jones'in for a planer: 22-580 or 735?

[mttt]

Thank the Lord, I taped the DJM episode where he shows us the tools in his shop. He said about 3 times, that I need a Table Saw, a Band Saw, a Jointer and a Planer.

I'm making progress on the tool front, only one left to go. [ Odd, how my quality doesn't seem to increase with each new tool purchase. Perhaps, there's some quantum-esque critical mass equations involved. I'm sure once I acquire the planer, my stuff will be as good as his.]

Anyway, if nothing else, I gott'a be helping out the economy by buying tools.

Time for a planer: I've DAGS. But would like to hear from the group. What say ye? The Delta 22-580 for $365 or the DeWalt 735 for $479?

The Treasury spit back some change and I got about $500 to spend (in 2004).

Thank you!

[The Davenports]

I can't speak about the 735, but I"ve got the -580 and it does everything that I would want it to do and it does it well. Blade changes are fast and accurate...after the second time I did it, I've got the blade change time down to about 10 minutes.

Luck

Mike

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I have the Delta. Good machine, but so is the DeWalt. I'm not sure it is $100+ better. I rarely use the slow speed. It does a nice job on slow speed with new blades, but once they are used a while, both speeds seem to be about the same finish Ed [e-mail]

.

[Swingman]

Don't rule out the 13" Ridgid, especially if you can find it on sale, as it often is around here. I've been using a 2HP Delta 15" lately, and going back to the Ridgid on occasion ... that experience has made the little Ridgid even more impressive considering what I paid for it a couple of years ago.

[Wm Jones]

It's a no-brainer: get the Makita.

[patriarch]

"Swingman" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Amen to what Swingman says. The 13" Ridgid takes everything I've thrown at it. Anything significantly better would be bigger, not portable, and run likely four figures.

I now can change the blades in about 8 minutes, with no Bandaids required.

Patriarch