I'm considering my next tool purchase (after a dust collector) and I'm
decided
to either upgrade my TS or buy a planer.

My TS is a Sears 10" model, bought it 2 1/2 years ago, before I became
more serious about WW.
Using a thin-kerf blade has helped, but, the fence leaves a lot to be
desired, doesn't have a very large
cutting surface and is top heavy. But, it does cut wood.

Planers...
FWIW, I use mostly Red and White Oak on projects to be stained or Poplar
for those that are to be painted, however I'd
like to start using Cherry and mahogany.

I buy most of my wood S2S or S3S, currently paying $3.25 - $3.90 bf for
ROak, however it ranges from 3/4" to 13/16" thickness.
Since, I also glue-up a lot of panel and passing them though a planer
would also be very useful.

I just found a nearby source of kiln dried rough cherry for srounf $3.00
bf.

That all said...... is a new planer the better choice?
I've read a lot of reviews and the Dewalt DW735 is the current top
dog
Amazon has recond units for $300. very tempting...
Any other units under $350 worth considering?

What woods are the worst on blades? Average blade life?

How much wood would you need to be surfacing per year to may this
cost effective?

ThankX All,
Ron

"Ron" wrote in message
I buy most of my wood S2S or S3S, currently paying $3.25 - $3.90 bf for
ROak, however it ranges from 3/4" to 13/16" thickness.
Since, I also glue-up a lot of panel and passing them though a planer
would also be very useful.

So you already know the answer.

What woods are the worst on blades?

Teak, Ipe

Average blade life?

6 to 12 months, but depends on use.


How much wood would you need to be surfacing per year to may this
cost effective?

It is not about cost. It is about doing thing right. None of my tools have
ever been justified from a $$$ point of view.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

In article ,
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

It is not about cost. It is about doing thing right. None of my tools have
ever been justified from a $$$ point of view.

Hell, I use that rationale all the time. G "This XtXoXyX...tooool will
make me some money" is the 'reason' *I* go for all the time.

On Sun, 14 Aug 2005 17:48:51 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:

snip

It is not about cost. It is about doing thing right. None of my tools have
ever been justified from a $$$ point of view.

Jeez Ed, wish I could get my wife to agree to that! I have to use the
normal method of new project equals new tool or build up credits from
her hobby purchases. Maybe in a few years she'll give up and I can
have your luxury!

Allyn

"Edwin Pawlowski" writes:


It is not about cost. It is about doing thing right. None of my
tools have ever been justified from a $$$ point of view.


So all woodworking prior to electric surface planers was done wrong?

--
You can't trade cash for skill. Sadly, I have neither.

On Sun, 14 Aug 2005 12:24:00 -0400, "Ron"
wrote:


I've read a lot of reviews and the Dewalt DW735 is the current top
dog
Amazon has recond units for $300. very tempting...
Any other units under $350 worth considering?


I've had the DW 735 for about a month now. I've probably enjoyed
that tool more than most of the stuff I have 'cause I've discovered
the fun of buying scraps from the local wood purveyor, especially the
flitches, the first pieces cut off the side of the log.

Some of the figure is really pretty, even though the scraps are small
and thin. At 3 for $10 it's cheap! Then it's just a question of what
to do with it. An example is the free hand routed nut tray at:

http://web2.airmail.net/xleanone/index.html/Tray/

Pretty wood and a few hours of playing. No way I could have handplaned
that wood in the Teaxs heat, at least not in any reasonable time.

Regards.

"Tom Banes" wrote in message
...

http://web2.airmail.net/xleanone/index.html/Tray/

Pretty wood and a few hours of playing. No way I could have handplaned
that wood in the Teaxs heat, at least not in any reasonable time.

How wide are these trays? I'm guessing the planed part was 6-8" wide. I
don't doubt the usefulness and value of your planer. However, I do believe
those pieces could have been hand planed in 6-8 minutes with a sharp #8
jointer plane and then a few passes with a smoother.

Bob

Bob:

6" - 8" and about 24" long. The bottom of the tray was solid bark,
heavily crenellated, rough as a corn cob. That's why I felt
handplaning it would have been a real pain.

