# Which Thickness Planer ?



## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

*Re: Which Thicckness Planer ?*

The DeWalt 735 would be my choice, just be sure and get a dust collector , or you'll have chips all over the place.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

*Re: Which Thicckness Planer ?*

The 735 for me too. Wider is always better (for me anyway). Both of the Dewalt's have three knives the Makita only has two. I have a 12" 2 knife Dewalt that I've been abusing for over ten years, the thing is bullet proof.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

I have one of the 10" Ryobis that I bought about 15? years ago when it was the first one available. Don't know if they still make it. It's been a solid machine for DIY duty cycles. 

Ditto on the dust collector, these things make shavings like you wouldn't believe, and they are loud. I made one, basically a three-sided box with a vacuum cleaner fitting bolted to it. It also helps to build out and in-feed tables with rollers to keep down snipe if you plane long heavy pieces.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

The DW735 gets the best reviews for a lunchbox planer but there are a few drawbacks. It's expensive, the blades can't be sharpened (although they're reversible). 

Rigid has a 13" planer that has a similar chip ejector as the 735 and costs way less. It's only a 2-knife but they're a lot cheaper to replace.


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## ZZZZZ (Oct 1, 2014)

ChuckF. said:


> I have one of the 10" Ryobis that I bought about 15? years ago when it was the first one available. Don't know if they still make it. It's been a solid machine for DIY duty cycles.
> 
> Ditto on the dust collector, these things make shavings like you wouldn't believe, and they are loud. I made one, basically a three-sided box with a vacuum cleaner fitting bolted to it. It also helps to build out and in-feed tables with rollers to keep down snipe if you plane long heavy pieces.


I also have a ~10 year old Ryobi. I like it a lot: easy to use, clean cuts that barely need sanding, easily replaceable and inexpensive blades., 

The damned sniping. PITA. Yes, supplemental support in and out helps, and I also put a piece of scrap plywood underneath the stock I am planing and run then both through. 

If I'm planing some cheap pine or whatever, I'll just cut the stock about 6" too long and then just chop off the sniped ends.


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## LanterDan (Jul 3, 2006)

I have the DW735 and I love it. (I was considering several planers, and that is what popped up on the used market at the time.)

The fan on it is powerful enough that you don't need a dust collector. I have very limited space, so I just cart the planer out to the picnic table. I purchased a replacement dust bag for a small dust collector and just connect that to planer with some hose. The only issue is the small capacity means I usually have to stop and empty a couple times. 

I believe the DW735 is the heaviest lunchbox currently on the market.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

both the makita and dewalt are good planers.. i havnt used the makita but the only real flaw ive heard about it is that its louder. ive heard from a few people that the ridgid is problematic... gums up easily


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## grcummings (Feb 28, 2009)

My Dewalt 735 has been perfect for me.
I do like the ease of changing blades, I keep a few on hand and buy when the price is right.
The infeed and outfeed tables are pretty good, and I can adjust to minimize snipe.
3 blades with a rough and finish speed works nicely.

My unit came with a bonnet that fits a standard large rubbermaid trash container. It also works wonderful. I don't think you could go wrong with the 735.


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## MT Stringer (Oct 19, 2008)

I bought the DW 734 four or five years ago. It hasn't failed me yet. All I have done is replace the blades twice (dang buried nails in rough stock).

If I were to replace it, I would wo with the DW 735.

Now if I had the room and 220 available, I would go with the 15 inch Grizzly. 

Here are some cutting boards I am in the process of building. The rough stock started out 2 inches thick. After milling, then gluing and final planing, they are now 1 1/2 thich. The planer complains if I accidently take too big a bite, but that's all. 12 inches of hard maple and walnut is hard to swallow!


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Mort said:


> The DW735 gets the best reviews for a lunchbox planer but there are a few drawbacks. It's expensive, the blades can't be sharpened (although they're reversible).
> 
> Rigid has a 13" planer that has a similar chip ejector as the 735 and costs way less. It's only a 2-knife but they're a lot cheaper to replace.


 Yeah, I saw the rigid too. It didn't really make it on my list initially because it seemed too cheap. But thanks for the feedback. Didn't think about cost of replacement blades, but suppose the will be at "got-ya" prices. Fortunately, I don't think I will be using it all that much -- but probably need it for something coming up.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

SPS-1 said:


> Yeah, I saw the rigid too. It didn't really make it on my list initially because it seemed too cheap. But thanks for the feedback. Didn't think about cost of replacement blades, but suppose the will be at "got-ya" prices. Fortunately, I don't think I will be using it all that much -- but probably need it for something coming up.



The latest Ridgid is a 3 knife machine, probably worth researching a little further.


http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-13-in-Thickness-Corded-Planer-R4331/100634358


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## MT Stringer (Oct 19, 2008)

Not sure about the others but the DW 734 blades are reversible providing two cutting edges per blade set...about $55 at my local big box store.


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## rml63 (Jan 29, 2016)

When I started WW I chose a bench top planer and jointer ( 12" makita and the table top ryobi 6") hands up for folks that remember that little screamer. They turned out to be my worst purchases.

Did they work and give an acceptable finish Yes, BUT, they took forever to to get to the finished dimensions. My vote ( if you plan on doing any amount of WW is save your money and get floor model jointer and plnaer. Once you have had a taste of the capacity of these machines you will never regret the purchase.

Mike


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Did some research on the Ridgid 3 knife planer, owner satisfaction is bleak at it's best, most say it's a boat anchor, and the lifetime warranty is a joke.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

Canarywood1 said:


> Did some research on the Ridgid 3 knife planer, owner satisfaction is bleak at it's best, most say it's a boat anchor, and the lifetime warranty is a joke.




All the more reason I'm waiting until I build an adult sized shop with 220 until I get a new planer (was given an old Ryobi otherwise I wouldn't even have one). The price of the DeWalt would go a long way towards a used Powermatic or something like that.


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## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

I remember when they first came out, i bought a 10" model and i had it until i got a Griz 15", that Ryobi planed a lot of wood for me before i sold it, and it did a pretty good job.


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