Were those amps on the y-axis? Its extremely important that the in-feed and out-feed tables are level in order to have consistent and representative tests.
I still had my previous version which I have returned to. I have owned portable planers over my 40 years in the trade. We tested how much material would be lost to snipe.
Price is often a huge part of the equation when determining what tool is best for you. Their cart might work really well for Jim. We didnt try to max out width, but I can tell you from my own experience with the 735x that it does very well even on wider boards. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Nice review. Further yet, run each side, one at a time and compare rigidity of the cutterhead and accuracy. In other words, motor loads can introduce currents out of phase with the voltage. When was the last time you cleaned them? Dewalt definitely has the thickness planner worth getting right now.
It was expensive, though. Each piece of wood was started at the first roller of the planer and we left our hands off the sample until it stopped past the outfeed roller. . Below is a list of the warranties applicable to the planers we tested. We ran four species of wood through the planers and recorded the time for the cut and the amperage profile for each cut. If youre looking for a good performing affordable planer the Triton is certainly worth noting. In order to record the no-load feed rate for a section of wood 45 long (same length of the samples wed be running through the planer), we used a longer board (60) with two marks near each end that were 45 apart. Its not my area of expertise. In addition, the 735 has three blades in the cutter head. Two Ridgids, the current model returned when the warrantee repair center couldnt understand that the cutterhead MUST be parallel. Something seems wrong with that chart because the load does not seem to align in anyway with the rating of the device and would cause it to trip any 20A circuit. Everywhere I look it shows the Ridgid R4331 as being a part of their lifetime warranty but your chart shows a 3-year limited warranty. Its everything about how well the components come together and the thoroughness of the attention the engineers and design team were to how the tool will be to use, take apart, snap together, the movement of levers, how much drift you get over time, etc. They really need to be cleaned off occasionally, I use mineral spirits. Our goal is to provide readers with honest, objective information based on our own experiences. My neighbor has a roll around stand that works pretty well, still pretty heavy though, Jim, Dewalt makes a rolling stand for them. Below is a table showing how each of the 8 planers stacked up in the 4 categories that we counted in our final evaluation. I may be overly cautious. As you can see above the times required to change the blades on the planers varied from just over 11 minutes to just over 25 minutes. Thats all great feedback, ultimately we need to come up with a winner (our winner) but each of you can take the data weve presented and weigh the results differently to best match your needs and come up with your own winner. Hey Jim & Todd, Although I do not have the need to move my DW735x from one site to another, I have mounted it on a plywood rolling flip top cart which allows me to use either the planer or my Ridgid Oscillating Sander which are both housed in that same cart. However, we did provide information from that category as we feel its valuable to some readers. In my opinion you should test it on speed 1 which will be comparable with other brands. We are woodworkers, not shop decorators!
Warranties are really important to some users, and many of you have asked us to include them in our reviews. And if so, do you know how to tighten it? Did you test whether the planers, especially the 735x can actually handle the full widths they claim? All of the other planers tested worked well when attached to the shop dust collection with little variation in performance among the different models. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Triton doing the same task 16AX115X0.85PF= half the power and also for 2/3 of the Dewalt time for less draw down on a battery system. BTW, I have decided not to get the DeWalt. Learn how your comment data is processed. Have you tried reaching out to customer service? The amplitude of the milling marks was consistently smaller and there was very little scalloping of the surface compared to all the other planers. High amp overload and heat are not good for electric motors.