Don't misunderstand me, I enjoy the hand plane too. Both top and
bottom were smoothed off with a #3 Bedrock with a "nasty sharp" Hock
blade. Just getting the wood from rough cut to reasonably dimensioned
looked to me to be a pain. Maybe next time I'll throw the scrub plane
then a #7 at it (don't have a #8). 90+ degrees in the gar-, uh shop,
makes me lazy.

Regards.


On Sun, 14 Aug 2005 22:48:58 GMT, "BillyBob"
wrote:


"Tom Banes" wrote in message
.. .

http://web2.airmail.net/xleanone/index.html/Tray/

Pretty wood and a few hours of playing. No way I could have handplaned
that wood in the Teaxs heat, at least not in any reasonable time.

How wide are these trays? I'm guessing the planed part was 6-8" wide. I
don't doubt the usefulness and value of your planer. However, I do believe
those pieces could have been hand planed in 6-8 minutes with a sharp #8
jointer plane and then a few passes with a smoother.

Bob

"Tom Banes" wrote in message
...

looked to me to be a pain. Maybe next time I'll throw the scrub plane
then a #7 at it (don't have a #8). 90+ degrees in the gar-, uh shop,
makes me lazy.

I live in Texas, too and understand. I tolerate the heat pretty well with a
fan. Its the parts of the day we have a thunderstorm and liquid air that get
to me. Oh, well, it will be behind us by the end of September and I can
look forward to those glorious fall-winter-spring days where woodworking is
a pleasure.

Bob

"Michael Campbell" wrote in message
...
"Edwin Pawlowski" writes:


It is not about cost. It is about doing thing right. None of my
tools have ever been justified from a $$$ point of view.


So all woodworking prior to electric surface planers was done wrong?

No, but you can spend as much for a quality hand plane as you can for an
electric one. Same equation will apply. Comes down to choices. Mine (as a
hobbyist) are not made on money alone.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

I live in Texas, too and understand. I tolerate the heat pretty well with a
fan. Its the parts of the day we have a thunderstorm and liquid air that get
to me. Oh, well, it will be behind us by the end of September and I can
look forward to those glorious fall-winter-spring days where woodworking is
a pleasure.


Bob:

I hear that! Late dove season, dear season and duck season interfere
with some of the great woodworking weather - it just ain't fair to
have to trade off between pleasures!

BTW - local Frys electronics had a super sale on a portable (rolls on
casters) AC unit, 9600 BTU, that exhausts through a 5" hose. It's also
a dehumidifier and ceramic heater (haven't use those). The AC cools my
uninsulated double garage enough to be tolerable, but main advantage
is dropping the humidity - that thing runs about 1 gal an hour out the
drain hose in AC mode.

Cut a hole in the garage door to fit pipe exhaust, backed with plywood
and a little door and I can actually stay out there 'till 1500 or so.
By that time the heat build-up in the attic overhaed overwhelms the
BTU output of the AC. I also stuck a 20" box fan up in a corner and
cut an exhaust hole into the attic to try to reduce the hot air build
up at the ceiling. It helps some.

Come fall, I'll clean out he attic and drop in some fiberglass batting
between the joists - I expect that will make a huge difference.

Regards.

PS: I'm waiting on one of Ron Knight's coffin smoothers. That will be
a wispy treat (I hope).

In article , Ron
wrote:

I'm considering my next tool purchase (after a dust collector) and I'm
decided
to either upgrade my TS or buy a planer.

My TS is a Sears 10" model, bought it 2 1/2 years ago, before I became
more serious about WW.
Using a thin-kerf blade has helped, but, the fence leaves a lot to be
desired, doesn't have a very large
cutting surface and is top heavy. But, it does cut wood.

Planers...
FWIW, I use mostly Red and White Oak on projects to be stained or Poplar
for those that are to be painted, however I'd
like to start using Cherry and mahogany.

I buy most of my wood S2S or S3S, currently paying $3.25 - $3.90 bf for
ROak, however it ranges from 3/4" to 13/16" thickness.
Since, I also glue-up a lot of panel and passing them though a planer
would also be very useful.

