ricklab Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 (edited) I have a couple of boards that I want to plane from 1" to 3/4. This piece is Saple. I don't have this need very often. Any suggestions on a planner that works well for occasional use? Would a hand held do the job? Edited February 25, 2016 by ricklab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill WIlson Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 If you are referring to a electric hand planer, I suspect that you might be disappointed in the results. Those are designed more for jointing than finish planing and dimensioning lumber, but you may be able to use it to rough it down, then finish it by hand with a scraper or a smoothing plane. You could do the whole job with bench planes. Typically one would use a jack plane to get the thickness down close to desired dimension, then finish off with a smoothing plane. The planes need to be very sharp and tuned well to achieve best results and it takes some practice to develop the technique. My suggestion, if you don't have a friend or neighbor who has a planer you could borrow, is to look for a lightly used bench top power planer. I imagine you could find a decent one for not much more $$ than a really good electric hand planer. You might be surprised at how much you use it, once you have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 If you are referring to a electric hand planer, I suspect that you might be disappointed in the results. Those are designed more for jointing than finish planing and dimensioning lumber, but you may be able to use it to rough it down, then finish it by hand with a scraper or a smoothing plane. You could do the whole job with bench planes. Typically one would use a jack plane to get the thickness down close to desired dimension, then finish off with a smoothing plane. The planes need to be very sharp and tuned well to achieve best results and it takes some practice to develop the technique. My suggestion, if you don't have a friend or neighbor who has a planer you could borrow, is to look for a lightly used bench top power planer. I imagine you could find a decent one for not much more $$ than a really good electric hand planer. You might be surprised at how much you use it, once you have one. I have the instruction book with my planer somewhere in the mix here.so untill i find it i'm at wits end as to the safe proper way to use it .Any and all info i see or hear of stays in the memory banks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 If you are referring to a electric hand planer, I suspect that you might be disappointed in the results. Those are designed more for jointing than finish planing and dimensioning lumber, but you may be able to use it to rough it down, then finish it by hand with a scraper or a smoothing plane. You could do the whole job with bench planes. Typically one would use a jack plane to get the thickness down close to desired dimension, then finish off with a smoothing plane. The planes need to be very sharp and tuned well to achieve best results and it takes some practice to develop the technique. My suggestion, if you don't have a friend or neighbor who has a planer you could borrow, is to look for a lightly used bench top power planer. I imagine you could find a decent one for not much more $$ than a really good electric hand planer. You might be surprised at how much you use it, once you have one. A shop could plane that down in a few minutes,or mount your electric plan upside down and firmly attached so you could run your wood the same width as the planed over and over taking a 1/16{" off at a time,this scares me though,lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilson142 Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 I once needed some boards thickness planed, and after ruining one with an electric hand planer, I called the local high school shop teacher and he had one of his boys in the shop class do it for me for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhudson Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 I have the instruction book with my planer somewhere in the mix here.so untill i find it i'm at wits end as to the safe proper way to use it .Any and all info i see or hear of stays in the memory banks What brand/model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhudson Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 You didn't mention how wide the stock is? Do you have a band saw? You could re-saw to 13/16 and clean up with a hand plane or even a belt sander. I have a Delta 'lunch box' planer and find it pretty handy. The De Walt brand planer seems to get the best reviews these days. As others have suggested you can see if you can find a shop/school/neighbor etc who'll run you stock through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 I have a couple of boards that I want to plane from 1" to 3/4. This piece is Saple. I don't have this need very often. Any suggestions on a planner that works well for occasional use? Would a hand held do the job? Rick I have a planer and would be happy to do it for you. Where in NC are you? Seem to recall you are in the western part of NC. I am also a member of NCWW so I know wood workers all over the state. If you are to far away from me I might be able to hook you up with a WW closer to where you live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricklab Posted February 25, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 Obsessed Thanks so much for the offer BUT.... I am in west Jefferson, about 20 miles from Boone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamminjack Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 Get yourself a Dewalt thickness planner. It does a wonderful job, and you will be surprised once you decided to bite the bullet how many times you use it. You will be wondering how did you ever get along with out it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsN Posted February 25, 2016 Report Share Posted February 25, 2016 I used to have an old "lunch box" style planer. I think it was harbor freight model from the 80's. I loved it! I was really handy to have something to take material down in thickness. I had to get rid of it when I got divorced, there is no way I could use a planer in my apartment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kywoodmaster Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 As several have mentioned find a high school or trade school that has a wood shop they will usually do it for free, I that is not available look for a woodcraft store they will do it for a charge. DO NOT TRY IT WITH A ELECTRIC HAND PLANE. You will regret that decision. The hand plane is great if you need to shave the side of a board but it don't do thickness well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky2 Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 Most woodworkers own a planer, you must know a woodworker who owns a planer, ask around. If you can't find a woodworker to do this for you, you could take it to a school like Wilson142 has suggested. I have done that in the past, they were great to help and I donated a few bucks towards their grad party. Len Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 You could probably find a used portable thickness planer on craigslist or kijiji I found a 12" delta with a new set of blades here in Vancouver BC for $70 Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneMahler Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 Is there any lumber yards or mills around you. They will do it for a couple bucks. tomsteve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullyscroller Posted February 26, 2016 Report Share Posted February 26, 2016 I bought my Porter cable planer at lowes for around $250 and i love it. probably have run 5000 bf thru it in a couple of years. might be my most used tool in my shop sully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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