Woodworker's Journal 2008-32-2, страница 62

TOOL REVIEW

Craftsman

Model: Professional 21702 Price: $1,299.99 Phone: 800-377-7414 Knives: 3 steel, conventional Planing Capacity: 15"Wx8"H Speed Settings: 16 or 25 FPM Overall Bed Length: 42" Average Snipe: .003" Weight: 502 lbs

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nothing a bit of ordinary cleanup work couldn't remedy. The chip chute was also slightly undersized, so a few chips blew out of a gap now and then.

The tool comes with a knife-setting jig, which you'll need when the three steel knives dull. They must be manually indexed in the cutterhead with jack screws.

All in all, this is a decent planer. A set of casters in the stand would make this tool more enticing, but you

Craftsman's digital depth gauge enables you to calibrate for stock thickness, relative stock removal or both with pinpoint accuracy.

can always mount it on a rolling base as I did for testing.

Delta 22-790X

We were fortunate to get our hands on Delta's brand-new 22-790X model, an updated version of the 22-780X in the X5® tool line. It's

a standout machine from the rest of the test group in several ways. First, this planer has its motor mounted on top instead of in the base. That means the cutterhead and motor move up and down to change depth settings instead of the bed and extension tables. You'll like this design if you build work tables to use as extra outfeed support, because the tool's working height from the floor never changes. The three drive belts between the motor and cutterhead are much shorter than the other planers, improving power transfer. The only potential drawback here is that working around the cutterhead and motor will be more cramped when servicing the knives.

Delta adds 21"-long roller support tables to this machine, giving it an impressive 63" workpiece platform. And, they're the only ones that fold down ... ideal for a smaller shop.

Tool Review continues on page 66...

64 April 2008 Woodworker's Journal

Production Planer Cutterhead Styles at a Glance

ventually, planer knives get dull and nicked ... then the Ea fun begins. With a conventional cutterhead (left), each knife is held in a slot against a steel gib bar and a series of bolts.When it's resharpened, it must be adjusted for proper height using jack screws underneath.The height of all three knives must match precisely to plane properly. It's time-consuming but do-able if you're really patient.

JET makes the job much easier by including self-indexing, double-edged knives on its JWP-I5DX planer (center).

Here, the knives fit over a pair of tiny pins on the cutterhead, which automatically set them to proper height. Once both edges are dull, you throw the knives away.

Powermatic provides a Byrd Shelical Cutterhead on the I5HH planer (right), with 98 square carbide inserts. Each locks in a pocket on the cutterhead with a Torx screw. Four sharp edges make it easy to remedy nicks: just give the damaged cutter insert a quarter turn and tighten it back down. No gib bars, bolts or jack screws here.