Olie Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 I currently have a Dewalt 735 planer and it’s not bad but I thought I’d upgrade to a heavier duty floor model someday in the future. Although I wasn’t looking to upgrade now, sometimes used tools come up locally. This is a General International 15” 3hp planer and model number 30-115. They are asking $850 obo and the description says excellent working condition and upgraded with a Shelix Helical cutterhead. Would this be a significant upgrade? Is this a decent price? Things to consider? Or better to save up and buy a new type in the future. Any other feedback? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 A couple comments. That price seems resonable given that head alone could be $400+. Second comment would be I have had a General International 25" dual drum sander for almost 20 years with zero issues. If you can test it and if it provides a good result I wouldn't hesitate to pick it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 1 hour ago, pkinneb said: If you can test it and if it provides a good result I wouldn't hesitate to pick it up. Take a couple of different species of wood and try it out especially if you have something that has some figure to it. See how the lift mechanism works, it looks like there is some rust on the posts. 1 Quote "Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." - Epicurus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olie Posted May 16 Author Share Posted May 16 I ended up talking to the guy a bit and he got it at an estate sale and didn’t know much about it and no real use of it. He then later contacted me and said he had someone who was planning to come pick it up today for $725, but if I’m willing to pay more he will sell it to me instead. Too many red flags and I don’t like dealing with sellers like this so I’m going to pass. It was 80 miles away anyways. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted May 16 Share Posted May 16 It was probably a good deal but, the red flags would make me nervous as well.. I know there's a HH upgrade for the 735 as well. I also believe some have had some motor issues because of the additional weight of the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 I’d like to have a planer that I didn’t have to baby like my 735. I’m on my second one and my brother, who definitely doesn’t baby his, is on his third one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted May 17 Share Posted May 17 1 hour ago, Coop said: I’d like to have a planer that I didn’t have to baby like my 735. I’m on my second one and my brother, who definitely doesn’t baby his, is on his third one. I had great luck with mine and I worked it pretty hard... Interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olie Posted May 17 Author Share Posted May 17 4 hours ago, Kev said: It was probably a good deal but, the red flags would make me nervous as well.. I know there's a HH upgrade for the 735 as well. I also believe some have had some motor issues because of the additional weight of the head. This was one of those things that just came up even though I wasn’t really ready to upgrade. When I do I will probably just go with a new or lightly used floor model instead of upgrading the 735. Spending a bunch on a helical head on a 735 is kind of like putting a bigger engine in a Toyota Camry, in the end you still have a Toyota Camry! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted May 18 Share Posted May 18 On 5/16/2024 at 10:19 PM, Olie said: ...When I do I will probably just go with a new or lightly used floor model... This is what I did when I bought bought my 12" Hammer J/P. I was able to pick up the IWF floor machine for about $1,400 off retail. Had a capacitor go out a couple years back but $50 in almost 20 years ain't bad 🙂 Btw when my spidy senses say something isn't right I usually listen as well LOL. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olie Posted May 19 Author Share Posted May 19 22 hours ago, pkinneb said: This is what I did when I bought bought my 12" Hammer J/P. I was able to pick up the IWF floor machine for about $1,400 off retail. Had a capacitor go out a couple years back but $50 in almost 20 years ain't bad 🙂 Btw when my spidy senses say something isn't right I usually listen as well LOL. How do you like the Hammer j/p combo? I’ve thought about saving for the hammer 16” J/P combo but not sure how I’d like the combo or change over. The videos I’ve seen show it’s less than a minute change over though. It would save a lot of space and could be good for having the dust collection points at the same spot and the total cost would be less than 2 separates if I went with a jointer greater than 8”. I’ve used Kev’s 16” Hammer jointer but not the combo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted May 22 Share Posted May 22 On 5/19/2024 at 2:37 PM, Olie said: How do you like the Hammer j/p combo? I’ve thought about saving for the hammer 16” J/P combo but not sure how I’d like the combo or change over. The videos I’ve seen show it’s less than a minute change over though. It would save a lot of space and could be good for having the dust collection points at the same spot and the total cost would be less than 2 separates if I