Makita or Rikon lunchbox planers

[HowardH]

I'm in the market for a small portable planer.  Both the Makita 2012NB and the Rikon 25-130H look like decent units but the Makita, from what I can tell, runs a bit quieter.  The Rikon has a helical head which in theory, should run quieter than a unit with regular straight blades.  The Rikon is also has a capacity that is an inch wider but it's a couple of hundred dollars more expensive.  Has anyone had any experience they could share about either one?

 

[jarbroen]

I haven't used either of those planers but did research before buying.
The consensus was 'get the Dewalt DW735X'.
Looks like the Dewalt is similar in price (retail) to the Rikon.
I picked my DW735X up on sale for $450.  And I got the stand for $100 from Amazon.  This was November, I think.  So I'm sure that helps with pricing.

Anyway, I've used the planer on a bunch of walnut and hard maple and it works really well.  Super easy to setup and use and has no trouble making the chips fly.  [big grin]
It is definitely NOISY.  By far the loudest tool I have.  Though, my Mini Gorilla is a pretty close second.
I've read that if you upgrade to helical it quiets the planer down.  But really, with earplugs or muffs on it doesn't matter a whole lot.

The Dewalt is rated at 13".  I had to shave a slab table top down to 12 7/8 or so to fit.  I haven't taxed it on the max height yet.

It doesn't have helical but it cuts extremely well and the blades are super cheap and very easy to replace.  The 'X' version comes with an extra set of blades.
Also, there were some slightly older reviews that mentioned sniping.  I haven't experienced that so far and I'm guessing it's because of the included infeed and outfeed tables.  They were an extra cost item before and I bet a lot of people ran without the tables.

 

[JFelchlin]

I don’t know much about the Rikon lunch box planer -
But, I’ve been using/satisfied with my RIKON 50-120 6inX48in Belt-Disc Sander for years.

I’ve also had/used my Makita 2012NB steadily and satisfactorily for many years, as well.
I use a planer sled - So snipe is minimal to none with this planer.
And it does run quieter compared to other planers I’ve been around.
Having said that -
And being satisfied with a machine that’s going strong and working well -
If I were buying a lunch box planer today - It would be the Dewalt DW735X.
The DW735X comes with an additional set of blades and infeed and outfeed tables.
And... You definitely want infeed and outfeed tables.

See a relatively recent comparison in the link below between the two:
Makita 2012NB Versus Dewalt DW735 - Woodworking Tool Guide
http://woodworking-tool-guide.com/makita-2012nb-vs-dewalt-dw735/

 

[grbmds]

I’ve owned a DW735 for about 10 years, have never had any problems with it, and it does a terrific job on most hardwood. Because it is equipped with a standard head and HSS knives the following is worth noting.

The knives do need to be replaced fairly often. I woodwork as a hobby so I don’t need to replace them all that much. If you work with wood for a living this might be an issue for you. The unit can be retro fitted with a helical hex but it’s expensive and your skill with tools will dictate if you do it yourself.

There is a jig on the market made for honing the HSS knives but since I only recently purchased it I cant tell you how ell it works.

I love the DW 735 and i would recommend it over other tools like it available.

 

[Cheese]

I also own a 735, purchased it right when it came out maybe 12-15 years ago. I’ve gone through 4 sets of knives in that time.
Last fall I installed the Shelix head and it’s definitely worth the extra cost. The Shelix really takes the SCREAM out of the planer. I have NO issues with the 735 other than its weight. It’s called portable but that’s stretching the definition of the word.

 

[glass1]

Makita is better than Dewalt in some ways, lighter, quieter, same cut quAlity or better with 2 blades.  I love mine. I find th e dewAlts overrated and the top of the line model is too heavy to be portable.

 

[lwoirhaye]

I suspect at the price point the Rikon uses a variant of the cutter head used in the Steel City planers.  Those were not the same as a Byrd head at all. 

 

[kevinculle]

DW735 with Shelix head is the ticket...my planer is well over 10 years old and the Shelix head conversion is the best money I ever spent on a tool.

 

[Mikeoutrage]

I know this is off topic but I was wondering why my new to me shelix head produces ripples across the lumber? I love the smoothness of the cut with grain just not across. Thanks for your time.

 

[Brian Livingstone]

Hi,

I recently purchased a King Industial 13 inch planer with a helical head.  I am very happy with it.

The dealer recommended the King over the Dewalt 735 as the King has the helical head.

Is King Industrial available in the USA ?

Brian

 

[kevinculle]

I know this is off topic but I was wondering why my new to me shelix head produces ripples across the lumber? I love the smoothness of the cut with grain just not across. Thanks for your time.

The geometry of a Shelix head will leave a subtly "scallopped" surface with perhaps 0.001" between the peaks and valleys.  You can see it in bright lighting at an angle to the surface.  In my experience 100 grit in a RO sander cleans it up very quickly, certainly more quickly than the surface left by the original straight blades in the DW735.  As a matter of fact a while back I bought a Jet Performax 16/32 drum sander to speed up surface prep on big jobs before finish sanding.  Since changing over to the Shelix head the Performax sits largely unused as the cleanup with RO sanders is quick and painless.

 

[Cheese]

In my experience 100 grit in a RO sander cleans it up very quickly, certainly more quickly than the surface left by the original straight blades in the DW735.

That's been my experience also. You can see the ripple visually with strong lighting, but it sands smooth very quickly. Like Kevin said, the ripples sand away quicker than the burnished finish and that was left with the straight blades.