6" jointer/planer question

[ddakadmc]

I am very new into woodworking and want to furnish my small shop with good affordable equipment.

I have an opportunity to purchase a new Delta x5 6" jointer for a final cost of $323.92. I know that is a good price, but I am asking the following questions:

What is the difference between the x5 6" Jointer (37-275X) and the 6" Professional Jointer (37-195)? They look identical in the specs.

Are there other 6" Jointers I should be looking at in the $400 range (which I can't seem to locate easily).

What planer would you ball recommend? My local shop has the DeWalt

13"(DW735) at $449 after rebates and that would come with an extra set of blades. That is a lot for me to spend. Any suggestions on other decent brands that cost less, or where I might be able to get this item for less?

Thanks for your help. Doug

[Stephen M]

IMHO, with jointers, only 2 things *really* matter everything else is down there with paint color. 1. Size matters (longer is always better) and 2. Flatness is everything. Get a good quality straightedge and make sure that your castings are flat and parallel. It does not matter whose jointer you buy; everybody makes a lemon every now and then. Make sure that the verdor (not the necessarily the manufacturer) will make things right if you get unlucky.

I have a Dewalt 733 with which I am very happy. I beleive that it has been replaced by the 734 which is considerably cheaper than the 735.

[Wilson]

If you are doing hobby work and not handling a lot of rough lumber, the cheap 12" planers will be fine. I, and now my son, have used a C'man for nearly 10 yr. I even did some 2X10 rough floor joists on it! They are $100-150 used. The planer is a great tool, but there are many more productive places to spend the extra money.

The big thing on jointers is bed length. You can't straighten anything a whole lot longer than the infeed table. I rip all long boards with a sliding carrier and then joint. The price is great. Used C'men, which are fine but short, are $150-200.

Please mail my two pennies asap, Wilson

[Toller]

If you buy new equipment, you pretty much get what you pay for. Only you can figure out your balance between features and quality versus price.

You can get both by buying used. Almost all my equipment is used. It is "like new" for half price. Admittedly that takes a certain amount of luck, both in finding it before anyone else, and not getting screwed with junk; but it can be done.

[tom]

Upon investigation, the X5 comes with a 5 year warrantee, versus the "professional's" standard 2 year warrantee. The blades on the DeWalt

735 are disposable, while the 733's are resharpenable. That was enough for me to forgo the "upgrade". Tom

[astutesolutions]

I have my eyes on a lot of grizzly equipment, but my planer is the Ryobi 13 inch model. If you aren't doing it for a living, I think the Ryobi works great. I used it to plane the 4x8 stock you see in this photo:

and the 2x10's that are layed in the center of it. The stock was some pretty nasty looking stuff before I planed them down.

If you have doubts about the Ryobi, don't buy until you need it. Use it, and if you don't like it, take it back. Thats what I did and ended up keeping it.

Thanks. Jeff

[davide1209]

Can you please elaborate on what you mean by ripping boards with a sliding carrier. I have had some problems jointing long stock and might benefit from your wisdom if I had a better picture of your process.

Thanks in advance.

[Unquestionably Confused]

on 10/27/2005 11:34 AM tom said the following:

When I was looking at the DeWalts (fell into a deal for a Delta so I'm out of the market for now) one of the things I was told was that with the replacable blade (and I THINK this was on the 734 and not the 735) the slots in the blade allow for sideways movement which is great.

It's all well and good to have the holes register the blades precisely when reinstalling but... The beauty of the longitudal slot is that you can shift one or more blades minutely in the horizontal plane to remove evidence of a nicked blade edge.

As for the 733/734 vs 735... the price differential between the blades for the 733 and those for the 734 & 735 is not all that much when you consider you're getting an extra blade and two sharp edges. I've heard that unless you were planing some old pallets or reclaimed wood with nails in it you can touch up those disposable blades. Then too I would consider the dual speed and the three blades with the 734/735 and the resultant quality of the finish before making my selection.

Unless the deal was a great one on the 733 or 734, I think I'd be tempted to go with the 735 when it's on sale. Haven't heard a bad thing about it yet.

I just wish I could remember which one of the units (734 or 735) allowed for the lateral movement of the blade. I seem to think it was the 734 which I thought rather odd. Why not put it on all or, if not, include that feature on the top end model?

[B a r r y]

Same here. I have 3 sets of 733 blades that I cycle through the machine and to the sharpener.

Things can be going along great, and then one gritty board destroys the edges. Sometimes, I've been unlucky enough to have the gritty board go through the same day I've installed the fresh edges.

Barry

[wood_newbie]

Yeah, the 734 replaced the 733...it added a third knife to the cutter head, but I'm not sure if anything else changed or not.

I've never used the 733, but I love my 734. I have to use a DC on it (a shop vac doesn't have enough suction and allows the chips to clog), but I love the folding supports and I just don't have a damn bit of snipe with it. Was about $120 cheaper than the 735.

So far a great tool.

[John Girouard]

I can't speak to the 734, but the 735 allows the lateral movement you're talking about.

-John

[Tom Banes]

Probably attracting flames here but HD sells the 6" Ridgid jointer that I have. Mine is flat (in and out) to a Veritas 36" straight edge and it has straightened out a bunch of less than straight red oak 8/4 boards for me. DC is good when hooked up to a dust collector.

I have the DW 735 and am impressed. I too got a deal on extra blades plus the stand (which is really nice - see my post a couple of months ago). Yeh, it ain't cheap, but it sure does a nice job on the finishing speed. It will blow chips all over kingdom come if you don't hook it up to a DC.

Regards.

[Unquestionably Confused]

on 10/27/2005 1:47 PM John Girouard said the following:

Okay, that's it then. According to the sales guy, only one of the two had it. A worthwhile "feature" I think, especially with a three bladed unit. Depending upon the size of the nick you should have a minimum of three "quick cures" before you actually have to do some semi-serious work to cure the problem.

[ddakadmc]

Thanks for all the info. I am going to get the jointer, the price is to good (and I found out about the longer warranty as well).. The Ryobi was one I was thinking of and will probably wait and try that one when the time comes.

The workbench looks nice. I showed my wife a butcher block table and told her that is what I can do with a jointer.

Thanks again. Doug

[Nick Bozovich]

If you're still looking for a jointer, I have a Jet JJ6-CSX for sale - hope it's not too tacky to advertise here. It has three knife setts, and a mobile base. I was asking $300, but I'm negotiable a little on price.

I'm in South Central PA -

Nick B ndotbozovichatsuscomdotnet