I only want ONE planer - not sure about stationary vs portable

[Tom Overthere]

Can you guys steer me in the right direction?

I want *only one* planer in my shop - something with a stationary bed - that'll handle 13" to 15" widths. I need for it to do a good job on rough dimensioning *AND* fine finishing.

I was seriously considering the Griz G0551 (15", 3hp, stationary bed) but it seems to have dropped from the 2006 product line.

So I'm weighing the Delta 22-580 13" portable "finishing" planer vs. the Delta 22-780X X5 15" stationary planer. Do both machines provide GOOD *dimensioning* and *finish* planing?

The 22-580 is much less expensive(!) but the 22-780 is on sale at Amazon, and I'm willing to spend more now to avoid replacing "the wrong tool" later on...

ANOTHER QUESTION:
I currently live near Omaha, Nebraska. So far, it seems like most hardwoods available here are imported from other parts of the US. So is a relatively expensive planer like the 22-780X a worthwhile investment for me? I mean, I may not get the chance to plane from rough lumber very often, so is the 22-780 overkill or actually a versatile choice?

Thanks

[Reg Mitchell]

Hello Tom,
I bought what i thought would be a good plane...the dewalt 13 inch. It was good for awhile and as i got along with my wood working i realized it was takeing me longer to plane the wood and i wasn't able to get much work done. Flustrated i decide to get a planer that that would do much more and faster so i could aactually get more wood working done.
I bought an Oliver 20" stationary planer. It has a 7.5 hp motor and it will do 4X4's 12 ft long and not even flinch. I still have the dewalt and if i want to do something small and thin that is my go to machine.
Guess what i am trying to say is they both have their strong points and weeknesses. I like them both and wouldn't trade eighter one. But I guess you need to look at what you want to do and pick from that line of thinking.
I'm not sure if that helps but it is listening to ppl in these rooms that will help make a decision because no one has the perfect answere for someone else.

[scott spencer]

The 22-580 suits my needs and budget, but I do see the portables as eventual consumables, whereas a stationary machine is pretty much a lifelong machine.

[tod evans]

you can`t go wrong with cast iron and horsepower! if you can lift a planer you will work twice as hard to get a board to size than you will with a stationary unit. go with the largest you can afford......02 tod

[Keith Outten]

Tom,

I purchased a Grizzly 15" stationary planer almost 15 years ago and it has been a real workhorse. Mine is the single speed model with 3 HP, no frills like the newer models.

Planers aren't "Fine Finishing" tools.

.

[John Bailey]

The new Grizzly has the stationary table, 3 hp, is heavier than the discontinued model and can handle boards to 8" thick. Compared to the top of the line lunchboxes, it's not that much more. As others have said, lunchboxes tend to be consumable. I don't have a planer, so take my thoughts for what they're worth.

John

[Matt Meiser]

If you only want to ever buy one planer, buy the stationary. I replaced by Delta lunchbox with a Delta 15" last year and couldn't be happier. I think I actually get a better finish with my new planer on the slow feed setting. From what I've seen and heard, the Jet, Yorkcraft, Delta, and Grizzly are all essentially the same planer. Pick a company that you want to do business with and go for it.

[Jarrod Nelson]

If I had the space and money, I'd get the bigger one. I haved neither , so I have the 13" Delta. It's been a great planer anyway. I love it.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Seldomly do I use the full 12" capacity of my planer, however when doing wide glue ups I do them in less than 12" widths so that I can run them through the planer. The wider width would be nice.

That said, both planers will give you a good finish. No matter what you will have to work with the wood after it comes out of the planer. I have yet to see a planer that produces stain ready surfaces.

[tim langford]

Get the big one if you can. I have the 15" grizzly and it sucks wood through it with no effort on my part. One great thing about the grizzly is that it has little springs beneath the blades that make resetting the knives a snap. It's a great machine and it will unfortunately likely last me the rest of my life. (I'll never get to shop for another.)

That being said, I've always wanted the Delta and I have no idea why. I think I'm attracted to the longer iron infeed and outfeed tables but they probably make no difference. I'm partial to the bigger cast iron machines. I once had a small, used Sears jointer and it was so loud and the blades were spinning so fast it scared me to even turn it on much less use it.

Enjoy.

[Mark Rios]

I only have the DW735. I lke it alot and it works just fine for me now, let alone that I only have a mobile shop in a 7 x 16 trailer (I live in houses that I remodel). When I buy my next house for me though I will probably upgrade to a stationary model. Does anyone make a stationary model with indexable blades? That sure is a nice feature on my DW. It's frustrating enough for me adjusting blades on a joiinter. that's why I'm trying to justify a new jointer with a spiral cutterhead instead of normal knives.

[Travis Porter]

Mine is like Keith's and I recommend going that route along with buying a mobile base. You can't put it in the truck, but you can roll it around that way. You definitely want a stationary base. I started with a portable Makita, and it took about a year to realize it just wasn't enough for me especially with large rough lumber.

[tod evans]

I only have the DW735. I lke it alot and it works just fine for me now, let alone that I only have a mobile shop in a 7 x 16 trailer (I live in houses that I remodel). When I buy my next house for me though I will probably upgrade to a stationary model. Does anyone make a stationary model with indexable blades? That sure is a nice feature on my DW. It's frustrating enough for me adjusting blades on a joiinter. that's why I'm trying to justify a new jointer with a spiral cutterhead instead of normal knives.

mark check into the tersa heads. i can change all four knifes in my planer in less then 10 min........tod

[Mark Rios]

mark check into the tersa heads. i can change all four knifes in my planer in less then 10 min........tod

Aren't they like a milion dollars though? Ok, I'll go look now.

[Paul B. Cresti]

Aren't they like a milion dollars though? Ok, I'll go look now.

Mark,
While you are at it look into a Euro combo jointer/planer. One machine two functions and you can get a Tersa head. Sell both of your machines to help with the cost, I did.