Quote History Originally Posted By A_G:
Depends on how it's used. I used a DeWalt 734 for nearly 20 years before I bought a Hammer A3-31. Of course this Hammer machine isn't a dedicated four post planer but it's more stout than a benchtop machine and a step or two up from one.
I never used my DeWalt 734 in a production role, which would have killed it. For someone building one or two or a few pieces of furniture a year in their garage like most of us, buying a $10,000+ stationary planer isn't cost effective or practical (from a cost, space ROI perspective), so we use benchtop machines with great results.
There are also differences between a DeWalt, Makita, and like machines and chinese brands off amazon or temu.
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The guy that said that shit about them being a joke is a low level EMPLOYEE at a big shop with lots of big tools. Would bet money that he does not 'own' anything in that place and has to ask permission to even 'use' most of the tools in it.
There are (today at least) 5 different planers in my shop right now ranging from a way, way old school 30+ incher that the forklift is not really big enough to actually lift up and move around, a few old school straight knife planers in the 16 to 20" range, AND a few of the 'lunch box type planers in the 13" range (a Rigid and a Dewalt).
Take a wild ass guess which ones get actually USED the most (and are able to be used to the most people)?
The tiny ass little 13" Rigid is our most used followed by the Dewalt.
The Dewalt is a 'better' planer than the Rigid hands down but since I actually OWN it and like it more - I am picky about who exactly I ALLOW to use it. Not because the tool is 'frail' or anything like that but because I don't want some idiot sticking garbage in it and putting it down for repairs. (that can and WILL happen in bigger shops if you are not paying attention)
The Dewalt is hard to beat for the money and produces very, very good quality results (fewer defects on more difficult grains being planed) on the slower setting. With the exhaust fan setup on the Dewalt a guy in a smaller shop could likely get by without even having (or needing) a dust / chip collector...