Looking for a planer: Any opinions re: HF 13" Industrial Planer?

[mjernigan]

Greetings, all--

I'm hot and heavy in pursuit of a planer, and ever since the flurry surrounding the DW735 clearance a couple of months back I've been badgering any BORG within a day's drive to find one. They're all either out of stock or not budging off their $649 tag (on inventory that's not moving... ).

So, having just about given up on DeWalt, I'm headed out tomorrow to check out a CL-advertised DW 12-incher with 3 knives--sounds like a 734--that a fellow is selling not far away from me. That MIGHT be a good deal, but with a 20 percent off coupon, so might the bigger one at Harbor Freight. Check it out here.

Does anybody here have any experience with the HF planer, or know anything useful about it? I'll have to build a stand for either a DW or this one, and I do already have 220v plumbed to my garage/shop.

My intended use, initially at least, is cabinetry work: building replacement face frames and doors for the kitchen, and bookshelves and the like. But as this hobby is a slippery slope... well, you all know.

Mike

[dbhost]

For the money, you are MUCH better off with the Ridgid R4330, of course if you can find the older TP1300 model grab it...

I have the Ryobi AP1301 which is a good planer for the money, but Home Depot is wanting a LOT more for it now than when I got mine... They are now up to $269.00.

While I own several Harbor Freight woodworking machines, the planer is one item I have heard bad reviews on. Checking it out in person, it does NOT look like something I want in my shop... (Item #39860). See other threads here to see if I am a Harbor Freight hater or not. (The answer is not). Neither of the current HF models seem all that well made is all...

[Knottscott]

The thing with HF items is that they might be fine, or they might not. Even items that are known to be capable of their task are more likely to have defects than most brands. I have a few HF items that have earned their keep but I'd be heavily inclined to shy away from this one.

$400 is fair amount of money, and there are several well proven choices in that price range. DW734/735, Delta TP400/22-580, Makita 2012, Ridgid R4330/1300 (if you can still fine one), Steel City, and even some of the Palmgren made Craftsman planers get good reviews.

[cgallery]

Does the HF planer have an induction or a universal motor?

Te biggest problem I see w/ the HF is that the table goes up and down instead of the cutter head. This makes adding infeed/outfeed support a good bit more complicated.

[pbui3057]

While I own several Harbor Freight woodworking machines, the planer is one item I have heard bad reviews on. Checking it out in person, it does NOT look like something I want in my shop... (Item #39860). See other threads here to see if I am a Harbor Freight hater or not. (The answer is not). Neither of the current HF models seem all that well made is all...

There goes your "commission" check!

[LCHIEN]

my comment on the hf pictured/linked is that its expensive because you are paying for the 3 HP motor and 2 speed drive.
What's missing is mechanics that make it plane well. Specifically it appears to lack a cutterhead lock and also good infeed/oufeed support. My impression is that this will be a powerful, but bad-sniping mother of a planer.

I think a used DW 733, 734, or 735 would be way preferable to my way of thinking. knotscott names some other good ones - I can attest that the Delta model named is good.

oh yeah, phil (Cgallery) makes a real good point that the bed going up vs the cutterhead coming down will give you nightmares as you try to add support rollers, you'll have to change their height everytime you adjust cut depth which you do repeatedly when planing down a board.

[mjernigan]

Ahh.. insightful comments, all, and thanks! Good point about the HF table moving, which immediately nixes that one. So, on my local CL I have a couple of options:

1. the (likely) DW733 for $200 I'm looking at tomorrow, and
2. Rigid 13" Planer - Model R4330, 15 amp, 6" max height, less than 1 year old, with stand. $300

I can build the stand (with storage to boot, thanks to inspiration from forum member Tom Clark) for about 20 to 30 bucks. Oh, and since posting, found yet a third option:

3. I can drive 5 hours one-way for a display DW 735 for $350, sight unseen.

It seems like older DW734s didn't have the cutterhead locking bail, and not sure if the Ridgid 4330. Oh, and good grief! Just found:

4. Ryobi AP1300 13" wood planer with rapid set for $160, with reportedly little use.

So whaddya think: assuming good shape for all:

DW734 $200
Ridgid 4330 $300
new (display DW735) $350 and ten hours drive
Ryoby 1300 $160

My gut is the 734 (three knives) local and $200, but again, this is my first planer, and I'm still a newbie...

Thanks, and I'll DEFINITELY share the location of the 735 if I don't go get it.

