advice wanted; (I have more money than brains!)

[marc rosen]

Hey All, I have an opportunity to buy a Rockwell RC-51 (20 inch planer, 230 volt, single phase). I already have a Delta 15 inch planer that works and is in my shop in the basement. There is a 20 inch bandsaw in my garage along with several hundred bdft of rough lumber waiting to be sliced and diced. (Well, "sliced", dicing will be done on the table saw in the basement.) The garage could become "Wood Shop II " and be my lumber making center This is one of those situations where I don't need it but I really want it and I know I'm going to regret either decision I make. If I let it go I'll say "I wish I had it for these boards" and if I buy it I'll say "I could have used that money for a downpayment on a truck" A friend who works in the woodworking tool business suggested I buy it, use it, and try to sell it for the same as I bought it. He also added that this laner would be less prone to make defective boards if the bottom face was not perfectly surfaced planed. (I only have an 8 inch jointer). Another woodworking friend said "Get it!" All comments are welcome, serious or sarcastic. Marc (Wife not questioned about this yet)

[David Bridgeman]

Marc,

I would vote for getting and using it in your milling substation if you are milling all those bf. Then, if your utilization lessens, sell it. If you have the room and can spare the cash just keep it for future milling.

Dave - Parkville

[Tim W]

Wide planers are great, but can you get enough power from a single phase moter to properly run a 20" planer?

Tim w

[marc rosen]

Hey Tim, Delta listed this same planer in their mid-80's catalog with a 5 hp

230 v. motor. (The three phase machine was a 7hp). The previous owner had no problem making this work in his shop. I'm waiting for a good time to ask my wife as she does share some woodworking time with me. (Especially when she wants me to make gifts for her family) Also to Dave; Thanks for your encouragement- it will help me say yes. Marc

[Leon]

Maybe I am missing something here. You mention that maybe you would be less prone to make defective boards if the bottom face was perfectly surfaced. I cannot see how a 20 in planer would be more prone to create a flat bottomed board. Does this planer also act as a jointer?

IMHO the extra 5 " will only come in handy when surfacing glued up panels wider than 15" but not over 20". Rough cut boards 12" and wider tend to be warped/cupped enough that you should rip them on the BS to start with otherwise you often end up with a board that is too thin.

If you want it, buy it. You probably will not benefit from it and IMHO it would be a PIA to haul it home and use if for a little while, then find another buyer and get rid of it.

[Jay Pique]

It's not all that uncommon to have two planers. One you can use to hog off material, and save the other for final passes with nice sharp blades. We do that at work b/c we use loads of reclaimed wood, and our denailers sometimes miss one.

JP

[Robatoy]

Does it have serrated and segmented pinch rollers? If so.....run, don't walk--------> to buy it.

[George]

BINGO! That's why it will give better work on crowned material.

[Robatoy]

Plus the added advantage of being able to plane two or more boards of different thicknesses at the same time. (Within reason)

[J T]

Sat, Nov 3, 2007, 4:47am (EDT-3) [e-mail] (marc=A0rosen) doth post: Hey All, I have an opportunity to buy a Rockwell RC-51 (20 inch planer, 230 volt, single phase). I already have a Delta 15 inch planer that works and is in my shop in the basement.

So? Simple. You want it, you get it, you sell the Delta. Besides, a lot harder for your wife to argue against that than for keeping both. Has this not occurred to anyone else?

JOAT Viet Nam. Divorce. Cancer. Been there, done that, got over it. Now where the Hell are my T-shirts?

- JOAT

[Phisherman]

I can't speak for you, but I'd use my current surface planer until it no longer works before buying another. You can put your money in a

5% money market or CD for the truck to get a lower monthly vehicle payment.

[B A R R Y]

Wide planers are great if you can find wide wood.

In my experience, glue ups are rarely "planer bait" due to grain reversals. This is a reason for the popularity of wide sanders.

Tear out = bad...

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[George]

Wide planers are great even without wide wood. You have more knife to dull before sharpening, and you can feed at a greater angle on narrow squirrelly-grained boards to reduce tearout.

They also have good holds and tables, unlike wimpy hobbyist-grade belt sanders.

NB Don't plane or sand a glue-up for 24 hours or you may find yourself with a valley where the glueline runs when you finish it.

[Charlie Self]

My solution: sell the 15" planer.

[Leon]

Yeah and there is that too. ;~) But still you have to move two planers and sell one. I'd say a great find if you did not have one to start with.