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Yet Another LunchBox Planer Thread

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12K views 49 replies 26 participants last post by  AHuxley 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I've been reading, and reading, and reading (and lurking). I'm looking for a lunchbox planer. It sounds like a lot of folks here will vouch for the Dewalt 73x planers (based on the other forums on the LJ site I've seen). But it's harder to find information on the other units I'm considering:

- Makita 2012NB (~$550) or Dewalt DW73x (~$400-550) - these are tied and are the two that I'm primarily looking at.

Other contenders:
- Grizzly G0505 (~$350) - price point is good. . longevity? Quality?
- Steel City 40300HC (~$550) - it comes with the helical-style head and a lot of free grease.

One reviewer on Amazon has the Makita and has had it for well over 6 years; it is generally well reviewed.

I've found a few reviews on the Grizzly, the one here on LJ seems to be positive, but there aren't many of them around.

The Steel City 40300HC seems to have mostly good reviews (once you get past the grease) but they are more mixed than the Makita and Dewalt.

I may be able to pickup the Grizzly locally (I live about 2 hours south of the Bellingham, WA showroom) and save the ~50 on shipping. If I can do in-store pickup on any of the other brands, that would be ideal.

Aside from the Dewalt (which I'm sure there will be a lot of positive responses for), what is your hands-on experience with the Makita, Grizzly, or Steel City? Should I even consider the Grizzly or Steel City? Are there other quality brands out there?

- Additional information -
My Use?
Hobby use. I do a couple projects a year, so I would consider my use light-medium. I'd be surprised if I put 200 LF of hardwood though this in a year.

Budget?
300-600, any more and I don't think I could justify it for hobby use.

Space?
HA! I have a small shed to store my tools in, and a carport to do woodworking, so everything has to be mobile.

Why not a floorstanding unit?
No space. I need to store this in a rather long and narrow "shed" that already holds my Tablesaw, RAS, and 4" jointer. Although a workshop would be ideal, that may not happen for another 2-3 years.

I considered all three units that are under 1300, but there are too many mixed reviews to make a confident purchasing decision. Jet makes a 10" combo unit that I could order though a local store and return it locally, but I'd rather not hassle with it given the mostly negative reviews.

Complementary Jointer:
4 3/8" Craftsman 1960's jointer and I found a set of knives for it! I need to make a new fence for it though.

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
I've used the Makita and it's a very nice planer, one thing that worries me is the lack of units on the market. The DeWalt planers are quite ubiquitous and anything that could go wrong with yours has already gone wrong with someone else's and someone's posted something about it somewhere (probably here). Service centers are also easier to find, as is aftermarket support.
 
#3 ·
Just read the first review on the Amazon web site about the Makita. That is an amazing piece of machinery. The original review was in 2001 and the reviewer came back in 2009 and said the machine is still running strong with minimal maintenance. How could you go wrong?
 
#6 ·
The thing about reviews (well, a thing, or some things) is that you have two substantial sources of information content noise.

One, idiosyncratic manufacture. There are a certain percentage of failed manufactured units, to a certain percentage of failure degrees.

Two, idiosyncratic users. This can go two ways (with shades of gray).

On one end you've got the Tool User to whom you send a box of random parts, tell them it s a a surface planer and they will shrug and put together a surface planer noting "there was some assembly required and I was disappointed with the packaging and user manual".

On the other, there are those to whom you can send the holy grail of whatever and they will screw it up. Discovering all possible points of failure.

The upshot being, with any of the machines you list, if you get a decently built machine (not a machine built the Friday before firearms deer season for example when attention to detail wanes) and you are not a hopeless tool user, you'll be fine.

Also, things depend on your future tool path. Would you be intending on moving up the planer food chain? If so, resale value/ease is an issue and the Dewalts would be your win there.

I have a Dewalt 735 and considered the exact same set of machines you are looking at. Went with the Dewalt basically because I got tired of analyzing.

A major consideration that complicated things for me was noise. It would be nice to have a segmented planer head for major noise reduction. Dewalt ain't got that (unless you pop the $400 for the helical 3rd party upgrade).
 
#7 ·
Couple of notes:
1) DeWalt 734 is the same basic design as all the other ones you're looking at. I think the mechanisms are very similar, the question is the quality control and specific features of the units.
2) DeWalt 735 is a totally different design than the rest-all the other ones are rigid boxes and a moving head, the 735 has the head unit built into the top and it all moves.
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
+1 to CharlesA

Additionally, if you are going to have to carry the planer from storage space to work space, keep in mind that the DW735 is a beast at around 100lbs vs 60-70lbs for most other styles. Probably be fine on a mobile cart, but I sure wouldn't want to lug it by hand very much. It also has a quite a bit bigger footprint if considering storage space.