I just found a nearby source of kiln dried rough cherry for srounf $3.00
bf.

That all said...... is a new planer the better choice?
I've read a lot of reviews and the Dewalt DW735 is the current top
dog
Amazon has recond units for $300. very tempting...
Any other units under $350 worth considering?

What woods are the worst on blades? Average blade life?

How much wood would you need to be surfacing per year to may this
cost effective?

ThankX All,
Ron


Hi Ron,

I bought the Delta 12" planer about 15 years ago. I still had a
TS that was not very good (like yours). Still, I have to say that I
get a lot of (hobbyist) use from that thing. It has certainly earned
its keep ($200 IIRC). It will pay for itself if you buy your wood
from a hardwood supplier (not a BORG).

As an example, HD currently is selling red oak for about $7+/BF.
My local supplier is under $3 (S2S). It's about 13 steenths. It takes
a little effort to plane it, but the flexibiliy of size/thickness and
wood types is worth it. I like to plane it to 12 (i.e. 3/4) or less,
depending on the project or look I'm after. It's amazing shaving
(say) a 16th or 8th will do to the look of a project.

Bottom line. If you can spring for a real TS upgrade (say in the
$1K+ range) then that's prpbably a good way to go. If you are
thinking of adding a few hundred $ to your current saw, it is
probably not worth it. I'd get the planer in that case.

Blades? I've gone through several sets (at only $15+/set) in
the years I've had the Delta. If you are a hobbyist, I don't think
that it's a major factor. I work with mostly oak/cherry/poplar.

FWIW.

Lou

On Mon, 15 Aug 2005 19:43:34 -0500, the opaque Tom Banes
clearly wrote:

I hear that! Late dove season, dear season and duck season interfere
with some of the great woodworking weather - it just ain't fair to
have to trade off between pleasures!

Oh, deer!


BTW - local Frys electronics had a super sale on a portable (rolls on
casters) AC unit, 9600 BTU, that exhausts through a 5" hose. It's also
a dehumidifier and ceramic heater (haven't use those). The AC cools my
uninsulated double garage enough to be tolerable, but main advantage
is dropping the humidity - that thing runs about 1 gal an hour out the
drain hose in AC mode.

Sounds like a great little unit.


PS: I'm waiting on one of Ron Knight's coffin smoothers. That will be
a wispy treat (I hope).

I hadn't heard about the Hock/Knight wedding, Tom. Details, please?


---=====---
After all else fails, read the instructions.
---=====---
Website Design and Update http://www.diversify.com

I hadn't heard about the Hock/Knight wedding, Tom. Details, please?


---=====---
After all else fails, read the instructions.
---=====---
Website Design and Update http://www.diversify.com

Don't know about any nuptials. My Hock iron is on a Bedrock, the
Knight coffin smoother is on order (Ron had/has a 1/2 price sales I
couldn't pass up).

Regards.

loutent wrote:
In article , Ron
wrote:

I'm considering my next tool purchase (after a dust collector) and I'm
decided
to either upgrade my TS or buy a planer.

My TS is a Sears 10" model, bought it 2 1/2 years ago, before I became
more serious about WW.
Using a thin-kerf blade has helped, but, the fence leaves a lot to be
desired, doesn't have a very large
cutting surface and is top heavy. But, it does cut wood.

Planers...
FWIW, I use mostly Red and White Oak on projects to be stained or Poplar
for those that are to be painted, however I'd
like to start using Cherry and mahogany.

I buy most of my wood S2S or S3S, currently paying $3.25 - $3.90 bf for
ROak, however it ranges from 3/4" to 13/16" thickness.
Since, I also glue-up a lot of panel and passing them though a planer
would also be very useful.

I just found a nearby source of kiln dried rough cherry for srounf $3.00
bf.

That all said...... is a new planer the better choice?
I've read a lot of reviews and the Dewalt DW735 is the current top
dog
Amazon has recond units for $300. very tempting...
Any other units under $350 worth considering?

What woods are the worst on blades? Average blade life?

