Ridgid R4330 Planer - Experience?

Bill Arnold

1974
Staff member
Messages
8,622
Location
Thomasville, GA
My faithful Delta planer bit the dust a few days ago and I've been reviewing new benchtop planers. While the DW735 is an attractive option, I really don't want to spend that much. I've checked user reviews on several websites and it seems the R4330 gets better reviews overall than the DW. For those of you have have actual experience with the R4330, what is your opinion of the tool?
 
I am in the same camp as Rob, I have the 735 and love it, Yes it cost more but three features that are unique to the DW stand out. 1 the depth of cut indication. This I find invaluable. 2nd the chip removal system and last the two differant feed rates. FWIW Woodworkers Journal just did and evaluation of the little brother to the 735 the 734 along with the craftsman 21758, delta tp305, rigid R4330 and the ERoyobi AP1301. The dw 734 CAME OUT ON TOP.
 
The best I can help is that I haven't heard anything bad about the Ridgid. I have a Delta 22-580 that I am happy with. However I don't think Delta makes this model anymore.

I do have the Ridgid 6in Jointer, and I can tell you that getting knives for it is tricky. I have found them online, but I prefer to buy in a store if I can. For some unknown reason HD doesn't carry any replacement knives for it.

Maybe it is different for the planer, as far as the replacement knives are concerned.
 
Don one other DW735 feature that saved my bacon once or twice is the thickness dial in knob. You can set it to a particular thickness and then when you planning crank the handle down and it will not budge past the thickness set. This has stopped me and saved me a couple of times from not going to far.

But Bill i would also look at cost of ownership. I dont know what the blades on the Rigid run for but with the DW you have two turns of the blade and thats it new blades. No sharpening because the set on tooling pins to make set up easy for easy change over. Downside is you got to keep buying them. They aint cheap and when one looks at it over time compared to say something like ones jointer where you get to sharpen blades and they are easily attainable then i think this factors in.

DW735 blades for me are more than 10% of the cost of the machine each change over. I am heading for my third set. One has to wonder about the cost of ownership of some of these machines.
 
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Dare I say it????????? :rolleyes:
At least check out and consider the Grizzly G0505.
I am very pleased with mine. Do wish it had a more accurate thickness scale but that seems to be a common feature/failing of most in this size/price range.
It has double sided blades. I recently must have run some very dirty and gritty wood through mine and chewed up a blade. Being able to just reverse, only took a couple minutes, kept me going.
Bang for buck is, IMHO, a better deal than other similar ones on the market.
 
It is a bummer that your old machine died as now I imagine time is your enemy. I started saving for a planer upgrade almost immediatly after getting a spiral head jointer. I knew after using it only a short while that when it was planer replacement time I was going to get something with (or upgradable to) a spiral head machine.

Fortunately saving over a long period allowed me to get the G0453Z which takes up just about the same footprint as my DW734 on the stand. It was a chucnk of change but (watch how fast my rationalization engine kicks in) averaged out over the next 10 years, it made sense. Just food for (long term planning) thought.

P.s. I have read satisfied posts about the Ridgid but have not used it myself.
 
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The best I can help is that I haven't heard anything bad about the Ridgid. I have a Delta 22-580 that I am happy with. However I don't think Delta makes this model anymore.

I do have the Ridgid 6in Jointer, and I can tell you that getting knives for it is tricky. I have found them online, but I prefer to buy in a store if I can. For some unknown reason HD doesn't carry any replacement knives for it.

Maybe it is different for the planer, as far as the replacement knives are concerned.

It may be the same reason I have stopped using HD entirely. I tried to buy an air filter for a chainsaw I bought there. Management told me straight out HD doesn't bother to carry small items they can't make much money on. In other words they won't take care of their customers after the big sale.
 
It may be the same reason I have stopped using HD entirely. I tried to buy an air filter for a chainsaw I bought there. Management told me straight out HD doesn't bother to carry small items they can't make much money on. In other words they won't take care of their customers after the big sale.

That must be why they don't stock the sanding sleeves for the ridgid OSS I got there... :bang:
 
Don one other DW735 feature that saved my bacon once or twice is the thickness dial in knob. You can set it to a particular thickness and then when you planning crank the handle down and it will not budge past the thickness set. This has stopped me and saved me a couple of times from not going to far.

But Bill i would also look at cost of ownership. I dont know what the blades on the Rigid run for but with the DW you have two turns of the blade and thats it new blades. No sharpening because the set on tooling pins to make set up easy for easy change over. Downside is you got to keep buying them. They aint cheap and when one looks at it over time compared to say something like ones jointer where you get to sharpen blades and they are easily attainable then i think this factors in.

DW735 blades for me are more than 10% of the cost of the machine each change over. I am heading for my third set. One has to wonder about the cost of ownership of some of these machines.


Rob.....question.

I know wood type, age, etc, has a lot to do with this....but on an average.....how long do the blades last for you?
 
