which electric planer for weekend handyman?

[gychang]

anyone have a recommendation?, so many choices seems like.

I build speakers as a hobby and take orders from the wife on what needs to be fixed, (now the french door is sticking...).

good overall performance with favorable price is what I am looking for. I don't see any obvious sale this weekend...

gychang

[Pappy]

The DeWalts are about the best out there but high $$$. Delta has a good rep, also.

I saw a Steel City 13" a few days ago. Impressed with the 4 post height adjustment, but didn't see a head lock. Didn't have time to check the manual.

[LinuxRandal]

If I read you right (French door sticking) and you mean electric HAND planer, I recommend the Bosch.

If your referring to the benchtop planer/surfacer, then follow the above advice.


I am partial to the Bosch due to it's easy attachment to, and use on a guide system, decent blades, and dual chute for vac hookup.

[gychang]

If I read you right (French door sticking) and you mean electric HAND planer, I recommend the Bosch.

If your referring to the benchtop planer/surfacer, then follow the above advice.


I am partial to the Bosch due to it's easy attachment to, and use on a guide system, decent blades, and dual chute for vac hookup.

thanks, I meant hand planer.

gychang

[sweensdv]

I have the Makita, hate it! I should have gotten a Bosch.

I must caution you though, this is a tool that a weekend warrior will very seldom use. Unless you have a very old house with a lot of sticking doors and windows you probably will be better of in the long run to check out the models from the likes of Harbor Freight.

[Pappy]

Sorry, I didn't catch the use when I responded.

A decent #3 or #4 will do what you need and find other use in the shop. This is one of those jobs where power isn't a necessity.

[tedkitch]

I have the Ryobi One+ Cordless Planer. I don't know much about serious planing, but for the price it has been very good and I used it on all of the doors in my house. Being an older house, nothing is square and I've used that planer quite a bit. The blades are easy to change and it has a nicely sized dust port that my small shop vac plugs right into it, so there is hardly any dust at all. I've been very happy with the value that I get from it for what I paid for it.

[gwyneth]

Last week Amazon had the GMC on sale for $33--check the bargain alerts section to get the link (it probably is still on sale). I have both it and the Bosch and like the GMC better (thought it was a good buy for the $75 I paid).

[sparkeyjames]

I bought cheap. I have the ryobi electric hand planer. Useful to me for reshaping wayward 2x4's while remodeling my house. Luckily I have not yet chipped a blade on a nail so it is still useful for woodworking. Runs fine and I abuse it without concern.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I have a Hitchi that I have used a few times. As noted, weekend warrior is not gonna get a lot of use out of it.

If you have solid wood doors then a handplane would be nice as it can perform other WW jobs. If you have modern doors with metal, fiberboard, particle board, etc as cores then hand plane will not work real well.

[messmaker]

As has been stated it is not a toool that you need a bunch but is really handy when you do. I would not spend a ton on one and use the saved cash on something else.