I have a Steel City 40100 (straight knife version of the 40300H) and am very happy with it so far. This is basically the old tried and true Delta lunchbox design. If you do get a 40300H, order a set of replacement carbide tips at the same time. It comes with HSS cutters and when those wear, can be replaced with the much longer lasting carbide ones.
 
#9 ·
Lunchbox planers and noise. I just read a back issue of Wood Magazine in which they tested lunchbox planers. Noise was one of the parameters. All of the planer (except one) came in in the 91 to 94 db for noise. What surprised me was the DW 735 came in at 92 db no louder or quieter than any of the others. This put down the complaints about DW 735 being louder than any of the other lunch boxes. The one planer that was significantly quieter than the rest had a helical head but still was noisy enough to require hearing protection.
 
#12 ·
When I was shopping for a "portable" planer,I read many praises on DW735,the two main complaints were,noise,blades getting dull prematurely,so I bought a DW735 on sale ,it came with the extension tables and an extra set of blades.
In my opinion this planer is not any louder than most lunchbox planers,miter saws,in fact ,the first time I turned it on I also wore my ear muffs expecting it to be way too loud,it wasn't but you still need ear plugs when using it .

Makita 2012 was my next choice,you can't go wrong buying either one.
 
#13 ·
Thanks Guys.

bigblockyeti:

Dewalt 734/735 or Makita, they all have somewhere in the ballpark of 150 reviews and are all rated at 4.5 stars. . now to be fair I have not read them all, yet. I think the Makita and the Dewalt are both in the same general class when it comes to quality and the 735 and Makita are in the same price range. That being said, one of the top reviews on the Makita could just be a Makita insider pulling everyone's leg.

Mike:
I agree. Reviews are hit and miss, especially on specialty products on general merchant sites. At the end I find myself asking 1 or more questions, does this person really know what they are talking about, is this really a good and balanced, how long will this new item last (since most reviews are from people who just purchase a product).

Given the physical space available at my current location, I don't think I'll have the space for anything larger. Even if I get a dedicated shop, it won't be more than 200 SF (so you folks out there with a 400SF shop/2 car garage, consider yourself lucky!). So if I move up the planer food chain it will likely be some sort of benchtop, and bench tops don't (at the moment) get much bigger than the 13" dewalt. Now if I need some extra cash flow for whatever reason, the first thing to get sold will probably be my power tools, I don't make a living and if it gets that bad I won't be making much of anything. So to some extent resale value is a consideration, but not a huge one.

Noise, I have hearing protection I use when operating my power tools, lawn mower, weed whacker, or when I'm at the gun range shooting my Ruger 1911, doing anything that involves loudness. I wasn't always this careful, but after my Grandmother, Grandfather, and my wife all need hearing aids, I'm much more diligent about using hearing protection. Hopefully I can avoid any substantial hearing loss.

CharlesA:
Is there a clear advantage over the 735 over the 734 in terms of the design? I would imagine that regardless of how the head moves, as long as it moves the same distance and remains level/flat on each leg of the adjustment mechanism, that the cut will be parallel to the table. . . Is that not the case with some of these planers?

JayT:
My take on weight issue is a 2-way street. Less weight makes it easier and more portable to move around, but potentially less stable and more prone to tipping while more weight makes the machine more sturdy, stable, and helps to produce a better finish. Can anyone comment on whether more weight=better? I'd probably end up building some sort of nifty storage for it.

I'm envisioning a Planer/Jointer bench that I can roll out, pull the jointer out from underneath, joint the face of a board and then run it though the planer. . I saw a nifty setup someone posted on this forum that did this in their workshop. The Jointer was on a mobile base and stored under the planer. Short of that, It would probably be stored on a low shelf or something.

jmartel:
What other units did you try before getting the dewalt? What didn't you like about them? Are you a pro or a hobbyist?

Does anyone have/use the G0505, or is it just obscure?

Geez guys, I think I knocked the Steel City and the Grizzly out of the race here. Now it's between the Makita and the Dewalt DW734 or DW735. I'll have to go back and re-read those reviews.

Off hand, any advice between the DW734 and the DW735? Is the extra 1/2 inch capacity worth the extra $200? I also have my eye on a Bosch RC23EVSK router (that decision I've already made). Do these go on sale at all during the year? I think I spotted a 735 refurb for about $500. I do keep my eye on CL.

Remember to do everyone a favor, go back and update a review you wrote, or go in and write one. Even if there are 100's of reviews for a product, there's usually only a handful that stand out . . . that could be yours.

Thanks for answering! I appreciate your time and thoughts, especially on such a commonly asked question.
 
