Planer question

[drumpriest]

I have the ryobi, got it over christmas for a steal. I wasn't going to get a planer, just a DS, but decided that for the price, I couldn't pass it up. Anyway, it's worked well for me. I've run maple, curly maple (wet it first, no snipe), oak and poplar through it. So far so good, no snipe yet.

Noisy, and I don't like that they made the DC 2 1/2", with a 4" hookup, seems stupid to me. Perhaps you can punch out the center and get more draw. I'd say I'm getting 90-95% of the chips, but it could undoubtably be better with a straight 4" hookup.

[LCHIEN]

OK - so I will admit that I do not own a thickness planer.

Sad I know.

I understand its job, but I have no idea why a cutterhead lock would reduce snipe. I thought that feature was like a spindle lock on a router, designed to help with blade changes. Is that not the case?

Thanks for the help.

Lee

On a TP with four column elevation it takes all the play and backlash out of the motor/blade (e.g. cutterhead) assy position by locking all four columns once you have set the height position.

A router spindle lock, which keeps the spindle from moving whilst changing bits, is not the equivalent of the cutterhead lock which keeps the cutterhead from moving while cutting.

[jdschulteis]

[. . .]
Is one better than the other?

I think the Ryobi is better because of the cutterhead lock as others have mentioned.

Are they both junk?

I don't think either one is junk. The current issue of Workbench (#294, April '06) has a comparison test: http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/mai...-planer01.html
They didn't test the Ryobi or the low-end Delta, but it might give you some ideas of what to look for.

Should I wait until I can afford something better?
[. . .]

I have the DeWalt 735. It's the most expensive, brightest colored, and loudest machine in my shop. I like the automatic carriage lock, the fan-assisted chip ejection, the three knife cutterhead and two speeds. I'm under no illusion that it's 2.5x better than the Ryobi AP1300 though, so it's definitely a luxury.

[uglystick]

13" Portable Planer review

FWIW, Popular Woodworking did a review back in Feb 2004 which included the Ryobi AP1300. They gave it OK performance marks, for the occasional user, with realistic expactations - low price was the biggest advantage.

The Delta 22-580 was the "Best Value" & the Dewalt DW735 was "Editor's Choice".

Here's the link: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/fe...aners.0204.pdf

[LarryG]

If memory serves Fine Woodworking did a similar review and the results were virtually identical. I can't recall how the Ryobi fared (or even if it was included in the test), but the DeWalt 735 was best overall and the Delta 22-580 was best value. Considering that the latter was so named at its regular price of ~$375, I was especially pleased to have paid only $229 for mine during the big Lowe's closeout sale on Delta tools in the late summer of 2004.

[maxparot]

Hmm I recall the Ridgid TP1300LS capturing a best value title. It's regular price is $349 and I grabbed mine for $180 when they went from Gray to orange.

[mikeg]

Uglystick, thanks for the url. It was an interesting read. I know I can get a better planer for more money but I don't have the money at this point. I'm not even sure how much I'd use it. I'd rather have a $200 tool gathering dust instead of a $400 one.

Oh well, decisions, decesions!

mikeg

[Cody.h]

Mike I have to Ryobi and I've enjoyed having it...got it also at Xmas and thought it was a good deal for $249.00...then a week later it went to $179.00 for a week or so...got my money back..made it a steal.

I have to admit the tables are a PITA to adjust but they've stayed adjusted on mine. Keith has a good point and idea about the 2 1/2" dust collector...I wish I was bright enough to have thought about pinching out the center...maybe I'll get a chance to try it this weekend and I'll let ya know how it works.

[drumpriest]

Yeah, I've seen these reviews. I would agree that the Dewalt is a great planer, I've seen it in action, but it's also 500$. I like to call my shop that 4 foot shop. Which is to say that I can be pretty confident that anything 4 foot tall or shorter will come out great. 5 foot is pretty doable most of the time also. This leads me to build large projects in 4-5' sections that attach to one another. Which is just fine with me.

In that spirit, I doubt that I'll have many snipe issues putting 4' or 5' sections of lumber through the planer if I have it tuned reasonably.

[kramer katt]

Yesteday picked up the Delta 22-560 display on clearance for $121 at Sears store in Carson CA (next to Ikea) was without box or crank handles or manual but I think worth the $. They also had the older Dewalt 13" clearance but still $299 I think. There were several Tp400LS in boxes for $299 on sale not clearance also and some other bench top power tools. Seemed to have more of larger tools on clearance that any of half dozen Sears I have been to in past couple months. Also some delta bs blades looked like for 12" and one of the dovetail/box joint templates.
kk
maybe should be in bargain alerts?

[drumpriest]

Looks like you got a great deal there. Congratz.