Dust collector before planer?


Statuser

Recommended Posts

What do you guys think?  Is it worth it to get a dust collector before getting a planer?

 

I'm looking at getting a 13" planer since I'm getting really tired of building with ¾" home center junk.  I'm considering getting the Dewalt 735, but I don't have any dust collection in the shop beyond a Rigid shop vacuum.  Do you think it is worth it to get a less expensive planer  and a dust collector or will the chip ejector in the 735 cover me for a little while longer.  I could get a 1 1 ½ HP Grizzly and the Rigid lunchbox for about the same price as at 735.

 

As a secondary concern I only have a single 20 Amp circuit in my garage where my shop is. Would I even be able to run the dust collector and planer on the same circuit?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got a 735 and the Harbor Freight dust collector at the same time.  I don't run them on the same circuit anymore, but I did for about 6 months without any problems.  It was a single 20A circuit like you said.

 

The HF dust collector isn't tremendous, but it's only a couple hundred bucks and it handles the 735 (plus all my other tools) just fine.  I wear a respirator as well because it's definitely not getting the fines, but it will keep your shop clean.  Quite honestly I doubt the Grizzly 1.5HP is worth the extra money over the HF, but I don't know.

 

But if you can't afford to get both the 735 and a dust collector, I would get the 735 and deal with the mess before I'd get the Ridgid.  I've literally never heard anyone argue that there is a lunchbox planer that can match the 735.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a couple large shop vacs, but I also have some lowes Bucket vacs (  http://www.lowes.com/pd_49940-20097-6004511_0__?productId=3160385) up to a couple different machines, I have one on my router table and bandsaw. I dont have any vacuum hooked up to my planner, I run a large shop vac hose from the planner port and into a 20 gallon plastic ice tote sitting under it with a cloth cover over the top, it does pretty good job but it has to be emptied fairly frequently.

 

For what it's worth I am in the process of collecting parts to install proper dust collection, something I never considered necessary till recently, but I think If I were choosing between looking at a dust collector with nothing hooked to it, or building stuff and having to sweep up the mess. I would definitely  go for the latter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

RichardA - I'm sure that would work great with my sedan.   I'm sure the wife would love it.   ;)

 

Great to get the rest of of your opinions.  I wear a respirator whenI'm using power tools and try to keep the garage doors open when the weather is nice so it sounds like I can push off the dust collector until I can upgrade the electricity in the shop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Get the 735. As long as you can open the shop doors, the ejection fan will spit the chips outside for you. Just remind folks not to walk into the door when the planer is running, they might think you peppered them with bird shot!

I agree. I have both the 735 and the HF dc. Sometimes I forget to turn the dc on and the 735 fills the bag anyway

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.