Vinny Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 I took the plunge yesterday and ordered a Delta TP305 Planer from Rockler.com for the Shop, it was too good of a deal to pass up. I've been using a Wagner Safe-T-Planer but wanted something to plane larger stuff like bodies and rough sawn pieces. Did I mention I can't wait till its here? Like Xmas in February. This model handles stock up to 12½'' wide, 26ft per minute feed rate and can plane a board as thin as ¼''. Fingerboards, necks, bodies, top and back plates for archtops, droptops, boy I cant wait. -Vinny heres a pic http:// Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibnaz5150 Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 Here's another you should of checked out....not bad for 240.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desopolis Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 is 12.5" enough for your body blanks? I know finished dimensions are close to that, but.... thats why I havent made the plunge for one yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 i used to use a 12 1/2" planer...i loved it on some bodies it was enough...on the others i planed the wood before joining it...what i liked it best for was necks and fingerboards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 Quite a coincident! I got my combined planer/jointer in for delivery tomorrow. Yeah, they are delivering it on Saturdays. I got myself this one for 34$ including shipping, and if it works for jointing too, I think I’ve got myself a nice deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racer X Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 Man, I'd love to have that Grizzly. Sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted February 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 is 12.5" enough for your body blanks? I know finished dimensions are close to that, but.... thats why I havent made the plunge for one yet... Most of the wood I've been using is 6'' to 8'' wide and then joined to make a body. That Grizzley is nice! I have thier catalog but haven't tried them yet. The shipping for this planer was just $11.99, that made it a deal I just could'nt pass up. Peter, please let us know how yours is when you get it, I found a few good free plans for planer stands on the web. I'll be heppy to post them if you're interested. -Vinny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwedishLuthier Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 First evaluation suggests that it planes OK and joints like a dream. I tested this on a laminated-maple-neck-to-be. I planed the plank to thickness, trued up the flat sides on the jointer, squared the sides (again on the jointer), cut of a laminate on the band saw, squared the last side, cut again on the band saw and had the laminations glued up in under 30 minutes. I buy my wood pretty rough and this used to take me somewhere between 5 and 10 hours using hand planes. I love this machine!!! Vinny, I would very much like to see the drawings for a stand. Please post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherokee6 Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Congrats, Vinny! I'm still trying to find out who cut that tree down in Fishkill. I'm in DC for the weekend and hope to find out soon. This could turn out to be a great piece of wood to try on your new planer. I'm working on buying a Jet Gold series bandsaw with riser block fences, etc. but I can't get ahold of the guy!! I've left him a few messages, so we'll see what happens. I'll have to check the Rockler site for the sale! Good luck with your new machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibnaz5150 Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 (edited) Check out.......woodcraft.com, woodworkersupply.com and grizzly .com. You'll find a lot of the same products yet cheaper than rockler. Edited February 4, 2007 by ibnaz5150 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherokee6 Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Well, Rockler doesn't seem to be running the deal anymore. But, I wouldn't have the cash available anyway! By the way; all of the planers in this range top off at best 13". Once you go to 15" they can triple in price. 12.5 is fine for 2 pc bodies, necks, tops, etc. You may be able to finagle a strat depending on how you feed it; dunno, haven't experienced it. It is recommended to feed on an angle any tight grained or figured wood to avoid snipe. Vinny enjoy your new machine, I'm sure you'll want to spend a lot of time with it when you get it set up. The Delta is a quality machine and should hold up well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted February 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Thanks gang! Peter, heres 2 designs I found. On the second one, click on the exploded view. -Vinny http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/091/extras...e-planer-stand/ http://www.shopnotes.com/plans/portable-planer-stand/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherokee6 Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 One quick note: Do a little research on the planer(s) you may buy. Fine Woodworking, Wood and other mags have done comparisons. The other thing is the shipping costs. The best portable planer I've seen in the articles is the DeWalt top of the line model. I think it sells for $500! But they're are cheaper models that do a respectable job. Ryobi is one of them. Delta, is going to be very good. I haven't seen much on the Grizzly. Also, check into the knives. Some are double edged, some are thowaways that you can't sharpen and some can be sharpened. Each has its pluses and minuses. I'm sure Vinny balanced the cost of shipping vs. a cheaper model, afterall, Grizzly is not cheap on their shipping. In fact they've been known to charge more than the amounts advertised. They do seem to have some better stuff now; maybe I'll check into some of they're equipment. If you pick up a model locally, you've got the sales tax issue. If anyone wants more info, I'll post some the articles or rather, they're findings, I have lying around here. Vinny, that first stand you have listed is awesome! Build that one!