Dom,
I'm not Rob but I have the same planer. I have been planeing all of the wood for the commission that I am presently working on so far about 500 bd.ft. all hard maple 8/4 and 4/4 and I haven't had to turn the blade that are in there. I'd estimate I got well over 1000 bd.ft. from the first set. I did a lot of white oak and hard maple on that set. I've had the planer about 4 years I think.
I pay a littlle under $70 for a new set frome DeWalt.
 
Dom,
I'm not Rob but I have the same planer. I have been planeing all of the wood for the commission that I am presently working on so far about 500 bd.ft. all hard maple 8/4 and 4/4 and I haven't had to turn the blade that are in there. I'd estimate I got well over 1000 bd.ft. from the first set. I did a lot of white oak and hard maple on that set. I've had the planer about 4 years I think.
I pay a littlle under $70 for a new set frome DeWalt.

Thanks Don. That answered my question perfectly. I have been in the market for a planer and have been checking all of the usual places. At the risk of hijacking this thread, I have been watching everyone's answers and it seems the DW735 is the best for the money. Starting to watch pennies this month, so I have been looking at craigslist and EBAY. Wish I had the money for the Grizzly...oh well maybe someday!:thumb:

Thanks again Don....I'll back out of the thread slowly:rofl:
 
It is a bummer that your old machine died as now I imagine time is your enemy. I started saving for a planer upgrade almost immediatly after getting a spiral head jointer. I knew after using it only a short while that when it was planer replacement time I was going to get something with (or upgradable to) a spiral head machine.

Fortunately saving over a long period allowed me to get the G0453Z which takes up just about the same footprint as my DW734 on the stand. It was a chucnk of change but (watch how fast my rationalization engine kicks in) averaged out over the next 10 years, it made sense. Just food for (long term planning) thought.

P.s. I have read satisfied posts about the Ridgid but have not used it myself.
Time isn't really an issue at this point. I haven't been seeking any commissions for various reasons, one being my recovery from heart surgery. In spite of that, my wife has a co-worker who has asked how much it would cost to build a kitchen armoire (pantry). She found an unfinished unit for $800 that she wants me to build for about what the materials will cost. No thanks on that one.

I've looked at the G0453Z several times and, if I decide to go after larger commissions, I'd want something like that. I just have trouble justifying the cost at this point.

In the price range I'd like to hit, I've looked at the DW734 but I have an issue with a design that doesn't allow blade sharpening. The DW735 is actually $50 more than the best price you can get because of having to buy the extension tables seperately.

Fortunately, the planing I was doing when my Delta died was some 1/2" by 1/2" trim for some drawers. I can do the final passes with my drum sander to finish that project.

Thanks for the input from all of you guys. You've given me a few things to think about, especially the availability of replacement blades for the R4330! That's a bummer for sure!!!
 
Time isn't really an issue at this point. I haven't been seeking any commissions for various reasons, one being my recovery from heart surgery. In spite of that, my wife has a co-worker who has asked how much it would cost to build a kitchen armoire (pantry). She found an unfinished unit for $800 that she wants me to build for about what the materials will cost. No thanks on that one.

I've looked at the G0453Z several times and, if I decide to go after larger commissions, I'd want something like that. I just have trouble justifying the cost at this point.

In the price range I'd like to hit, I've looked at the DW734 but I have an issue with a design that doesn't allow blade sharpening. The DW735 is actually $50 more than the best price you can get because of having to buy the extension tables seperately.

Fortunately, the planing I was doing when my Delta died was some 1/2" by 1/2" trim for some drawers. I can do the final passes with my drum sander to finish that project.

Thanks for the input from all of you guys. You've given me a few things to think about, especially the availability of replacement blades for the R4330! That's a bummer for sure!!!

Bill...what was the best price you have found on the DW735? The best I came up with here is about $600. Have you found it cheaper?

Thanks in advance
 
Bill...what was the best price you have found on the DW735? The best I came up with here is about $600. Have you found it cheaper?

Thanks in advance
Dom,

Same here - $599 has been the best I've seen. If that price included the extensions, I might just go for it anyway at this point, but.....

The other issue is the knives having to be replaced rather than sharpened. I had two sets of knives for my Delta that I sharpened a couple of times over the ten years I've had it.
 
The extensions are not really necessary for the DW735, I have put thru lots of BF (don't keep track) just lift the end of the board a little when feedng and taking out of the planer. I have been using mine for 4 years, flipped the blades once and they are now about ready for replacement. Not trying to convince you on it just giving you my thoughts:)
 
Dom,

Same here - $599 has been the best I've seen. If that price included the extensions, I might just go for it anyway at this point, but.....

The other issue is the knives having to be replaced rather than sharpened. I had two sets of knives for my Delta that I sharpened a couple of times over the ten years I've had it.

Ran a search for reconditioned.....about $480...DW734 is about $349

Replacement knives are about $55-68......not too bad.

Is the extra $130 worth the extra money though?.....thoughts?
 
That must be why they don't stock the sanding sleeves for the ridgid OSS I got there... :bang:

I have the same sander, and I always look every time i am there to see if they have them. It seems to me that the HDs in my area (there are a bunch) always have these in stock.

Try asking them to call around to other stores in your area. -- just a thought.
 
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