The thickness planer for carpentry work offers professional results in a short time. Let’s see how it works in this buying guide and the best thickness planers to buy.
We can be thin and smooth and level the wooden boards with great precision with the thickness planer. Unlike the hand plane, which requires time, physical strength, and great craftsmanship, the thickness planer easily and impeccably carries out carpentry work.
The planer machines work with the wooden board’s insertion, removing a layer of the desired size. In this way, a smooth axis with a precise measurement is obtained.
Both planer and thickness planers are on the market, but we consider this guide’s combined hand/thickness planers. It is a rather bulky machine than other joinery tools, but its effectiveness makes it practically indispensable.
We can perform a series of jobs from the simplest to the most sophisticated, moving from hobby to professional quality thanks to machine settings. But, first, it is necessary to understand how the thickness planer works and the parameters to consider to choose our work’s most suitable model.
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How to choose thickness planers: Types and Characteristics
To buy the best thickness planer, the most important functions and features to evaluate.
Wire planer
The wire planer works with positioning the wooden axis on the upper shelves. The entry planer must be set lower than the exit planer to remove the desired amount of wood, usually a few millimeters. In this way, it will machine the axis on the lower part. It is customary to square the axis to work one face first, then one coast, the other side, and the other.
Thickness planer
The axis is inserted under a continuous shelf to perform a thickness planer positioned at a height slightly lower than the axis’s thickness. The difference indicates the maximum removal in millimeters from the wooden axis. Then, a thickness planer is carried out on the upper part of the axis and always after flush planning.
Combined multi-purpose planers
In addition to the wire planer’s functions just seen, there are multi-function combined planers that include other important features. For example, they can include a circular saw for cutting the axes or a milling machine to cut and profile the pieces. These machines are suitable for professional jobs; they are an excellent investment and have a considerable space-saving function compared to purchasing separate tools.
Power
The power of a good quality planer should not be less than 1500 watts. The professional thickness planers can reach 2000 watts or more. Often, a greater power indicates a more performing engine and the planer’s ability to work for several consecutive hours.
Depth of cut
We find the cutting depth indicated for each pass for each planer. The measurement is generally between 0.04 inches and 0.12 inches and is adjustable. For a planer with a cutting depth not exceeding 0.04 – 0.8 inches, working the same axis several times every time you reach a larger size will be necessary.
This is useful even when you do not have a particularly powerful planer and want to avoid straining the motor, so it is better to proceed with a few millimeters at a time.
Maximum working dimensions
For both hand processing and thickness planer machine, we must consider the maximum dimensions of the workpiece. We are interested in the cutting width for wire processing, for example, a maximum of 6 inches. Simultaneously, we are interested in the piece’s maximum height for thickness machining, for example, 3.5 inches.
Blades
The wood is cut by rotating two or three blades or knives. Mounted on a crankshaft, the blades rotate at a speed of around a minute, depending on the machine’s power. So, for example, we can have planers with a rotation of 4,000 rpm and others of 9,000 rpm.
The blades are made of stainless steel, interchangeable, and easy to extract for sharpening. In addition, almost all thickness planers have a cover on the blades that prevent the operator from contacting them.
Suction device
The best thickness planer is certainly equipped with a suction nozzle for chips. Residues of different sizes are produced during processing, depending on the case. The first problem is certainly the operator’s possible inhalation to be prevented even with a mask.
The second is the quality of the work and the machine’s maintenance, which could be compromised by excessive dust or coarser chips.
Finally, it is necessary to keep the work area clean as a matter of safety. According to our work, in many thick-wire planers models, the suction nozzle must be positioned each time in the upper or lower part.
Security measures
The best thickness planer will be equipped with indispensable safety measures. Of course, precision and care are required on the user’s part, but a switch-off switch to interrupt processing is certainly advisable to avoid unpleasant accidents.
Instead, the automatic switch-off can occur in overload or blockage in machines with a special function. We have already mentioned the cover of the blades present in most machines. It is also useful to push the piece, a tool with a special handle and non-slip feet that guide the piece without resting the hands directly on the wood.
The best thickness planers to buy
Below is the selection of recommended thickness planers with prices and technical features.
- Powerful 15 amp, 20,000 rpm motor (10,000 rpm cutterhead speed) handles larger cuts in...
- Three knife cutter head delivers 30% longer knife life and makes knife change faster and...
- Two-speed gear box allows users to change feed speed to optimizing cuts per inch at 96 or...
- Plane boards up to 6 inches thick and 12.5 inches wide
- 15A motor generates 20,000 cuts per minute at a 26 feet per minute feed rate
- Includes two reversible 12.5-inch SK5 blades (model BP122K)
- Spiral cutterhead utilizes 26 staggered and rotatable HSS blades for a clean, smooth...
- Onboard material removal gauge informs users about the cutting depth of each pass
- Plane boards up to 6 inches thick and 13 inches wide
- Hard and soft wood material removal: 15 Amp motor provides power for both hard and soft...
- Maximum stock removal: poly-v cutterhead drive for maximum stock removal
- Smooth operation: two knife, quick change, solid steel cutter head mounted on ball...
- Powerful 15 amp, 20,000 rpm motor handles larger, deeper cuts in hardwoods.
- Three-knife cutter head with 10,000 rpm cutter-head speed provides 96 cuts per inch, one...
- Disposable, reversible knives deliver 30% more knife life and make knife change fast and...
- High-quality 13" Widened Worktable: Plane boards up to 6" thick and 13" wide. Easily...
- High-precision Two-Knife Cutter: The bench planer features a quick change, solid steel...
- Intimate Current Overload Protection: For additional security, the built-in 20A...
- High-quality 13" Widened Worktable: Plane boards up to 6" thick and 13" wide. Easily...
- High-precision Three-Knife Cutter: The bench planer features a quick change, solid steel...
- Two Speeds At Will: Control how fast you cut with ease. Two speeds offer quick planing to...
- 【High-Powered Efficiency】With a 12.5-Amp motor and a voltage frequency of...
- 【Precision Cutting】Achieve flawless finishes with a blade speed of 9000 RPM and a...
- 【Versatile Capacity】Designed to handle a maximum cutting width of 12.5 inches and a...
- 【Ultra-sharp HSS Double Blades】Kayrain benchtop thickness planer upgrades the ordinary...
- 【15A 2000W Dual Insulated Class II Motor】The 2000W motor can easily reach 8500RPM at...
- 【Millimeter Precision Cutting】The upgraded lead screw system allows millimeter...
- Exact Depth Control
- 15 AMP Motor for smoother cuts
- 4-Column Frame For Improved Finish And Reduced Snipe
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