New tool day!

So, I do a lot of thinking. Probably too much thinking for my own good (not to mention my wallet). :roll: Well, I've been thinking a lot about how my 2012 build challenge guitar went, and realized that I lost A LOT of valuable time to planing using the router sled technique, so after doing a bit of research I hit craigslist in hopes that something would pop up in my budget. And then, BADABING!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b27/ugly_guitar_guy/2012-07-23_15-35-56_648.jpg

Found me a nearly-new Ridgid 13 inch planer for $200. Holy crap I can't believe how much easier this is to plane down wood! I can only imagine how much faster this is going to make building from here on out.

Now I just have to explain to my boss that I need some more time off to be able to use this fancy new equipment I'm acquiring. :mrgreen: I'm sure he'll understand...

Good score , those Ridgids are good planers .

Thats nice! I am a fan of rigid tools myself..I like em.

Great score. Huge craigs list fan for tools. I got the same deal on the same model and I still consider it a steal.

I am so jealous!!

IMO, thos Rigids are the best lunchbox planers available.

I had the same thoughts after the challenge. I'm not smart enough to look at CL. Went to HD. Really like the Ridgid.

For you guys that have one of these, any idea what the thinnest you've ever cut a piece might be? I appears to go down to 1/8 of an inch at it's lowest point, but I'm curious if anyone has gone to 1-2mm using a backing board to raise the piece of wood up?

While reading this thread I had a feeling of looking what was available in my local craigslist, guess what, there was a minty Ridgid planer, I paid $240:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a6W6LzEa-cw/UA8uDDUWcRI/AAAAAAAAB-k/kv5YE5xH3nY/s640/untitled-3-2.jpg

While reading this thread I had a feeling of looking what was available in my local craigslist, guess what, there was a minty Ridgid planer, I paid $240, guy wanted $340 - so here it is :grin:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a6W6LzEa-cw/UA8uDDUWcRI/AAAAAAAAB-k/kv5YE5xH3nY/s640/untitled-3-2.jpg

Sweet deal?

I wonder what the differences are between yours and mine being that my depth knob is on the side and yours is on top?

mine is a Ridgid R4331 - seller claimed he recently bought it from HomeDepot

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100634358/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053

Sweet deal?

I wonder what the differences are between yours and mine being that my depth knob is on the side and yours is on top?

I am not sure about the differences, but I think it was a good deal because it is almost new

I ran some smaller mahogany pieces and they came out great; it is very loud though, like a small jet

I am not sure about the differences, but I think it was a good deal because it is almost new

I ran some smaller mahogany pieces and they came out great; it is very loud though, like a small jet

Yeah, i ran a strip of purple heart through it and it was pretty noisy. Still does a damn good job though!

I've been thinking a lot about a thickness planer for exactly the same reason that you did!

Nice! Ridgid really makes suitable tools for guitar builders - but I can't buy those in the EU - would love a ROSS and this planer, but in Europe you can only get Ridgid plumbing tools... I guess it's the RoHS directive again?

I like planers, but when it comes down to it, I would prefer a thickness sander. It's not as fast by any means, but it can do more things than a planer, safer. Plus the blades for a planer can be very expensive sometimes. I'm not a genius on this stuff, but what do other people have to say about thickness sanders compared to planers?

I like planers, but when it comes down to it, I would prefer a thickness sander. It's not as fast by any means, but it can do more things than a planer, safer. Plus the blades for a planer can be very expensive sometimes. I'm not a genius on this stuff, but what do other people have to say about thickness sanders compared to planers?

Yeah, I'm sure a thickness sander has it's place for certain jobs, but for me my "shop" is 1/2 of a 1 car garage so as much as I'd like Performax 16/32, it's just not in the cards for the space OR the wallet. Someday...

I like planers, but when it comes down to it, I would prefer a thickness sander. It's not as fast by any means, but it can do more things than a planer, safer. Plus the blades for a planer can be very expensive sometimes. I'm not a genius on this stuff, but what do other people have to say about thickness sanders compared to planers?

I have a Ridgid Planer and a 16-32 Jet thickness sander , I would not use the sander in place of the Planer , different job.

Yeah, I'm sure a thickness sander has it's place for certain jobs, but for me my "shop" is 1/2 of a 1 car garage so as much as I'd like Performax 16/32, it's just not in the cards for the space OR the wallet. Someday...

Their both invaluable, my next purchase is a nice sander..

For you guys that have one of these, any idea what the thinnest you've ever cut a piece might be? I appears to go down to 1/8 of an inch at it's lowest point, but I'm curious if anyone has gone to 1-2mm using a backing board to raise the piece of wood up?

I did that with some pieces in my Ziricote build. I think it was early on during the neck laminating. Got down to about 1/16" and the walnut started to chatter so I quit.

