DELTA 22-580 15 Amp 13-Inch Benchtop Planer, 120-Volt 1 ...

• Affordable, two-cutter finish planer with 13-inch deck
• Two-speed, 15 Amp motor performs at 10,000 RPM
• Blade zero indicator; cutterhead lock; depth stop
• Measures 20 x 23 x 15 inches (HxWxD); weighs 92 pounds
• Includes two knives

Amazon.com Review:
Delta calls its 22-580 a finishing planer, but it's really two planers in one. A dimensioning speed of 60 cpi allows you to shave rough wood to its desired thickness quickly and accurately, with virtually no snipe. Then, with a single pass at the quicker finishing speed of 90 cpi, your wood comes out ultrasmooth and ready to go. The razor-sharp, double-sided M2 steel knives are powered by a 15 amp, 120-volt, single-phase motor. Bells and whistles like a blade zero indicator (which lets you set the cutterhead to the exact thickness of your wood), patented cutterhead lock (which eliminates snipe), and easy blade-change system add to the value, as do the oversize infeed and outfeed tables, which make it easier to glide your wood through the machine. Overall, this is one solid piece of machinery. --Carl Thress

Amazon.com Product Description:
No woodworking shop is complete without a solid finish planer, and the DELTA 22-580 13-inch finish planer takes care of this need and then some. Its ability to quickly and accurately size and finish lumber helps save money by allowing you to purchase rough-cut lumber instead of already processed stock. The powerful 15 Amp motor produces a cutterhead speed of 10,000 RPM, and its cooling fan helps to blow dust and chips away from the machine and into a dust collection system. The two-blade cutting system features two speed of cutting power - a dimensioning setting of 60 CPI, or a finishing setting of 90 CPI. Other features include easy cutterhead height adjustments, cutterhead lock, depth stop for easy repetitive cuts, and a blade zero indicator.

disappointing:
I purchased this after many wood magazine reviews noted how excellent it was. I wanted the dewalt, but it was too much cash. I only use it occasionally, and would guess only 100 or so board feet have been through it. However, like many other reviewers, I have been having problems with the rollers slipping, and with the gear box malfunctioning. I cleaned the rollers, which has helped, but I can no longer get it into the finishing speed, and it is very difficult to keep it in the higher speed. I have to turn it off, and rotate the front roller by hand whilst pushing on the speed changer. This is not very easy on my stomach, as I am nearly finished with my training as a neurosurgeon. My father in law has the rigid planer (which was recently updated, and is a lot less expensive) and it has worked fine, and he treats it pretty roughly. Plus, his came with a stand, and a dust hood which I had to order separately. Certainly, I would not purchase this again. If you want a benchtop model, get the rigid. Otherwise, I think stepping up to a floor model would be ideal

Best Value For the Money:
The machine does its job and does it well. You need ear plugs and a dust collection system is absolutely essential. I found the feed system to be just a bit difficult especially as you get to smaller sizes. If you are not careful you can get a gouge on the initial entry. Snipe is not a real problem although it happens occasionally. If you are doing small pieces you have to be careful that the piece doesn't rotate- push it through with a flat forked push stick and it works fine. Fine Woodworking gave it a best value a few months before I purchased it and have since downgraded it in favor or newer models but I think it is still probably the best value for a small shop for average skill woodworkers like me.

Great planer!:
I bought this one when amazon was having a 50% off on it. Setting it up is easy and the quality of the cuts is really good. I run mine on the highest quality all the time since it really does not take much longer and the resulting piece is almost as smooth as glass. So far I have tried it with cherry, walnut, maple, and wenge and have not been disappointed. Make sure you get the dust collector adaptor and connect it to a dust collector otherwise you are going to have chips flying all over from the front and the back. I also bought for mine the Dewalt planer stand to be able to move it around my garage.

Trouble free and minimum snipe:
I've used this planar for three years. It's trouble free, easy to change blades and produces a finish with an absolute mimimum of snipe (usually none)

Delta 13" planer review:
The planer I purchased in oct. 2007 is great. I like the feature compared to may old 12" delta planer the larger infeed and outfeed tables the on off switch, the thickness scale, the adjustable thickness stop. it's just great.