Mike

[atgcpaul]

I got a fantastic deal on the Ridgid TP1300 when they were on clearance a
few years ago. Mine has performed great! I do know they were really highly
rated in most major WWing mags.

I didn't realize Ridgid had a new one out, but the TP1300 is a good one.
Hopefully, the new model is just as good.

Paul

[mjernigan]

Based on seeing it on DB's HF Gems list, I did just get the 6" industrial rabbeting jointer from a CL ad for $150, and so far it seems like it was a wise choice, though I have to clean up the bed and should probably replace the knives . Not looking forward to that. But, it's apparent quality made me think the planer might follow suit. Thanks to you all for steering me away.

Mike

[dbhost]

If I had seen the planer positively reviewed more than negatively, and typically the more has to be pretty significant, it would have made my list...

FWIW, the Ryobi AP1300 planer does have a cutter head lock, and is a VERY well regarded planer. IF you can snag one for $160.00, you should be on your way to get it NOW...

[mjernigan]

Awesome, db, and thanks... that's exactly the sort of feedback I was hoping for. Just got off the phone with the AP1300 seller; not exactly local, in fact a two-hour drive away, but it DOES seem like quite a good deal. I've already made an appointment to see the Dewalt 12" (presumably 734) tomorrow anyway, and the guy listed it for $200.

How far off of that would he have to come to sway you away from the Ryobi?

And, oh, by the way: the new DW735, a little over five hours away from me, is $324 and at the Hurricane, WV BORG, their last in stock. You can reach them at 423-915-1111; I spoke with Bill in their hardware/tool department a couple of hours ago.

[master53yoda]

this planer from the owners manual that you can down load has an induction motor so it will deliver a full 3 HP long term, it appears to be built similar to most of the large commercial planers. It is vary similar to the Foley Belsaw planer molder that I own. They are currently marketed under the name of Woodmaster. These commercial planers all have a moving table rather then a moving cutter-head. The cutter-head being solid to the frame does not allow it to move as is the case with the smaller planers that require the head locks. When I need to have a longer table then the one that is on the planer I insert an extension table. If I ever needed longer then a 4 ft table I would build the extensions in a torsen box design.

The biggest thing I would worry about with the HF planer would be the quality of the knives and the bearings. I have found that the HF tools do have inferior bearings due to the quality of the metal used in China, the bearings are standard bearings and i have replaced some of them with better bearings as in my DC, but i would wonder about the knives being able to hold an edge and could you get high quality knives.

[dbhost]

Awesome, db, and thanks... that's exactly the sort of feedback I was hoping for. Just got off the phone with the AP1300 seller; not exactly local, in fact a two-hour drive away, but it DOES seem like quite a good deal. I've already made an appointment to see the Dewalt 12" (presumably 734) tomorrow anyway, and the guy listed it for $200.

How far off of that would he have to come to sway you away from the Ryobi?

And, oh, by the way: the new DW735, a little over five hours away from me, is $324 and at the Hurricane, WV BORG, their last in stock. You can reach them at 423-915-1111; I spoke with Bill in their hardware/tool department a couple of hours ago.

I cannot answer to the DeWalt. I generally speaking don't look to them for tools... Not sure why. I would prefer a Delta or Ridgid over the DeWalt... I know the DeWalt planers generally get very good reviews... But are expensive pieces of equipment...

[mjernigan]

Thanks for the thoughtful reply, Art. I've narrowed it down (for now ) to either the Ryobi AP1300 for $160--good price, but a good drive away-- or a DeWalt 12" 3-knife for $200. Wondering how much off the DW he'll come to make the sale, or if I should just stick with the Ryobi.

Now just have to get: miter saw, pocket-hole jig, a dust collector, and build my air cleaner (have the squirrel-cage blower already). Collecting tools is fun and expensive .

Mike

[master53yoda]

When you build your air cleaner if you are using a furnace fan motor size the filter rack so that you can use the 4" thick high efficiency filters that you can get now, almost nothing will get through them.

The other thing that i didn't note about the commercial planers has to do with price. I paid over 500 for my /belsaw when it was 15 Years old but in talking to the owner he had never been able to get it to plane good. He had paid 2300 for it in 84 with an assortment of molding heads and three sets of planer knives that were still in the packaging.

I never had the heart to tell him that he had the planer blades installed backwards and that is why it wouldn't plane. I don't think he ever used it.