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 ... Read more

Features

• Fastest and safest blade change system on the market
• 2-Speed feed rate system for rough and finishing stock removal
• Patented cutterhead lock virtually eliminates snipe
• Full range depth stop for any thickness from 1/8" to 6-12"
• Blade zero indicator to set the cutterhead the exact thickness of material

Reviews (63)

Two thumbs up....way up!
After being in the market for a planer for several months, I had read dozens of reviews. I couldn't justify spending $1200.00+ on a 15" planer, but was also a bit reluctant to buy a "portable" looking planer. I finally decided on the Delta 22-580K and I am very happy with this machine. Delta has gotten everything right on this planer. Dont let the benchtop look fool you, this planer has plenty of power. The 13" capacity is ample for most applications and the ZERO Blade Set and the Cutterhead lock are great features. The finish is smooth as glass and no sanding is required (even on the dimensioning speed its very good). The cutterhead lock really does eliminate snipe. I have found the depth gauge to be quite accurate. It took only about 10 minutes to have the unit up and running. All you have to do is mount the 2 cranks. It takes longer to watch the video that comes with the unit. I havent changed blades yet, but other reviewers say it is pretty easy. I would advise anyone looking at a 15" planer to give this unit serious consideration. I would recommend it without reservation.

Buying rough wood is great!
This planer does a great job in every type of wood I've run through it. Plenty of power, easy to adjust, and I've probably already retrieved the cost of the planer by buying rough wood. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is that when received, the cutter head was about 3/16" out of square with the table, and it took forever to figure out how to correct it, as the owner's manual makes no mention of it. Also, I'm a little suspect of the durability of the knives, although other reviewers seem to have had good luck... I've already had to turn the originals over due to fine nicks. Don't buy this unless you've got a plan for dust collection (have to buy the attachment separately, which makes no sense). Two 12 foot 4/4 boards will fill a 30 gallon trash can when planing to 3/4". Other than the few issues, this is typical of the kind of quality I've always gotten with Delta.

Good, solid and reliable
I bought this planer after passing on the new DeWalt because of reliability issues.

This is a solid machine with a lot of features to make planing a simple chore for the home woodworker. I do recommend getting the dust collector chute and hooking it up to a dust collector. This thing creates a LOT of shavings.

The wood comes out nice and smooth. I do like the zero depth stop feature. The thickness gauge is accurate once you've set it properly. I really like the instructional video that comes with the machine as it clears up any confusion with the manual's descriptions of different operations.

I use this planer in conjunction with a Ridgid jointer, so for a relatively low outlay of $$ I can start with rough timber. This is the quickest return on investment you can get as prepared timber is so much more expensive to buy.

Faithful & True
Being a user of Delta & Porter Cable products and builder of cabinets and fine furniture, once again, Delta's reputation of quality machinery stands true. I found the pre adjustments made at the factory were on target with no adjustments needed on my part. I broke the machine in starting with maple, walnut and oak milling down from 34" to 1/2" with no trouble and no sniping worth talking about. The finish was smooth as glass. However, I do recommend that you should purchase the vac attachment for the planer as you will build a mountain of chips that would put a beaver to shame. I have the planer hooked up to a shop vac which does the job with little effort and the area is clean after planing. If you are looking for quality work with simplicity in operating, you can't go wrong with the Delta 13" planer.

Very good first planer
This is my first planer. I am a hobby woodworker. I have been using this planer for about 3 months now and it has become a central peice of equipment in my shop. I have run several hundred board feet of lumber through this thing and I have never sniped a board unless it was my fault (like pulling up on the board in the end of the out feed). It leaves a glassy finish on most every wood. There is some tearout in curly maple which is to be expected. It is powerful, quiet, and most importantly accurate. I have never used a pro model planer but im not sure the difference. This planer planes to the desired thickness and leaves a surface that needs no sanding. What more can you ask for. ... Read more

Features

• Five year limited warranty on machines, parts and accessories
• 3HP single phase motor
• 3-knife cutterhead, serrated infeed roller, polyurethane outfeed roller
• Anti-kickback fingers, cast iron table with adjustable bed rollers
• Knife setting gage, dust chute and deluxe stand

Reviews (2)

Great Machine
After using a portable planer for about 8 years, I decided to invest a bigger machine. This planer is identical to the DC-380 exept for a different paint job. And it is heavy!I am one of the lucky ones to have a hoist to help unload it. If you don't, have 2 or 3 helpers to unload and set it up. It took me almost two days to get it up and running. I first determined that it was too low for me, so I solved that problem by putting large wooden blocks between the bottom of the stand and the moble base. By the way, that moble base is an absolute must if you plan to move it at all. Then I discovered that the cord was too short, so I put a longer cord on with a twist lock plug. Most of my machines have twist lock plugs,anyway. When it is assembled you must be sure the infeed, cutter, and outfeed rollers are adjusted properly. There is a gage block that you must make, and the manual shows you how. The dust chute has an outlet of 5", so a trip to the local hardware store to get a 5" to 4" reducer and some duct tape, because is was not a good fit. It is essential to hook it up to a dust collecter, or you will be hip deep in chips very fast. After all was said and done, I am pleased with its peformance. The serrated infeed roller keeps the wood moving through at a steady pace, and it has two speeds, but I stick with the slow speed to get the best finish. The roller extensions eliminate snipe, once they are adjusted. If you get rough cut lumber, this is a worthwhile investment.

