Fair price for used DJ-20 jointer?

[Howard Pollack]

I have a line on a good used DJ-20 8" jointer. Can folks suggest what a fair price would be? Thanks.
-Howard

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

If it's in good condition with no warped beds or fence I would say around the $600.00 mark.

[Mike Kees]

Where I live that is a one thousand dollar machine.Where you are that would probably be at the high end for a used machine in pristine like new condition. What is the owner asking ?

[Phillip Mitchell]

Condition is everything. You have to factor in the overall condition of the machine as it appears and also consider what kind of life it's had (used by a knowledgeable amateur or beat to hell in a cabinet shop.) How well the machine is currently setup would also factor somewhat into the price I was willing to pay. If the seller had everything setup co-planer, sharp knives, tables were dead flat, and the fence operated and locked properly then I'd be willing to pay a little more for that just based on the setup time that will likely save you once you get it home (provided you transport it carefully.)

I would say that for a machine that needs little to nothing to get it up and running properly in your shop $600 would be a really nice deal. Around $900 would be tops for me with a machine that was immaculate, close by, and if I really needed an 8" jointer. Location could play a part in prices varying as well.

You can get a brand new Grizzly G0490 delivered to your door for $1050, which is for all practical purposes, the same jointer as a DJ-20.

I paid $800 for my Invicta DJ-20 and feel like I overpaid just a little, but I was in need of an 8" jointer when I found it and it has served me very well, so I don't sweat the little bit I may have saved for waiting even longer for a used DJ-20 in my area to pop up.

In my experience, most used tools require time, money, and frustration to varying degrees. Which one do you want spend less of?

[Steve Roxberg]

I paid $400 for mine, which was very fair. I feel like around Iowa they are worth up to $800 in excellent shape, down to maybe $600. That said they must sell highers since I've seen a DJ15 advertised for $800.

[Cary Falk]

This is a Delta machine. Parts are out there but you may have to hunt. This is not like a DeWalt RAS where you go into knowing you will have to search but there isn't anything new as a alternative. There are so may options for good jointers(new and used). May not be a huge consideration for you but it is something to think about when you consider price.

[John Piwaron]

$2,000

I have one of those and that's what I'd like to get for it if I were to sell it. But honestly, unless I got out of woodworking altogether I'm not going to sell it for any price. Well, not any price anyone would consider reasonable.

FWIW, after reading through the other posts in this thread I'd have to say that I'm in the knowledgeable amateur category. All my machines look new if maybe a little dusty. All are setup correctly. I don't abuse anything. Whomever gets my stuff someday is going to be getting a deal.

[andrew whicker]

In Utah: ~$1000k in good condition

[Chris Hachet]

In Ohio probably about $800. IMHO I would spend the extra and get a new machine from the Griz vs buying a used DJ20. That being said my Powermatic 60 was used and a very nice machine it is.

[Larry Edgerton]

I get a kick out of people knocking the Delta DJ 20. As far as I am concerned its all hear say. I had one for 20 years, it never broke and after the initial setup it never needed adjusting. That was in a commercial shop that used it very hard indeed. It paid for itself many times over, perhaps more than any machine I have ever bought new, and when I sold it with Esta knives in it for $750 I felt that it was a good deal for both of us. I have several friends in the business that have or have had a DJ, and all of their opinions of the machine would mirror my own.

[Cary Falk]

Larry,
You bought your DJ-20 new. You know it's history and you probably took care of it. We are talking about a tool with an unknown history. It could be any brand. Things can be missed upon inspection. Things can have a shotty repair to get it sold. You can't just go to Delta like you can go to Jet, Powermatic, Grizzly, etc to get parts. If Ereplacemetparts or Partspro does have the part for Delta it is going to be expensive. There is always ebay or owwm but finding the part will take awhile. I bought a used Unisaw, I put it through its paces. I didn't find the issues until I completely dissembled it. My fault completely. People need to take into account the worst case scenario when buying used equipment, especially with Delta. Most people still think Delta is still this great company that it once was and think they can safely buy anything Delta.

Cary

[Chris Hachet]

I get a kick out of people knocking the Delta DJ 20. As far as I am concerned its all hear say. I had one for 20 years, it never broke and after the initial setup it never needed adjusting. That was in a commercial shop that used it very hard indeed. It paid for itself many times over, perhaps more than any machine I have ever bought new, and when I sold it with Esta knives in it for $750 I felt that it was a good deal for both of us. I have several friends in the business that have or have had a DJ, and all of their opinions of the machine would mirror my own.

I am not knocking it...at 800 for a Powermatic I may well have bought a new Griz also.

[David Kumm]

I don't think the DJ 20 is anywhere near the old cast iron 8" jointers in quality but they are pretty decent. Sold for 1500-1700 in the 1990s, had decent grained cast iron- not always as flat as I would like - but decent for the price. Motor was a Marathon US made one. I would take a used machine I could see and measure for about the same price as a new equivalent from China. Mainly because the cast iron is done moving and the motor is better if not abused. These machines are not like repairing the space shuttle. If the main castings aren't cracked, fence is straight and square, and motor runs, there isn't much that can't be fixed for less than buying replacements from the manufacturer. Delta always hosed you for parts as do most others. I've got a wide variety of machines from the 1930s to early 2000s and parts are less an issue than remembering how to reassemble, and old cast iron is usually ( always ) better than new. Since a jointer is 95% about cast iron and quality of cutterhead, I am more afraid of new low end unseen than older I can check. There is no way a $1000 machine made today has better components than a $1500 machine 20 years ago ( not electronic ). Dave

[Chris Hachet]

I don't think the DJ 20 is anywhere near the old cast iron 8" jointers in quality but they are pretty decent. Sold for 1500-1700 in the 1990s, had decent grained cast iron- not always as flat as I would like - but decent for the price. Motor was a Marathon US made one. I would take a used machine I could see and measure for about the same price as a new equivalent from China. Mainly because the cast iron is done moving and the motor is better if not abused. These machines are not like repairing the space shuttle. If the main castings aren't cracked, fence is straight and square, and motor runs, there isn't much that can't be fixed for less than buying replacements from the manufacturer. Delta always hosed you for parts as do most others. I've got a wide variety of machines from the 1930s to early 2000s and parts are less an issue than remembering how to reassemble, and old cast iron is usually ( always ) better than new. Since a jointer is 95% about cast iron and quality of cutterhead, I am more afraid of new low end unseen than older I can check. There is no way a $1000 machine made today has better components than a $1500 machine 20 years ago ( not electronic ). Dave

Agreed, and I am down to only two imported machines in my shop, everything else is ARN. At the same time, my shop could burn to the ground tonight and I could very happily make sawdust with the nice Asian stuff available.

I still stand by my comment...I would buy a new Grizzly over an $800 DJ-20. At $600-700 is is pretty much an even choice, and at $500-600 it is easily the DJ 20.

One has to figure in travel costs, belts, bearings, blades, time to refurbish, et al with an older machine IMHO. I am getting ready to get a nice planer and I may very well go with an Asian machine.

[Eric Keller]

I want to buy a planer/jointer combo, so I looked into selling my DJ20. It's head and shoulders above any 8" Chinese jointer I have ever seen. But I can see not wanting to spend $800 and having to work on it. Of course, it's quite possible you are going to have to work on the Chinese jointer sooner than you might want.

I really love using the DJ20, it's so solid. I bought it used as part of a package deal, so there's no way to say how much I spent on it. Haven't done this mostly because I'm afraid to tell the spouse I want to spend that much money.