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Planes and Planers Buying Guide:Any woodworking project calls for flat, straight lumber and planes/planers do just that. There are many types of planes and planers, each with it's own unique function. Many people often get planers and jointers mixed up or consider them the same type of equipment but they actually perform 2 seperate functions. We will go into the differences below but for now remember that thickness planers are used for smoothing rough lumber or reducing the thickness of a board while a jointer is used for actually straightening the board. The various types of planes and planers are the block plane, bench plane, trimming plane, pocket plane, spoke shave, shave, electric hand plane and power planer. There are combo jointer and planer machines that are more expensive but may save you space in your workshop which can be essential.
Best Planers:The best power hand planer is the Bosch 1594K 3-1/4" Planer Kit ($140) - features a powerful 6.5 amp motor and a chip ejection switch which directs wood shavings left or right. The versatile 2-blade system is equipped with the Bosch Woodrazor micrograin carbide blades and a bevel fence guide. Users say the strong motor never bogs down and depth control is accurate and easy to use. Hand power planers are great for deck trimming, door/doorway adjustment, cabinet scribing, subfloor leveling and are often referred to as "door planers" or "edge planers". The Makita N1900B 3-1/4" Planer Kit with Case is about the same price as the Bosch and is both trim and lightweight but it needs a bevel guide to run properly. The Festool HL850E and Porter-Cable 9118 are other options for hand power planers that experts and professionals say are worth the money. The DeWalt DW680K 3-1/4" Heavy-Duty Planer Kit is another popular seller for $150 that can remove up to 3/32-inch in a single pass and has a 1/2" rabbeting capacity. Users say the DeWalt is precise, the depth adjustment knob is easy to set, the balance is good and the center of gravity is low. As with most planers we found, there is no dust bag or dust collection system so we recommend buying one with the DeWalt. The Grizzly H3141 Heavy-Duty 3-1/4" Portable Planer ($50) is considered a "best buy" for the price and owners say "you will get your moneys worth". We found several good deals at Home Depot for the Ryobi AP1301 Surface Planer with RapidSet Blade System for around $250.For a thickness planer or finishing planer we recommend the Delta 22-580 13D Finishing Planer ($368) or the DEWALT DW735 13" Thickness Planer ($500). The Delta planer has a 2-Speed feed rate system for rough and finishing stock removal, a patented cutterhead lock to virtually eliminates snipe, and a full range depth stop for any thickness from 1/8" to 6-12". The 13" capacity is more than ample and most woodworkers who have used 15" and 13" planers say the 15" is not necessary. A few complaints on the Delta were with basic wear and tear issues that needed attention after a year and one owner said a dust collection system is needed. The Dewalt planer was rated very high by first time users of planers with one of the major complaints being that the planer knives dull fast and need replacing more often than other planers. For a high end planer, consider the Powermatic 1120003 PM15 Planer/Molder ($1692) - features a 5 HP motor with a 15" planing capacity, feed rollers, integral casters for mobility, 2 feed speeds, and a dust collection port. This heavy duty planer has both mold and plane capabilities. Other wood planers in this category are the Jet JPM-13CS / 708524 13" Planer/Molder with Enclosed Stand.
Jointer vs Planer:As we mentioned up above, jointers and planers will actually perform different functions for you. There are combination machines for woodworkers looking to save space in their shops and still get all the functionality they need. We found the Ridgid JP0610 6-1/8" Jointer/Planer combo with a duel bevel fence with stops at 45, 90, and 135 degrees. The cost is about $350 and it sells at Home Depot. The long 45" bed gives greater support to large work pieces, it has a rabbeting ledge for precise rabbets up to 1/2" deep; adjustable front and rear tables. The Sof-Touch knobs and handle grips give operator comfort and high-visibility; magnifier depth scale indicator. We say why settle for one or the other when you can get 2 machines in 1 for a reasonable price.
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