We used the following boards in our testing: Prior to testing day, we unboxed the bench-top thickness planers and set up the equipment with dust collection manifolds (if so supplied) and put on accessories. Best comparison Ive seen for these planers. Its just a better planer.worth the extra. The prior owner did not have a dust collector and he obviously had run some wood through it planing across the grain. It is loud. Hi Todd, I am always pleased with your comparisons, does not matter I am using those tools or not. While all the planers produced a smooth finish to the touch, there was quite a variation of smoothness resulting from the milling marks and scallops. While ranking the warranties might seem simple, weve decided to just list them rather than rank them. We wanted to know how each machine performed at maximum loads (which results from cutting at the maximum depth in a single pass that the manufacturer recommends). One surface planer tip I use for accurate thickness pointer adjustment (another comparison point). Peter. Our team set up a FLUKE 3001 FC recording ammeter that measured values on a one second interval and sent the data via wireless link to our computer for later analysis. Should be of course mentioned as a advantage of this unit, but not for overall comparison purposes. Before building my flip top cart, I thought about purchasing a fold-up Ridgid miter saw cart. These need high volume dust collection to keep up with the massive amount of chips. Bringing stock to a consistent and specific thickness, Feed rate (feet per minute): 14(low) 26(high). I have spectacular results with the Dewalt 735. That video claims in the manual that the gap you saw in the out feed table to the mid table is supposed to be that way. The DEWALT 735X and the Triton TPT125 were able to keep the feed rate much closer to the no-load rate compared to the rest of the field. Hey Todd great review. Weight and size are always an important factor in small shops. Obviously, the planers with three blades would take more time than the machines with two blades. great work. I appreciate you guys noting that weight issue. You can;t always get what you want. We were looking to see which planers had enough power to sustain the no-load feed rates throughout the different boards that were planed. Clearly the heavier machines have heavier parts, likely has less vibration resulting in a better user experience. Its intended for commercial concrete environments with very fine dust, so it should be good.
Having two speeds is a great feature and worth noting. The DEWALT DW735X was by far the best finish of all the samples we planed. Bench-top thickness planers have a dial used to move the cutting heads up and down to set the depth of cut. Now I know better which tool to wish for! These cookies do not store any personal information. If so, are the newer ones only sold by certain retailers? Curious if you found any significance of machine weight? What are you running for dust collection? If you cant afford it, compare it to the cost of wood for a project or the cost of the planer.
While not big and powerful as full size shop thickness planers, benchtop thickness planers are still very capable of effectively planing a wide range of wood products. If you go that route, be aware that they run sales several times per year. @boschtoolsna bla, Brought out the big guy ( Dewalt 10) for rippin, We dont use a framing nailer often in commercia, I know battery powered nailers are all the rage bu, @keenutility Troy 6" Boot w. Carbon Fiber ToeThe, Two is better than one in this case . Each wood sample for each machine was 45 in length. Well let you make your own determination on which warranty appeals to you. The Triton is $100 less expensive so that is appealing. My only complaint is that the blades nick easily, but even so, Im happy with the machine. By clicking on 'Accept' or continuing to use this website, you agree that cookies can be placed. On each model the dial indicates how far the heads move up and down per revolution of the dial. Im a hobbyist and would not be using this thing every day (or even necessarily every month), but I do like to buy tools that last and have good tolerances. Luke All of these planers definitely pull some amps at times and running them on the same circuit as a dust collector may be problematic regardless of which you choose. My advice, you can run a 12 through on each side, at the same time, to truly see paralleladiggity to the platen.
PowerTools AirTools HandTools Measuring&Layout CordlessTools Automotive Lawn&Garden, Home Latest Tool Reviews Head-To-Head Best Benchtop Thickness Planer Head-to-Head, March 17, 2019By Todd Fratzel on Head-To-Head, Thickness Planer. I watch your channel and read your articles religiously. Sean Have to look VERY closely at the RIDGID warranty website, different tools have different coverages. The length of snipe on all the models we tested nearly mimic this distance. I am not sure if the mounting holes on the DW735 will align with the mounting brackets of the cart, but that problem can be easily overcomesimply mount the planer to a properly sized piece of 1/2 or 3/4 plywood. Keep up the great work. So its possible some were cutting a deeper cut than others.
