Planers

[jleiwig]

So I'm in the market for a new planer. Currently I'm looking at the Dewalt DW-734 or the Ridgid planer. Both are similarly priced, both are three blade planers, the Ridgid is 9000 rpm, and the Dewalt is 10,000 rpm. Both have carriage locks.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[larryc]

I've had the Ridgid for several years and once it's "tuned up" it works great.

 

[hornet406]

I use my Dewalt regularly. l Love it

 

[oldtoolsniper]

I've had my Dewalt since the first year they were out. It's been well over ten years and I'm not easy on tools. It has served me well with very little maintenance problems. I replaced the screws that hold the blades in, they were a problem that Dewalt addressed and the new ones don't have the issue. You will find that as a complaint on the older models the set screws froze into the cutter head. Replaced the set screws with the new ones from Dewalt and no more issues.

Blades are easy to change.
Dust collection is good,this is important because the chips if not evacuated will dent the wood going through the planer.
I have no complaints with this machine and would buy another in a second if it were to die on me.

I mill a lot of lumber with a chainsaw mill I made. I feed it all to that Dewalt so it's had a workout over the years.

Here is some Walnut crotch wood I chainsaw milled then planed with the Dewalt, the two speeds and ability to easily change blades become important when you deal with wood like this.

These are also very good planers, they require no dust collection and no electricity either.

Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[jleiwig]

Here is some Walnut crotch wood I chainsaw milled then planed with the Dewalt, the two speeds and ability to easily change blades become important when you deal with wood like this.

I'm guessing you have the DW-735 planer because the DW-734 doesn't have two speeds as far as I can tell.

I would love to have the 735, but just can't justify the extra price at this time given the very limited amount of planing I do or will ever do. Even with this 500 bf of walnut sitting in the garage.

 

[oldtoolsniper]

Yes, I have the DW-735. Thinking back I'm at closer to 15 years with it. I know $150 more is a lot of money. I would save up and spend the extra money. The two speeds will come in handy when you find that wood that will make perfect blanks. Even on the slower feed rate which gives you more cuts per inch you can get tear out. Then I switch to handplanes. If I wanted straight grained boring wood I'd use MDF.

I started with a single speed planer and the difference is substantial. I planed wood with it until the smoke escaped from the motor. It was a Delta and I had no complaints with it. You don't know, what you don't know.

Most people will not deal with rough lumber so it's usually cheap when you find it.

Rough lumber is everywhere if you look. Here in the Midwest most of our pallets are hardwood. I feed those to my planer too. Motorcycle shops that import bikes have pallets made out of bizarre woods we don't have here in the states.

I use a metal detector to find the nails.

Spalted Maple pallet wood box.

I heat my house with wood. I take every crotch I can get, most firewood guys don't want them as they are tough to split. I open them up with a chainsaw. Sometimes they are a jewel and sometimes like this one, just firewood.

Firewood guys will give away the crotchwood rather than deal with it.

You don't need a chainsaw mill to cut rough planks, it helps but is not necessary, a chalk line will mark the slabs out for ya.

Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[adirondak5]

I have the Ridgid Planer for quite a few years now , its a good unit .

 

[jttheclockman]

If I were buying a portable planer it would be the Dewalt 735. Has the 4 post carriage system that locks which means a world of difference to a 2 post system. Disposable and reversible blades that are very easy to change. Dust collector capable. The 2 speeds are a good feature ( not totally necessary but usable and if you had it you would find yourself using it) Has some heft to it so be aware for any table you build for it. The infeed and outfeed tables could be a little longer but still work well with the machine.