Fricasseekid Posted August 21, 2014 Report Share Posted August 21, 2014 My local big box hardware store has a broken Ridgid lunchbox planer on clearance. It's one of these:https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/13-inch-thickness-planer I inspected the planer and it appears the cast iron die (for lack of better description) that guides the all thread that raises an lowers cutter head is cracked in half. This is on the side that has the crank handle. The other side seems to be in perfect shape. The other side has the guide as part of the main body of the machine. But on the side that is broken, the die piece seems to be a separate part that can be changed out. This is all just handling the machine in the store. I didn't have the opportunity to take it apart and inspect it further. It doesn't seem that anything else on the unit would be damaged, but I don't know much about planets. It seems otherwise brand new. I know parts are easy to come by online. So here is the kicker, the store manager said I could have it for $90! It's not the exact beginners planer I want (I'd like the larger dewalt lunchbox planer, but it's out of my budget), but these normally go for $369. What do y'all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 I'd pass, undiscovered problems cost money.... Check craigslist for the 735 Dewalt, they come up quite often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 What kind of price should I expect to pay for the dewalt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 I have one of these planers and I love it. If you are handy enough to fix this one for not much money it's a deal. If you are able to register it for the warranty it's a no brainer. I don't think you'd find a better deal on one unless you found one used, and even then they sell for darn near the new price. In the end, you need to know what parts need to be replaced and determine if it's worth it to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 New DW 735 planers sell for about $500 to $550. I see them on CL a lot for around $350. I got lucky and found mine for $250. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 Make sure the part is available and in stock ! A lot of times there are parts they deem not available or non replaceable. I am assuming your mechanical skills and tools are up to the challenge. The parts may be a mixture of metric and inch nuts, threads etc. Take lots of digital pictures and notes as you disassemble the tool. Watch out for screws of different lengths and where they came from. Note the path and colors of wires, they will only fit one exact way, get them out of order and the cover may not close or you could burn out a switch, motor etc. Beware of little clips, springs and nuts that will go flying and be impossible to find. I label ziplock bags to keep parts in. I have been working on my own equipment for over 40 years and learned a lot of these tips the hard way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 The way I see it is of I buy this planer and am able to fix it up I could probably sell it for three times what I paid for it. That would make a nice down payment on the 735. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 To echo what Steve said... If I were on a similar budget and the part was available, I'd buy it... But I know I have the skills and tools to fix it. The cost comes in if you have to buy a special tool or something odd... The frustration comes in if you don't have the skills to fix it. If you need pics of what it should look like (unbroken) let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 Will do. I wonder if the manager will let me bring it back if I can't fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 I just got off e-replacement parts and none of the suspect pieces cost more than $10. But the carriage frame costs $200 and if that is damaged it's a deal breaker fo sho! Damn part diagrams are hard to follow without the machine in front of me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 I'll echo what some have said above. If you can fix it cheaply, then it's a good deal. If you can afford the 735, then I'd just start there as that's a really nice planer. I've had a grizzly in my shop for a long time and it's still doing great. I have every intention of upgrading to the 735 but, I just can't seem to kill the grizz. I think the grizz runs about 300 bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knotscott Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 Is it the R4330 or the R4331? The description says R4330, but the first pic is of the R4331...the other pics are of the R4330. Having owned both, I much prefer the R4331. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint Brickl Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 If it were me, I would pass. When you are patient, a great deal will come along that does not require fixing of potential problems. My dad picked up an older model ridgid planer for $150 hardly used and it works great. He also found me a dewalt 733 for around $100 used that works awesome. Most of my tools were purchased used and at great prices. $90 is a good price, but I personally would not spend even that if I had to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 Knotscott, it's the one with the crank handle on the top if that helps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knotscott Posted August 22, 2014 Report Share Posted August 22, 2014 That's the R4331, which I'd be willing to take a shot at if the parts are cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2014 Woof... You guys are really on the fence here. Not making this an easy decision. Lol I think I'll ask the manager if he will let me dig into the machine a little deeper to see what's wrong with it. Also might offer less money, he went for the $90 offer way too easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted August 24, 2014 Report Share Posted August 24, 2014 Just double check that all the possible parts you might need are IN STOCK before you buy it. You could sit for weeks or months only to get a " no longer available " reply and then you are stuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janello Posted August 24, 2014 Report Share Posted August 24, 2014 Assuming the parts are available, you really have not much to lose at that price. I would take the plunge. I'd also sell it once fixed for a DW735. Only because the DW735 is upgradable to use a helical head and a surface planer without one is a meat grinder in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2014 Ok, thanks guys. Think I will offer him $75 or less and if he takes it I'm gonna pull the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdie Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Replacing the broken part may be the easy part. Remember that the way a planer works is to surface one side *exactly* parallel to the opposite side. Once you get the thread housing repaired/replaced you need to make sure the head is parallel (not level) to the work surface or you're going to be making wedges. I'm not telling you this to discourage you but rather to make sure you fully consider what the repair entails. A well made set of matching trim blocks, one for each side of the machine, *might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 That is some food for thought. Do most planers have an adjustment for calibration? Or do they come and stay calibrated from the factory? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted August 25, 2014 Report Share Posted August 25, 2014 Depends on the machine. If you get it off you may have to take it apart and turn the threads on one side enough to get it parallel then reassemble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdie Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Many planners have a gauge on them and some even have positive stops. Few to none of them are accurate enough to be totally trustworthy. Nothing is better than a good caliper or measuring gauge of some sort to determine the actual thickness of what comes out of the planner. Use the built in gauge to get close and then use a device you trust to get you to the final measurement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fricasseekid Posted August 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Well I pulled the trigger today. $90 for a $360 machine. It seems that the little cast die and the set screw just to the left of it are the only visibly damaged parts. Hopefully they will be easy to get to and replace. I will post more photos when I crack her open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 26, 2014 Report Share Posted August 26, 2014 Congrats and good luck! Let us know how it turned out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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