Drill press planers?

[Tom Mitchell]

There's no doubt that I'll be buying a drill press planer.  The Wagner Safe-T-Planer seems to be the shiz-nit.  HOWEVER, in doing my online research, I found a "look-alike" for half the price.  It's made in Taiwan, not China (which means, to me anyway, that it's slightly less "disposable").

 

Does anyone have experience with drill press planers, either the Wagner or the clone (or both)?

 

Weigh in, my friends, and share your opinions.  Good deal, or waste of money?

 

Here's a link to the planer I found -

http://woodworker.com/drill-press-planer-mssu-24760.asp?utm_source=...

[Greg Mirken]

Look at it this way: the difference is about the cost of a large pizza with everything and a couple of beers.

[Tom Mitchell]

I work in radio by day, and play music at night.  Unless someone else is buying the pizza and beer, that's a hell of a lot of money...

 

;-)

[Kerry Krishna]

Please go have a look at what Frank Ford wrote in 'The Wagner Safe'T' Planer' part of FRETS. There is good reason the buy the Wagner as so many of us already have. It's not only about money, but about safety too.http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/ProductReviews/Tools/SafeTP...

[Mike Kolb]

Having also worked in both radio and music, I understand the need to save a buck here and there....( dear God, do I understand)...  but get the Wagner.  

It's false economy to just try to save a few bucks with an inferior tool.... particularly when it spins fast and cuts.

[Mark Pollock]

I can only speak to the Wagner - it rocks.

 

It can level a fretboard.

 

It can cut a rabbett in a ukulele bridge. (But it can't help me spell.)

 

If you tilt the support table slightly, you can make radiused sanding blocks.

 

It really works. If you buy one from Stew-Mac, they send you a rather helpful hint sheet, which may be available to download as well.

 

The one you linked to looks a bit scary - those gaps look ready to fill with chips and then jam against your work. The Wagner is a solid block of planing goodness. Go with the Wagner - your fingers are valuable.

[Mark McLean]

Yep, I agree.  Get the Wagner.  It is a great tool, and you don't know what you are getting with the other one. 

 

Mark

[Jim Bancroft]

I try to buy quality tools, remember "you get what you pay for" 

I have the Wagner safety planer and it works well, I'd recommend it.

 

Jim

[Jeffrey L. Suits]

Mike Kolb said:

 

"It's false economy to just try to save a few bucks with an inferior tool.... particularly when it spins fast and cuts."

 

Do NOT cheap out!   ER visits really take the wind out of your sails...

[Tom Mitchell]

Thank you for helping me come to my senses! The $20 I'd "save" on a cheap tool isn't really saving if it breaks and needs to be replaced, or if it does damage to an expensive piece of wood or a paying customer's guitar. And my co-pay at the ER would be more than twice the "savings" if I get injured. I preach the error of "false economy" to my wife and kids about how it costs less to buy a quality item that will last for years, versus paying less on a poor quality look-alike item that will need to be replaced.  I should have known better.  My bad...

 

I guess I won't bother to ask what everyone thinks about Harbor Freight... ;-)

 

Will the Safe-T-Planer be compatible with my small benchtop drill press, if all I plan to do is make headstock veneers and small parts, or will I need to get a larger drill press if i plan to plane on it?

[Mark Pollock]

I use a small press, and it's fine. You need a pretty solid table that will stay where you adjust it - that's key.

[Thomas James]

Search YouTube for "safe t planer" Lot's info there. I do remember someone mentioning somewhere online that the Asian version results were not good. Tom.

[Frank Ford]

Offhand, the area that makes me uneasy is the bottom section of the casting where there are open spaces.  The real deal is solid on the bottom, so there's no chance it could snag an end of a small piece that might pop up.