SWMBO was very nice and bought me a Delta 22-580 planer for Christmas. She knew that I had been talking about buying a planer, so she did some research on her own and thought that model would work for me. (A hobby woodworking, who still considers himself a newbie, but has aspirations of becoming better.) BUT, since it arrived damaged, and will need to be returned, I have the opportunity to get something else.
You get roughly what you pay for. So, it is about the same as others in its price range. You don't return what your wife buys you. Since you won't be returning it, use it and enjoy it.
I think your SWMBO did a fine job at picking a planer for you. I've had the
22-580 over three years now and it has had A LOT of lumber run through it. It will sometimes snipe boards, but once the boards are flat on BOTH sides, the snipe disappears and is not a problem after that. Also, the feed rollers will need an occasional cleaning or the machine won't feed right. A dust collector is recommended, but at least get the dust hood and a piece of
4" pipe and run the pipe into a trash can to contain the dust. The blades are double edged, easy to change, and can be had for $30 to $45 around here. The only problem I had with mine is the cutterhead wasn't parallel to the table by .2" or so. The fix was easy, I just flipped the machine over, removed the cover, removed a sprocket that drove a chain between the two sides and backed it off one tooth. Cuts have been right on since. I like the blade height gauge and use it frequently. Some have said the two speed thing is gimmicky. I can tell a difference from the 60 to the 90, but only when the blades are sharp. When the blades dull, the machine will become noticeably louder. The scale readout is on par with most other planers as it will only get you close to the dimension on the scale. If you need to cut a board to .75" to fit in a .75" dado, .72" will be sloppy and .77" won't fit at all, so I'd suggest getting a dial caliper or a digital scale when thickness is crucial. I have no regrets in purchasing the 22-580. --dave
I have run a lot of oak and maple through mine and have no complaints . Don't cut to much at one time. I think that dust collection is needed so it won't jam up with chips. I've always used a dust collector with a trash can / cyclone cover .
I have run a lot of oak and maple through mine and have no complaints . Don't cut to much at one time. I think that dust collection is needed so it won't jam up with chips. I've always used a dust collector with a trash can / cyclone cover .
I have the 22-580 and have been happy with it. You will really want the dust collection hood if you don't already have it. I'd say the major competition to the Delta is the Dewalt DW735. It's generally $100 or so more expensive than the Delta, but comes with built-in chip ejection.
I have the 22-560. It's the only planer of it's type (non industrial) that I've ever used so I have nothing to compare it to but I'm happy with it. No snipe, good finish, reliable.
She did good. The only advice I have is to let her know how good she did and how much you appreciate it. This is a very good machine.
As for using the machine this is what I'd advise for any brand or model. As soon as the blades start to get dull, flip them to the other side. If you try to get too much from them, they can actually cause more problems that it is worth. Keep a spare set on hand. Blades last longer when you have a spare on hand. If you don't they always knick when you have just two more passes to go late at night.
You NEED a dust collector. Sure, go ahead and try it, but after a couple of passes, you will know what I mean.
You are a lucky man. Let her know that and enjoy the rewards.
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