Before I join the herd and buy the DeWalt planer

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
I have an old Delta lunchbox, modified for better collection and less snipe, but I was planning on going for the bigger DeWalt 13 just like it looks half the world has done. I also have a Ridgid 6 inch jointer. Big and heavy, lots of iron, but only 6 inch. Both I roll out of the way as I have limited space.

I was wondering if there is wisdom to the medium weight combo machines like the Rikon, or a little bigger like the Jet. A Felder is out of the question. The Rikon looks decidedly lighter weight than my 6 inch jointer.

Just saw this video. Gad, does the Dewalt pull a lot of power. Has anyone had any issue with it tripping a 20A breaker?

Kind of makes me think I should get the next size up on 220.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
735 spec is 15A. Something is not correct. A bit if a difference between 15 and 32.
 

Rjgooden

Big Ron
User
If I really use my 735 for a lot of hardwood it will start tripping the breaker until I let it cool down for awhile. I have had two of these planners and they both did it.
 

Canuck

Wayne
Corporate Member
Have had mine for 10+ years and never tripped the breaker on a 20A circuit. (BTW I also have the Rigid 6” jointer and not an ounce of trouble)

Wayne
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
If I really use my 735 for a lot of hardwood it will start tripping the breaker until I let it cool down for awhile. I have had two of these planners and they both did it.
The planer breaker or the shop breaker?
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Start loads and workloads can exceed 25-30 amps on any benchtop planers. Always make sure the wire from the panel to the outlet is 12 ga and you are on a 20 amp circuit. I have an old Rigid I replaced with the 735. It is much better than Rigid. Though the Rigid is 20 years old, the tech back then was clunkier and the 735 is just easier to use and I get less snipe. The one thing that is pretty notable is the discharge air pressure is great enough that you can attach a trash bag on the dust port, put a hole on the other other side of the bag and it will discharge the chips without effort. The Rigid never had that kind of head pressure
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Casey,
Not talking start up surge. Watch the video I linked. He was running 10 inch wide oak, 1/16 cut. Now I don't usually actually cut that deep, but I have the old Delta lunchbox. To me something must be wrong as the 735 seems to be the de-facto planer until one puts in a 20 inch production monster. If it was really pulling 32A, a lot of folks would be having trouble. Or is he not reading the instructions and should be feeding on low speed? Does low speed slow the feed or both head and feed?

Yea, I wired my shop with 12 ga, 20A for 110. 10ga on 220.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
The 6" jointer shouldn't be any problem, as long as it has a rabbeting ledge. With the proper shim and a shop made Euro style guard, you can face joint 9-10 boards. How many boards wider than 10" have you bought? I'm currently toying with the idea of adding folding tables to both ends to allow for longer boards on my 6" grizzly
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Understand, but the universal motors do not take bear load as well as an induction motor. They rely on high rpm to reach their optimum torque. So when they are bearing into something or being over worked the draw raises precipitously. If I remember correctly - OSR applies (over sixty rules to my memory) The universal motor relationship to the voltage is based on geometry rather than phase, and that difference contributes to the faster over amping on that kind of motor.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Casey, Video as above is showing STEADY STATE current of 32A.
Found the spec:
A 20 amp breaker must trip at a sustained current of 27 amperes (135 percent) at less than one hour, and at 40 amperes (200 percent of wire rating) in less than 120 seconds. That is quite close to the NEMA chart below. Figure running a board is going to take 30 seconds or so.

That suggests it really could pull that much current. For it to be rated@ 15A, that seems as per the video, to be when not cutting wood, which I consider fraudulent.

It also suggests one should put in a 10 ga 30 A line. They should make it to be wired for 110 or 220! I am going to go test my Delta lunchbox.

TripCurve.jpg


PS: For those not familiar, thermal magnetic breakers fatigue with trips. 10 to 15 trips and they get a lot more sensitive. So if yours trips frequently, consider replacing the breaker.
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
Sounds like you've unsold yourself, but I say don't be so quick to be a Lemming. Forget about the supposed power issue and let me tell you why I wouldn't buy one.

Yeah, it's a good planer, but not exactly cheap @ circa $600 . That helical head is another $400+. I hope I'm not offending anyone, but I can't understand why tie up almost a grand in a machine like this?

