I'm a retired professional with a Felder 741 combination slider, planer and shaper. If you know Felder, then I don't have to tell you they are one of the industry standards for accuracy. However, I'm sick of building a piece of fine furniture, only to discover that one last piece is too thick, or whatever. That means raising the jointer bed, cranking up the planer head, and in the process losing whatever was setup on the saw.
Also, I've wanted a spiral cutter for the planer, but $1,000+ makes no sense when the Felder knives already do a superb job, and of course I would still have the changeover problem. I'v thought about a bench top planer, but that's also around a grand, so not happening.
Anyway, I saw some reviews on the Wen 13" with a segmented cutter head. Odd looking cutter head, and the inserts are HSS instead of carbide, but at $400 for the one speed I decided to take a risk. I just unpacked and plugged in this morning. Connected to my 3hp Onida Gorilla using a 4" hose. I then ran a test using 1.5" air dried red oak.
Results were a surprise, to say the least. Beautiful finish on both sides, even at the one speed, which is quite fast. No sign of of any cutters out of alignment. Almost no snipe - I did not adjust the tables. Dust collector gets most, but not all, chips. ( I also tried connecting a shop vac which was not that great, so I'd recommend a dust collector).
Segmented cutter heads are supposed to be quiet, but brush motor noise makes it about as loud as a knife machine, at least in my opinion. Hearing muffs required. This is not a complaint. For $400 you can't have everything.
Bottom line, I'm glad I bought this thing. Once the four sided cutters are dull I might upgrade to carbide, but we'll see. Sometimes HHS produces a better finish than carbide, so I might just buy another set of those, depending on how long the originals last. The question now is longevity. Machine seems solid and weighs 80 pounds, so for my needs it will probably be OK. We will see.
Bottom line, doe a great job for less than half the price of a name brand.
The machine turned out to be a pleasant surprise, producing an excellent finish.
| Brand | WEN |
|---|---|
| Material | Cast Iron |
| Item Weight | 36.74 Kilograms |
| Style | One Speed |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Base Material | Cast Iron |
| Cutting Depth | 6 Inches |
| Included Components | Includes a depth stop and an adjustable dust port |
| Cutting Width | 33 Centimeters |
| Amperage | 15 Amps |
| UPC | 044459013266 |
| Manufacturer | WEN |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00044459013266 |
| Part Number | PL1326 |
| Item Weight | 80.8 pounds |
| Package Dimensions | 26.12 x 21 x 15.87 inches |
| Country of Origin | Taiwan |
| Item model number | PL1326 |
| Size | Single Speed, Spiral Blade |
| Pattern | 13-Inch Spiral Blade Planer |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Batteries Required? | No |