How much wood would you need to be surfacing per year to may this
cost effective?

ThankX All,
Ron


Hi Ron,

I bought the Delta 12" planer about 15 years ago. I still had a
TS that was not very good (like yours). Still, I have to say that I
get a lot of (hobbyist) use from that thing. It has certainly earned
its keep ($200 IIRC). It will pay for itself if you buy your wood
from a hardwood supplier (not a BORG).

As an example, HD currently is selling red oak for about $7+/BF.
My local supplier is under $3 (S2S). It's about 13 steenths. It takes
a little effort to plane it, but the flexibiliy of size/thickness and
wood types is worth it. I like to plane it to 12 (i.e. 3/4) or less,
depending on the project or look I'm after. It's amazing shaving
(say) a 16th or 8th will do to the look of a project.

Bottom line. If you can spring for a real TS upgrade (say in the
$1K+ range) then that's prpbably a good way to go. If you are
thinking of adding a few hundred $ to your current saw, it is
probably not worth it. I'd get the planer in that case.

Blades? I've gone through several sets (at only $15+/set) in
the years I've had the Delta. If you are a hobbyist, I don't think
that it's a major factor. I work with mostly oak/cherry/poplar.

FWIW.

Lou

We have the Ridgid Planer(13") from HD. My Father-in-law bought the
first one about 3yrs ago. He used it some and then it sat for a few
months. He used it again on some Oak and ran about 50bf through it and
then it shot sparks everywhere. Thinking that the warranty was gone on
it, he pushed it to the side and did not try to have it fixed. One day
we were in HD and we asked about the warranty and getting it fixed. We
were informed that HD did not handle the repair and was given the
number of a shop to take it. We took the planer to the shop, the owner
took one look at the planer and said he would order a new one. I am
thinking how much will that cost and ask. The owner informs that the
cost is $0, nada!!! He says that Ridgid is warrantied for LIFE.

We got a brand new planer(13") for no charge and it is a better design
than the first one. We have put hundereds of board feet through it
with no problems, with the most BF being red oak and walnut.

Best I can remember it cost $425 new. Comes with two sets of double
sided knives. We also got to keep the extra set of knives from the old
planner.

Tom Banes wrote in
:



I hadn't heard about the Hock/Knight wedding, Tom. Details, please?


---=====---
After all else fails, read the instructions.
---=====---
Website Design and Update http://www.diversify.com

Don't know about any nuptials. My Hock iron is on a Bedrock, the
Knight coffin smoother is on order (Ron had/has a 1/2 price sales I
couldn't pass up).

Regards.


You missed his (somewhat veiled) point. Ron Hock. Steve Knight. To the
best of my limited knowledge, they don't sell each others' products.

I own some of each, too, however. Both are good folks with whom to do
business.

Patriarch

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 14:36:25 -0500, the opaque Tom Banes
clearly wrote:

Ron Knight

I hadn't heard about the Hock/Knight wedding, Tom. Details, please?

Don't know about any nuptials. My Hock iron is on a Bedrock, the
Knight coffin smoother is on order (Ron had/has a 1/2 price sales I
couldn't pass up).

Ron is a Hock. Steve is a Knight. Got it?
Your tuse is a bit ob today, Tom.

-
Interpreted Interpolations Done Dirt Cheap.
-----------
http://diversify.com Website Application Programming

You missed his (somewhat veiled) point. Ron Hock. Steve Knight.

Duh - stoopid attack hit me again. The veil lacked translucence for my
poor mind.

Ron is a Hock. Steve is a Knight. Got it?
Your tuse is a bit ob today, Tom.


My tuche is just fine even if my tuse is obverse.

Good play on the words.

Regards.

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 19:23:54 -0500, the opaque Tom Banes
clearly wrote:


Ron is a Hock. Steve is a Knight. Got it?
Your tuse is a bit ob today, Tom.

My tuche is just fine even if my tuse is obverse.

Good play on the words.

Tendjewberrymud.

-
Interpreted Interpolations Done Dirt Cheap.
-----------
http://diversify.com Website Application Programming

Tendjewberrymud.

Aswan