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted February 5, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 You're right Tom, the shipping can be high on something that weighs 60+ lbs. This model had favorable reviews with the only complaint was some sniping at the beginning of the feed, which most users were able to overcome the more they became used to the machine. This one has the reversable knives for longer life and a 2 yr warranty. For $199 I couldnt pass it up . I used a planer at a friends house last year and all I kept thinking was , 'I want one of these' Hey Peter, I ran out to the local bookstore last night and actually found the issue of Shopnotes that contains the article on how to build the planer table. Its more detailed than whats posted on the web. Let me know if you need a copy. -Vinny I checked this morning, and the TP305 is still $199 and just $11.99 shipping. -Vinny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 I got one a few years ago, and the only thing I could find wider than 12.5" was the Rigid at Home Depot...13". That is just wide enough for a Strat or LP body, and I could accept a piece slightly wider if I went in and took off the side rails on the feed table (though it only planes as wide as the knives are of course). I do NOT like it for figured woods due to tearout (yeah I've tried all the tricks), and once I got into acoustic building, that was enough to push me over the edge and get a thickness sander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherokee6 Posted February 6, 2007 Report Share Posted February 6, 2007 That is a good deal. I know the model. All planes have snipe issues and are usually corrected by longer out/infeed tables and the way the wood is fed. BUt, since I decided to get the bandsaw that I STILL haven't told my wife about, the planer will have to wait! I still need to commandeer a pickup by Sun. or I'll have to take my wagon and take the machine apart! Erik, those Ridgids aren't bad; I know Ryobi makes a 13" machine also. You don't need to spend a lot for a decent planer. The sniping is the same, or, sometimes better than some of the higher priced poratbles. You guys should join SawMill Creek's forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherokee6 Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 I'm REALLY PISSED!!!! The jerk whom was to sell me the saw sold it yesterday! I offered him a deposit and he wouldn't take it, I worked around his schedule to take the 2.5 hr. trip to him and the &@#*^@& sold it!! You think he would've told the guy: "if the other guy doesn't show or want to pay full price, you're next in line??? NOOOOOOOO! He had to be an dihonorable jerk!! OOPS! Wrong thread! Have to send this to the Jet bandsaw thread!! OK, I feel better now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted February 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Damn that stinks on ice Tom!! There was a 12'' Jet for sale on Craigslist before Xmas near you. I can see if I still have his info saved. Let me know. -Vinny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherokee6 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Thanks, but I'm holding out for a 14" so I can put a riser block on for resawing. They usually have 1 horsepower. There was a guy in Wantagh selling one, but it was a Reliant. The company went out of biz and parts are hard to get. I'm on another webside for woodworkers and check its ads. But you've got to be fast - I already lost out on a couple of nice ones. I just think "why should I pay $200 more for a new one when most used saws in very good to excellant shape sell for about $400"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Yeah, hold out for the larger band saw if you can. I have the 12" Jet and it's a great saw, especially for an entry-level band saw, but I wish I could put riser blocks on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherokee6 Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Ya know, the Grizzly saws look pretty attractive. Hmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinny Posted July 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 Update: Believe it or not, just last week I went to set up the planer on a stand I made and noticed the lower housing was Cracked! Oh Crap! Im screwed big time, no way are they (Rockler) gonna help me some 4 months later. Well, I called and guess what, 4 days later a new one arrived (not cracked) and they included shipping paperwork to UPS back the damaged one. Great customer service in 2007 when it seems companies are getting more frugal, the employee I spoke to must've apologized 4 times for the mis-hap, She said Delta will take it back so its no problem. Im a happy camper and will continue to buy from Rockler. -Vinny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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