Should I buy a planer?

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  • capncarl
    Veteran Member
    • Jan 2007
    • 3564
    • Leesburg Georgia USA
    • SawStop CTS

    #16
    My planer is a 2 blade 13" Craftsman mfg'd by Palmgren in China. It gets good ratings, it's reversable blades cost abou $25 per set, doesn't have a snipe problem, nice indeed and outfeed tables and a wonderful chip collection blower with a connection to a large garbage can. Hearing protection is not a problem because it is so loud that you WILL put on plugs and muffs the second you turn it on, you would have thought you cranked up a jet powered helicopter in your shop when you turned it on.
    I've had the opportunity to purchase several larger industrial (cabinet shop) planers but would not pull the trigger because of their weight and size.
    For the money the DW735 has got to be the best available, and if you can find a DW735x it comes with an extra set of blades. There is a helix spiral cutter head available as well, $400.
    capncarl

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    • Knottscott
      Veteran Member
      • Dec 2004
      • 3815
      • Rochester, NY.
      • 2008 Shop Fox W1677

      #17
      Buy it already....and definitely get one with a cutterhead lock as phrog suggested. DW734, DW735, R4331, Steel City would all be on my shortlist.
      Happiness is sort of like wetting your pants....everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth.

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      • schloff
        Established Member
        • Jan 2007
        • 229
        • Southern Middle TN
        • Powermatic 64 (BT3000 RIP)

        #18
        If it's in the budget, then yes. You'll never believe what materials all of a sudden become workable.

        Like previous posts, I got mine from Amazon. For what I paid, I did very well on it. I was finding lumber all over that I never would have considered before.

        You'll want to pick up a jointer at some point as well. Just another bullet point on the wish list, right?

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        • gsmittle
          Veteran Member
          • Aug 2004
          • 2784
          • St. Louis, MO, USA.
          • BT 3100

          #19
          Originally posted by atgcpaul
          I have had a Ridgid lunchbox planer for 10+ years now. Works well enough.

          I cannot imagine working on any project requiring real wood without a planer.
          +1 on the Ridgid. I use mine on virtually every project. Mine is the earlier two-knife version. What I really like is the blades are double-sided, so if I hit metal I can be up and running again in minutes.

          In St. Louis there's a company that sells rough lumber recycled from logs the city cuts down. They have everything from maple to oak to walnut to Osage orange. Cost is about 1/3 what I would pay for S2S at the local woodworking stores.

          Yes, it takes a little more work and time (definitely use a metal detector on each board—DAMHIKT) but my $$ go much farther.

          You will end up with an amazing amount of shavings, though.
          Smit

          "Be excellent to each other."
          Bill & Ted

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