Good planer, trouble with dust collection.
I purchased this planer 6 weeks ago. The "dust hood" that is sold by Toolcrib for this turned out to be ( not mentioned in the catalog) to be 5". I have tried working with both Toolcrib and Delta to find a way to connect this to my 4" dust collector but, after receiving 2 more dust hoods and 2 adapters that were purported to work, I still do not have a solution. I've not had a chance to plane much wood on it yet, but it looks well made (although in China). Anyone that has found a solution let me know. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Delta has done it again. The TP400LS 12-1/2-inch planer is a solid addition to the company's already stellar lineup of planing tools, and it is ideally suited for the home woodworking enthusiast looking for a good planer at an affordable price. Like other Delta planers, this Shopmaster model is designed to provide smooth results, superior snipe control (thanks to the four-post cutterhead support system and headlock), and fast, safe, and accurate blade changes. Powered by a 15 amp, 120-volt single-phase motor, the planer generates an operating speed of 8,000 rpm. As materials pass into the unit, two double-sided, reversible knives deliver a blazing 51 cpi to smooth rough surfaces and provide an attractive finished result. The double-sided steel knives come factory-indexed and fit directly on machined posts in the cutterhead, so there's no fiddling with knife-setting fixtures or tricky gauges. Plus, a magnetized blade-removing tool makes it a snap to get the blades out. Delta has also extended the infeed and outfeed tables on this unit to 28-1/2 inches to better support stock and included a sturdy stand to give you the option of making this a freestanding unit. --Carl Thress ... Read more

Features

• Complete with a stand and extra set of reversible knives
• 15-amp motor for maximum power
• Advanced cutter head lock for superior snipe control
• Easy knife changing for perfect alignment each time
• Longer chrome in-feed and out-feed tables

Reviews (6)

Well worth the small investment
This is my first planer - so I really have nothing to compare it with. Set up was very easy, most time consuming part was assembly of the stand - took about 20 minutes (even at my normal slow pace). The planer itself was a snap - just install the knobs and remove some packing material and you are ready to go.

I ran some maple and walnut throught it and was impressed with the finish, smooth as glass. I used a digital caliper to check thickness in several spots on the boards and they were pretty much dead on. The only thing I wish this machine had was some sort of "final cut" mechanism, so that you could preset your final dimension and not go any further with the plaining. I guess that is something you would expect on a much more expensive machine. I highly recommedn this planer to any home woodworker.

Kicking Myself
This is my second Delta 12.5" planer. The first one lasted about 2 years with moderate home shop use before the cutter head bearing assembly failed as I was preparing to insert a board. A spectacular array of metal and plastic shrapnel flew around the shop, and some into me, before I could cut power. Although Delta Factory Service agreed it was most likely a manufacturing defect, alas, it was a month out of warranty and the cost of repairs would far exceed the purchase cost of a new one. Oh yes! And the knife retention screws were so tight it broke my hex wrench, rounded the inside of the screws, and 6 of them ultimately had to be professionally extracted.

But I have a mostly Delta shop, already had the dust collection chute, and so I bought another one figuring some design and manufacturing improvements had been made. Not. Same experience with the knife retention screws this time breaking the tool provided by Delta to remove those screws. The hex heads are so rounded off on the inside I don't dare put them back in. I had to haul it in to have 4 screws professionally extracted. Those screws, incidentally, apparently aren't covered under warranty and charged out at[money amount] each at the Delta Factory Service Center. And the motor is making a suspicious growling sound -- after 12 hours of use! I'll live with my purchase mistake, and wince every time I turn it on, for the duration of what I'm expecting will be a remarkably short lifetime for this planer.

Buy something else. I should have...

A Great Planer!
I purchased the Delta 12 1/2" thickness planer with stand and am very pleased with its performance. Having previously rebuilt a DeWalt unit, I was reluctant to try an unfamiliar unit but relied on Delta's reputation. Warning! Be very careful in changing the cutter blades the first few times as they are very sharp and a bit small to handle at first. The settings and accuracy of the unit are excellent with depth cuts of no more than 3/64" which will not overwork the unit or dull the cutter blades. After planing some 35 board feet of maple, popular, and birch, I am still on the original blade edges. You won't go wrong with this unit.

Super Machine
I bought this in mar 2003 and have used it exstensively with
nothing less than exellent results. The finish quality,easy
setup,and outstanding power for such a small machine is nothing
less than you can expect from delta.For the smallshop,or inbetween shop,this powerhouse is a must! Buy it you won't be sorry. Also get the dusthood acc. with an elbow and use the suction part acc. of your leaf blower and you will have 0 yes I mean 0 woodchips & dust works excellent!

