All,
I'm finally going to buy a 12" jointer/planer - more for the jointer aspect than the planer. I can buy a Jet for ~$1,800 locally including sales tax. Hammer and Minimax machines are over twice as much shipped.
Based on the limited reviews of all of these machines, other than slightly better fences and quick-change cutter heads, I don't see much to justify the pricing differential.
So what else am I missing besides the fact that the Jet is made in China - which has good and bad factories - as does the US and elsewhere. Thanks in advance.....
-Dave