Woodworkers--Planer Questions

Don't know if anyone one the board is either in the trades or a woodworker, but I want to get a new planer. Thinking the 2 speed Delta or the 2 speed Dewalt--any thoughts?

 

MY DAD FOR MANY YEARS DID WOODWORKING AS A HOBBY..

ALL I SAW IN THE GARAGE WERE DELTA MACHINES..I DONT THINK HE EVER HAD A PROBLEM..

EMAIL BOB VILA.....

GOOD LUCK

BRUCE

 

Delta has been sold off shore, now a lot are made off
shore.(until you get to their high end stuff).



Because you mention "2-speed" I suspect you are talking about the tabletop models.

I have a table top deWalt thats OK, and IIRC the comparisions show it a little better than the Delta tabletops; neither is good for heavy stuff. Fine for low volume furniture making that I do.

To get a good machine, it will be in the well >$1000 range and be 220volts.

 

Some further info. I have my M3, my 360, my woodshop, kayaks, 7 bikes, etc. crammed in my 3 car garage (my two kayaks and a large extension ladder hang over the 360--you can bet I used some big lag bolts into studs to put those up). Anyway, I would love to have a 4 post fixed 15-20" planer, but room is tight, and other than the increased width capacity my understanding is that the quality of the planing is not that much better (if at all). I don't make alot of stuff (2 pieces a year if I'm lucky) but my current old Ryobi snipes bigtime, the infeed/outfeed pressure rollers are getting hard, etc.

 

There is not a planer in the world that does not snipe at least a little. Sounds like the tabletops are fine. They are slow as you have to take tiny passes but they shoud do fine job.

I think the Delta has been upgraded in last year or two, so it might be better, but I will say I'm happy withmy little DeWalt.

Do you know how to build a cradle to prevent sniping on expensive boards?

 

Uro--I think so--are you talking about a sled that you feed through the planer, with the board on top? I know "snipe happens"--but I would like less than I have now.

 

Yeah, you have to make the side keepers taller and longer than the board so they take the sniping rather than your board.

I vaguely remember reading a 5 or 6 machine comparo and how one company was bragging about their anti-snipe technology, and the reviewers said it still sniped, maybe a little better, but still there, still too much for real precision work, there fore the sled still needed with any machine for real precision stuff.

 

I tossed my older Delta for a new higher-end Dewalt ($450 from HD). It's a great unit with minimal snipe. Always give yourself an extra six inches to cut off, as you will always have end-indents.

I'll have to share some of my woodworking on this thread. I build most all of my home furniture. www.cocobolo.com is a great place for extremely high-end hardwoods at the price of oak in the states! I like Paduk, Paofero and Kingwood (as with most all South American rosewoods).

 

I like Lacewood (though it is hard to work--tears out like oak), Bubinga, but I'm open.

 

Latest issue of "Wood" had an interesting article about making a planer-like device that can be used on even the most figured wood. Its a jig that cradles a router that suspends it over the board and in a time consuming manner, the operator manually planes the surface with the router, and in this way "planes" the board with no tear out. Might be good for burls, crotch wood etc. Obviously not for big production, but a great idea for small highly figured projects.

 

ROTFLMAO!

Do you have out of date issues of "Wood" your waiting room?

 

Hell no! The old geezers would steal 'em.