The four setscrews were easy to reach and we found it easy to dial in the proper adjustments. We applied blue chalk to the surface to highlight the milling marks, and scallops, for a visual inspection. With the Dewalt, though, I am getting snipe-free surfaces that take a quick pass with a handplane (or card scraper or sandertake your pick). Best of all, you provided us with the results so that we can decide what priorities to assess our purchase with. Your own testing rated the Triton better. With sharp knives the surface of a planed board is often smooth enough for paint or even clear finishes. But every machine is capable of planing boards 12 to 13 inches wide and 6 inches tall. While were not ranking this category we do feel the data is interesting and informative. Are they not up to par with those tested or is there another reason? Personal preference? Our crew took each machine and armed with the instructions and the tools in our workshop changed out each blade on each machine. Do you happen to know if this is an updated version of the same model? I personally dont think speed 2 is an advantage, I think on speed 1 we would have seen even better results. I cant personally speak for it. It points to the much more powerful motor in that unit. The Porter-Cable does not come with a shroud (a subscriber on our YouTube channel says one is available for the PC from Delta, Delta part number 50-359 , so maybe you can find one). Some of the categories that we set out to evaluate we decided not to include in the final ranking. When you evaluated the price, it would have been nice if you had listed prices for replacement blades. The wood samples we used in this test were 14 Mahogany decking, 1 x 8 Poplar, 16 Oak and 16 Maple.
I use this with my Dewalt 735 (to tie to the discussion here) and a 14 bandsaw. For additional information please visit our additional disclosure policies. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Copyright 2009-2022 Tool Box Buzz, LLC All Rights Reserved. We did rank this category as its a great way to evaluate the power of the planers. It looks like they are offering a sale right now. While the Delta 22-590 finished near the end in this evaluation, the team felt it was also a nice planer to consider. David If my memory serves me correctly, we set each planer to its maximum recommended cutting depth. The power difference was clear during the planing operations as it didnt seem to care what we ran through it. I do have some JET tools in my woodshop and they are very nice. Hobbyists working in their homes need good dust collection more than anyone else.
Does a 92 lb planer perform better or worse than 58 lbs?
Your chart was difficult to understand because it showed some of the tools going far beyond a 15 or 20 number on the y-axis. Despite our best efforts to measure accurate test data its likely a result of how we set up our test rig with the FLUKE ammeter. While very subjective, we ranked the planers based on the samples of Maple shown below. It has a lot of information which can be used and helpful. These planers are an excellent option for small home woodshops and contractors that need a portable option. I had to unclog the discharge chute and rotate the blades. David W. I appreciate the article, but better fit and finish is choosing form over function. That would be an excellent test, especially since I think you were starting to see the effect of width with the poplar. The reality is a user might change blades once or twice a year (twice would be heavy use) so the difference from 11 to 25 doesnt seem enough to warrant why you might buy one over another model. Here we are again trying to rank the tools in our Head-to-Head and give you a winner. The movement between the speaker and showing the actual testing made for an interesting video. All of the planers (with the exception of one) comes with a dust shroud so the planers can be attached to a dust collector.
Hit the rollers with a heat gun for a few minutes and wax the planer bed. We do not go back and add more tools. We thought the lighter color and tight grain structure of maple might show the location and the depth of any snipes better than the other woods. I cannot install a centralized dust collection system with my setup. Theres a huge difference in pricing in this test from the low $300 range up over $600. I could not interpret the ammeter results because the y-axis numbers did not appear to be amps, as the numbers far exceeded the 15A rating of each tool. The new Festool Quadrive TPC 18/4 cordless drill i, Chilling with @ryobitoolsusa at the pool on vacati, Everyone playing nice today. I dont believe Makita should be that far down the list from its performance though. The worst measured vertical deviation from flat at the edge of the outfeed table nearly 1/8 above the surface of the planer. To me the amp trace says to reduce the cut depth a bit to bring the amp loads down, particularly if you do experience an overload. FYI the Triton link takes me to the blades, not the planer itself. Todd Fratzel is the Editor of Tool Box Buzz and the President of Front Steps Media, LLC, a web based media company focused on the Home Improvement and Construction Industry.He is also the Principal Engineer for United Construction Corp., located in Newport, NH. Todd, I am OK with your releasing my email address to Jim if he would like to ask any questions.
Most motors are designed for Service Factor 1 or 1.15 so this degree of overload could lead to overheat issues down the road. Looking for an option that can be rolled out of a trailer and used on a stand reliably. Then mount the plywood to the carts brackets. More specifically, we wanted to know which planer pulled more power (maximum amp draw) and which one had the best feed performance relative to its no-load condition. Maybe someone can explain it here. Also, the more we do these the more some folks comment about how they would weigh different categories differently.