Great Machine / New trouble
A very well made Machine ; easy to use less snipe than many others. Be careful , First time blade change can be frustrating
because of( factory Set Torque ). on blade retaining screws! Hope your hex wrench
is stronger than mine . ... Read more

Product Description

Powerful 15 amp, 120V motor for superior stock removal. Two-knife, quick change, solid steel cutterhead mounted on ball bearings assures smooth operation and long life. High-speed steel, double-edge/reversible knives included for twice the cutting life.Patented cutterhead elevation on four precision-ground columns for superior cut stability.Poly-V belt cutterhead drive with rugged gearbox/chain & sprocket feed roller drive for maximum power transmission.Convenient wood return roller.Adjustable infeed/outfeed tables.Easy to read English/Metric scale ... Read more

Features

• Poly V-belt cutterhead drive with rugged gearbox/chain and sprocket feed roller drive for maximumpower transmission
• Powerful 15 amp, 120V motor for superior stock removal
• Two-knife, quick change, solid steel cutterhead mounted on ball bearings assures smooth operation and long life
• High speed steel, double edge reversible knives included for twice the cutting life
• Patented cutterhead elevation on four precision-ground columns for superior cut stability

Reviews (4)

Cheap, easy, lowCPI, snipe, uTables, uLife Blades
I was looking cheap, just to clean up some rough-hewn boards.The bottom-end Lowes had was the TP-305 (12.5" vs TP-300 12.0", otherwise EXACTLY the same) for $199, so I got that.

Into and Basics
First off, the TP-305 is single speed.Fine for my purposes.As someone else said, if you're doing "fine woodworking", you'll sand with high-grit before calling it done.

Everything is metal, and the handle on top doubles as a foam covered transfer roller.It's very solid and stable, you know, for a "portable".

The belt drive is about 3/4", versus about 2" for the Hitachi and DeWalt.Conversely, the belt on the Delta is fiber reinforced black rubber, like a fan belt, rather than being clear, plain rubber.

There is supposedly a chain-drive for gear reduction, but I haven't dismantled it yet to lubricate them.

Setup
Second, it was a snap to prepare.I pulled it out of the box.It's maybe 75 or 80 pounds.OK if you lift right, or 2-person lift otherwise.It included the planer assembly, a dust chute with 2 fasteners, a hex wrench which fits in a slot on top, a magnetic blade tool, and a crank handle with hex-head fastener.

I put it on top of a table.No LRF support, and there was a little flashing on the bottom, so don't unpack this onto a nice table.Something like this should be bolted down.The deck holes are 1/4", one on each corner.I used some washers and deck screws and that was more than enough to keep it stable.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
You NEED earplugs.Yes, it is "quiet" compared to some shopplaners/jointers, it's still loud.Earmuffs should be OK, but I opted for spongy/expanding 33db earplugs.No problem there, but I was definitely deaf to the world.

Also, goggles are a must.These two things are silly and simple, but just in case you didn't know.This might not be so important if they ever get immunology and organ cloning down, but since you're limited to one set of eyes right now, best protect them from flying debris.

If you want to reach, adjust, oil, or perform ANY maintenance, unplug your machine."I thought I was safe but something fell and flipped the switch" wouldn't quite cut it with your friends.

ALWAYS operate with the dust chute in place.The motor blows air into it and it sends the chips out the back.Without it, A) You'll be covered in vertically launched curls, and more importantly B) The top of the cutter head will be exposed, which is very not safe.

Keep distractions and horseplay away from this machine.This is not a toy, it's an 8000 RPM spinning blade of doom.No playing.Period.OK?JUNIOR!?!?!Are you LISTENING TO ME!NO PLAYING.Ok.Good.Serious machine.

SNIPER, NO SNIPING!
As a portable planer goes, the fold-out tables are fairly small.I tried using Skill brand roller stands on each side to help hold the workpiece, but this planer loves to snipe on ingress.

Tilt your board down into the planer about 5 degrees, and don't cut deep and you'll limit it.Even so, every board has a 2-3" spot that's maybe 1/32" thinner than the rest of the length.

Egress snipe is alleviated by lifting ever so slightly on the workpiece for the final stretch.If you don't get it, you'll hear the motor change speed as it chews into the end.It's really just the design of the rollers.I think you'd probably get snipe even if you made your own full-length table flush with the input.

With 12" boards, snipe was not very noticeable, whereas with 4" boards, it was always very noticeable.

Blade Lifespan
The blades that came with it do well, but it's only 2 blades. It goes through them fairly quickly.Newer wood is fine.I made several passes on both sides of rough hewn cedar.All was well. I sent through some 12" rough cedar with 25 year crusty paint, and it wasn't really happy with that.

It's 2mm per turn and on 12" stock with fresh blades you can do that.When you get to 1/3 turn and it still drops the RPMs significantly, you're past the life of the blades.

I got to this point after removing 3/16ths from each side of 40 feet of 4" wide cedar, and about 1/8th from each side of a 6' long 12" piece of paint encrusted cedar.It seems that the wider board heats the blades more, especially the old, rubbery paint, and once they heat up, the edge fades MUCH more rapidly.

Signs your planer blades are dull
The machine emits dust and not curls.
The machine leaves roller rubber on the workpiece.
The wood peels along the grain in very thin strip.
The motor slows down, but there is no output.
The rollers stop feeding.
The workpiece becomes polished, even glassy.
The workpiece is noticeably warm to the touch.
Running the workpiece through a second time at the same setting till slows the motor.

Blade Replacements
I'm thinking I'll see if I can design the same at http://www.emachineshop.com out of something harder under heat, but you know, since I don't REALLY have the skill for that, I picked up a couple sets of spare blades when I got the planer.The spares were $26/set and made of "High Speed Steel".I don't know the specific grade, but truly, they went south REALLY quickly on the wider, painted boards.

