Best ~$300 thickness planer?

[dewi1219]

I'm looking for a thickness planer in the $300 price range. Right now I'm leaning towards the DW734 on sale at Lowe's. Amazon has the Grizzly G0505 and Delta TP305 both for under $300, but based on reviews I believe the DeWalt is a better unit. I would prefer to buy used, but they just don't come up for sale in my area very often. I need to buy now while the accounting dept. (wife) has given approval. This approval may be withdrawn at any time without notice

So is the DW734 as good as it gets in this price range? I don't have a DC setup yet, so it will be used with a shop vac for now if that matters. Thanks.
Scott

[pelligrini]

The Grizzly wasn't rated very highly in Wood's planer article from Nov of 2006. Wood Magazine site article

[dewi1219]

The Grizzly wasn't rated very highly in Wood's planer article from Nov of 2006. Wood Magazine site article

Yes, but surprisingly the AP1301 was rated as one of the top values. I say surprisingly because most of the owner reviews I've seen aren't as favorable. I know snipe is an issue with it, but I don't mind building infeed/outfeed tables. CPO Ryobi has refurb AP1301's for $169 shipped. For that price, it may be hard to say no...

[LarryG]

I was going to ask if you could possibly stretch your ~$300 budget by about a hundred bucks, to bring you within range of something like the Delta 22-580 or Makita 2012. But then I found out the current price for those is north of $500 -- wow! (I was lucky to get my 22-580 for a mere $229 during the infamous Lowe's Delta fire sale, several years ago.)

Anyway ... if it helps, Fine Woodworking Magazine tested a batch of benchtop planers a little more than a year ago, and they also named the Ryobi AP1301 as their Best Value machine. If your budget can't budge, that $169 refurb might be an excellent option.

[dbhost]

Yes, but surprisingly the AP1301 was rated as one of the top values. I say surprisingly because most of the owner reviews I've seen aren't as favorable. I know snipe is an issue with it, but I don't mind building infeed/outfeed tables. CPO Ryobi has refurb AP1301's for $169 shipped. For that price, it may be hard to say no...

I own the AP1301, and with infeed / outfeed support, snipe isn't really all that bad, and it does cut smooth as glass...

Yes I think a planer with support tables and a cutter head lock would have been nicer, but overall, I am happy with this planer...

I use it to plane down larger dimensional lumber. (2x8, 2x10 etc...) into more useful sizes, as well as planing / face jointing with a sled stock created with my band saw and resaw jig. It is very functional, and since I am using el cheapo lumber, or better yet, free lumber, the cost incurred by snipe is minimal...

There are plenty of other models out there that snipe MUCH worse...

[Nil]

Don't forget to look at the Ridgid TP1300. It did quite well in reviews, and I've been pretty happy with mine. I think it is discontinued but you might find one if you called around. I haven't heard as much about the new Ridgid model that replaced it...

[BerniePA]

Yes, but surprisingly the AP1301 was rated as one of the top values. I say surprisingly because most of the owner reviews I've seen aren't as favorable. I know snipe is an issue with it, but I don't mind building infeed/outfeed tables. CPO Ryobi has refurb AP1301's for $169 shipped. For that price, it may be hard to say no...

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I rarely get ANY snipe from my AP1301, especially if I keep the cuts on the shallow side and don't try and whack off too much on one pass. And aside from the occassional snipe, I think it does a great job. I recently had to take some stock down to 1/8" and I was a little concerned as it started to get close to it, but it came out perfect. I do tend to have a habit of feeding on an angle, maybe this helps with the snipe situation.

[conwaygolfer]

Planer

I was going to buy the Dewalt planer from HD last year. When I got there, I noticed the Ridgid was about the same price but had a life time warranty. I asked the salesman and was told this applies to the original owner only. And that was going to be me.
It has all the features of the 13" Dewalt with the exception of the 2 speed. I have planed all the cedar boards taken off my home (replaced with Hardi Board) and have been very pleased with Ridgid.

Glenn

[Dutchman46]

Dw734

I have one, and although i can't talk about the others, i like mine. Very little snipe smooth finish. Only one speed, but if i had trouble with mine i would get another. Need some others who have used more that one kind

[Bill in Buena Park]

I'm another AP1301 owner. It does a good job, but snipe must be actively mitigated. I use the recommended "butt planing" method , where you feed a leader piece, butt your workpiece to it as the leader passes through, and follow the workpiece with a trailer butted to the workpiece - anything to keep the cutterhead from rocking because of infeed/outfeed roller influence.

But it does what a planer is supposed to do, and is economical.

[dbhost]

Maybe I'm just lucky, but I rarely get ANY snipe from my AP1301, especially if I keep the cuts on the shallow side and don't try and whack off too much on one pass. And aside from the occassional snipe, I think it does a great job. I recently had to take some stock down to 1/8" and I was a little concerned as it started to get close to it, but it came out perfect. I do tend to have a habit of feeding on an angle, maybe this helps with the snipe situation.

I should have mentioned that. light cuts, say 1/32" and I get no snipe whatsoever. With or without the infeed / outfeed supports...

And unless I am planing wide stock, I do tend to go in at an angle as well...

[dewi1219]

I was going to ask if you could possibly stretch your ~$300 budget by about a hundred bucks, to bring you within range of something like the Delta 22-580 or Makita 2012. But then I found out the current price for those is north of $500 -- wow! (I was lucky to get my 22-580 for a mere $229 during the infamous Lowe's Delta fire sale, several years ago.)

Yeah, I could spend a little more, but I have to draw the line somewhere and $300 seemed like the right price for me personally. If I was going to be using it every day I would definitely go higher.

I guess the main question I have now is if the DW734 is $140 better than the AP1301...

[BrazosJake]

The Ridgid is very good and not too far out of your price range (I think $349??). If it has been discontinued, now's a great time to go HD hunting for a closeout. Mine is the old grey model that I bought (along with much of my shop) during the Great Grey Tool Hunt of 2004.

So is the 3650 being discontinued? We should probably start a Ridgid closeout watch thread to report sightings.

[dewi1219]

I guess the main question I have now is if the DW734 is $140 better than the AP1301...

I guess I should have asked if the DW734 or any other ~$300 planer is $140 better than the AP1301.

[gsmittle]

The Ridgid is very good and not too far out of your price range (I think $349??). If it has been discontinued, now's a great time to go HD hunting for a closeout. Mine is the old grey model that I bought (along with much of my shop) during the Great Grey Tool Hunt of 2004.

So is the 3650 being discontinued? We should probably start a Ridgid closeout watch thread to report sightings.

+1 on the Rigid. I've had mine about three years now--never a complaint. It's the older orange model with two knives. The more current ones have three knives. If you're careful setting up the tables snipe isn't much of an issue.

Comes with knife-changing tools, too!

g.