benchtop planers vs floor models

I have a bench top model (delta) which has been a great tool. Probably one of hte best I have. Having said that, I'm going to replace it with something bigger. The main reason is the motor. I want something that will stand up to hardwoods better than the portable while being quieter at the same time. I'm glad I bought the bench top thought. I'll keep using it until I replace some other the other tools that I have that are really lacking. If the money isn't so important though, I'd get a floor standing 15" model with a closed base and a proper motor.

brian

Reply to
brian lanning
Loading thread data ...

Having had floor model planers in the 13 and 20 inch size and an old Delta portable planer I have some thoughts. The floor models are a pain to adjust, at least the older ones. Every little detail has to be just right. It took two months to figure out the proper adjustments for an old Delta 13 inch floor model. The blades take a couple of hours minimum to install. The first sharpening saw this tool down for three days before I made all of the adjustments accurately. They do stay accurate for some time. This floor model weighs around 500 pounds and could handle a 4x12 hardwood board without effort. The portable Delta could also do this with lots of support and a light cut. It just doesn't make sense to buy a machine that would be very difficult to move when you change your shop around. These machines are frequently 3 phase also. My old Delta portable is so easy to change blades that I once did it in 10 minutes. As for resale, people that work at home are a bigger potential market than the pro shops. I sold my Planer for $300 after using it for a couple of years. I paid $500 for the floor model Delta and I don't think I could get that now. The smaller machines are so good now that I see many pro's using them. I am going to buy one soon. I am leaning towards the Dewalt 735. It is heavy enough not to move, has two speeds, quick change blades and plenty of power. I am also considering the Delta two speed. The Dewalt can be had for $475 delivered. I see them sell used on ebay for $400. So they are economical to own. Besides, it's yellow!! max

Reply to
max

I was, as well as on the possibility that the pressure on the infeed roller was too heavy. If I hadn't seen it a thousand times with kids, I wouldn't have mentioned the newbie misapprehension that lumber needs to be anything but the same thickness as what's going to be glued to it.

The lunch boxes don't feed thick stock worth a crap when one side's slick and the other rough.

Reply to
George

Wow. It's thirty minutes start to finish on my 13" Rockwell/Invicta, the granddaddy of the modern 4-poster. Pretty much the same with the 15" Grizz up at school. Never could find a shortcut worth taking.

Add thirty if I'm going to resharpen the blades in the head versus replace them with the sharpened spares.

Reply to
George

I am sure it is quicker with your model. Mine is 50 years old. max

Reply to
max

For finer finish cuts a porty planer is usually better. Serrated infeed roller marks and all from the stationary machines.

Did you know those inserts leave ridges down the length of the board? I wonder how the tighter sphinctered hobbyist wooddorker will react to that?

Better yet, substitute the drum sander for a stroke sander.

UA100, qwesting for a stroker...

Reply to
Unisaw A100

You can't have it - Axminster CT330, so UK only

formatting link
" width, good headlock, long and stable tables. I put a couple of thousand bf of oak through it the year I got it and it held up very well.

A noticeably better machine than their older CT344

formatting link

Reply to
Andy Dingley

& Deltas..
Reply to
mac davis

Let's put it this way: My DeWalt DW735 benchtop planer produces, in "finishing" mode, surfaces that need hardly any scraping or sanding to be glass-smooth. It's difficult for me to imagine that *any* planer, benchtop or free-standing, could produce a surface that is significantly better than what I'm already getting from the DeWalt.

It's entirely possible that larger, more powerful planers could produce an equivalent, or better, surface *faster* than the DW735 does. But if your intended use is "a low volume hobby" then that wouldn't seem to be much of an issue for you.

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

Reply to
Doug Miller

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.