Thanks folks! I was delighted with the flurry of excellent comments. It helped me make a wise prudent intelligent decision. (Only time will tell if I made a good decision.)
I feel obligated to tell y’all what I bought (& learned). Here goes:
Thickness planers, as many comments pointed out, are specialized. If you need ’em not much else will do. If you’ve got one they only do one job. Also these tools are meant to last a long time and by most reports they do.
Because they’re an odd duck, the selection of thickness planers is sparse in person (as opposed to online). I did a lot of driving and saw no more than a handful in physical presence. So they’re more likely to require shipping from Amazon (all hail Prime).
A nagging personal concern about sourcing parts didn’t seem to materialize. I’ll get a spare set of blades shipped to me and hope I won’t need much more. Nobody complained about unavailable parts for any brand.
As with most things in the era of global markets, brands seem eerily similar within a price range. There’s a bi-modal distribution of price ranges; low end and medium end (quality wise). Probably no more than 10% +/- difference in price within those ranges. Shop as hard as you want; you probably won’t save more than the cost of a large pizza and a six pack.
There’s a third tier of super machines. They’re so expensive they’re merely theoretical to a guy like me. I could theoretically buy a Rolls Royce and use it to haul firewood too.
The low end is the $250-ish range. These are probably (barely?) adequate for most people. Reviews are mostly OK with a smattering of the predictable complaints about hit or miss quality (as you’d expect). Reviews vary from “just fine” to “I got a lemon”. In stores I toyed with a few of them and construction is cheap but not too cheap. It’s an edge case. Ya lay down your money and ya takes your chances.
I couldn’t do it. I’m obsessive about longevity. Modern power tools are universally less long lived than they once were perceived to be but I still like to buy long. Hopefully one can reasonably expect a planer to last a lifetime. Also, I have a personality flaw that any equipment I get will sooner or later be taken to its limit. Despite my intention to plane “just a few boards” (which would make a cheap one viable) I’m the kind of guy that’ll “accidentally” wind up running six truckloads of hardwood the minute a planer shows up in my shop. (This is an untreatable condition and it’s totally illogical.)
The next cluster of machines hover in the $400 range. All have pros and cons but all are most certainly adequate for the average weekend warrior. Very few differences between models and the bad reviews are mostly picky people. You can obsess over Dewalt versus Rigid versus other brands… but it’s a Ford versus Chevy thing and they’re all probably fine. The $399 Dewalt DW734 outnumbers the contenders, in that I could find many more of them for sale. I presume Dewalt has a bigger distribution channel. The price is basically the same no matter where you go. If you seek safety in numbers, go for the Dewalt DW734.
I’d talked myself into going with the mid level category. This led me to the Dewalt DW734 (because it’s the only one physically present nearby). But, as is often the case, I veered onto the road less traveled.
During my “research” I talked to a dude, who knew this other dude, who had a neighbor, who was thinking about selling his planer. I chased that rabbit but nothing came of it. Then I got a call. Was I interested?
Now I had the choice of a used high-ish level machine or a new medium level machine. Both clocked in at more or less the same cost. How much did I trust myself to identify a damaged tool? How much do I care about a factory warranty? How risk averse am I? Would I rather hand cash to a stranger in his garage or get a receipt from a corporate overlord?
You know damn well I went used. Instead of a $400 Dewalt DW734, I picked up a $550 Makita which was “depreciated” to about $350. The seller tells me it was only driven on Sundays by a little old lady who kept it in a warm garage hugged it once a week. All sellers say such things. I liked the seller but you can never be sure. I ran a scrap board through it and it looked OK. (I’m not experienced with this tool.) It looks like it has only a few hours work on it. I think it’s almost new, but if I was buffaloed how would I know? And for that matter if it does the job well do I care how much it has been used?
A thickness planer. There are many like it but this one is mine.
Here’s a link to the same thing new.
It was an OK deal but the seller sweetened it by throwing in the tool stand (to which it was bolted) and the dust collection hood (which was bolted to it). Oh the money you can save where there’s no socket set handy!
That makes a difference and I’m now very happy. Tool stands are scandalously expensive! Also the dust collector hood ought to come integrated but Makita charges $24. (Not cool guys!) I think all the manufacturers sell the dust collector separately. (Cretins!) I surely would have ordered a hood from Amazon regardless of the brand I chose. The only thing that’s missing is a cool tool case that fits on the planer. Ya’ win some, ya’ lose some.
Now back to my PAWIRNEATT (Project About Which I’d Rather Not Elaborate At This Time).
Well if nothing else, you now have a good source of shavings for kindling!
Not to mention you can create your own shavings to properly line a stall, instead of having to buy some crap made by someone else. Just think how happy your next set of pigs will be to have their pen lined with fresh made shavings!
}:-]
Please keep track of how many time you use it over the next 10 years and let us know when you break even against planks made commercially…
Break even? Never gonna’ happen. It was a totally outlandish luxury purchase. I can buy shavings in 50# bags for something like $5.
