Best Planer for the $$$$$$

[Bigdog72]

Dewalt 734 or Ridgid TP1300??? Getting close to buying time!

[PeteQuad]

Ridgid has a new version out called the R4330. It replaces the 1300 (I think they have discontinued it) - it comes with 3 blades instead of 2 but doesn't include the stand. It is the same price.

I'm trying to decide the same thing, but haven't made up my mind yet. Two more I am considering are the Dewalt 735 and the Steel City one.

[JackLeg]

DW735 has performed flawlessly for us for quite some time now. We have planed several hundred feet of cypress, cedar, and oak. It's easy to use, easy to clean, and tough.

My 2 cents worth.

[Gofor]

Bought a DW734 about a month ago and have run approx 400 ft of lumber through it (albeit mostly SYP. Walnut for table to come hopefully next month). Works good and I am happy with it.
Pros: Good dust collection with shop vac (14 gal with additional 10 gal chip collector made from old shop vac) (see caveats under "Cons"). Depth gauge accurate. Light enough to move by yourself but heavy enough to stay put running 4' 2 x 8. Not as loud as I expected (My first planer so what do I know!! Can be run without ear protection but I advise using it). Can take it down about .01 at a time. Minimum snipe, and none once you get the hang of feeding the boards in and slightly lifting them coming out (heavy boards). Lock mechanism easy to use and works well.
Cons: Dust collection is only to left side (not reversible). Dust collection shroud is installed with three small screws, and you cannot fold up output table extension with it in place. Would be better with a quicker install, removal method.
Repeatable depth stop is 3 settings, 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4. Kinda chintzy and I haven't used it.

Why I bought it rather than 735:
1. Infeed/outfeed tables are included (735 = $50+ extra if they have them).
2. $150 cheaper. Same amp motor, 1/2" less cutting width, but blades are also $5 cheaper.
3. People who buy the 735 end up upgrading to $700 machines within six months and I can't afford that (If its so great, why are they selling it??)

To be honest, I was really looking to buy a Delta 22-580, which seemed to be a better built machine even with two cutters, $50 more not counting another $30 for the dust collection shroud. Blades are cheaper also. Made a 130 mile round trip drive to Klingspor's who said they had it. Looked at the display and said I'll take one. No machine in stock so offered to take the floor model. It had no paperwork, no wrenches, etc, and they would not come down on the price: "I'll just have to take another out of the box when we get one in". Their loss, Lowe's gain. I needed a planer for the project I am doing.

The 734 puts a beautiful accurate finish on the wood. I must say that I tend to go light to save blades, taking 1/16 and less cuts than trying to hog it off. However, if you can find a Delta, take a good look at it too.

My opinion

Go

[Bas]

Not to be a smartass, but let me follow your template:

Bought a Ridgid TP1300 about six months ago and have run approx 300 ft of lumber through it (mostly SYP and a little cherry). Works good and I am happy with it.

Pros:
Good dust collection with both shop vac and DC. The shroud has 4" port on one side, 2 1/4" port on the other side. Depth gauge accurate. Light enough to move by yourself but heavy enough to stay put running 8' 2 x 8 (with some roller stands). Comes with stand (which you can easily put on a mobile base). The planer is the loudest machine in my shop. No idea if it's louder than the competition. Can take it down about .01 at a time. Minimum snipe, and none once you get the hang of feeding the boards in and slightly lifting them coming out (heavy boards). Lock mechanism easy to use and works well.

Repeatable depth stop is 3 settings, 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4. I use it as a safeguard, e.g. I'm slowly taking down a board to 1/2, this prevents me from going to far. Very accurate. Don't use it much though.

Cons: Dust collection is not reversible. Not a problem in my shop, I guess it's 50/50. Dust collection shroud is installed with three small screws, and you cannot fold up output table extension with it in place. Would be better with a quicker install, removal method.

I don't think you can go wrong with either machine. Only reason I chose this one over the DeWalt was the stand. The TP1300 has been replaced with a three knife model (R4330), which comes without a stand....so flip a coin.

[jeff...]

I'm on my 2nd 22-580. The first one planed lots of lumber I would not be surprised if it way well in excesses of 20,000 BF and not pine either, a lot of hardwood. I have saved all my old blades and have 14 sets when I counted last week. My 2nd 22-580 planed all my cedar deck plank which is a couple 1000 BF and it's also planed approx a couple thousand BF of oak / maple / locust / sycamore.

I must admit my first 22-580 was better than my second, maybe this ones not quite broken in yet? But for a little 13" finishing planer for around $400.00, it's really hard to beat.

There is a couple of things you should do to it right out of the box, like put a little loctite on the shaft pulley nut and adjust the infeed and outfeed rollers but other than that you should be good to go. Keep in mind it's not a thickness planer it's a finishing planer and can only hog off 1/8" at a time and you'll be ok.

I havn't used the Dewalt everyone raves about, so I can't comment on a comparison.

Thanks

[Marcus Masencup]

I have the 22-580 also and have had great luck with it on everything but a 12" wide hard maple and purple heart piece. I was taking very little off and I could still bog it down badly. Other then that though I have nothing but good things to say about it.

[JimmyC]

Geoff,
I wouldn't jump in too fast, there may be some ggod used deals soon, due to tax returns and upgrading.

Jimmy

ps. I got a used Powermatic M-15 last year for $400 and love it !

[DavidF]

My 735 is great, I like the 3 blades and the "autolock" feature on the cutter head height, powered dust collection is awesome