went with a jointer greater than 8”. I’ve used Kev’s 16” Hammer jointer but not the combo. I love it and its been a solid machine, having said that if space were not an issue I might have separates. The switchover isn't bad until you miss one board LOL then its a PITA. To solve this I purchased an Oliver Byrd head planner and use it in a pinch, its an awesome machine as well. I have about $4,500 into both of these machines so you are right you would be hard pressed to get separates, with the same capacity, for that with the same capacity. Its been a couple of years with the benchtop planer and it workes out well. If you do go the J/P route get one of these (https://magport.net/?syclid=d794d53c-7668-4bb5-ab7f-87e2c4777360) for your dust collection hose, not cheap, but worth every penny for switchovers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted May 23 Share Posted May 23 3 hours ago, pkinneb said: I love it and its been a solid machine, having said that if space were not an issue I might have separates. The switchover isn't bad until you miss one board LOL then its a PITA. To solve this I purchased an Oliver Byrd head planner and use it in a pinch, its an awesome machine as well. I have about $4,500 into both of these machines so you are right you would be hard pressed to get separates, with the same capacity, for that with the same capacity. Its been a couple of years with the benchtop planer and it workes out well. If you do go the J/P route get one of these (https://magport.net/?syclid=d794d53c-7668-4bb5-ab7f-87e2c4777360) for your dust collection hose, not cheap, but worth every penny for switchovers. I checked the link to the website Magport and it appears from the video that the young man makes these at his home which is cool. A little entrepreneurship going on there! He also says he is a furniture maker at www.davidmoorefurnitue.com but when I try and go there I get a dozen security questions. Never did get there and not sure what that’s all about. Prob user error on my part. Anyway, the Magport looks like a neat deal and a good investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olie Posted May 24 Author Share Posted May 24 On 5/22/2024 at 4:05 PM, pkinneb said: I love it and its been a solid machine, having said that if space were not an issue I might have separates. The switchover isn't bad until you miss one board LOL then its a PITA. To solve this I purchased an Oliver Byrd head planner and use it in a pinch, its an awesome machine as well. I have about $4,500 into both of these machines so you are right you would be hard pressed to get separates, with the same capacity, for that with the same capacity. Its been a couple of years with the benchtop planer and it workes out well. If you do go the J/P route get one of these (https://magport.net/?syclid=d794d53c-7668-4bb5-ab7f-87e2c4777360) for your dust collection hose, not cheap, but worth every penny for switchovers. @pkinneb Thanks. I’ve seen those magport things and they look cool. I could see many uses for them. So you bought the benchtop planer as a backup up when needed or when you forgot a board or need to redo one, or you don’t use the planer on j/p combo anymore and just use the Oliver? I did get a price quote on a Hammer 16” jointer and the 16” J/P combo. There was only a $720 difference. I figured it may be best to just buy the combo and see if it works well. If for some reason separates are really desired later on then a separate planer could be purchased and the planer on the combo could just be used as a backup if needed. If I ever bought the combo I’d maybe sell the dewalt 735 so afterwards the ending cash outlay would be similar between the combo and just jointer like Kev has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 1 hour ago, Olie said: @pkinneb Thanks. I’ve seen those magport things and they look cool. I could see many uses for them. So you bought the benchtop planer as a backup up when needed or when you forgot a board or need to redo one, or you don’t use the planer on j/p combo anymore and just use the Oliver? I did get a price quote on a Hammer 16” jointer and the 16” J/P combo. There was only a $720 difference. I figured it may be best to just buy the combo and see if it works well. If for some reason separates are really desired later on then a separate planer could be purchased and the planer on the combo could just be used as a backup if needed. If I ever bought the combo I’d maybe sell the dewalt 735 so afterwards the ending cash outlay would be similar between the combo and just jointer like Kev has. No I absolutely use the planner on the JP I have the straight tersa knives and they work awesome!! I picked up the Oliver on sale for like $900 and use it for that board I missed or some times for really figured wood as it has teh Shelix head on it. FWIW Both are awesome machines that I would pruchase again without question. One other point I would make is I have heard many say an 8" jointer is plenty I can tell you I use 9-12" on my Hammer all the time so I like a wide jointer. One other note other than when I made my roubo workbench I have never found the shorter tables to be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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