Reply by CaptainKlutz

+1 go big!

If we are making recommendations, and you own forest full of timber and plan to machine acres of wood,
YES – go big. Big can be cheap in used market.
Example:
For last 2 months we have had a 24” antique Newman planer on CL. Currently marked down to only $1350.

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/nph/tls/d/carefree-wood-planer-24/6810712333.html

If I had the space available, would have bought it last month when it was priced even higher. :-)

Cheers!

-- If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all, - Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign released 1967