Hi,
I had a makita very similar to the dewalt and it was fine for a few years but very light use. Then one day i was doing some very wide oak and it just slowed down and the motor burned out, had to spray extinguiser into hole where carbon things on springs screw into (I know i don't know what they are called.
But, it had good accuracy and gave a very smooth finish almost as good as a hand plane. Small sizes can be planed as well if put through on a bigger piece.
Was well made and depth gauge although not super accurate, it was accurate enough.
There was never much if any tearout and it coped with knots very well.
Maybe it was just the width of the oak an hardness combined were too much. If i hadn't pushed it one day it would probably still be going.
I did buy a cheaper Jet version but never used it and might have sold it now.
Very good for really long sawn boards when i did a load a few times, noisy, heavy but did pack away quite small, amd well made.
Have a Jet one unused and i have sold it i think.
Seemed almost as good, handles were not quite the same quality, but it was never used.
But if i had the space i would buy a large non portable that i have just realised is the item you are asking about not the portable ones.
Pete
