I have a love/hate relationship with my 12.5" Delta planer which I
bought because it was a few bucks cheaper.

It works fine for awhile and then gets grumpy as hell and refuses to
feed properly. I replace the blades, adjust the roller height and it
works for awhile but long before I am ready, it gets grumpy again.
The height adjustment is a real joke and is more mucking than
adjusting.

I replaced the entire cutting head because the bearings went out and I
am really getting tired of this.

I was on my way to buy a DeWalt but I thought I would get some
opinions before plunging again.

What are the thoughts on these two planers?

js


PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Gems, Sausage, http://schmidling.com

Dear Jack:
I am sorry to hear that you are having problems with your planer. I
have sold hundreds of this unit as well as 100's of the Dewalts. Never
had any service problems with either. Which ever one was on sale or
had the best value such as a "free dust hood".... was the one I would
recomend to my customer. Both are very equal. Keeping the tables
clean and waxed is very important. If you are wearing out this small
bench top hobby planer perhaps you need to consider a larger floor
model. These small planers are designed as a project planer: run a
few boards and then work several weeks on your project till you need a
planer again....they are certainly not made to run several boards
through at one time. How old is your planer....Delta has a great
warranty and will always try to help.
Good luck,
Mike from American Sycamore

I bought a DW735 this past christmas and have used it several times to
run boards through - up to 11.5" - for a bookcase. It performed
flawlessly. I did buy at the same time their stand as well as their
chip collector.

AH

I too have a Delta planer,22-580 and am not happy with it's performance.
The height preset adjustment is hard to keep working. The dust
collection clogs easily and chips are thrown back towards the operator.
I have it hooked up to a dust collector but the chips still clog the
machine even on small passes. The finish is good if the chips are not
clogging.

Tim

Jack Schmidling wrote:
I have a love/hate relationship with my 12.5" Delta planer which I
bought because it was a few bucks cheaper.

It works fine for awhile and then gets grumpy as hell and refuses to
feed properly. I replace the blades, adjust the roller height and it
works for awhile but long before I am ready, it gets grumpy again.
The height adjustment is a real joke and is more mucking than
adjusting.

I replaced the entire cutting head because the bearings went out and I
am really getting tired of this.

I was on my way to buy a DeWalt but I thought I would get some
opinions before plunging again.

What are the thoughts on these two planers?

js


PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Gems, Sausage, http://schmidling.com

Keeping the tables clean and waxed is very important.

Can't say I ever waxed it but keeping it clear of chips easier said
than
done as about as many come out the rear as the front.

If you are wearing out this small
bench top hobby planer perhaps you need to consider a larger floor
model....

Problem is that I am wearing it out in a hobby mode of use. Admitedly,
90%
of what I use it for is white ash that I cut and mill from my own
woods.

they are certainly not made to run several boards
through at one time...

One of the other reasons I bought it was for the extra half inch that
was
not then available on the DeWalt but reality quickly set in and I don't
even
try to plain glued up boards. Typical with is about 3".

How old is your planer....Delta has a great
warranty and will always try to help.

I have had it for about 5 years but as a point of interest, I also
purchased
a Delta joiner and the only good news is that I can still struggle
through
with the original blade. Some gorilla in China put this thing on and
it
is impossible to loosen the hold down screws. I already stripped the
hex
head on one of them and gave up. They want several hundred dollars for
a
new cutting head.... nice warranty.

BTW, only the back feed roller is adjustable on the Delta is
adjustable. Is
this true of the DeWald?

js


--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Gems, Sausage, http://schmidling.com

On 25 Jan 2005 04:57:08 -0800, the inscrutable
spake:

is impossible to loosen the hold down screws. I already stripped the
hex head on one of them and gave up. They want several hundred dollars for
a new cutting head.... nice warranty.

Here ya go: all -new-, money saved, and NO MORE UGLY GRAY PAINT!
http://www.grizzly.com/products/item...010&sort=price
G0505 or G8794.


--

People will occasionally stumble over the truth, but
most of the time they'll pick themselves up and carry on.
--anon