Ryobi AP1301 planer owners please.

[lcm1947]

I have finally decided that a planer might be an asset to me. I only plan on building a piece of furniture once in a great while so can't really justify the expense but the Ryobi I probably can. I would love to have the Ridgid but no way do I need one that expensive if a Ryobi would do. I know there are older posts about it but now that the 1301 has been out for awhile thought I'd see what you guys think about it now. The weight is another factor and maybe just as important as the price. With any of the others I would have to have a mobile base so there's another $40.00 on top of the $349.00 for a Ridgid making it twice the amount and I just don't or won't be doing that much with it especially since I buy all my wood from HD or Lowe's anyway. Anyway I would greatly appreciate all comments, suggestions or knowledge. In case you aren't aware of it the Ryobi weights like 53lbs versus the Ridgid at 85 lbs and that's a lot of different to me. I lifted both at a HD and while the Ryobi isn't light I can manage it the Ridgid on the other hand - well just no way. So depending on what the comments are the other option which is the Delta TP305 might be a consideration but it costs about $45.00 more then the Ryobi and actually weights 62 lbs. I really really would appreciate any comments. Thanks

[ragswl4]

I had previously read reviews on the AP1300 and all were positive. However for the AP1301, take a look at this link for a review.

http://www.pricegrabber.com/rating_g...form_keyword=/

I have no first hand knowledge of either, just trying to give some info.

[burrellski]

I have an AP1300 and have nothing but good things to say about it. I have no personal experience using the 1301, but haven't heard much good about it. Ryobi's decision to eliminate the cutterhead lock and in/outfeed tables makes it a snipe monster based on information from other posters. If you really need to stay in the lower price range, I'd look at the Delta or try and find a used 1300 instead of the 1301. There was also a Hitachi planer on clearance at Lowes a while back. Maybe you can still find one of those?

[lcm1947]

Thanks guys. Yeah I know about the snipe but according to the article I read just last night, which by the way was dated a year ago they say good things about it except for the one thing and that being snipe. They go on to say however that it's just in the first and last couple of iches and you could easily chop that off which I would be willing to do for the less money and weight. I was wondering about other things mostly though like what actual owners might share that the article didn't cover. I mean articles are great but they rate after one of two uses whereas individuals using them over and over may have another picture to paint. They do say that the quality of cut is as good as the Delta 22-580 or Ridgid TP1300LS and that if you could make your own in and out tables that would eliminate that problem or most of it anyway.

[ragswl4]

I bought the lowest end Grizzly about 18 months ago, knowing going in that it had snipe issues. Well, the planer works good but the snipe has become a PITA. Loosing 4" of wood that costs $7.00 a board foot is getting to be expensive and shame on me when I forget to calculate that into my rough cuts. If you are going to do much planing I would recommend getting one that has no snipe issues. Wish I had bought the Dewalt for twice the price.

[mikel]

I love my AP1300 but it has the lock. I had the cheap delta a few years ago and the snipe was bad. That same 4". I think a few people solved some of it with a good outfeed table that they made. There might be an AP1300 kicking around.

good luck...

...m

[lcm1947]

Yeah thanks ...m. I would love to get my hands on a 1300 too but doubt I'll find one. I was kind of hoping an owner of a 1301 would reply about the in/out table deal. Who knows maybe that's all it would take to take care of most if not all the snipe problem.

[180x]

Yeah thanks ...m. I would love to get my hands on a 1300 too but doubt I'll find one. I was kind of hoping an owner of a 1301 would reply about the in/out table deal. Who knows maybe that's all it would take to take care of most if not all the snipe problem.

I was visiting my parents in DC two months ago and went to a BORG in the area. They didn't even have the AP 1301 (although they had the picture of it on the display) but had 2 or 3 1300. I tried to talk them off the $199 price since it was the "old model" but had no luck. So there are some new ones still tucked away.

[LCHIEN]

Yeah thanks ...m. I would love to get my hands on a 1300 too but doubt I'll find one. I was kind of hoping an owner of a 1301 would reply about the in/out table deal. Who knows maybe that's all it would take to take care of most if not all the snipe problem.