On the other hand, it’s really fun to use. Nothin’ is better than a fun tool.
In all seriousness, for a change, congratulations on a smart purchase! I hope it serves you well for many years to come.
Thanks.
Methinks you did well. I’ve never regretted (for long) any makita purchase.
*I’m the kind of guy that’ll “accidentally” wind up running six truckloads of hardwood the minute a planer shows up in my shop. (This is an untreatable condition and it’s totally illogical.)*
Yep, there is no cure. It applies to guns too. A 50 round box ain’t enough. If you run a bunch of pine thru it, be prepared to clean up a pitchy mess. Save old blades for reclaimed boards. I don’t care how carefully I inspect and wand them with my handheld metal detector, you won’t find every staple, nail or bullet.
I was thinking of ordering new blades more or less right away… so I don’t wind up dead in the water when (not if) I feed something bad into it.
The “use it hard” thing is not only for tools and guns, happened to my motorcycle too; almost by accident. Years ago, I remember peacefully sitting under a rock overhang in a desert looking at my cruiser. I was thinking “most people take these things to the bar on Sundays”. I was in the middle of nowhere in Death Valley. I’d just topped off the gas tank from a “spare” supply I carry in remote places and the bike (liquid cooled!) had handled the brutal heat like the engineering miracle it is. I didn’t go motorcycle shopping thinking “I’ll ride this to the middle of Death Valley” but it happened and I was glad I’d bought a reliable machine. It was a great ride too!
Nice acquisition, AC! And done in manly style to boot! Now, how to get it in the same story as the squirrels?
Ouch! I can’t think of any way it fits with squirrels that wouldn’t turn it into a horror story. 🙂
BTW: With this speed-bump handled maybe I can get a few squirrels posts out the door next week.
You lucked out and make the right choice – it looks almost unused in the photo, and very clean. Plus, if you ever need a part, Makita will have it a phone call away. Then again, you can go over to the Baileigh or Delta web sites and drool over equipment in the Rolls Royce category while enjoying what you have and marvelling at how much money you “saved” 😉
Thanks. I was worried that I was getting something that could be “out of alignment” or whatnot but it looks good. Only thing left to do is figure out what the little magnet things are that come with some planers and if I need ’em get a set from Makita. Downloading a manual as I speak.
I’m happy for ya. AC. And I don’t even know what a thickness planer IS. Your picture of your purchase is a thing of manly-shop-tool beauty. I presume the hunk of wood lays (lies?) on the shiny shelf and feeds horizontally underneath the blue hunk of mechanism.
Yep, you described its function perfectly.
When you first put the question out here I was going to respond but then I thought about it, why bother?
A new power tool with even half a justifiable reason (especially when you have the money) is a no brainer, who doesn’t want a new power tool?
🙂
It looks like you did well
Thanks. There’s nothing more fun than buying a new tool and I expect it to last a long time. I wish I’d bought it long ago.
A fine fine purchase you made! Other than a chain saw or a shaper there aren’t many power tools more satisfying to use. The grinding rrRRRrrrr as you transform that gnarled up plank into a clean flat piece of awesomeness, the pile of shavings to wade through. BTW I have used Fir shavings in my garden for years. Not to mention testing your reflexes against the occasional knot thrown back at you. A little care and you’ll be turning trees into toothpicks for years to come.
I tend to not worry too much about the inevitable chip in the knifes, most planers I have used you can loosen up one of the knifes and tap it over a bit one way or the other. The next knife will cut off the ridge as it come around. Besides your likely to be sanding or scraping anyway to remove the planer marks, a good belt sander or DA wont even notice a minor ridge.
Or….. you could buy a second planer and keep one with pristine knifes for that final pass.
I’ll go back to lurking now……:)
Two planers! I had never even thought of it, but now I want one! Sheesh, don’t put these ideas in my head.
you could tie this in to the go back in time to the shed (redneck story) to the two college kids pulling up when it happens (flash of light, they go investigate…pulled into the vortex and end up at a super secret squirrel base of operations. That or area 51).
See? not that difficult.
I’m sure you could sneak the NSA and the walmart greeters into it if you try.
Hmm…. Area 51. I haven’t yet explained Area 51. Maybe I should do that. I was too busy obsessing over the growing menace of Tim Hortons.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! It ate my comment.
Dammiot.
I was saying you could do this:
Take this tool with the curmudgeon and add time travel back to the rednecks. Have the two college kids show up just as it happens and have them investigate. Sucked into the vortex to area 51 or the super secret squirrel headquarters. Now add a dash of the NSA and the walmart greeters and a topping of Edna and you have the makin’s for a fine story. Either that or the makin’s of a ravin’ lunatic.
I’d love to send the planer back in time to the rednecks. Sadly, given they couldn’t unlock the secret of plywood versus paneling, all they’d do is use it for a beer tray.
P.S. Sorry about the comment. Blame the NSA.