Blade Swap procedures
The swap is fairly easy, though they are initially installed with an impact wrench.Breaking the screws the first time gave off sparks on three.Freaky.Anyway, you access the six screws by:
A) Unplug the machine.Yes, UNPLUG IT.Switches have been known to fail in this universe.Don't risk it.
B) remove the two thumbscrews on the top.
C) Remove the dust chute
D) Turn the head with "the tool" such that you an access one side of the head. Adjust the machine height, or rotate the head such that the tool clears the handle/rollerbar.
E) Loosten the screws such that the black plate ALMOST comes loose.Test one screw for proper sizing.I think this is about a 16th of an inch.
F) Use the little split magnet tool to scoop under the blade, lift up off of the retaining pins, and pull out.
WARNING The blade may be hot if it's recently been used, especially if it's really dull.
G) spin the blade.
WARNING The sharp side of the blade is SHARP!I know this seems like an idiot thing to say, but if you aren't careful, I will mock you for your bloodletting experience.Yes, I'm secretly watching you.
H) Slid in, align such that it drops down properly (ie, the retaining pins are in the holes).
I) Tighten the screws, starting with the ends and working your way in.In generaly, thumb-tighten all of them, then torque them down afterward to make sure alignment is good.
J) Repeat for the other side of the head. (ie. always swap/replace BOTH blades at the same time).

Miscellaneous
Check your belt shroud, a burgundy curve of plastic on the top right of the machine.Mine had too much flashing in the channels and didn't seat properly.I didn't notice until it had been carved/sanded away severely.

The deck plate is polished steel.You can see the cutter head and rollers clearly in it.It's really cool, and might come in handy should something jam or clog.REMEMBER NOT TO TOUCH THE HEAD WITH YOUR FINGERS UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE CUT.

Yes, I used first and second person in a review.

Despite the warning that this is not a toy, etc., it's VERY fun, or at least satisfying, to see what a machine like this can do.

SUMMARY
This is cheap. Snipe will happen.Rollers, an assistant, or a full-sized and aligned table are greatly helpful.Blades dull quickly on older wood with old rubbery paint.

Incredible for the price
I was not expecting a lot from this planer. My expectation were; it would dimension lumber, but I would have to do the final clean up with a sanding disk and, it would probably stall midway through cuts requiring me to push or pull the wood through manually. I was wrong on both counts.

First day I used it I did a couple of hundred feet of old seasoned lumber. No problems. Yes, it's a sniper, but I have used planers costing thousands more that have also sniped (if not as deep and long), so I expected that and can easily live with it as I always dimension to length after planing.

The bad.
Noisy - to be expected
Does not include a dust extraction hood.

The dust hood (DeltaNo. 50-359) is an essential accessory (with a dust collection system). Without it you would not be able to see the machine after a couple of cuts, and the feed mechanisms would get jammed. The $25 hood is almost identical to the 'deflector' that comes in the box, so it can't cost more than a few pennies more to make. Why not include it in the box instead of the deflector ?

I paid $175 ($25 off coupon) and free shipping. An absolutely incredible deal.

Pleasant Surprises at a Low Cost
This is also my first planer but not new to using them. This planer was a pleasant surprise. From the softest to the hardest of woods it has worked flawlessly. The finished piece is smooth as a babies bottom.
Yes, this machine does produce about 3 inches of snipe but still I am well pleased. Very much worth the money.

Good planer, but it is a sniper
This is a nice 12.5 inch planer for less $$$ than the 12 inch models.It is my first planer so keep that in mind.

I have run a 12" X 20" X 2" maple cutting board with excellent results.It seems to have more snip with narrower stock.1"x4" ash, red oak, and pine seem to have excess, easily visible snipe for about 3" on each end.It is best to run long boards, then cut them to size and discard the ends.

I like the carry handle, but this unit is heavy and awkward to carry.Minor assembly needed upon receipt was a breeze.With $25 off coupon and free shipping, it is easily the best deal on the net.BTW: the free shipping was FedEx 3 day!!!!!! ... Read more

Features

• Sturdy blow-molded design
• 4" diamater connection built into the unit
• Can be positioned for connection to be either on the right or left side of machine
• Works only with the Delta 22-580 13" planer

Reviews (1)

Rob
Wow! What an amazing dust hose adapter. You wouldn't believe this thing. Attach it to your planer and watch the wood chips just fly down the little black hose. You can't actually see the wood chips because it is opaque, but they do go through the hose, believe me. Don't believe me, just buy one and connect it to your planer and then check the bucket on your dust collector. Yup, piles of wood chips and sawdust, just like I told ya'. ... Read more

Features

• 5 HP, 220-volt, 1 phase induction motor
• Capacity: 20 inches wide by 8-5/8-inch thick
• Feed rate: 20/30 feet per minute
• Two year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories"

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 ... Read more

Features

• 2-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• 15-amp motor for maximum power
• Feed rate adjusts under load for optimum planning
• 12-by-6-inch capacity to tackle large planning tasks
• Adjustable, folding extension tables for easy storage

Reviews (6)