Its intended to keep pressure of the board to the rollers and reduce snipe.
I still had my previous version which I have returned to. I have owned portable planers over my 40 years in the trade. We tested how much material would be lost to snipe.
Price is often a huge part of the equation when determining what tool is best for you. Their cart might work really well for Jim. We didnt try to max out width, but I can tell you from my own experience with the 735x that it does very well even on wider boards. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. Nice review. Further yet, run each side, one at a time and compare rigidity of the cutterhead and accuracy. In other words, motor loads can introduce currents out of phase with the voltage. When was the last time you cleaned them? Dewalt definitely has the thickness planner worth getting right now.
It was expensive, though. Each piece of wood was started at the first roller of the planer and we left our hands off the sample until it stopped past the outfeed roller. . Below is a list of the warranties applicable to the planers we tested. We ran four species of wood through the planers and recorded the time for the cut and the amperage profile for each cut. If youre looking for a good performing affordable planer the Triton is certainly worth noting. In order to record the no-load feed rate for a section of wood 45 long (same length of the samples wed be running through the planer), we used a longer board (60) with two marks near each end that were 45 apart. Its not my area of expertise. In addition, the 735 has three blades in the cutter head. Two Ridgids, the current model returned when the warrantee repair center couldnt understand that the cutterhead MUST be parallel. Something seems wrong with that chart because the load does not seem to align in anyway with the rating of the device and would cause it to trip any 20A circuit. Everywhere I look it shows the Ridgid R4331 as being a part of their lifetime warranty but your chart shows a 3-year limited warranty. Its everything about how well the components come together and the thoroughness of the attention the engineers and design team were to how the tool will be to use, take apart, snap together, the movement of levers, how much drift you get over time, etc. They really need to be cleaned off occasionally, I use mineral spirits. Our goal is to provide readers with honest, objective information based on our own experiences. My neighbor has a roll around stand that works pretty well, still pretty heavy though, Jim, Dewalt makes a rolling stand for them. Below is a table showing how each of the 8 planers stacked up in the 4 categories that we counted in our final evaluation. I may be overly cautious. As you can see above the times required to change the blades on the planers varied from just over 11 minutes to just over 25 minutes. Thats all great feedback, ultimately we need to come up with a winner (our winner) but each of you can take the data weve presented and weigh the results differently to best match your needs and come up with your own winner. Hey Jim & Todd, Although I do not have the need to move my DW735x from one site to another, I have mounted it on a plywood rolling flip top cart which allows me to use either the planer or my Ridgid Oscillating Sander which are both housed in that same cart. However, we did provide information from that category as we feel its valuable to some readers. In my opinion you should test it on speed 1 which will be comparable with other brands. We are woodworkers, not shop decorators!
Warranties are really important to some users, and many of you have asked us to include them in our reviews. And if so, do you know how to tighten it? Did you test whether the planers, especially the 735x can actually handle the full widths they claim? All of the other planers tested worked well when attached to the shop dust collection with little variation in performance among the different models. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The Triton doing the same task 16AX115X0.85PF= half the power and also for 2/3 of the Dewalt time for less draw down on a battery system. BTW, I have decided not to get the DeWalt. Learn how your comment data is processed. Have you tried reaching out to customer service? The amplitude of the milling marks was consistently smaller and there was very little scalloping of the surface compared to all the other planers. High amp overload and heat are not good for electric motors.
