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I have owned my planer for years. Purchased it at the Shopsmith Cincinnati store. Built like a tank.

The prices are amazing... I bought my Pro Planer used a couple of years ago off CL for $150. Can't imagine paying over $1700 for it new.

I have the pro planer. If I remember correctly it was $849. Purchased Late 80's or early 90's.

cincinnati wrote:I have the pro planer. If I remember correctly it was $849. Purchased Late 80's or early 90's.

I paid $999 for my ProPlaner in 1989. It has been a work horse in my shop. Keep it clean and keep it sharp. But $1700???

dusty wrote:I paid $999 for my ProPlaner in 1989. It has been a work horse in my shop. Keep it clean and keep it sharp. But $1700???

If you were willing to pay $999 in 1989, this calculator says that you should be willing to pay $1881 today. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

The problem I see with that price today is that there is an equally capable planer out there, the DW735, that is a fraction of the price.

I scored a used planer (SS mounted) for $300 a few years ago. Now I see what kind of deal I got.

algale wrote:If you were willing to pay $999 in 1989, this calculator says that you should be willing to pay $1881 today. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

The problem I see with that price today is that there is an equally capable planer out there, the DW735, that is a fraction of the price.

I bought my DW735 in excellent condition with a spare set of blades off my local CraigsList for $250…paid ~$50 on Amazon for a pair of infeed and outfeed tables that didn't come with the one I bought and for $300 total I have an amazing planer. New the 735X (DW735 with infeed and outfeed tables and extra blades) sells for ~$600. Used I regularly see the SS Pro Planer on E-Bay for ~$400-$600, with occasional deals on CraigsList around the Country (never near me of course) for anywhere from $100-$400. It's take someone with pretty deep pockets to shell out $1700 for a new SS planer IMO - I can't see them selling a lot of these.

algale wrote:If you were willing to pay $999 in 1989, this calculator says that you should be willing to pay $1881 today. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

The problem I see with that price today is that there is an equally capable planer out there, the DW735, that is a fraction of the price.

Maybe it is just that I was working full time at a well paying job in 1989 and now I am on a fixed income. I can't even afford to dream about a $1700 surface planer.

dgale wrote:I bought my DW735 in excellent condition with a spare set of blades off my local CraigsList for $250…paid ~$50 on Amazon for a pair of infeed and outfeed tables that didn't come with the one I bought and for $300 total I have an amazing planer. New the 735X (DW735 with infeed and outfeed tables and extra blades) sells for ~$600. Used I regularly see the SS Pro Planer on E-Bay for ~$400-$600, with occasional deals on CraigsList around the Country (never near me of course) for anywhere from $100-$400. It's take someone with pretty deep pockets to shell out $1700 for a new SS planer IMO - I can't see them selling a lot of these.

That is why I say SS pricing is off. You can buy 3 Dewalt 735 planers for the price of on SS planer. The Dewalt is usually the top or very near the top in all planer reviews. If you go to the $1800 price range there is a whole world of excellent machines.

I bought a 12 inch 2 speed Delta planner about 10 years ago for less than $300. I don't know how much wood I have pushed through it but is running strong as the day I bought it. I could replace it five more times and still be under the price of the SS. In fact I probably could buy a new planer instead replacing dull blades and still be ahead of the cost the SS planer at the end of my wood working days.

and if I have 1800 to spend on a planer, I might even be looking at one of the combination 12" jointer/planer machines or a 15" planer.

I know most (If Not all) of the competitors are made off shore now but it is precisely these kinds of price differences that prevent US manufacturing from competing. I'll pay extra for quality and/or made in USA (These are not always the same) but 2-3 times is a bit excessive IMHO.