Simple machine, superb job
I hate buying foreign, but nearly all were foreign made. Even the ones costing 3 times this. We use it on jamb extensions, mullions, spines and what have you. Amazingly there is no start and end snipe...no wasted stock, this very good. Also no "big bites" keeps everything running smoothly. One half to one turn of the crank is approx. 1/32 to 1/16. The latter is a pretty good hunk across the board. Small boards bigger bites, large boards...baby bites. Very little sanding is needed. When we are finished with a house, there is good pile of shavings in the garage. It keeps three men happy. I like the portability. It's about 65lbs Every day I crank the head down on a piece of cardboard and put it in my trailer. There it rides till the next time. I have never experienced a discrepency because there is no head lock. I have never known the head to vibrate down, or up for that matter. I use a router and splines instead of a biscuit cutter, and biscuits. When I drive the spline in the slot, it is not sloppy on one end because the head moved. It is only as accurate as I am. Its a simple machine that does a superb job for the price, and that is all that I ask

Caution
The blades wear easily on just a few sticks of oak. Carbide blades may help if you can find them. The owners manual has sequential page numbers but is missing several illustrations that I downloaded from Amazon. Delta's home page came up blank when I attempted to download the missing pages. A couple of screws rattled out of the machine on my first use. No clue where they belong. The nuts on the knives are so tight that I rounded the 8mm end wrench provided. Had to revert to my Craftsman 8 mm to turn the blades. I have several Delta products, but this is not my favorite.

The 'lil planer that could
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.

Great little machine
This planer is well worth the money. It goes thru 2x6 lumber nicely and leaves a super smooth finish. Great Deal

You get what you pay for
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. ... Read more

Features

• 7-1/2 HP, 230-volt, /460-volt, 3 phase induction motor
• Capacity: 24 inches wide by 8-5/8-inch thick
• Feed rate: 20/30 feet per minute
• 2-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories

Reviews (1)

Really good
I also found this planer for a very good price, and 24 inch capicty is useful, and a great time saver because it allows you to plane 2 or more boards at once. I just wish there were more speed rates like on the powermatics, but it is good and for the price supurb. Its a very solid tool with plenty of power and well worth is especialy for rough stock, and also saves alot of money. ... Read more

Features

• Two-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• 15-amp motor for maximum power
• Feed rate adjusts under load for optimum planing
• 12-by-6-inch capacity to tackle large planing tasks
• Adjustable, folding extension tables for easy storage

Reviews (11)

Delta 22-540 12" Portable Planer
I have owned my 540 for about 2 years and have run at least 2000bd ft through it. The unit has seen oak, cherry, maple, pine The planer performed well on all. The steel knives do dull fairly quick, but are reasonable to change if your careful. Snipe is a problem with the short outfeed tables but can be minimized using caution. This is not a high production machine and requires extra care, but at [asignificantly lower price] than its DeWalt counterpart, I feel it is an ideal addition to any personal woodworking shop.

An excellent Delta value
I have owned my 540 for about 3years and have run at least 1000bd ft through it. Although mostly cedar, the unit has seen oak, hickory, osage orange, and some kind of black african wood that was hard as steel. The planer performed well on all. The steel knives do dull fairly quick, but are reasonable to change if your careful. I contacted Delta about a year ago and they did offer carbide double edge knives, but [at a muchhigher price], I'll get by with the steel ones. Snipe is a problem with the short outfeed tables but can be minimized using caution. Some of the other reviews appear somewhat harsh, and are not entirely unfounded. This is not a high production machine and probably requires extra care, but at [asignificantly lower price] than its DeWalt counterpart, I feel it is an ideal addition to any personal woodworking shop.

Good but...
I have been using my 22-540 as a serious amateur cabinet and furniture maker for about seven years. I would hesitate to guess how many feet of wood have passed through the planer but it is a lot.

The Delta 22-540 performed well over the years but a few weeks ago a project came to a sudden stop when the bearings on the cutter head overheated and seized. I found that replacements are available but after a near total disassembly, I found that I could not remove the bearings from the main frame casting. Quite a disappointment.

So now I must choose a replacement. The winner is the DeWalt DW 733 even at the additional ($$$)cost over a replacement 22-540.

The Delta 22-540 does have a nasty habit of setting creep, I control this by blocking the handle or simply holding it with one hand while the lumber is running. I trust the four-post clamp of the new models will cure this problem. I didn't stay with Delta and their 13" 22-580K because of the lock handle design and the useless two-speed feature. Thank you to all of you who wrote reviews on the various planers. And, thank you to Amazon for publishing them. The final decision was easy to make when comparing the DeWalt and the Delta side by side in our local Home Center.Will the DW 733 live up to my expectations? I will let you know in about seven years.

Save your money for another model
I have had this planer for a year and it has worked OK. Snipe is a problem but can be corrected by shimming the in/out tables. One HUGE problem though, when I tried to change the knives for the first time, the little hex screws that release the knives round off. This happens even if you use a real wrench instead of the cheezey one they provide. And when the wrench slips, your knuckles go right into the blade. Once any of the 14 screws rounds off, that knife cannot be removed. And since the screws are buried in the cutting head you can't get any other kind of tool in help release the rounded screw. Along with most other models, the 12-1/2" Delta model has a MUCH better design. Now I have to take mine in and have it repaired so I would have been money ahead by buying a better model.