We used the following boards in our testing: Prior to testing day, we unboxed the bench-top thickness planers and set up the equipment with dust collection manifolds (if so supplied) and put on accessories. Best comparison Ive seen for these planers. Its just a better planer.worth the extra. The prior owner did not have a dust collector and he obviously had run some wood through it planing across the grain. It is loud. Hi Todd, I am always pleased with your comparisons, does not matter I am using those tools or not. While all the planers produced a smooth finish to the touch, there was quite a variation of smoothness resulting from the milling marks and scallops. While ranking the warranties might seem simple, weve decided to just list them rather than rank them. We wanted to know how each machine performed at maximum loads (which results from cutting at the maximum depth in a single pass that the manufacturer recommends). One surface planer tip I use for accurate thickness pointer adjustment (another comparison point). Peter. Our team set up a FLUKE 3001 FC recording ammeter that measured values on a one second interval and sent the data via wireless link to our computer for later analysis. Should be of course mentioned as a advantage of this unit, but not for overall comparison purposes. Before building my flip top cart, I thought about purchasing a fold-up Ridgid miter saw cart. These need high volume dust collection to keep up with the massive amount of chips. Bringing stock to a consistent and specific thickness, Feed rate (feet per minute): 14(low) 26(high). I have spectacular results with the Dewalt 735. That video claims in the manual that the gap you saw in the out feed table to the mid table is supposed to be that way. The DEWALT 735X and the Triton TPT125 were able to keep the feed rate much closer to the no-load rate compared to the rest of the field. Hey Todd great review. Weight and size are always an important factor in small shops. Obviously, the planers with three blades would take more time than the machines with two blades. great work. I appreciate you guys noting that weight issue. You can;t always get what you want. We were looking to see which planers had enough power to sustain the no-load feed rates throughout the different boards that were planed. Clearly the heavier machines have heavier parts, likely has less vibration resulting in a better user experience. Its intended for commercial concrete environments with very fine dust, so it should be good.
Having two speeds is a great feature and worth noting. The DEWALT DW735X was by far the best finish of all the samples we planed. Bench-top thickness planers have a dial used to move the cutting heads up and down to set the depth of cut. Now I know better which tool to wish for! These cookies do not store any personal information. If so, are the newer ones only sold by certain retailers? Curious if you found any significance of machine weight? What are you running for dust collection? If you cant afford it, compare it to the cost of wood for a project or the cost of the planer.
While not big and powerful as full size shop thickness planers, benchtop thickness planers are still very capable of effectively planing a wide range of wood products. If you go that route, be aware that they run sales several times per year. @boschtoolsna bla, Brought out the big guy ( Dewalt 10) for rippin, We dont use a framing nailer often in commercia, I know battery powered nailers are all the rage bu, @keenutility Troy 6" Boot w. Carbon Fiber ToeThe, Two is better than one in this case . Each wood sample for each machine was 45 in length. Well let you make your own determination on which warranty appeals to you. The Triton is $100 less expensive so that is appealing. My only complaint is that the blades nick easily, but even so, Im happy with the machine. By clicking on 'Accept' or continuing to use this website, you agree that cookies can be placed. On each model the dial indicates how far the heads move up and down per revolution of the dial. Im a hobbyist and would not be using this thing every day (or even necessarily every month), but I do like to buy tools that last and have good tolerances. Luke All of these planers definitely pull some amps at times and running them on the same circuit as a dust collector may be problematic regardless of which you choose. My advice, you can run a 12 through on each side, at the same time, to truly see paralleladiggity to the platen.
PowerTools AirTools HandTools Measuring&Layout CordlessTools Automotive Lawn&Garden, Home Latest Tool Reviews Head-To-Head Best Benchtop Thickness Planer Head-to-Head, March 17, 2019By Todd Fratzel on Head-To-Head, Thickness Planer. I watch your channel and read your articles religiously. Sean Have to look VERY closely at the RIDGID warranty website, different tools have different coverages. The length of snipe on all the models we tested nearly mimic this distance. I am not sure if the mounting holes on the DW735 will align with the mounting brackets of the cart, but that problem can be easily overcomesimply mount the planer to a properly sized piece of 1/2 or 3/4 plywood. Keep up the great work. So its possible some were cutting a deeper cut than others.