#14 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hobbyist. I bought a Rigid R4331, used it for about 10 days, and then the planer started sounded like a coffee can full of bolts. Basically something was being contacted by the motor or knives and I didn't want to deal with it on a brand new planer. This was only taking 1/32" off at a time. Never anything more than that, and there wasn't any metal in the wood I was planing.

Returned it to Home Depot, got the other R4331 that they had in stock. Took it home, set it up, started running it and 20 min later the fan started eating itself up. Boxed it up, returned it, and got my money back.

Bought the Dewalt 735x from Amazon that same night. Haven't had a single problem with it since.
 
#15 ·
Perhaps I'm too late to chime in, but . . . I've had my Makita 2012NB since 2008. I'm a hobbyist but I've run way more than 2500 BF through it. It uses two double edge disposable knives. I just replaced the first set of knives about three months ago. The first edge on the original set I successfully nicked by failing to brush down the boards before I ran them through. A little rock chip embedded in a board does irreparable harm. The blades are about 50 bucks a set. To compare consumable cost, find out what it takes to sharpen a set of planer knives in your neighborhood. If it is more than $25, then disposables with two edges are less expensive. Replacing the Makita knives is really, really simple. It comes with a pair of magnetized "registration jigs" that take the agony (and time) out of blade set up. It's really foolproof. I don't know what the process is in other planers. It is especially helpful when you are "kicking over" one or both knives a little bit because of a small nick or two in the blades.

I am not a big fan of the Makita "chip management" solution (it was an extra charge option). the dust collector port output is an oddball size and I had to cobble together a solution with duct tape and a sanded down street ell. You also need to make sure your dust collector has sufficient capacity to handle the chip volume. Sometimes I just leave the collector port off and let the chips fly away and clean them up later just because it's easier.

I am happiest with the lack of snipe. I get snipe on the leading edge that I can feel but can only see in just the right light. I get no snipe on the trailing edged. I am pretty sure that if I spent the time adjusting the in-feed table that I could eliminate the leading edge snipe, but it only takes a couple swipes with a sanding block to get rid of the feel of the snipe. I know that one of the planers out there offers a two speed capability. One speed for "rough" and ones speed for "finish" quality planning. I have never been anything less than happy with the finish on my single speed Makita. No matter how it comes off your planer, you will still sand or scrape every part to the same grit or "finish" anyway.

A comment on putting it on a tilt top stand with a jointer. Depending on the table length of the jointer, that could end up being a really tall table. I built a tilt top for my Makita because I wanted to store it under a shelf when I wasn't using it. I originally stored it under my Table Saw, but even though it is on of the lighter ones, I'm too old to be picking something like that up off the floor, so I built a tilt top. Even though lunchbox planers are pretty tall, I don't think you are going to find a jointer with a bed length that's half the height of the planer. That could mean you have a really big swing radius and a really tall stand for both of them. My tilt top puts the planer bed at about 34 inches (using three inch casters), the same height as the top of my Table Saw.
 
#17 · (Edited by Moderator)
B4B, my point wasn't so much that the DeWalt 735 is a better design, although it may be, but that the design of all the others, from $250-500, is pretty much the same. Therefore, if I were buying one of that style, I'd go for a Ridgid or Grizzly on the lower end of the price range since they are very similar planers unless I was going for the rotary head on the Steel City.

If you go for the 735, which a LOT of people love, then that is a different issue. But I wouldn't pay $500 for the Makita, as well as it probably works, when it is almost identical to the cheaper models.
 
#18 ·
Rather than start a new thread, I've revived this one. I still have not made a purchasing decision yet (and probably won't for a couple more months) and am mulling over some options.

The 735x bundle is attractive, but at that price point there may be some good used planers on CL that are more powerful.
CL does have a good deal from time to time, I may go this route if I can find something for a price I'm willing to pay.

So on the lower end of the price spectrum are the 4 post models that are somewhere in the 250-400 range like these (in no particular order):

13" models:
Ridgid - R4331 (13", 3 knives)
Delta - 22-555 (13", 2 knives)
Steel City - 40100T2 (13", 2 knives)

12.5" models:
Dewalt - DW734 (12.5", 3 knives)
Porter Cable - PC305TPR (12.5", 2 knives)
PowerTec - PL1251 (12.5", ? knives)
Grizzly - G0505 (12.5", 2 knives) & Grizzly - G0790 (12.5", 2 knives)
Central Machinary (Harbor Freight) - 95082 (12.5", 2 knives)

Most of them seem to be the same basic design, probably made in one of a handful of factories and imported under different brand names.Is there any major difference between them, are the parts more or less interchangeable?

It seems like the basic designs of the benchtop planers is the same. . are there any that ultimately better than others (how/why)? What do you have in your shop and if you could do it over within the same price point, would you have made a different selection given the market at the time?