In/out tables alone I think will not cure a sniping planer with no cutterhead lock.
The reason:
consider the moving (height adjustment) cutterhead mechanism - two rollers on either side of the rotating blade, all in the overhead assy with the motor.
usually the overhead assy rides up and down on a four-column chassis.
With no cutterhead lock, the cutterhead has a little play - we're talking maybe 10 thou here - rocking back and forth on the columns, because it has to be free to move with the elevation crank. Normally this play is taken up because the rollers are in compression and level and the cutter is between the rollers.

Just talking about a piece of wood already in the planer,
The wood is normally driven by the two rollers either side of the cutter.
As the end of the wood passes the entry side roller, that roller drops down and the cutterhead assy tilts slightly due to the play I mentioned before, the blade makes a deeper cut (maybe .005 or so) starting about 2" from the end (because its about 2" from the roller). Thats the snipe.

On a machine with cutterhead locks - that's a lever actuated clamp that grabs all four columns to prevent the play and tilting - as the end of the wood passes past the entry roller the roller does not drop down and hence the cutterhead keeps its height. There may be a little but its going to be a whole lot less. In this case you can still get snipe if the outfeed does not support the wood and as the leading end of the board drops a couple of inches lower, the tail raises up a few thou (the entry roller no longer holds it down) and you can get snipe. So lack of Outfeed support does induce snipe even with cutterhead locks. You need both.

All I said also applies to the start of the cut when the wood is under the entry roller and infeed table but not the exit roller.

[footprintsinconc]

tell you what, planers should be yielding good results, no matter what the brand is. there has got to be an explanation of why the snipes occurr. so you what to look at it a step at a time. i think the quality comes from how well the machines are tuned and adjusted when they leave the company. now do keep in mind, that some companies are just down right not that great.

one thing to keep in mind, i bought a brand new ridgid planer in december and then a brand new jointer/planer in january. both are exacellent quality. did need some adjustment, but otherwise i am really happy.

having said this, i would suggest to you to not buy ryobi. i think the only good thing that they made was the bt3X table and the router. but dont have certains accessories for them available readily. buy a second hand machine on craigslist. just keep looking. dont become impatient, just keep you eyes open and check daily. i finally scored a 60gal husky compressor for really great price after searching for a couple of months. almost three months later, someone locally sold two pratically brand new ridgid jointer/planer for half the price. almost immediatly afterwards, i found some deals on the thickness planer aswell.

so, if i were you, since you will not be using it that much, you should buy a second hand machine locally and be patient. you can buy boht the jointer/planer and the thickness planer for the price of one of those machines brand new.

that my 3 cents, or is it 2 cents?

[doncook7]

If you really want an AP1300, I seem to recall reading that Metabo's 13 inch planer (DH316) is the same as the Ryobi AP1300...though more expensive?

I have the AP1300 and can tell you that I love it. It works extremely well, as other reviews/users have stated.

here are a few links to the metabo...with WIDELY varying prices...

http://www.amazon.com/Metabo-13-Inch.../dp/B000JJGZKQ


http://www.toolfetch.com/Category--P...s--DH316.shtml


lowest at 325.00 ...

https://secure11.nexternal.com/share...t=products.asp

Good luck!

d

[lcm1947]

Thanks for the replies guys and Loring for the extremely detailed explanation of why they need the cutterhead lock. Thanks doncook for the sites. I'm fixin to check them out right now. Thanks again.


Ok I just checked and you are right doncook the prices do vary and while the $325.00 isn't a bad price they weigh 85 lbs so we're back to the weight problem but thanks for the sites never the less.

[LCHIEN]

The Delta shopmaster TP400LS is the old 22-560 planer with stand. I have the 22-560 and its a decent planer at a weight that's not light but I can manage - I think 58 or 62 lbs or something like that.

Basically I think its the well regarded 22-580 but with only one speed.

since being relegated to the shopmaster line I think you can find them for sale at reasonable prices from time to time.

$295 here.

http://www.mikestools.com/Tp400ls-De...ith-Stand.aspx

Don't do the TP305 - that was the 22-540, no cutterhead lock.

[lcm1947]

Darn Loring I do believe you just found my planer for me. That Delta TP400LS sounds perfect for me. It weighs 68 lbs by the way. Excellent price. Sounds good. I may start another thread asking about it but sure sounds the best so far. Thanks

[LCHIEN]

That's 68 lbs with the leg stand, which is probably about 6 or 8 or 10 pounds.
So the planer is probably about 60 pounds w/o stand.

You do need to get the dust hood for it, tho.