Good deal? Delta TP305 12.5" planer $285

[tkarlmann]

FWIW, from the planer reviews I have seen in the mags, ALL benchtop planers have snipe to one degree or another. Even the greatly venerated DeWalt DW735. Just because you get a planer with infeed / outfeed tables, and cutter head locks doesn't guarantee you won't have snipe. Now these are GOOD things to have, and greatly reduce snipe, but don't think an out of the box planer will never give you any snipe. It's just unrealistic...

To the question of the Delta planer originally referenced. It is every bit as good in most regards as the $199.00 Ryobi AP1301, which is a great planer for the money. The disadvantage do the Delta is that it does not come with any sort of dust port, just a chute spewing shavings all over the shop floor. The advantage of the Delta is that there is an optional chute you can buy that will provide a 4" DC connection.

For the money, spend a little more and get the 13" Ridgid, or try to find a good used DW735 if you can...

I've just discovered that the Porter Cable PC305TP is the same as this Dewalt model. I also own the Ridgid planer, and I rarely use the lock for the thickness. The GOOD news is, the PC305TP is available from Amazon for $209! ALSO, there IS a dust collector chute available for the Delta -- that is same as the PC -- for $29.99 -- both from Amazon. I Just read the reviews @ amazon and ordered both.

[tkarlmann]

Terminology?

the cutterhead locks will keep the cutterhead from sinking at the back and front when the end of the board goes under. The board letting off one of the rollers causes the end snipe -the locks keep it from dropping and hence taking a bigger cut right on the end.

Isn't the cutterhead lock the thing that keeps the cutterhead from rotating while adjusting or installing the blades?

[LCHIEN]

Isn't the cutterhead lock the thing that keeps the cutterhead from rotating while adjusting or installing the blades?

No, its a four-column lock to stabilize the cutting head. On Planers that's the lingo.

For routers and saws the shaft lock keeps the arbor from turning so you an unthread the arbor nut with a wrench. I think that's what you are thinking of.

[Bear]

Dewalt 735

I have a DW735 and the major complaint I have is the throw away blades. I built infeed and outfeed for it and I still get snipe on some boards. My next order for it is carbit blades $90 a set instead $40.

[thiggy]

I note it is now priced at $239.99 with free shipping.

[tommyt654]

You can get the Porter Cable version of it for $219 shipped as well, http://www.amazon.com/Porter-Cable-P...8FTX751C15GYBT

[LCHIEN]

considering you can pick up a Delta TP400 thickness planer or other brands with the cutterhead locks for around $300 on ocassion, I would consider for the pain it'll be to use I would say anything more than $200 is no bargain for the TP305 in either the Delta or Porter Cable edition. Since they merged under the same ownership, the really low end Delta models that have already been reincarnated once as the Delta Shopmaster line have reappeared again under Porter Cable labels, the TP305 being one of them.