My level of woodworking seriousness is: I build, maybe, one sizeable thing
each year and tinker in between ...when I'm not shooting aliens and saving
the galaxy on THIS machine.
So far in my hobby "career", I've been lucky or wise-choiced enough to work
on projects for which I could easily obtain the correct thickness of stock.
So I don't own a power planer. But I've been thinking one might be handy,
if not entirely cost-justifiable for the little use I expect. But maybe
I expect wrongly?
Anyway I was thinking of getting a handheld electric planer. Someting
cheap, like Harbor Freight. 3-3/4" wide cutting seems that it would do
for most of the boards I deform. But if I have to do the occasionally wider
one, would there be trouble keeping a consistent thickness across it? Am I
just setting myself up for major disappointment and drooling envy for the
eventual $400+ "real" machine down the road?
Might I ask what you guys advise, who've been around and/or do this
professionally?
On Feb 27, 9:14=A0am, [email protected] wrote:
> So far in my hobby "career", I've been lucky or wise-choiced enough to wo=
rk
> on projects for which I could easily obtain the correct thickness of stoc=
k.
> So I don't own a power planer. =A0But I've been thinking one might be han=
dy,
Having a thickness planer allows you to process your own boards from
rough lumber (if you have a source for that), to resaw + flatten thin
boards
with confidence (like for under-1/2 inch sides for small drawers), and
to make a cupped/warped board perfectly flat right before a critical
assembly step.
The upfront purchase price is only part of the cost; shaving
collection
and sharpening are going to be ongoing issues.
For me, it makes slightly more sense to have a few hand planes and to
learn to use them. My lumberyard has S3S hardwood lumber, not rough.
[email protected] wrote:
>But maybe
>I expect wrongly?
You expect wrongly?
An electric hand held planer is no substitute for a surface planer.
After trimming doors to fit, it uses go down hill quickly.
IMHO, a surface planer is a basic tool along with a table saw complete
with dado set and a router as workshop basics.
Add some sandpaper and you can build a lot of things.
Lew
In article
<f5147bbc-c29d-4336-8cf9-a9cf7d778a36@g19g2000yqe.googlegroups.com>,
[email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
> As another thought, don't think those units will 90 degree edge your
> stock,either. Might be OK for smaller pieces, but they will follow
> the curve of your board quite nicely, scooping out the valleys and
> maintaining any arcs when edging.
I use one only when I've got between 1 and 3mm to remove from the edge of
of a piece of timber, leaving enough for a finish with a hand plane - 22"
jointer usually.
On Feb 27, 12:14=A0pm, [email protected] wrote:
> My level of woodworking seriousness is: =A0 I build, maybe, one sizeable =
thing
> each year and tinker in between ...when I'm not shooting aliens and savin=
g
> the galaxy on THIS machine.
>
> So far in my hobby "career", I've been lucky or wise-choiced enough to wo=
rk
> on projects for which I could easily obtain the correct thickness of stoc=
k.
> So I don't own a power planer. =A0But I've been thinking one might be han=
dy,
> if not entirely cost-justifiable for the little use I expect. =A0 =A0 But=
maybe
> I expect wrongly?
>
> Anyway I was thinking of getting a handheld electric planer. =A0Someting
> cheap, like Harbor Freight. =A0 =A03-3/4" wide cutting seems that it woul=
d do
> for most of the boards I deform. =A0But if I have to do the occasionally =
wider
> one, would there be trouble keeping a consistent thickness across it? =A0=
Am I
> just setting myself up for major disappointment and drooling envy for the
> eventual $400+ "real" machine down the road?
>
> Might I ask what you guys advise, who've been around and/or do this
> professionally?
Bandsaw a couple of jack planes. Set one plane to cut fine,
the other as a scrub, with a crowned iron and a wide set
mouth. By time I finish with my fine-set #5, I have a glass
smooth surface, flatter than any planer can spit out.
On Feb 27, 11:48=A0am, "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I think you'd do better with a router with a large mortising or dado clea=
n
> out bit and sort of a "shooting box"...a way of supporting the board
> horizontally between two upright boards, run the router back & forth, to =
and
> fro along the two uprights. That will get you a consistent thickness
> regardlees of board lenght or width.http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v=
116-1105
> dadiOH
Of the two choices, I would certainly agree with dadiOH. (Not just in
attire... poodle skirts, bobbie socks, saddle oxfords, and Vitalis..
