Delta 12" Portable Thickness Planer or 22" Shop Built Thickness Sander?

[tillius]

Lowes has the Delta 12" portable planer on sale for $179 + an additional 20% off which brings the price to $143.20. SWMBO said I could get one if I want, or I can spend the money on something else (biscuit joiner).

I'm now trying to decide between the 12" portable planer and a shop build thickness sander.

I don't need to resize wood, but what I need to do is resurface resawn barn boards.

I was thinking the sander because of the risk of unfound metal in the boards ruining planer blades. If I can only shave off 1/32 at the time with the thickness sander, I should be able to catch any nails before they damage the drum.

Anyway, opinions are solicited. But I must decide before Monday, since the 20% off sale ends monday and I've either got to get the planer or the biscuit joiner then.

[Darrell Dorsey]

I'm not sure which way you should go, i.e. planer vs. sander. But if you decide to go planer, then I'd skip the Delta TP300 (old 22-540 I believe). It doesn't have a lock mechanism. So you more apt to get a little snipe. You'd like the DeWalt 734 much better. Or even the Delta 22-560, which they don't sell I believe. Both these have blade lock and the DeWalt Machine has a 4 column carriage lock and is a three knife cutter head. Although is almost considerably higher price. With the 20% off, it wont be too bad.

Darrell

[C & S]

You really want to get a machine with a cutter head lock. I replaced my old Delta because I was just loosing too much material to snipe. Invest a little more and you will have a much more useful tool.

But you might want to resize wood on another project after you get a planer.

yeahbutt... you will have destoyed the knives in by then. FWIW I find reclaiming lumber to not be quite the economy that it appears. It's alot of work to clean and de-nail boards and them you miss one and trash a blade ofr a knife anyway DAMHIKT.

Just in case you think you might remove a finish from boards with a planer, that will destroy knives too.

I'm not saying "don't do it", just that the wood will likely end up being less "free" than anticipated.

-Steve

[loutent]

I have used that Delta planer for about 10 years. It does produce snipe at the end of each pass, but you can minimize it if you are careful.

I would not buy the same planer again, but if I had a budget of $150 needed something, you can't go too far wrong.

Why not invest in a metal detector along with the Delta? This would save your blades.

Also, the planer will make quick work of the boards - much faster (and cheaper than using a lot of sandpaper).

Lou

[GregP]

What is DAMHIKT ? This ng is the first place I've seen it. "Damn it ?"

[firstjois]

DAMHIKT (Don't Ask Me How I Know That).

[Stephen M]

[GregP]

In other words, "damn it" :-)

[J. Clarke]

Please forgive a stupid question, but how does one damage the knives in a _sander_?

Don't do it with a planer, don't do it with a sander, or don't do it at all?

[firstjois]

I thought it meant that "I don't want to tell you the mistake I had to make to learn this, so don't ask" or "I've been told this (read this or seen this) so many times I can't tell you when I first learned it."

Josie

[bridger]

hee hee... ] but nails *will* destroy the paper on your thickness sander.

DAMHIKT.

lunchbox planers are handy tools. sounds like a can't refuse price. I say get it.

I have both a lunchbox planer and a thickness sander. they do different things. really, you *need* both....

[C & S]

OK... I misread it

Go ahead and do it either way. Grit sand finish nails... they are all hard on abrasives or knives and saw blades. either a huge amount of time will be spent removing foreign material or their will be significant expense in blades etc.

I've done it. It was particularly nail and sand ridden stuff, but it was special wood.

-Steve