It is not a "benchtop planer". At 100# I consider it a stationary machine.

Disposable blades @ 50 bucks a pop - that rubs me the wrong way, too (yeah I know some people sharpen but DW recommends replacing).

Durability and power are going to be related to the amount of use, but generally speaking a machine with an induction motor is going to outlast a universal motor.

Enough of that. A combo machine is a good choice for shops with limited space, or even not. It would be a huge step up compared to what you've got now. The only thing with me personally is adapting work flow to the machine do all your jointing first b/c converting the thing back and forth would drive me nuts - but that's me.

Again, not cheap if you go with Jet you're looking at 3K. However, the idea of having a $2500+ 12" jointer built into it is VERY appealing - certainly worth changing my work flow!! I don't know how good the Rikon combo planer is (again, a universal motor type machine), but I think Rikon is decnt quality. My Rikon 18" bandsaw and Rikon 9x6" belt comb sander are both very good machines.
 
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tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
I noticed the expensive blades. Even with my Makita wet wheel, not too good with planer blades. I do better with my jointer blades by hand. For the planer, I will want a helical head. I did sent an inquiry to DeWalt about advertising 15A if it is really 30.

Planning on whatever being on casters. Even my Delta is on a stand. ( plus it has a 1/2 inch aluminum plate on it.)
Kind of leaning to the Jet or Griz cast iron job. Busting budget with a helix head but coming around to the value. All sold out so some time to think. Plus, I will have to get my Stag moving so I can back my truck into the shop under the hoist. If curb delivery, it means renting a fork loft. The band saw was right at the limit of what I could manage on a hand truck. Gravel drive going into the shop.

So, that brings me to the moving head or moving platen. Seems to me, the moving platen would be a real pain as far as infeed and outfeed rollers. If moving head, then I can make some fixed boxes or hinge out extensions.

If I bought a combo, then there is an additional cost. I would have the space to roll a lathe out of the way. Now that is a real budget buster. Not the lathe, but the tools!

Had a hard time between Rikon, Laguna and Harvey on my BS. Came down to liking the guides on the Harvey better. No regrets. I really want a Harvey 300 table saw but again, I have to get my car back under it's own power. Should have bought the Rikon drill press. I may still.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Shop Fox W1874 looks like the best set of features. Fixed table, helical head. 3 HP.

The combos seem to be a really bigger step. As I have to roll them out, connect power and dust, I already have to plan and batch the work, so setup change is not that big a deal.
 

Mike K

Mike
Corporate Member
A few years back I picked up a Minimax FS35 smart combo from a cabinet shop. It was the best purchase that I have made. 14 in combo machine. It is a beast at 1000 lbs, but with the tersa cutter head, you can't beat it. It is on a mobil base. It was defiantly worth it.
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
Jet makes a benchtop type planner, 13 inches wide, with a helical head. I think it would cost less than buying a DeWalt and converting it. I think others may offer this too. Seems worth investigating.

One reason I have not replaced my old Ryobi AP-10 (10 inch capacity) is the knives are thick and sturdy and not too hard to sharpen on my worksharp 3000. It snipes some but it also planes board for me. I should probably stop playing on the computer and sharpen the knives up this afternoon. I need to buy some cherry next week and then plane it for a dining room table top. It would be nice to have a bigger planner but the AP-10 works.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Pretty much been convinced to go big, or go home. I modified my Delta with collars for the last pass and I get no snipe. Big aluminum bed makes feeding easier. Blades are cheap. I have not made the jig to touch them up on my WorkSharp, as somehow one gets kicked before it gets dull. Not sure how that happens. A small knot maybe. It actually does the job. Pain to set up. Pain to reproduce thickness, just plain a pain, but it does work.

I wil revisit the Jet, and I think Rikon has a bench-top with helical cutters, but all of these have the same basic design where the head can rock causing a lot of snipe.

So what are the views on moveable table vs moveable head?
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Jet and Ricon benchtops have only 24 2-sided bits. The Schelix has 40 4-sided. Up to the Jet or ShopFox and 42 4 sided. "Pay me now, or pay me later"
 

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