DELTA TP300 Shopmaster 12-Inch Portable Planer

by DELTA

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Why buy a planer? Well, it lets you reduce the thickness of your workpieces to exactly what you want them to be. It creates a flawlessly flat second surface, essential in good woodworking. Why buy this planer? Here's our list of why we like it: It has a fantastic 12-inch wide by 6-inch deep capacity to tackle large jobs. The patented cutterhead system raises and lowers on four large, precision-ground columns. Depth of cut can be adjusted in a wink with a top-mounted handle. A patented cutterhead lock stabilizes the cutterhead for total rigidity and superior snipe control. Double-edged--meaning reversible--high-speed steel knives double your cutting life. Adjustable infeed and outfeed tables and a stainless-steel base provide a smooth surface for moving stock, and the tables fold in for storage in minimal space. The prices on these planers have come down quite a bit in the past few years, and this one, with its quality and many features, is a great buy. --Kris Jensen-Van Heste

From the Manufacturer

DELTA TP300 Shopmaster 12-Inch Portable Planer

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 24 x 16 x 18 inches ; 69 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 69 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00006K00T
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: TP300
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #272,746 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

76 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bang for the Buck, December 5, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: DELTA TP300 Shopmaster 12-Inch Portable Planer (Tools & Home Improvement)

This little planer certainly exceed my expectations. I was used to a freestanding grizzley 24" planer untill I moved into a smaller location. I bought this for light duty planing, but was surprised at its power. It is easy to change the blades.
I highly reccommend this for someone with limited space or limited funds.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars You get what you pay for, July 20, 2003

By 

Thomas S. Martin (Salt Lake City, ut United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: DELTA TP300 Shopmaster 12-Inch Portable Planer (Tools & Home Improvement)

I bought this planer because it was alot cheaper than the others, mistake. This planer does work but spend a few more bucks and get a planer with a few more features.

The feed rollers need help, I usually have to push the board into the planer to keep it moving. There is no locking device, the vibration of the unit causes the cutter heads to move up thus not giving even cut. Does not come with any attachment for dust collection.

The planer works great for 4" to 6" pine, but struggles with wider boards and most hardwoods. It seems to have plenty of power the feed rollers just don't work well.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The 'lil planer that could, March 21, 2004

By 

"allieratt" - See all my reviews

This review is from: DELTA TP300 Shopmaster 12-Inch Portable Planer (Tools & Home Improvement)

When I began shopping for a planer, price, unfortunately, was a big deciding factor in my selection. No need to worry, though- this 'lil guy is just the ticket for those of us on a woodworking budget!

Setup out of the box was a snap with just a couple of pieces to install.
Following the advice from the manual, I checked a couple of things - the feed and output tables needed only minor adjustment, and the knives were spot-on... a handy gauge for checking the blade alignment is included with the machine, as well as a double-ended wrench that fits the table adjusters and knife set.
As a trial run, I tried planing various pieces of rough-cut hard and soft wood I had lying about, and they all came out quite well. The calibrations for the thickness setting are dead-on, and after my test run, I happily ran about 96 lineal feet of 4"-6"wide rough-cut mahogany with not one problem.

The key to success with this machine is making several small passes, not trying to shear the boards down in big bites.
After taking my time, I was left with a half dozen 8' boards 3/4" thick and planed perfectly both sides. The feed rollers had a minor amount of trouble with the rough cut lumber, but after one pass, it ran through without a hitch, and only occasional assistance was required to keep things moving along.

While perhaps not a machine for a contractor on a tight schedual, this little planer should suit the average home woodworker/hobbiest just fine.