Opinions on RBI 12.5" Planer for sale

I have the chance to buy a RBI 12.5" Planer. I've never seen nor heard of this manufacturer, so I'm asking your opinions.

The thing is almost brand new, used by a WW hobbyist, and has a 2hp 220v Baldor Motor. The motor alone is worth what the guy is asking ($400). I was a little worried about the 12.5" capacity, but that only shows my relative ignorance of woodworking. I know I'm not going to be working on 18" hardwood planks.

Anyone have experience on these matters?

Gary Curtis:type:
 
Gary
RBI and Woodmaster is a direct shoot off of Foley Bellsaw and are great machines I had an 18" Woodmaster which is a dead ringer for RBI and used it for over 6 years in my production shop and then sold it for almost what I paid for it. At $400 I would jump on it quick :thumb:
Jay
 
I don't know anything about RBI products. But one comparison might be the Grizzly G0505. I have one and can testify that it is a hard workin' hoss. And, it is rated at 2 hp.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-1-2-Planer/G0505

Much less money too.
Frank, I'm afraid the "2 hp" motor in that Grizzly is not in the same league as a true 2 hp Baldor motor. At 15 amps 110v, the best that little universal motor is putting out is 1.5 hp, and I seriously doubt it's that efficient. Under ideal conditions with maximum efficiency, you can get about 1 hp per 10 amps at 110v. No way can you get 2 hp out of a 110v motor. The Griz might still be a great planer, but for them to say it's 2 hp is stretching things. (It's not uncommon, though...many of us have a "2" or "3" hp router that plugs into a 110v wall outlet.)
 
Frank, I'm afraid the "2 hp" motor in that Grizzly is not in the same league as a true 2 hp Baldor motor. At 15 amps 110v, the best that little universal motor is putting out is 1.5 hp, and I seriously doubt it's that efficient. Under ideal conditions with maximum efficiency, you can get about 1 hp per 10 amps at 110v. No way can you get 2 hp out of a 110v motor. The Griz might still be a great planer, but for them to say it's 2 hp is stretching things. (It's not uncommon, though...many of us have a "2" or "3" hp router that plugs into a 110v wall outlet.)

Just like the mega HP shop vacs from Sears.
 
I don't know anything about RBI products. But one comparison might be the Grizzly G0505. I have one and can testify that it is a hard workin' hoss. And, it is rated at 2 hp.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/12-1-2-Planer/G0505

Much less money too.

You must have got lucky and got a good one Frank. I bought one and after the second board I sold it with only 2 blades and underpowered it just burned up the belt. I had a Transpower that looked like it but it had 3 blades and I planed with it for about 5 year too and it was a great planer I ran many thousand board feet through it and never did slip a belt. The Grizzly planer is not in the same league as the RBI not even close.
Jay
 
Frank, I'm afraid the "2 hp" motor in that Grizzly is not in the same league as a true 2 hp Baldor motor. At 15 amps 110v, the best that little universal motor is putting out is 1.5 hp, and I seriously doubt it's that efficient. Under ideal conditions with maximum efficiency, you can get about 1 hp per 10 amps at 110v. No way can you get 2 hp out of a 110v motor. The Griz might still be a great planer, but for them to say it's 2 hp is stretching things. (It's not uncommon, though...many of us have a "2" or "3" hp router that plugs into a 110v wall outlet.)

I've seen the horsepower discussions many times in the past. That's why I qualified with my observations that "it is a working' hoss" and the Griz claim that it is "rated" at 2 hp. Very confusing. But, it works for me.
 
You must have got lucky and got a good one Frank. I bought one and after the second board I sold it with only 2 blades and underpowered it just burned up the belt. I had a Transpower that looked like it but it had 3 blades and I planed with it for about 5 year too and it was a great planer I ran many thousand board feet through it and never did slip a belt. The Grizzly planer is not in the same league as the RBI not even close.
Jay

Jay, I would have trotted it right back to Grizzly. Sorry you had problems. Mine takes wood off like it's angry.
 
I've seen the horsepower discussions many times in the past. That's why I qualified with my observations that "it is a working' hoss" and the Griz claim that it is "rated" at 2 hp. Very confusing. But, it works for me.

frank, the motor on the rbi weighs more than your whole planer.......
 
Couldn't take it back Frank I had it for over 90 day before I used it to find its short comings and it was in the scratch and dent room. Was glad I got it on the cheap that made it easier to sell and yes I told the new owner about why I was selling it and about the burned up belt. :doh::D:D
Jay
 
Couldn't take it back Frank I had it for over 90 day before I used it to find its short comings and it was in the scratch and dent room. Was glad I got it on the cheap that made it easier to sell and yes I told the new owner about why I was selling it and about the burned up belt. :doh::D:D
Jay

Personally, I have shied away from buying stuff from the S&D room. Getting a warranty is important to me. Same reason I don't go to the tent sale. Still, I'll betcha, that planer of yours probably could have been repaired at a reasonable price.
 
Sure could Frank the belts are real cheap and easy to replace but it was not going to do the job. If they had put the 3rd knife in it then it couldn't be beat for the money but with only 2 knifes it made it to underpowered. I was trying to plane a cedar board 11" wide and 12' long and it almost made it through before the belt gave up because of a knot.

The reason I bought it on the bargain room is because that type of planer is cheap to fix and very easy to work on. In the end I came out OK I got $10 more than I paid for it. Oh and they do have some warranty on the scratch and dent stuff it was just to long after I bought it before I really used it.
Jay :D
 
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