<VBG> )
Controlling one of those things can be a trick. I don't think they
were ever intended to be used as a "thickness planer", but only used
on thinner stock.
A good sharp power hand planer can run material faster than an 80g
belt in a 3X21 sander. Man can those things dig....
If you want to use the tool properly (and more safely), don't use any
more of that blade width than necessary.
As another thought, don't think those units will 90 degree edge your
stock,either. Might be OK for smaller pieces, but they will follow
the curve of your board quite nicely, scooping out the valleys and
maintaining any arcs when edging.
Better tools to spend your "fun" money on.
Robert
On Sat, 27 Feb 2010 17:14:00 GMT, [email protected] wrote:
>My level of woodworking seriousness is: I build, maybe, one sizeable thing
>each year and tinker in between ...when I'm not shooting aliens and saving
>the galaxy on THIS machine.
>
>So far in my hobby "career", I've been lucky or wise-choiced enough to work
>on projects for which I could easily obtain the correct thickness of stock.
>So I don't own a power planer. But I've been thinking one might be handy,
>if not entirely cost-justifiable for the little use I expect. But maybe
>I expect wrongly?
>
>Anyway I was thinking of getting a handheld electric planer. Someting
>cheap, like Harbor Freight. 3-3/4" wide cutting seems that it would do
>for most of the boards I deform. But if I have to do the occasionally wider
>one, would there be trouble keeping a consistent thickness across it? Am I
>just setting myself up for major disappointment and drooling envy for the
>eventual $400+ "real" machine down the road?
>
>Might I ask what you guys advise, who've been around and/or do this
>professionally?
Don't ever believe a hand-held planer is a good substitute for a
surface planer. A few hardware lumber dealers will plane your stock
for a small fee, maybe your best choice at this point. Small pieces
are not too difficult to do by hand, patience and a little skill
required.
[email protected] wrote:
> My level of woodworking seriousness is: I build, maybe, one
> sizeable thing each year and tinker in between ...when I'm not
> shooting aliens and saving the galaxy on THIS machine.
>
> So far in my hobby "career", I've been lucky or wise-choiced enough
> to work on projects for which I could easily obtain the correct
> thickness of stock. So I don't own a power planer. But I've been
> thinking one might be handy, if not entirely cost-justifiable for the
> little use I expect. But maybe I expect wrongly?
>
> Anyway I was thinking of getting a handheld electric planer. Someting
> cheap, like Harbor Freight. 3-3/4" wide cutting seems that it
> would do for most of the boards I deform. But if I have to do the
> occasionally wider one, would there be trouble keeping a consistent
> thickness across it? Am I just setting myself up for major
> disappointment and drooling envy for the eventual $400+ "real"
> machine down the road?
>
> Might I ask what you guys advise, who've been around and/or do this
> professionally?
I think you'd do better with a router with a large mortising or dado clean
out bit and sort of a "shooting box"...a way of supporting the board
horizontally between two upright boards, run the router back & forth, to and
fro along the two uprights. That will get you a consistent thickness
regardlees of board lenght or width.
http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v116-1105
--
dadiOH
____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
<[email protected]> wrote
> So far in my hobby "career", I've been lucky or wise-choiced enough to
> work
> on projects for which I could easily obtain the correct thickness of
> stock.
> So I don't own a power planer. But I've been thinking one might be handy,
> if not entirely cost-justifiable for the little use I expect. But
> maybe
> I expect wrongly?
>
> Anyway I was thinking of getting a handheld electric planer. Someting
> cheap, like Harbor Freight. 3-3/4" wide cutting seems that it would do
> for most of the boards I deform. But if I have to do the occasionally
> wider
> one, would there be trouble keeping a consistent thickness across it? Am
> I
> just setting myself up for major disappointment and drooling envy for the
> eventual $400+ "real" machine down the road?
Hand held planer may be OK to shave a door to fit better, but it is probably
going to do damage if you try to thickness a board.
If you can't justify the better planers, perhaps the Ryobi at $229 is
suitable for occasional use.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xr5/R-100375976/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053