Makita Planer

About 16 or 17 years ago I bought a Makita 2040 15 3/4” planer. It was a good, very strong machine, all except for its motor. I somehow got the idea that it had a 5 hp motor on it. I thought I had read that in the description, but after I got it, I found out it was absolutely gutless. If you fed a board in according to the instructions it would pull the motor down really bad. The motor is hidden up under the base and when I laid the planer over to look at the motor, it was small enough to hold in one hand. I had a 3 hp industrial motor on hand, so I made some major modifications (way too big to mount under the base) and when I was done it was a very usable machine. I never could find out how many hp the stock motor was supposed to be, but it only weighed about 20 lbs. I probaby ran 10,000 to 15,000 bf through it after I fixed it. I got a bigger planer and sold the Makita to my neighbor. It’s still going strong.

-- David, Southern Indiana, http://www.freedhardwoods.com

I don’t know much about the Makita, but I don’t think you could go wrong with either the Delta or Dewalt.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I am with Gary. I have the 22-580 and have run several hundred feet of cherry, maple and oak through it over the last 3 years and it has not given me any problems.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

David, Gary and Scott – thanks for weighing in. I will probably go with the Delta.

Praki

-- Praki, Aspiring Woodworker