wood planer suggestions

[fixerupper]

I have had it with my cheapie dime store Delta planer.
When the belt smoked this morning on a very shallow cut I figured the time has come to get something better. it has been getting very noisy so probably a bearing gave up the ghost. Money is not an object up to a certain point. This thing has cut fatter on one side of the cut for a couple years and I just cannot find a way to level it. The book does not mention anything about leveling the cut so that option is out. I have tried several ways but it just does not level. Alternating the board by flipping it and making multiple shallow cuts is about the only way I can keep a level cut.

I have done some internet shopping, seems like we pay $350 to $750 or $1000 or the next jump is $3500. I could buy the $3500 model but I do not do the production planing it is built to do and I would have to do a $2000 re wire of the shop to handle the 5 HP motor in a $3500 planer. It is just not economically prudent. So do any of you wood workers have a good suggestion for a cheaper planer in the sub- $1000 range that can be easily adjusted for leveling and will hold the adjustment? The ability to get carbide blades would be a big selling point also. I have 30 amp 220v in the shop now but That's barely adequate to run everything. Thanks

 

[Moonlite37]

I do not know if they are still in business, but Belsaw made a pretty good low priced planer. I have a Dewalt and it is poor

 

[Christopher S.]

Dewalt DW735 was very good for me. I believe you can update
the cutter head to a carbide tooth head if desired.

 

[ss55]

On jointers the blades need to be adjusted parallel to the table and matched in height to cut equally. Maybe the blades on your planner can be adjusted parallel to the table also? Are there setscrews under both ends of each blade to adjust their height and angle?

A new belt is often an inexpensive fix that does wonders on woodworking equipment.

 

[T.R.K.]

The Belsaw planer suggestion would be my choice. But there again, they need at least a 5 hp motor and you will probably have to
wire for 220v for the planer.

Daddy had one back in the 70s and had a 5 hp Briggs gas engine on it. Since gas engines are rated differently from electric
motors, it was somewhat under powered.

The head turned at 9,000 rpm and it could do a pretty job with sharp knives in it though.

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 09:21:13 07/14/22) On jointers the blades need to be adjusted parallel to the table and matched in height to cut equally. Maybe the blades on your planner can be adjusted parallel to the table also? Are there setscrews under both ends of each blade to adjust their height and angle?

A new belt is often an inexpensive fix that does wonders on woodworking equipment.

Regrettably there is no adjustment when installing the blades. There are holes in the blade that mate with locating pins. No set screws.

 

[teddy52food]

I got a 15 inch thickness planer in 1984 & I think it is the same as a Grizzly. Does a
good job & not too expensive.Friend was wearing out Belsaws until he got one like
mine. Said he wished he would have gotten it sooner.

 

[Square Eye]

I have a Grizzly G0453Z planer with a spiral cutter head.
It handles 15 wide by up to 8 maximum cutting height.
Its probably in the $3000 range by now. Grizzly has
several different planers available at reasonable prices. I
have several Grizzly tools. They have been trouble free.



DeWalt suitcase planers get good marks on the
woodworking forums, and are generally locally available.



Were I you, I would opt for the spiral cutterhead. I fully
believe its worth the extra expense. Its much quieter, no
fussing with setting the irons, no sharpening needed,
overlapping cutter placement all but eliminates problems
from chipped cutters. Also, a chipped or dull cutter can
be rotated to a fresh edge. On some planers the cutters
have two edges, so can be rotated once. Many have four. Grizzly has four. I think the DeWalt also has four.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I'm happy with my 13 dewalt planer.

2 speed
Can use both sides of the blades.
No adjusting the blades.
Has 3 blades.
It's not a commercial unit.
No carbide blades that I'm aware of.

I used it to build this china cabinet
using red oak from the sawmill.

The planer was a Christmas gift, so I can't
complain about the price.

 

[Ark68SS]

So, you have a planer. Are you looking for a jointer? Two different machines with two different purposes.
This is a jointer-

BillL

 

[fixerupper]

I should get a jointer too. Right now I rely on the table saw to get a good flat straight edge. It works OK most of the time. I like to get sawmill oak, ash and walnut from the local threshing show. The show has two big old solid flat belt driven commercial planers I can do the rough first time over job with to get the lumber close to even thickness. Then I bring it home, rack it up and in a few years I can start using it. This lumber is not like kiln dried but for smaller projects the shrink is tolerable. This cheapie Delta I have does a smooth job as long as I make light cuts but this leveling problem has had my dander up for a couple years and now that it has bit the dust it's time for it to go to the junk pile. After using this one I now have a better idea on what to look for with on the next planer. I have seen the spiral planers in my internet searches. I am attracted to the spiral. Will have to look closer at one.