There Are Better Choices
I have owned the 22-540 for five years. When I purchased the machine, I was attracted by the low price and the fact that there were few alternatives on the market at that time, unless you wanted to purchase a 15 inch stationary planer. This model represented Delta's original foray into the market and this model has needed modifications in its design. The fact that it has dropped about $150 in price over the last five years is indicative of how overpriced it originally was and how it currently compares to the competition. My complaints about this machine: 1. Poor infeed and outfeed support result in serious sniping 2.There is no lock on the thickness adjustment and if you plane multiple boards, the cutter head backs off and the thickness will vary between the first and last boards you plane on the same setting. 3. It is somewhat difficult to replace the spring-mounted blades and you need to purchase a set of magnetic blade holders in order to get both blades set at the same height on either end. 4. The blades dull very quickly and it would be preferable to have an option of carbide blades because of the amount of time required to change the blades. 5. The machine really labors when planing wider boards and has a tendency to run the boards through at an angle rather than parallel to the sides of the planer. There are much better models which are available today and unless you plan to do a very limited amount of planing, you would be better off to spend a little more money and purchase a better piece of equipment. ... Read more

Features

• Two-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• 15 amp motor for maximum power
• Cutterhead lock for superior snipe control
• Easy knife changing for perfect alignment each time
• 6-by-12-1/2-inch capacity to tackle larger planing tasks

Reviews (8)

Lemon anybody?
I have always been a big supporter of Delta tools, However, I'm afraid I cannot give this product great praise. The fact is, the only reason I am giving them 3 stars at all is for the overall end product it can produce. Now I've used four different brands of planers and never encountered the types of problems I've had with this peice of equipment! Easily enough broken down, but jeeze I've had to take this thing apart 4 times this months... I've only used it 5 times this month! with moderate 1/16th cuts. Today the belt shredded to peices for the second time in 5 months. I'm about to find a Jet 15" planer online, The more expensive machine will pay for it self compared to all the time I lose trying to fix the delta!

Hope this machine was just a lemon, but prehaps this will help someone else.

Bad start but....
When I bought this item I followed the advice of another review, that being to take the blades out and give the machine a clean. This was going along nicely until I had to remove the bolts that clamp the blade in place. The bolts were that tight that when they 'cracked' sparks literally shot out.
Some bolts were that tight that I had to get a small piece of pipe to use as a lever arm. This problem was consistent for every bolt I tried. I had to give up trying when the tightness of the bolts damaged both the supplied wrench and the bolt head. I have informed Delta and am hoping they reply with an explanation.
Now after that little whinge the machine is quite good to use. The reason for not a higher rating is only due to this assembly error.

Best little non-production planer!
The 22-560 is my first protable planer and I gota say this thing takes a licking and keeps on ticking. I have ran over 4k bft of longleaf pine through this thing and aside from slight buildup of resin on the knives from time to time I have no complaints. The majority of the material I work with averages around 100 years old, and about 18 ft long, and using a simple set up of LEVEL roller tables I am able to start a board and walk away. Occassionaly I need to clean the infeed rollers as it tends to build up with resin, a charateristic of LL Pine, but I would rather stop to make this adjustment then deal with some of the problems I have read about concerning other planers. The machine has paid for itself several time over, and with maintainence I anticipate long continued use. I recommend this planer to anybody who is in the market for a portable planer regardless of the job size. I suggest if you plan on doing full scale production stuff with this little machine, give it a break after an hour or so so it can cool down.

Great tool after I adjusted it
I have had this tool for a while now and didn't really use it that much. Boards I ran though it had lines and nicks in them and needed a lot of sanding to get smooth. Recently I needed to plane down a bunch of stock so decided to change the blades and try to get it adjusted right. I did not have any problems getting the blades out like some early reviews commented on so Delta must of fixed the over-tighten problem on the blade screws. I cleaned the blades and the area around them and since they still looked sharp put them back in. The machine ran perfect after that. Boards are smooth needing little finish sanding with no nicks or snipe at all. This thing creates a lot of dust and chips so I really recommend the dust collector accessory for it. Take a hour or so when you first get this machine to take the blades out and clean them and the area around them before you start using the machine, you won't regret it.

Easy Set Up
I helped my Dad get his 22-560 going and I liked it so much I bought myself one. Both were easy to set up with the infeed and outfeed tables and knives properly set from the factory. The surface is great. I may throw away all of my medium and coarse grit sandpaper. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Delta has done it again. The 22-565 12-1/2-inch planer is asolid addition to the company's already stellar lineup of planingtools and is ideally suited for the home woodworking enthusiast lookingfor a good planer at an affordable price. Like other Delta planers, the22-565 is designed to provide smooth results, superior snipe control(thanks to the four-post cutterhead support system and headlock), andfast, safe, and accurate blade changes. Powered by a 15 amp, 120-voltsingle-phase motor, the 22-565 generates an operating speed of 8,000rpm. As materials pass into the unit, two double-sided, reversibleknives deliver a blazing 51 cpi to smooth rough surfaces and provide anattractive finished result. The double-sided steel knives comefactory-indexed and fit directly on machined posts in the cutterhead, sothere's no fiddling with knife-setting fixtures or tricky gauges. Plus,a magnetized blade-removing tool makes it a snap to get the blades out.Delta has also extended the infeed and outfeed tables on this unit to28-1/2 inches to better support stock. The company has also included asturdy stand to give you the option of making this a freestanding unit.--Carl Thress ... Read more