I think one difference, besides the depth handle being on top, is that little lever on the right side. It locks the cutter head. Supposed to make it easier to change blades. I haven't changed blades yet, and I never had the older model, so who knows :roll:

I think mine is fairly quiet. Of course that is compaired to the 16" monster I owned 20 years ago.

Nice! Ridgid really makes suitable tools for guitar builders - but I can't buy those in the EU - would love a ROSS and this planer, but in Europe you can only get Ridgid plumbing tools... I guess it's the RoHS directive again?

Can you get DeWalt? Their 13" planer is amazing... but heavy
I have one and its the best planer I've used. The finish it leaves behind is great and the dust & chip extraction is the best IMO.

I have a Ryobi lunchbox planer and the thinnest I've ever gone is 1/4". Thinner than that and it starts chipping out.

This seems like a pretty good idea. I think I'll make one this weekend and try it out!

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I did that with some pieces in my Ziricote build. I think it was early on during the neck laminating. Got down to about 1/16" and the walnut started to chatter so I quit.

I think one difference, besides the depth handle being on top, is that little lever on the right side. It locks the cutter head. Supposed to make it easier to change blades. I haven't changed blades yet, and I never had the older model, so who knows :roll:

I think mine is fairly quiet. Of course that is compaired to the 16" monster I owned 20 years ago.

I have a cheapie Ryobi planer that works well, and changing blades is relatively easy - but dangerous.

The last time I changed blades, one of the nuts that lock the blades in rounded over and I jammed my fist straight into the brand new planer blade. It left a very nasty cut.

Even with my cheap Ryobi, I have planed wood down to 1/8" by taping it to some thicker stock. Never tried anything thinner. The Ryobi leaves a wonderful surface, but snipes like hell.

One of the biggest problems with planing thin stock is that thin wood flexes and the thinner it is, the more it flexes. The action of the rotating cutter can lift / pull up on a piece and suck it up into the cutter head. Depending on the species, thickness, and other factors, the result could be anywhere from a little tearout to total annihilation ... learned that one the hard way.

That's why, under some circumstances, a thickness sander is used for the same job (thicknessing and surfacing stock) as a planer.

I swear you guys down in the states get better deals than we do in the north. The one on CL I just saw was 360 for the same rigid. But......
I was at HD today and low and behold - a Ryobi planer like what Colt uses - marked down to 119.00 cdn. Hmmm so that HD is one Ryobi short now. Wasnt what i was anticipating as i was actually looking at a PC 690 router they had for 119.00. Already had an decent router but didnt have a planer. Not as good as a Rigid I will admit, but I couldn't justify that price right now. Figure if it is good enough for Colt it was good enough for me - will get me by for now.

I have a Ridgid Planer as well - they are really nice - trims the fat like it's butter ;-)

Can you get DeWalt? Their 13" planer is amazing... but heavy
I have one and its the best planer I've used. The finish it leaves behind is great and the dust & chip extraction is the best IMO.

Ha! Yes I found a DeWalt model, at least in the website of Finnish DeWalt representative - but only a 12" model...

Actually, a ROSS would be more useful now. Nothing like that available here.
Gotta smuggle one and rewire it for 230V 50Hz power...

Ha! Yes I found a DeWalt model, at least in the website of Finnish DeWalt representative - but only a 12" model...

Actually, a ROSS would be more useful now. Nothing like that available here.
Gotta smuggle one and rewire it for 230V 50Hz power...

@tklaavo - I have exactly the same difficulty here as you are having in Finland. I have a friend who is going to bring a Ridgid ROSS to me from the USA some time in the coming months. All that seems to come here is RIDGID plumbing tools. I'll run mine whenever it comes through a 220-110v transformer, I'm already running a De Walt chop saw and a Hitachi table saw through it.

Actually, a ROSS would be more useful now. Nothing like that available here.
Gotta smuggle one and rewire it for 230V 50Hz power...

There are similar machines in Finland, this (http://koneita.com/hiomakoneet/oskiloiva_hiomakone_nova_MM_326.htm) for example.

There are similar machines in Finland, this (http://koneita.com/hiomakoneet/oskiloiva_hiomakone_nova_MM_326.htm) for example.

Hi and thanks.. Yep, I've seen that, but it doesn't have the belt option which makes ROSS very desirable!

Thats nice! I am a fan of rigid tools myself..I like em.

Said the Actress to the Bishop :oops:

There are similar machines in Finland, this (http://koneita.com/hiomakoneet/oskiloiva_hiomakone_nova_MM_326.htm) for example.

An oscillating spindle sander like that is nice... but having the interchangeable belt sander on the ROSS makes it the perfect tool for guitar necks!