 

[Ark68SS]

The Dewalt 735 planer like Geo has consistently gets the best reviews from the woodworking magazines. However, you need to limit your cut thickness to less than 1/16". This is true for all the "lunch box" style planers. If you're wanting to cut more than that in one pass, you will need a much larger, heavy duty machine, and the cut quality will suffer.
Another option is to use a band saw to resaw the boards thinner, then plane them to the size you want. You'll need a minimum 16", 1 1/2hp machine, and larger is better so you can cut wider boards.
If you decide on an insert cutter head I would recommend the Byrd brand. Seems like the cheaper China brands have some problems. Good place to buy is here- https://shelixheads.com/SHELIX_for_dewalt_13_inch_Planer_(DW-735)
BillL

 

[Ark68SS]

The Dewalt 735 planer like Geo has consistently gets the best reviews from the woodworking magazines. However, you need to limit your cut thickness to less than 1/16". This is true for all the "lunch box" style planers. If you're wanting to cut more than that in one pass, you will need a much larger, heavy duty machine, and the cut quality will suffer.
Another option is to use a band saw to resaw the boards thinner, then plane them to the size you want. You'll need a minimum 16", 1 1/2hp machine, and larger is better so you can cut wider boards.
If you decide on an insert cutter head I would recommend the Byrd brand. Seems like the cheaper China brands have some problems. Good place to buy is here- https://shelixheads.com/SHELIX_for_dewalt_13_inch_Planer_(DW-735)
BillL

 

[retired farmer]

Check Grizzley tools, they are having a sale till the eighteenth on planers.

 

[fixerupper]

(quoted from post at 19:21:22 07/14/22) Check Grizzley tools, they are having a sale till the eighteenth on planers.

Will do thanks

 

[544hydro]

(quoted from post at 12:35:07 07/14/22) I'm happy with my 13 dewalt planer.

<img src=https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto130516.jpg>
2 speed
Can use both sides of the blades.
No adjusting the blades.
Has 3 blades.
It's not a commercial unit.
No carbide blades that I'm aware of.

I used it to build this china cabinet
using red oak from the sawmill.
<img src=https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cvphotos/cvphoto130517.jpg>
The planer was a Christmas gift, so I can't
complain about the price.

infinity cutting tools makes carbide blades for the dewalt 735 planer.

 

[fixerupper]

OK, whether for better or worse I ordered the Grizzly w1877. It appears to be their highest priced bench top model. It is a spiral machine. Will let you know how it works out after I have a chance to use it. Might be awhile though.

 

[Russ from MN]

When I was looking for a planer my friend went and looked at the Delta, he said it looked like a lunch box
with a cutter head in it! I bought a DeWalt and it has worked well for me.

 

[Stephen Newell]

Most I talk to like the Dewalt 735X. You could probably get more planer for the buck if you purchased a used industrial planer. A well
built machine such as powermatic should last a person a lifetime, even a used one. The last planer I bought was a Newman 600 planer which
is a 24 planer. I only paid about 2500.00 for it but it is three phase and two tons of planer. It will surface a 24 wide board quieter
than a 4 wide board in the Delta planer I have.

 

[sms]

Probably about 8 years ago I saw an ad
for used woodworking equipment online. I
bought 20 inch powermatic planer, older
Delta shaper, and Grizzly 8 inch jointer
for $1500. All in great condition. Only other
thing I had to buy was a handwheel for
the planer.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

I gave my son my delta 14 inch bandsaw.
For Christmas he wanted a fence for the bandsaw.
I'm amazed how thin he can cut wood.
Very little sanding.

I think a jointer is important too.
Get one side flat then a planer will
give you a uniform thickness..

My woodworking days are in the rearview mirror.
Glad my boy is taking an interest in making sawdust..

 

[jm.]

I have that exact piece and it has been thru H.. and back over the years and the electric switch is
the only thing I have ever replaced.

 

[dhermesc]

Years ago I bought a planer at a garage sale. It was a huge old thing marked Montgomery Wards - I have no idea who actually made it. I gave $20 for it and had to move it myself. It sat in my shed for 2
years without even being turned on. I bought it because it was cheap and I couldn't let it go. Eventually a friend of mine bought a massive two story home with acres of cedar siding that had layer after
layer of paint. He started out trying to hand scrape the paint. Eventually I hauled the planer over and we pulled all the siding off one side of the house and sent it through the planer doubled up to make it
level. The siding came out looking like brand new cedar. He had insolation blowed into the walls with the siding off then we nailed it back up, he primered and painted it. I helped him do one side of the
house and sold him the planer for $100 and he finished the rest of the house. After he got done he sold it to his neighbor for $200 so he could do the same thing. That was 15-20 years ago and the houses on
that street are still being renovated so that thing is probably still seeing heavy use.

 

[fixerupper]

A few years ago I almost had a big commercial jointer-planer bought but the family selling it backed out so the deal slipped away from me. On a pure guess it would cost somewhere in the $5000 range new. It came out of a school shop classroom and was used very little. If I could have bought it this little dime store Delta I have would be collecting dust on a back shelf.