lightweight planer

[Chris Hachet]

I am probably picking up a Parks planer for a main shop planer and would also have something light weight to take with me when I do trim carpentry work.

Ryobi seemingly made a couple of decent smaller lighter weight planers...are their any really decent lightweight planers worth owning?

Mostly concerned about replacement parts as Delta and Craftsman seem to have discontinued most of theirs for lighter weight planers.

[Jim Becker]

Dewalt 735 is VERY popular as a bench top type planer...

[Chris Hachet]

Dewalt 735 is VERY popular as a bench top type planer...

I am kind of dipping my toes into planer ownership for the first time since I work with a lot of hand tools, usually buy dimensioned lumber, and have a bunch of local woodworking friends with planers they are more than happy to share.

Ideally I have thought about having the Parks as a roughing planer, a DW 735 with a spiral head and a finish planer, and something light weight to take with me when I go do carpentry work.

DW 735 I think is a little heavier than what I am looking for. Wanting something I can easily move around a job site possibly.

But yes, DW 735 is high on my list. If I could have two planers rather than three that simplifies so many things.

[Bill Dufour]

Look online for the FWW. planer setup article. It runs through how to set the Parks 12" planer as an example.
Bill

[Chris Hachet]

Look online for the FWW. planer setup article. It runs through how to set the Parks 12" planer as an example.
Bill

Thanks for the tip!

[Curt Harms]

Grizzly sells a couple portable planers. The DW735 gets very good reviews but at 100 lbs. I wouldn't consider it very portable and it sounds like the extension tables are recommended. Griz planers seem to weigh a little over 70 lbs. I'd expect the Grizzly and most portable planers to snipe. The last portable planer I owned was a Delta 13" (580?) but it wasn't portable by my definition, I had it on a wheeled base with drawers underneath.

[Mike Kees]

Chris I am a full time carpenter and understand exactly what you are saying. I have a Delta planer at my shop and also own a Dewalt 734 that I use for jobsite use . I once owned the first portable planer delta built,it was very loud and sniped like crazy. The Dewalt has a three knife cutterhead and the blades are easy to change because they are indexed on pins(also double edged) so you get two sets of knives in one. It works really well. The other improvement is a built in head lock to prevent snipe. I wont be selling this one. Mike.

[Chris Hachet]

This is the kind of endorsement I am looking for. I doubt I am going to run a thousand board foot of QSWO through this, just want to be able to fit lumber on site. Thanks for your response!