Planer Dust Chute worth it?

[jsburger]

That is nuts $600+ for just the cutter head, yes I know the SS planer has some great features, but I can get this with one, and my nephew has one and I have used it and it is nice.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/159608 ... rhead.aspx

That price has nothing to do with the fact it is a SS. Their cutter heads for 12" Powermatics are $900+- depending on the model.

Do you really think your $400 Woodriver lunchbox planer will out last you and the next 2 or 3 people who gets it like a SS will. I doubt it. You will be lucky to get 10 years from it. Quality is worth something as long as what you are paying for is really quality.

[Sazerac81]

That is nuts $600+ for just the cutter head, yes I know the SS planer has some great features, but I can get this with one, and my nephew has one and I have used it and it is nice.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product/159608 ... rhead.aspx

That's a segmented, not a helical cutterhead. There are some differences between the way they cut.

However, they both deliver excellent results no matter which way they cut.

I was not on the hunt for a cheap planer so avoided the cutech, the woodriver, the dewalt, etc.

If I had not found the shopsmith planer to complement my other shopsmith add-ons, I would have gone with a grizzly, rikon, or jet 12" helical cutterhead combo planer/jointer which would have been a little over 2 grand and some change.

However, I do want to make the shopsmith work as I like the concept of careful planning of projects and the general versatility of the units. I also enjoy restoring old quality equipment and I think most would agree that old Shopsmith units are of high quality.

Take into account that the shelix cutterhead has 60 knives in 5 rows that are CARBIDE compared with the 26 HSS knives of the segmented cutterhead planers coming out and that they have FOUR sides instead of TWO sides. Those two facts alone add tremendously to the expense and longevity of the cutterhead in terms of delivering high quality cutting.

Cheers,
John

[cincinnati]

Yes the planer dust chute is a must. works great.
Like the post above said. It has been available a long time. I purchased my planer with dust chute around 25 years ago. When Shopsmith had retail stores.