Delta Shopmaster 12 1/2" Planer thoughts....
I'll add my $.02 here.
As aniceone2hold mentioned, you can get great results with the "lowly 12" Deltas".
This summer I picked up the Delta Shopmaster 12 1/2" planer (TP400 LS); comes with a stand and priced @ $199 USD. A local well-respected woodworking retailer told me that these planers were a terrific value/good tool. Was looking at the Dewalts, Rigid and the two-speed Delta (22-580). Basically they said take the money I would save and buy more toys/tools.
I planed about 300 (1x6') cedar fence boards (both sides) with only one small nick on one of the blades. Ended up with about 10 lawn sized garbage bags of cedar chips. My neighbor thought I was nuts when I told him I was going to plane all of the fence boards, but he sure was pleased with the results.
Been very happy with the performance of this "econo" tool so far. I have made a lot of wood chips since finishing my fence in September.
Bonus: 2 sets of knives comes with the tool. Each knife is double edged and can be flipped over/reversed.
Big Con: The nuts holding the blade are set waaaayyy too tight at the factory - stripped one of the heads while trying to loosen it. This is a common complaint from tool owners.
Dan
I'll add my $.02 here.
As aniceone2hold mentioned, you can get great results with the "lowly 12" Deltas".
This summer I picked up the Delta Shopmaster 12 1/2" planer (TP400 LS); comes with a stand and priced @ $199 USD. A local well-respected woodworking retailer told me that these planers were a terrific value/good tool. Was looking at the Dewalts, Rigid and the two-speed Delta (22-580). Basically they said take the money I would save and buy more toys/tools.
I planed about 300 (1x6') cedar fence boards (both sides) with only one small nick on one of the blades. Ended up with about 10 lawn sized garbage bags of cedar chips. My neighbor thought I was nuts when I told him I was going to plane all of the fence boards, but he sure was pleased with the results.
Been very happy with the performance of this "econo" tool so far. I have made a lot of wood chips since finishing my fence in September.
Bonus: 2 sets of knives comes with the tool. Each knife is double edged and can be flipped over/reversed.
Big Con: The nuts holding the blade are set waaaayyy too tight at the factory - stripped one of the heads while trying to loosen it. This is a common complaint from tool owners.
Dan
