DeWalt Planer /thicknesser combo

[Woodlee]

I went up to Darwin again today ,for work and took a few minutes during lunch to visit the Glenfords tool shop ,now renamed Trade Tools Direct .Only the name has changed all the same sales people.

I spotted a Dewalt thicknesser /planer combination machine ,while I was checking it out I was swooped on by one of the sales munchkins.
So I asked the guy "what is the price of this machine ? "
"erm um" he takes a close look at a label on the machine "a little under $1500.00."
"Ok "
"How many cutter blades does it have ?"
"er uh dunno "
I pulled back the planer guard and rotated the cutter head by hand and found two blades,
"two "I says .
"yeah two he says ."
"Do you have any more information regarding this machine?"
"Like what?" he says
"Like maximum depth of cut , is it two speed ,variable speed ,power feed? You know all the normal stuff a fella would like to know before he forked a little under 1500.00 on a machine."
"I'll check " he goes off and f*rts around through the top draw of a filing cabinet for a couple of minutes and returns with a stunned mullet look on his face
"No nothing "
"Ok see ya" and I walked out

One thing I noticed about this store is ,there are no prices on a lot of the stock ,the labels are there ,but no price on them .I like to browse and look at prices with out some counter jockey hanging off me like a co-joined twin.
It's also very obvious that none of the staff ,(well at least the one who swooped on me) know anything about these machines they are selling.
Not sure if I'll be going back there anytime soon.

So after my great info overload experience with the munchkin at Trade Tools Direct ,
has any one had any experience with this machine good /bad .
Is it a new release ?or has it been around for a while and I didn't notice .
This one has an aluminium planer table and a solidly made feed table for the thicknesser.

Link http://www.dewalt.com.au/powertools/productdetails/catno/D27300-XE/

Kev.

[Burnsy]

I was chasing some info on this a while back here
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=55583&highlight=dewalt+thicknesser

Pops has one but other than that there did not seem to be much interest.

[SilentButDeadly]

Given that the Carbatec 10" planer thicknesser is $1,200, has three knives and weighs nearly four times as much but is otherwise similar in performance........then the only reason I can see for buying the Dewalt is if you want something portable.

[Woodlee]

Given that the Carbatec 10" planer thicknesser is $1,200, has three knives and weighs nearly four times as much but is otherwise similar in performance........then the only reason I can see for buying the Dewalt is if you want something portable.


Yep I know about the Carbatec machines ,but nearest Carbatec is Brisbane and the freight cost would turn their machine into a $2000,00 dollar machine .
The De Walt in Darwin (Trade Tools Direct) one would be about 80 bucks in fuel to get up and back.
Last time I called Carbatec and asked about the cost of freight on a table saw the guy said "lots"

Kev.

[Eli]

I had the smaller of the two DeWalt planers (DW733) in the US and was very pleased with it. It handled everything I threw into it. The main complaint I had was that the add-on chip hood which required a screwdriver to attach did not allow the tables to fold up when attached. I replaced it over here with the makita lunchbox and I'm quite pleased with that as well, maybe more so because the chip hood comes off with thumb screws and stows inside if you're careful. I paid just under $900 for it from Total Tools, which was a pretty good deal. I think the finish it gives so far is slightly better than the DeWalt, and I'm sure it's a little bit quieter.

[Pops]

Hi Kev,

Yep, Burnsey said I have one alright. It is the 10 inch model, can't remember the model no. though. Got it about 12 years ago. Now that was when there were very few such machines about, nothing like the range today. Got it second hand, practicaly brand new though and paid, wait for it,... wait,... $1600. Down from $1800 new. So today that is not value for money, plenty of heavier, tougher machine about.

I was doing some renovations back then and was making door and window frames using oregon pine and cedar. It was great, 6" x 3" oregon no problem, chomp, chomp. Gave me a little bit of snipe though when thicknessing. I do like it, made in Italy, very good finish. I can pick it up, just, well that was a while ago. But I would not like to put any big heavy jarrah planks through it, the tables are just not strong enough. For a small workshop, small hardwood jobs its beaut. Reminds me, must get back to that reno, am sick of not having a kitchen, or walls, or doors.

Would I pay the same money for it today with a galloping Aussie dollar? No way, would buy a generic cast iron unit probably for a lot less, but middle of the range though.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
Pops

[Woodlee]

Hi Kev,

Yep, Burnsey said I have one alright. It is the 10 inch model, can't remember the model no. though. Got it about 12 years ago. Now that was when there were very few such machines about, nothing like the range today. Got it second hand, practicaly brand new though and paid, wait for it,... wait,... $1600. Down from $1800 new. So today that is not value for money, plenty of heavier, tougher machine about.

I was doing some renovations back then and was making door and window frames using oregon pine and cedar. It was great, 6" x 3" oregon no problem, chomp, chomp. Gave me a little bit of snipe though when thicknessing. I do like it, made in Italy, very good finish. I can pick it up, just, well that was a while ago. But I would not like to put any big heavy jarrah planks through it, the tables are just not strong enough. For a small workshop, small hardwood jobs its beaut. Reminds me, must get back to that reno, am sick of not having a kitchen, or walls, or doors.

Would I pay the same money for it today with a galloping Aussie dollar? No way, would buy a generic cast iron unit probably for a lot less, but middle of the range though.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
Pops

Pops ,
Thanks for the input , Im just looking for a thicknesser /planer to do exactly what you are doing .I will be building a kitchen from African Mahogany ,frame and solid doors .
Maybe I should spring for the heavier mid range combo machine as I also like using Jarrah and Ironwood .
Well I won't be buying one anytime soon ,funds have been hammered lately .

Thanks again
Kev.

[SilentButDeadly]

Woodlee, you could always try Leda Machinery in Adelaide. They sell the same machine for about the same amount of money and I'd be somewhat surprised if it cost $300 to get it to you from there....
http://ledamachinery.com.au/catalogue/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=36&osCsid=71408a4d438f6f58c27d2bcee8c60ebc