Level Planer VS Jointer/Planer

[steve-norrell]

Advice needed! Level Planer or Jointer/Planer? I need one, but which one?

I have been using the router for jointing with good success, but I know that there are thickness limitations if I work with anything much thicker than about 3/4 in. I have also used the router to level the surface of wider boards (as discussed elsewhere in this forum) but the process would be too time-consuming for larger pieces.

Time to upgrade and I have been ogling 12" and 13" level planers by Ryobi, Craftsman, and DeWalt. The three-blade DeWalt is leading to pure lust, but the price is a bit steep. Level planers do offer some important advantages over jointer/planers in terms of space requirements. Also, it seems to me that by working on the top side of the piece, they should be much easier than jointer/planers to adjust and avoid snipe.

So, what is the collective wisdom of this group? Level Planer? Jointer/Planer? Which brand?

Thanks and regards, Steve

[Knottscott]

Steve - When you say "level planer", I'm wondering if you're referring to what is commonly called a thicknessing planer? A planer's main tasks are to make one side of a board consistently smoother, thinner, and parallel to an opposite face....preferably a flat reference face, but it needs help making a flat face to start with. A jointer is the perfect tool for making a flat reference face and an adjacent 90° edge to that face but is terrible getting two sides parallel, so a jointer in tandem with a planer is ideal. A planer can be coaxed into flattening a face with the help of a planer sled that uses the sled bottom as the reference....once a face is flat, you take off the sled and flip the board so that the flat side is down, and let the planer make the top parallel to the flat bottom. A hand plane can also flatten a reference face.

As stated, a planer and jointer in conjuction works best, but if I could only have one, it'd be a planer with a sled, and I'd do my edge jointing on a TS or router.

There are several good planers that I could live with. Basic features that I think are important are some form of cutterhead lock or isolation system, and a dust chute. From there 3 cutters vs 2, and two speeds vs one are "nice to haves". I'd look into a deal on the DW734, DW735, Delta 22-580, Delta TP400, Ridgid, or Makita.

[LCHIEN]

i think he means a thickness planer. Dustmight's advice is good.

[steve-norrell]

You guys are right -- I did mean Thickness Planer. And, thanks for the suggestions. Regards, Steve

[steve-norrell]

Bit the bullet and maybe got a small gloat -- at least by local standards.

After getting some advice here, I was out comparing thickness planers. The Orange Borg was selling the DW735 for $649 ; Sears was selling it for $599.99 over the web (have no idea what the shipping would be as the local Sears did not have one) ; the Blue Borg had it in stock for $499. Went back and double checked the price and it really was $499.

Whipped out the plastic and bit the bullet. Can I gloat?

I'll tell the LOML that it was Loring's and Dustmite's fault.

Thanks for the help. Regards, Steve

[dbhost]

Not sure if that was a good price or not since I got the Ryobi, BUT... I hear a LOT of positive things about the Dewalt... You should be happy with it.

[drumpriest]

That's a pretty good price now a days for the Dewalt, I've had mine for a couple of years, good planer. Infinity makes sharpenable blades for it.

[pelligrini]

That's a pretty decent price on the 735.

You'll probably want to pick up a set of the infeed/outfeed tables, or do some shopmade solution. They will really help in controlling snipe.

I did a flip top stand for mine. My plans and drawings are available. http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=39913

[MikeMcCoy]

If you still want to heat up those credit cards, you can now get a Byrd Shelix cutter head for the 735.

[cgallery]

If you still want to heat up those credit cards, you can now get a Byrd Shelix cutter head for the 735.

W/ the MS cashback deal and a stacked eBay coupon you can apparently get the shelix for a little south of $300 (w/ new bearings). Not inexpensive.

But I've often thought that, if I ever have to (or decide to) replace my Inca combo jointer/planer, I may be interested in the DeWalt w/ shelix head, and then do my edge jointing at my router table or table saw. I'd do my face jointing on the planer w/ a sled.

That would be a pretty nice combination.

[steve-norrell]

If you still want to heat up those credit cards, you can now get a Byrd Shelix cutter head for the 735.

First I gotta learn to use the planer as is; then I will probably start looking at upgrades. (Isn't there some kind of a law about woodworkers always needing to upgrade? Kind of like the one that says you can never have enough clamps. ) Then you may have to join Loring and Dustmite on the LOML's "He Made Me Do It List".

Regards, Steve

[JimD]

I have had a Inca 410 8 5/8 jointer and the planner attachment (a movable table that goes over the jointer. I bought a used Ryobi AP-10 8 days ago. My Inca is manual feed and planning on it is a pain. I've had the Inca a couple decades. By comparison, the Ryobi works great. It is also much easier to sharpen and set the knives due to the simple little plastic gauges the Ryobi came with.

If I was doing it again, I would get the thickness planner first. It is much easier to use. The disadvantage is you cannot flatten one surface of a board very effectively due to the short surface in contact with the planner at any one point in time. You can get around this to some degree with a sled effectively extending the planner surface. My Inca is a short jointer but still is about 3 feet long. Some jointers are more like six feet. That length helps when flattening boards.

In my experience, flat boards do not stay flat real long unless they are fastened to something, however. If you buy pre-planned lumber it is likely to be bowed and may be cupped - it moves. I say this to say that unless you leave the wood rough until you are ready to make it into something, then flatten it on your jointer and then thickness it with you planner, it may not make a lot of difference that you don't have a jointer. You can get it nice and flat and find it not so flat in a few days. Sometimes removing wood from the other side of the board with the planner seems to make it bow. One of the joys of dealing with solid wood is it moves.

Jim

[steve-norrell]

Flat and smooth has a whole new meaning!

I tried out the new DW735 last night on a soon-to-be-Christmas-present cutting board last night. As I said above, flat and smooth has a whole new meaning.

Thanks to all you guys who twisted my arm and talked me into getting one.

Regards, Steve