Features

• Complete with a stand and extra set of reversible knives
• 15 amp motor for maximum power
• Advanced cutter head lock for superior snipe control
• Easy and safe knife changing for perfect alignment each time
• Longer chrome in-feed and out-feed tables

Reviews (10)

just used up my first set of blades
The planer sets up fast and accurate, with most of my time fiddling with the depth indicator. It certainly spews out a lot of sawdust, so make sure you get/use a dust collector too.
I've had mine for 4 months or so, and have run many board feet through - pine, recycled redwood (one-by's and six-by's), rough milled Cherry (4/4 x 6w and 8/4 x 7.5w), birch, oak, poplar - both hard and soft woods.
The planer has done an outstanding job. The only thing I've had to re-align is the thickness indicator. The infeed and outfeed tables remain level. The head lock mechanism keeps the cutterhead locked and level during planing (even on real thick and long boards that tended to wander a bit during planing). Find out how to feed stock in the correct direction and you'll always get smooth planed surfaces (I take no more than 1/16" bites at a time). Once you learn how to support the ingoing and outcoming boards, snipe is barely apparent if at all.
I'm just through with my first set of blades. Changing them looks easy and fast enough to not be too much of a chore.
This is a great addition to my garage workshop.

Replacement Blades for Delta 22-565
Well I am just getting started in wood-working. And I was looking for a planer I ran across this Delta 22-565. It looks very good overall. I just have one concern before I buy. Should my blades get dull, where do I get replacement blades from? I checked out the ones on this website but they don't have any for this model planer. I would appreciate it very much if someone cold fill me in on replacement blades for this planer. Thank You
Mike

Delta is NOT made in USA
I recently purchased a Delta 22-565 Planer and it is all I expected except one. I had the impression that all Delta brand tools were made in USA and their offshore tools had a different name. Well, was I surprised to see a "MADE IN TAIWAN" on the planer. Other than that it is all it is made out to be in the many reviews of this machine. I haven't used it extensively bur when I did, it performed flawlessly. Live and learn...

Good planer, but get the 13" 2-speed
I have used this product extensively for about a year. I have run some pretty heavy stuff through it--8/4 maple and a fair bit of 8/4 and 6/4 teak. I am on my second set of blades and have not had any serious problems. The stand is a nice add, but it is difficult to put on wheels without spending a fortune on pre-made caster set up. I ended up building a solid wood box with casters from home depot that is much sturdier. All in all, I think for the extra 100 bucks, I would go with the 13", 2 speed. It makes the 12" width stock work much better and it looks like a slightly heavier product, which is usefull when running 8/4 or any long stock.

Piece of Junk
The stand is good. That's the best I can say. After purchasing this planer and using it maybe 3 times it stopped feeding the stock. I had to push on the boards to get them to move through the tool. Well, the local shop "fixed" it twice then I returned it. It never worked well. The blades are also [poor]. They nick very easily. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Delta calls its 22-580 a finishing planer, but it's really twoplaners in one. A dimensioning speed of 60 cpi allows you to shave roughwood to its desired thickness quickly and accurately, with virtually nosnipe. Then, with a single pass at the quicker finishing speed of 90cpi, your wood comes out ultra-smooth and ready to go. The razor-sharp,double-sided M2 steel knives of the 22-580 are powered by a 15 amp,120-volt single-phase motor. Bells and whistles like a blade zeroindicator (which lets you set the cutterhead to the exact thickness ofyour wood), patented cutterhead lock (which eliminates snipe), and easyblade-change system add to the value, as do the oversize infeed andoutfeed tables, which make it easier to glide your wood through themachine. Overall, this is one solid piece of machinery. --CarlThress ... Read more

Features

• 2-speed feed rate system for rough and finishing stock removal
• Patented cutterhead lock virtually eliminates snipe
• Full range depth stop for any thickness from 1/8 to 6-1/2 inches
• Blade zero indicator sets the cutterhead to the exact thickness of material
• Fast and safe blade change system

Features

• Two-year limited warranty on machines, parts, and accessories
• 3-horsepower, 230-volt induction motor for powerful operation
• Three-knife cutterhead with jack screw adjustment for easy knife-setting
• Spiral serrated steel infeed mechanism for a positive grip
• Stand with roller extensions included

Reviews (8)

very nice planer
I picked up this planer in August and have since used it several times preparing wood for many projects. As advertised, it is very heavy and takes a number of hours to set up. Once the machine is assembled and adjusted, it does a wonderful job planing woods. It must be used with a dust collection unit as you will soon be in a mountain of chips! The two speeds are nice - you can buzz through a pile of wood in short order and then finish the boards on the slower setting - although with sharp blades, it is difficult to improve on the finish at the faster setting. The maching and parts were nearly flawless - the only fault I have observed is that one of the screws that fastend the oil gear box leaks a small amount of oil.

My experience is that this is a very good quality machine.