Remember it's always easier to spend someone else's money, if you had a budget of $350 +/- $50, what would you get and why?

Thanks!
 
#20 ·
DKV are you suggesting that youll buy a dw735X for me? Sweet!

Otherwise the dw735x is twice the price as many of the other benchtop planers, except for a delta and a makita. Its in that middle ground price wise between a benchtop and a stationary planer. Call it a serius hobbiest or light commercial planer.

Even the dw734 is on the high end of the price scale for planers in Its class. If im going to spend $650, plus 9.5% tax, ill get a used stationary planer with knives that can be sharpened when dulled.

$350 +\- 50 is about the price point I am comfortable with and can justify in my mind for occassional use.

At 650+ Id have to wait till the end of this year before I can make a purchase, assuming my wife goes along with it. And im not entirely convinced that ill use it enough to justify the higher cost.

put another way: if you are in the market for a tracksaw, would you spring for a festool brand tracksaw or a grizzly/off brand tracksaw at a much lower price? They both generally do the same thing, but are at two drasticlly different price points.

lastly I know there are ljs here who have grizzly, harbor freight, ridgid, delta, craftsman or other branded benchtop planers on the lower end of the price spectrum and are happily thicknessing lumber. Which is the feedback I was hoping to get.
 
#21 ·
B4B, I'm in very much the position you are in, the Dewalt 735 is just too much money. I had settled on the Steel City planer and was just waiting for the funds. But now I'm seeing that they are out of business and I'm back to square 1. I'll be following this thread to see if anyone can convince me of an alternative choice.
 
#22 · (Edited by Moderator)
You will want to consider the cost of a dust collector if you don't already have one in that price as well. Planners don't work well without good dust extraction because the chips start to build up in the planner body. I have not had great luck with a shop vac with my Delta and it and my jointer is pretty much the only thing I take the time to dig my dust collector out from it's corner for. The Dewalt 735 has a built dust blower on it although I don't know how effective it is as I don't own one but at the very least it might be good enough to allow the use of a shop vac.

It seems to me that most lunch box planners don't get heavily used in a home shop environment. Mine is such a pain to dig out and setup I just avoid using it unless absolutely required. They would likely be good candidates for buying on the used market which would probably open up the funds to buy a small dust collector as well. The key I would look for is a unit that was used in a garage shop and not carried onto a job site everyday.

And if you don't already have it budget in a good set of ear protection. There is nothing louder in my shop than my lunchbox planner by a good margin especially when you tack the dust collector on top of it.

Good luck.
 
#25 ·
You will want to consider the cost of a dust collector if you don t already have one in that price as well. Planners don t work well without good dust extraction because the chips start to build up in the planner body.
And this is simply not true with the DW735 because of the internal blower. a 4" hose and a bin to direct the chips into is really all you need.
 
#26 ·
Thanks for keeping this thread going. I imagine that there are always people looking for input on this decision (as am I). My old delta is starting to make some troubling rattling noises and surfaces have never been quite smooth enough for me.

Reliable reviews seem to end up saying either Dewalt or Makita. Lumberjocks seem to like Dewalt, but I haven't seen many negatives about the Makita. I really like the concept of a quieter machine (Makita) but also like the extra width of the Dewalt. I've seen postings about better memory of recent thicknesses on the Makita, but a digital gauge is relatively cheap and can get you there easily.

Now for my thought process. I tend to do my planing in short periods at the beginning of projects. I warn the house, don my ear protection, and go to town for a few hours. Also, the decibel difference is between mid 80s to low 90s. This is significant but, since ear protection is needed anyway, I don't think there will be much of a difference (not to mention that I may have blown out my hearing listening to certain loud music in my earlier years). So, I'm not sure sound is such an issue. I've noticed that Makita reviews have been more negative as of late since manufacture moved to China. For all I know, the Dewalt is made in China too, but at least I haven't seen a poorer reviews. Weight - unless you plan to be lifting it, I'm not certain this is too much of a factor. I'd suggest either one be put on a rolling table and pushed out of the way for the months when it is not in use. You can see I'm leaning toward the Dewalt. Now for price shopping. Remember, the Dewalt needs the extra tables and the Makita needs the extra dust collection.

OK, I know you were looking for personal experience, but I thought a kindred spirit's thought process might be of some use, and it has helped me think it through. So, thanks, this has helped me think it through. As for the idea of going with a really cut-rate machine, two phrases come to mind - Penny-wise and pound foolish and, what an inexpensive but low quality laborer once said to me the last time I saw him, "you get what you pay for." Every time I have gone for the "real bargain" in tools, I have regretted it. Thanks.
 
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