Surface Planer for Home Use

[AldeanFan]

Are any of the portable surface planners any good? Im just a hobbyist so I don’t need an industrial machine, but I want a tool that will do an acceptable job and last more than an hour.

I bought a 12-1/2” Mastercraft surface planer. I only used it twice and the motor let the magic smoke out. Of course it is out of warranty. A replacement motor is $250, and the whole thing goes on sale for about $350 so not worth repairing.

Home depot, Rona/Lowes and the other stores have similar planers for similar prices.

Are any of them any good?

 

[Shiftless]

I have this model Dewalt. I use it from time to time and it has always done a good job.

Did your Mastercraft burn out because you used an inadequate extension cord? I lost a portable table saw motor once when a helper used it with a 100 foot long 16 ga. cord. Up in smoke.

 

[loganb]

Dewalt 735 is the king of the semi portable planers. Note I call it semi portable as it's like 90 lbs so moveable...but awkward. It will handle a lot more then what the other lunchbox units will...but it's also not as easy to move around.

 

[AldeanFan]

I have this model Dewalt. I use it from time to time and it has always done a good job.

Did your Mastercraft burn out because you used an inadequate extension cord? I lost a portable table saw motor once when a helper used it with a 100 foot long 16 ga. cord. Up in smoke.

It was plugged in to a 20” 14ga extension cord. Same cord I use for other tools.
It had run for about 30min planing pine. In between boards, when there was no load on the motor it slowed down and began to smoke. I shut it off immediately.
Now when I turn it on it runs slowly for about seconds then trips it’s overload switch.

 

[Shiftless]

It was plugged in to a 20” 14ga extension cord. Same cord I use for other tools.

I have mine screwed down to a custom made rolling table with locking casters so I can move it outside onto a concrete slab behind my garage. Makes clean up a “breeze“. I clean up with a leaf blower,
I connect it with a 25 foot long 12 ga. cord. But your 14 should not have caused the motor to fry.

 

[tak1313]

Dewalt's 735 pretty consistently wins various head to heads on websites and mags. I had an older Delta and switched only because I got a super deal on a barely used one with a Shelix head (the guy gave me the stock head in the deal - I think I got it for $275 all in (it was a few years ago).

He thought there was a problem as the drive pulley was constantly coming loose since he installed the Shelix. I took the chance and figured out it was because the he installed the pulley backwards causing it to rub against the casing. The friction was causing it to loosen itself because of the turning direction.

I haven't tried it with the stock head, but with the Shelix, it does produce a nearly sand-free finish. The sacrifice is that with so many cutters, it can't take as much off with each pass as the regular head (or my previous Delta). The stock head uses 3 knives (compared to 2 on the Delta), and that purportedly produces a really nice finish as well, though not as nice as the Shelix.

Another thing that's been brought up in various tests/forums is that it does produce more snipe than the old Delta, but there are workarounds that I won't go over here because theirs already a lot of info out there.

One thing that also works great on the Dewalt is the ejection system, especially if combined with the vacuum of a dust collector because planers of all types/brands produce a LOT of shavings, and you don't want shavings to get stuck in the rollers because they will cause divots in the surface of the wood.

Edit - if you're looking at the price of an OEM replacement motor, most of the motors are sourced from China, and used in multiple products/brands. If there are identifying marks on the motor itself, you would likely be able to find it elsewhere at lower cost.

 

[lbhsbz]

I had a Dewalt 735 and had a problem with the height adjustment....As a board was running though, I could watch the handwheel make about a 1/2 turn from one end to the other. Couldn't figure out a way to adjust the friction or lock it in place IIRC, so I sold it.

 

[RTM]

I also have the Dewalt 733, same as Shiftless, and it has not let me down yet. Got it before the 735 came out. I've heard of two people that have had major failures with the 735 (maybe heard here). Mine is still heavy at 75#. Have not used it for a few years, no projects lately, but I've run a coffee table worth of wood thru it, 75' of rough fence boards turned into smooth redwood.

Mine was bought over 20 years ago, so much lower cost by 1/2 I think vs current cost. Run it with a dust collector, as the occasional stray chip will cause problems if you don't. It also does not like knots. The blades are sharpenable and replaceable. There is a lock on the vertical adjustment, but only used it for final passes.

 

[Firebrick43]

Are any of them any good?

After a few years of running supposedly the best, a dewalt 735, I would say no.

I was so happy the first time I used my RBI in comparison (foley belsaw/woodmaster)

Lunch boxes simply have two many compromises.

 

[tarbellb]

The Dewalt 735 is the best benchtop planer currently

Other notable models are

Rigid * (w/ locking height feature only)- same as most but features a locking head

Cutec w/ spiral head - good low budget option

At the end of the day all these are benchtop and should be considered entry level and not ran hard

 

[Toold_up]

If you can find a shopsmith planer stand alone tool those work really well.