An electric hand planer can be an extremely useful addition to any workshop or toolbox. But with so many models on the market, how do you know if an electric planer is right for you? This comprehensive guide will walk you through the key benefits of electric planers, who they’re best suited for, and what features to look for when choosing one.
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What is an Electric Planer?
An electric hand planer, sometimes called a power planer, is a power tool used to smoothly shave away wood. It consists of a motorized rotating blade enclosed in a housing that rides along the surface of the wood. The spinning blade removes a thin layer of material as you guide the planer across the wood’s surface. This allows you to flatten, straighten, thin, or smooth your workpiece.
Electric planers are available as either corded or cordless models. Corded versions connect directly to an electrical outlet to operate, while cordless models run on a rechargeable battery pack. They come in a range of sizes and capacities suitable for projects both large and small.
Key Benefits of an Electric Planer
Compared to manual hand planes, electric planers offer a few key advantages:
- Speed: Electric planers remove material much faster than you can by hand. This saves you time and effort.
- Consistency: The motorized blade spins at a constant, controlled rate for smoother, more even planing. Manual planes require more skill to use evenly.
- Versatility: Electric planers can plane boards of various widths and lengths. A manual plane is limited by your arm span.
- Less physical effort: You simply guide the electric planer over the wood. No need for the repetitive hand muscles motions of manual planing.
- Dust collection: Most electric planers allow you to connect to a shop vacuum to collect wood shavings and dust as you work.
In short, an electric planer allows you to plane wood faster, smoother, and with less tiring effort compared to hand planes. For large projects or repetitive planing tasks, the time savings and convenience can be significant.
Who Can Benefit From an Electric Planer?
Here are some of the woodworkers who will get the most use and benefit from an electric hand planer:
- Furniture builders: Flattening large tabletops, surfacing chair seats, and smoothing curved details are all made easier with a power planer.
- Cabinet makers: Quickly fitting doors and drawers to openings by fine-tuning the edges is much faster than sanding by hand.
- Wood floor installers: Planing down high spots in new hardwood flooring ensures a perfectly flat surface to install on.
- DIYers and hobbyists: Occasional users will appreciate the simplicity of quickly smoothing rough lumber compared to hand planes that require skill to operate well.
- Trim carpenters: Power planers excel at quickly fitting baseboard and trim snugly against uneven walls.
- Craftsmen: Those who make decorative or artistic objects out of wood often need to shape and smooth curves and irregular shapes.
In general, any woodworker looking to surface flat boards, fit joints, smooth curves, remove saw marks, thin stock, or tackle other smoothing/flattening tasks will find an electric planer makes the job faster and easier.
Key Features to Look For
Electric planers come in a range of sizes, powers, and features. When choosing one, here are some key factors to consider:
Planing Width Capacity
The planing width determines the maximum board width the planer can smooth in a single pass. This ranges from 3-1/4″ on smaller models up to 6-1/4″ on larger planers. Make sure to choose a planing width that suits the size of your typical workpieces.
Cutting Depth
Cutting depth determines how much material the planer can remove in a single pass. The deeper the cuts, the faster you can remove stock or smooth warped boards. Look for a model that can make at least 1/8″ deep cuts, with 1/4″ depth being preferable for tackling thicker stock removal.
Feed Rate
The feed rate measures how many feet of board length the planer can process in one minute. Faster feed rates of 16+ feet per minute save time on longer boards. Slower feed rates provide more control on intricate work.
Cordless or Corded
Cordless, battery-powered planers offer complete portability and the freedom to work anywhere. Corded models provide unlimited runtime, higher power, and no batteries to maintain. Choose based on your needs and workspace.
Dust Collection
Look for a model that allows you to connect a shop vacuum hose to collect dust as you work. This keeps your workspace cleaner and reduces airborne dust particles.
Additional Features
Other useful features to look for include adjustable depth stops for consistent planing depths, kickstands to rest the planer on the workpiece, and dual edge guides to keep the planer centered on the board.
Top Electric Planer Models
Here is a selection of some of the best electric planers currently available from brands like Dewalt, Makita, Bosch, and others:
| Brand & Model | Power | Planing Width | Cutting Depth | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dewalt DW680K | 6.5 amps | 3-1/4″ | 1/8″ | 7 lbs |
| Makita 2012NB | 12 amps | 6-1/4″ | 1/4″ | 9.5 lbs |
| Bosch PL1632 | 6.5 amps | 3-1/4″ | 1/8″ | 7.7 lbs |
| Ridgid R2965 | 15 amps | 6-1/8″ | 1/8″ | 11 lbs |
This table compares some of the key stats like power, planing width, depth of cut, and weight. As you can see, models offer a range of capabilities to suit different needs and budgets.
Getting the Most From Your Electric Planer
To use your new electric planer effectively, keep these tips in mind:
- Read the instruction manual and safety guidelines thoroughly before use.
- Always wear eye and hearing protection when operating.
- Make light passes rather than trying to remove too much material at once.
- Move the planer in smooth, consistent motions across the board.
- Advance along the board lengthwise, not across the grain to avoid tearout.
- Keep blades sharp and replace as needed for best performance.
- Clean dust and debris from the planer regularly to prevent buildup.
- Check that stock is free of nails, screws or other debris before planing.
- Allow motor to reach full speed before engaging the cutter head into workpiece.
Following the manufacturer’s directions for maintenance and operation will help keep your electric planer performing at its best for years of productive use.
Safety Tips
While extremely useful tools, electric planers do involve some safety risks. Here are some important tips for staying safe:
- Keep hands away from the cutting blade at all times. Never reach under the planer while it is plugged in.
- Avoid awkward hand positions that can lead to accidental contact with the spinning blade.
- Unplug the planer when adjusting depths or making any adjustments.
- Feed workpiece in proper direction to avoid kickback from blade.
- Support workpiece completely to keep it steady and avoid uncontrolled planing motion.
- Don’t force planer or overload its capabilities to avoid overheating or damage.
- Ensure work area is free of clutter, debris, power cords, etc. to avoid tripping hazards.
- Wear an N95 respirator when planing certain woods like MDF that produce large amounts of fine dust.
Staying alert and using proper precautions will help ensure safe operation and prevent accidents.
Conclusion
From smoothing rough-sawn lumber to fitting joints, electric hand planers are a versatile must-have for any woodworking shop. Their speed and ease of use make quick work of tedious planing tasks compared to manual hand planes.
Choosing an electric planer with sufficient power and capacity for your typical projects will provide years of productive use. Models from trusted brands like Dewalt, Makita, and others will tackle planing tasks both small and large while saving you time and physical effort.
So if you’re looking to surface lumber, fit joints, smooth edges, remove saw marks, flatten warped boards or any other planing work, an electric planer can make the job faster, more consistent, and far easier on your hands. The time and effort savings will quickly pay back the investment in convenience and productivity.