Bob

Should have gotten it sooner
My trust in the Delta name has not gone unrewarded. I bought this machine to be able to use timber thats just not available at the lumber yard. How did I ever get along without it. Assembly out of the box took about three hours to get everything set correctly. Instructions are clear and accurate. All the parts where included. This is a heavy monster so get a friend (four) to help get it out of the shipping wrap and in place. The blades where set accurately out of the box. The roller extensions tables never seemed to be perfectly level with the bed but this has not been a problem. The two speed auto feed works great. I have run everything from pine to green heart. Clean, smooth and no snipe. The motor never seems to have any trouble with the cuts but I do tend to be kind and keep my cuts lean. The only trouble was the power circuit for this tool. I ran a dedicated 240 volt circuit. The book said to use a 20 amp and there is a sticker on the stand that says 15 amp. I went with the 20 but the motor trips the breaker on the second or third start. This motor is a direct start ( no capacitors) so the power on startup is high. I had to go to a 30 amp breaker. If you have the space and the money get this machine, You will not be disappointed.

The hoist was a good investment
Recently purchashed this planer, the DJ-20 jointer and Delta dust collector. Same time I picked up a fold-up engine hoist. These guys are real heavy. Assembly was easy, with the hoist & nylon straps to do the lifting.
The Planer works flawlessly after futzing with the roller table assembly/alignment. The largest I had to give it was 12" black walnut and it came out beautifully and without straining. Only Thing I don't like is that the dust collector (optional) port is like 5" so my hoses don't fit. And I think you really need dust collector with this thing, unless you don't mind being up to your knees in chips. Had to modify the dust collector (cut the crossbar out of inlet), either that or change it's name to insta-plug.
I was woried about the steel feed roller leaving marks but it doesn't unless you don't cut, then their minimal
Saw minimal snipe once but not since, go figure.

Initial satisfaction very good
I've recently upgraded from a ten year old Delta bench model planer. Most of my other machinery is Delta and I have been very satisfied with their quality and customer service.

I agree overall with the other reviews I have read for this machine. If you are considering purchasing one, take the warnings VERY seriously on this machine's weight. Get at least three buddies to help you get it moved and assembled. My workshop is in the basement and it was very precarious bringing the machine down the outside steps. I removed the motor and probably saved 100 pounds on our backs. Even with the motor removed, the machine probably weighs close to 300 pounds. Placing two 2X4's through the cutter head and table worked well to provide adequate lifting points. The 2X4's combined with a couple of saw horses allowed me to roll the base under the saw and get it positioned before lowering. If you are considering getting this planer without the mobil stand, think again! With the money you'll save planing rough cut to finish, it will well be worth the investment in a mobil base.

If you remove the motor, take care when re-assembling. There is adequate play in the belt tensioning bolts and if you are not careful, the inside belt will rub against one of the bolts. This is easily corrected by rotating the motor housing on its bolts. Someone to hold the motor and pry bar will make aligning the motor much easier.

Plan on spending a few hours with rags and about a quart of kerosene cleaning the shipping grease from the machine. The up-side of all the grease is that there was not one spec of rust or other moisture related intrusion.

I have only run scrap through it at this point to get a feel for its capabilities. It has power to burn. Even on high speed, the planed surface is smooth and in need of little work. I had a little snipe initially, but after I took the time to fuss with the outfeed table, the snipe was gone. I have no fear of running my first piece of furniture grade lumber through it.

I was initially leary of purchasing this machine being that it was made in China. I have a three-hourse Unisaw made in Mississippi and have had absolutely no problems or complaints with it. This planer is not quite the same level of quality as far as fit and finish are concerned - but I didn't buy it to enter in a woodworking show, I bought it to plane wood. I initially considered Jet and Grizzly. Even though the Delta cost more, I feel it was worth it for the performance. The others just didn't seem to have the same heft and power.

JK
Received lots of rough sawn wood from my father-in-law. Debated long and hard over portable vs. full size. Ended up, like the rest of my shop choosing Delta. The unit came delivered in about 10 days on a large pallet. Broke down the little stuff and broke my back getting the unit (took off the motor) down into my basement shop. Once everything was back together I was rewarded with a machine that did exactly what it was supposed to do. I was originally disappointed to see the unit was now made in China (I guess I knew it after reading others reviews) but I can honestly say it seems to be built well. Kind of a pain adjusting in/out feed rollers, but a small price to pay. Works great so far. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

This is a reconditioned power tool. Reconditioned generally means that the tool has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the tool back to like-new condition. Some tools may contain cosmetic blemishes. Same warranty as new.

Delta has done it again. The 22-565 12-1/2-inch planer is a solid addition to the company's already stellar lineup of planing tools and is ideally suited for the home woodworking enthusiast looking for a good planer at an affordable price. Like other Delta planers, the 22-565 is designed to provide smooth results, superior snipe control (thanks to the four-post cutterhead support system and headlock), and fast, safe, and accurate blade changes. Powered by a 15 amp, 120-volt single-phase motor, the 22-565 generates an operating speed of 8,000 rpm. As materials pass into the unit, two double-sided, reversible knives deliver a blazing 51 cpi to smooth rough surfaces and provide an attractive finished result. The double-sided steel knives come factory-indexed and fit directly on machined posts in the cutterhead, so there's no fiddling with knife-setting fixtures or tricky gauges. Plus, a magnetized blade-removing tool makes it a snap to get the blades out. Delta has also extended the infeed and outfeed tables on this unit to 28-1/2 inches to better support stock. The company has included a sturdy stand to give you the option of making this a freestanding unit. --Carl Thress ... Read more

Features

• Complete with a stand
• 15 amp motor for maximum power
• Advanced cutter head lock for superior snipe control
• Easy and safe knife changing for perfect alignment each time
• Longer chrome in-feed and out-feed tables