The four setscrews were easy to reach and we found it easy to dial in the proper adjustments. We applied blue chalk to the surface to highlight the milling marks, and scallops, for a visual inspection. With the Dewalt, though, I am getting snipe-free surfaces that take a quick pass with a handplane (or card scraper or sandertake your pick). Best of all, you provided us with the results so that we can decide what priorities to assess our purchase with. Your own testing rated the Triton better. With sharp knives the surface of a planed board is often smooth enough for paint or even clear finishes. But every machine is capable of planing boards 12 to 13 inches wide and 6 inches tall. While were not ranking this category we do feel the data is interesting and informative. Are they not up to par with those tested or is there another reason? Personal preference? Our crew took each machine and armed with the instructions and the tools in our workshop changed out each blade on each machine. Do you happen to know if this is an updated version of the same model? I personally dont think speed 2 is an advantage, I think on speed 1 we would have seen even better results. I cant personally speak for it. It points to the much more powerful motor in that unit. The Porter-Cable does not come with a shroud (a subscriber on our YouTube channel says one is available for the PC from Delta, Delta part number 50-359 , so maybe you can find one). Some of the categories that we set out to evaluate we decided not to include in the final ranking. When you evaluated the price, it would have been nice if you had listed prices for replacement blades. The wood samples we used in this test were 14 Mahogany decking, 1 x 8 Poplar, 16 Oak and 16 Maple.
I use this with my Dewalt 735 (to tie to the discussion here) and a 14 bandsaw. For additional information please visit our additional disclosure policies. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Copyright 2009-2022 Tool Box Buzz, LLC All Rights Reserved. We did rank this category as its a great way to evaluate the power of the planers. It looks like they are offering a sale right now. While the Delta 22-590 finished near the end in this evaluation, the team felt it was also a nice planer to consider. David If my memory serves me correctly, we set each planer to its maximum recommended cutting depth. The power difference was clear during the planing operations as it didnt seem to care what we ran through it. I do have some JET tools in my woodshop and they are very nice. Hobbyists working in their homes need good dust collection more than anyone else.
Does a 92 lb planer perform better or worse than 58 lbs?
Your chart was difficult to understand because it showed some of the tools going far beyond a 15 or 20 number on the y-axis. Despite our best efforts to measure accurate test data its likely a result of how we set up our test rig with the FLUKE ammeter. While very subjective, we ranked the planers based on the samples of Maple shown below. It has a lot of information which can be used and helpful. These planers are an excellent option for small home woodshops and contractors that need a portable option. I had to unclog the discharge chute and rotate the blades. David W. I appreciate the article, but better fit and finish is choosing form over function. That would be an excellent test, especially since I think you were starting to see the effect of width with the poplar. The reality is a user might change blades once or twice a year (twice would be heavy use) so the difference from 11 to 25 doesnt seem enough to warrant why you might buy one over another model. Here we are again trying to rank the tools in our Head-to-Head and give you a winner. The movement between the speaker and showing the actual testing made for an interesting video. All of the planers (with the exception of one) comes with a dust shroud so the planers can be attached to a dust collector.
Hit the rollers with a heat gun for a few minutes and wax the planer bed. We do not go back and add more tools. We thought the lighter color and tight grain structure of maple might show the location and the depth of any snipes better than the other woods. I cannot install a centralized dust collection system with my setup. Theres a huge difference in pricing in this test from the low $300 range up over $600. I could not interpret the ammeter results because the y-axis numbers did not appear to be amps, as the numbers far exceeded the 15A rating of each tool. The new Festool Quadrive TPC 18/4 cordless drill i, Chilling with @ryobitoolsusa at the pool on vacati, Everyone playing nice today. I dont believe Makita should be that far down the list from its performance though. The worst measured vertical deviation from flat at the edge of the outfeed table nearly 1/8 above the surface of the planer. To me the amp trace says to reduce the cut depth a bit to bring the amp loads down, particularly if you do experience an overload. FYI the Triton link takes me to the blades, not the planer itself. Todd Fratzel is the Editor of Tool Box Buzz and the President of Front Steps Media, LLC, a web based media company focused on the Home Improvement and Construction Industry.He is also the Principal Engineer for United Construction Corp., located in Newport, NH. Todd, I am OK with your releasing my email address to Jim if he would like to ask any questions.
Most motors are designed for Service Factor 1 or 1.15 so this degree of overload could lead to overheat issues down the road. Looking for an option that can be rolled out of a trailer and used on a stand reliably. Then mount the plywood to the carts brackets. More specifically, we wanted to know which planer pulled more power (maximum amp draw) and which one had the best feed performance relative to its no-load condition. Maybe someone can explain it here. Also, the more we do these the more some folks comment about how they would weigh different categories differently.
Its intended to keep pressure of the board to the rollers and reduce snipe.