really blow the shavings out the back -- it comes with a warning not to stand in the way cause they really blow out of there. A shop vac will not be big enough to keep up with the chips generated. I tried it and ended up using a cyclone attachment on a big garbage pail and even that had trouble. In the end I now use a 4" hose to a dust collector. As I said you either need to blow them to someplace you don't care about or have some way to collect them -- in your situation I would just blow them into some area where I could spread them out and use them as weed control:thumbsup:

skipmarcy · Dec 6, 2012

I have the model on the right and have run a couple thousand feet of sawmill lumber thru it - white oak, red oak, beech, poplar, cherry - most of the boards were 8" to 10" wide. As stated it generates alot of chips and a large shop vac won't keep up with it, I just let them fly and clean them away when they get too deep to work in. With the white oak & beech you do have to help the feed get the boards thru some, especially if it has much moisture in it still like I've done. The beech I planed was quite wet still but the planer did a great job for what it is. I'm on my second set of blades and I think I'm going to try and touch-up the edges on the used ones as they don't have any chips in them, just lots of use. I bought this planer just slightly used from a friend for $200 and I consider it a bargain. The replacement blades (3) cost me right at $54 shipped. I had no problem changing the blades and there is no aligning or anything to do, very simple task.

EddieWalker · Dec 6, 2012

Every DeWalt tool that I've ever bought has let me down and left me with a bad taste in my mouth for being so foolish to buy it. They are middle of the line, minimum use, home DIY tools at best. What I don't get is why the home improvement magazines give DeWalt good reviews, but consumers and the trade magazines don't.

My brother has bought a lot of Grizzly products and he kept telling me how great they are until I tried them. His standard of great isn't the same as mine, and after moving here to Texas and using my Makita and Bosch tools, he's now spending a little more on what he buys and throwing away broken Grizzly tools.

Having said that, about 8 years ago I bought a Rigid portable plane very similar to the one in ttriff's link. It was either Fine Home Building or Journal of Light Construction that gave it great reviews. The ease of changing the three blades, the smoothness of the feed and accuracy of the cuts put it above all the others. I don't have any complaints, but don't have any experience with any other small planers. I've changed the blades a few times and it really is very simple. My favorite thing is to cut a board with my chainsaw and plane it down into something nice. It's really exciting to see it go from rough to smoth!!!

Eddie

Pops15 · Dec 6, 2012

It seems as though DeWalt tools are either very good or crap. Their miter saws and cordless drills are very good. Reciprocating saws, drills, hammer drills and drywall screw drivers are crap. I don't have any experience with their planers but the commercial construction contractor my BIL works for has one and they are happy with it.