Well, my thanks to all for your input! It was extremely valuable and
gave me something to think about. Looks like I'm going to get a nice 2-speed
planer (Delta 22-580, I think). My birthday is coming soon and my fiance was
asking what to buy (she already has gotten me a spindle sander, dust
collector, and 1/2 sheet PC sander), so I think I have an answer!
I have made some furniture and other items already, though only in pine,
so I am looking forward to working in maple and oak now. My thanks again-a
great bunch here in the rec!

TC

wrote in message
...
It is good that you are getting away from strictly pine. You will not
regret that move.

For Oak, pine and any other not-so-figured wood, a 12 inch single speed,
two
bladed planer is ok.
If you get into Birds eye maple, Curly Maple and figured woods, it helps
to
get one of the newer two-speed planers. Three blades would be a definite
plus.

Word of caution, even with the two speed planers, you will still get tear
out on some woods, for example, high grade birds eye maple and curly
maple.
That's where the drum sander comes in handy; you plane down to within 1/32
and then finish up on the drum sander.

I do not dimension wood on the drum sander; it takes too long. AND, you
don't want to put pine thru a drum sander anyway, it gums up the sand
paper.

Bottom line, get a nice planer and make some pretty pieces.

H. Smith


x-- 100 Proof News - http://www.100ProofNews.com
x-- 3,500+ Binary NewsGroups, and over 90,000 other groups
x-- Access to over 1 Terabyte per Day - $8.95/Month
x-- UNLIMITED DOWNLOAD