Need advise please

[sjack]

I want to buy a planer. I have a 30% coupon off at the ole BORG. I was looking at the Ridgid 13 in r4330 or the Dewalt 12 1/2 in 734. I don't know enough about either one so I'm asking for any and all input. Buy the way the coupons expire on the 21st so I only have a couple of days to pull the string. I do like the lifetime warranty on the Ridgid. Thanks in advance for your help. Sorry if this is posted on the wrong forum. Feel free to move if need be.

 

[MarkE]

I've got the Ridgid 4330. It's a great machine.

Heard good things about the Dewalt 735. Not too much on the 734.

 

[eyekode]

I think both of these are well liked lunchbox planers. But I would give you a third option: pick up a used one and save the 30% off for your next appliance . Neither of these hold their value very well. I bought a 734 a 2 years ago for 150$ used but in excellent condition.
Good luck!
Salem

 

[MarkE]

That's a good point. Got my Ridgid reconditioned from CPO.

 

[sushinutnc]

I got the Ridgid after doing a fair amount of comparison research. I didn't see a significant difference in reviews wrt performance. I was considering one of these or a used 735.

I finally went with the Ridgid because of the warranty, the extra width, and it happened to be on sale (all Ridgid tools 10% off). I also noticed the store I was at had NO knives for the Dewalt. I don't know if some HDs carry them, but I also checked another HD later. They're obviously easy to get on the Internet, but I didn't want to have to drive to the Dewalt store in Raleigh, if I needed them same day. (Anyone know if they stock Dewalt blades at Lowes?)

FWIW, I like my Ridgid. No regrets... it was actually the first Ridgid I've ever purchased. I had been reluctant to buy Ridgid before. After this one, I definitely don't feel that way anymore.

Might want to check these out:
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/15520
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/14708
http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23046

 

[Bas]

I had the predecessor to the R4330, it was a great machine. Both the R4330 and 734 get very good reviews. If it was me, I'd get the Ridgid one.

 

[Gofor]

I have the Dewalt 734. Solid planer. Has a lock on it and it is pretty accurate on the depth measurement.

3 double edged blades. A set will run about $55 at the Borg. I dulled both edges on a replacement set milling 100 bf of clean kiln-dried white oak (it had been skip planed before I bought it, but run through multiple times). Got much more use on pine and softer woods with the factory blades. Indexed blades means you may hand-sharpen them once, but will not be able to have them commercially sharpened.

Snipe is a problem. As bought, little snipe on longer boards as long as you learn to lift up on them going in and when they exit. You will need to adjust the outfeed table for shorter work (under 16"). Best to allow a couple inches ( actually 2 1/4") at each end to cut off if snipe occurs. Snipe is in the 1/64" or less category. Taking lesser cuts does not eliminate it.

Have never used the Ridgid so cannot compare.

Bottom line IMHO: Okay planer for the price. Best bought on sale. Replacement blades are expensive.

Go

 

[MarkE]

Woah, $55.00 for a set of blades. I thought the Ridgid blades were expensive at $30.00

Yikes!

 

[ehpoole]

I'll put in a vote for the DeWalt 735 planer, I certainly have not regretted my purchase (though I bought mine a few years back when the Lowes price was $499 and I had a $50 rebate). I also added the Wixey digital gauge to my 735, which I also recommend for precision, though the 735 has a decent depth gauge as-is (just not as accurate as going digital). I seldom suffer more than 0.001" of snipe with my 735 and often times zero snipe -- and I do not even have the optional support tables. My only gripe with the 735 lies with DeWalt's pacement of the exhaust port, which they centered over the outfeed table -- which requires the user to tie the dust collection hose off to the side so it stays out of the way of exiting wood.

If the 735 is too far out of your price range (though a 30% off certficate is handy on an item that mostly retails at $600 lately), then I would think that you would not regret the purchase of either the DeWalt 734 or the Ridgid thickness planer, both seem reasonably well built and have had their share of positive reviews. Any of these 3 choices purchased as used equipment in excellent condition would be outstanding buys; you just don't get any warranties on used gear.

With respect to blade availability on the DeWalt planers, Home Depot seems to be hit or miss as to whether they carry these blades (and many no longer carry the 735 in their stores, though they once did). Lowes seems to carry blades for all 3 DeWalt planers (at least in my area) at round $50-55/set. Even mailorder is not that big an inconvenience, a set of blades should last you awhile, so it's not like your likely to be swapping them every few weeks (I keep 2 spare sets on hand so that I'm not affected by occassional lapses in local availability).

 

[Bigdog72]

I also own the predecessor to the 4330. Love it!! Can't say enough good things about it! No snipe and my blades have lasted, with normal hobby use, over two years without even flipping them!!

 

[sjack]

Thanks guys. Wow each and every post has great points. Just proves that this site is the best. I think I'll pull the string for the Ridgid. Thank you all agin.

 

[JimD]

This may not help you but I will also vote for a used planner. I bought a AP-10, the original lunch box planner. It's only 10 inches wide but that is a pretty wide board. I paid $100 for it including all the original accessories. I bought a spare set of blades but I've never installed them. It would hardly work when I bought it but the only thing wrong was the blades were terribly worn. They sharpened up fine, however and I've resharpened them once after that. The AP-10 comes with a blade sharpening jig that I use to run both blades together over my powered wet stone sharpener. I don't really like sharpening blades but it sure beats $30-50 for a replacement set. You can probably resharpen them dozens of times. It also comes with a jig to set the knives but I find a dial caliper handier. That part takes virtually no time. I planned 200-300 bd ft through it so far.

It does snipe which you can reduce by making in board out feed rollers (it came with them) and holding the wood flat as the wood enters and exit. Longer infeed outfeed support would probably eliminate it.

Jim