Rating: 3.75 out of 5 stars
Description: (by Dewalt)

	Powerful 15.0 Amp, 10,000 rpm motor handles larger, deeper cuts in hardwoods.
	Three knife cutter-head provides 96 cuts per inch, one of the finest finishes of any portable planer.
	Disposible, reversible knives deliver 30% more knife life and make knife change fast and easy.
	Four-column carriage lock drastically reduces the movement that causes snipe.
	Extra-long infeed and outfeed tables provide 33-1/2″ of material support.
	Material removal gauge and thickness scale deliver accurate cuts with every pass.
	Turret depth stop allows users to return to their most frequently used depths with ease.

Experience: The Dewalt 734 planer served me well for several years of contractor-style use. That is, this planer has been from shop to jobsite and has been fed every variety of hard and soft woods in every thickness and dimension that it could handle. Comments: I replaced the blades several times over the years and did a complete maintenance overhaul December of 2005 because it locked up, preventing height adjustment. After intensive cleaning I was able to get the threads moving again however this machine had a problem from day one with the locking mechanism. For about 6 months I used a hammer to release the lever, sometimes prying at the metal band leading to a clamp around the uprights, grrr…. Pressing down on the lock lever would apply the brake but it wouldn’t come loose without a tap. After a while, I disabled the problematic lock eliminating the need to tap the left side with a hammer to raise or lower the thing. In spite of the issues, which have been changed in the newer DW735, owning a planer is necessary for my work and the DEWALT DW734 got the job done. At the moment it runs but for some reason the wood will not pass through. Instead of taking it apart again, I bought the Ridgid R4330. Links: DW734 at Dewalt (product data) DEWALT DW734 at Amazon

With the task of milling a thousand feet of trim on a chilly December day I decided my thickness planer wasn’t cutting it so I picked up the Ridgid R4330 13″ Thickness Planer at my local Depot and set about milling a batch of Mahogany 1 x 6 into 9/16″ x 2 5/8″ pieces.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Description:
This 13″ Thickness Planer uses a 3-blade cutterhead and features multiple depth presets for repeated cuts at common sizes.  Powered by a 120V / 15 Amp Motor with Overload Protection and Dual-Edge, Quick Change Blades this planer also features a Precision Lead-Screw system eliminating the need for a cutterhead locking system.

Experience:
After attaching the rear assembly I plugged it in and fed it wood. The results were smooth, as expected from the first few hundred feet under new blades. End snipe occurred at both ends but was limited to about 2 1/2″ and barely noticeable on the leading edge. Raising and lowering the blade is smooth and easy. A turn toward you raises the blade which must be opposite from my DEWALT DW734 because it’s counter-intuitive for me. The cut-depth indicator is more accurate than the Dewalt.

Comments:
I have several Ridgid tools now. Although the funny looking orange brand seems a bit on the heavy side, they are well thought out and include features I have wanted on my everyday tools. I especially like my discontinued RIDGID 24V XLi 4-Piece Cordless Combo Kit which includes fast recharging, remaining charge indicators on the batteries, ease of blade/bit changing and sufficient power.

In the month since I purchased this planer I have sent thousands of feet through it. The only complaint I have regards the dust diverter attached on the back side by two thumb-screws. It’s a removable permanent attachment that when left on prevents the outfeed table from folding up resulting in a larger footprint in the shop and creating one more tool I have to break-down for transport and reassemble at the site. For the benefits of it’s smooth operation, ease of depth setting, presets, cut indicator, width and price I am happy with it so far. (Not sure if this one is a powerhouse; it seems a bit whimpier than the Dewalt but the price was right and I wanted to give the orange guys a try on this one due to their one-step-ahead designs.)

Links:
Product page at Ridgid.com