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Any reccommendations as to brand, features, etc.? Are they useful? Can you plane OSB?
TIA,
Jerry
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Jerry - It may just be me, but I think of a "power planer" as an electric handheld tool, usually with either 3 or 4 inch knives. I think of a "planer" as a larger tool, usually 12, 15, 18, or sometimes even 24" knives. Which are you askin' about? - jb
*Jim,I guess I should've been more specific, but I did mean the handheld thingies.Jerry
*Well what threw me was the question about osb. I guess you mean the edges, huh? At any rate, I have a Makita 3+1/4' that I bought many years ago and that thing works like a champ. A couple years ago, I bought carbide blades for it because it seems like every time I plane a painted door, the blades go dull. For some reason paint seems to dull those HSS blades pretty fast.I've used 4 inchers in the past and they have a much longer body, so I guess they'd be better on straighting stuff. But I really like the "one handability" of my little one, and wouldn't trade it for a 4 incher. Make sure to get the fence, it will help you stay square to the face of your work.Pretty hard to go wrong with Makita, at least, that's been my experience. - jb
*Jim,Thanks for the input; it helps. I'm thinking of cutting a rabbit on the edge of 3/4" OSB. Do you think it'll work? What about endgrain on hard or softwoods?Jerry
*Jerry,FHB #91 has a roundup review. I don't think the playing field has changed much in the 5 years since. They preferred the Bosch 3296, the 6.5 amp model. I bought one based on the recommendation and have been quite pleased. Like many of them, it did need some tuning.Dave
*I think planing OSB would dull your knives in a heartbeat , kinda like Jim's painted doors . How wide a rabbet do you need to cut could you use a router and a rabbeting bit ? Chuck
*Thanks to all for the responses.Chuck,About 1/4" deep and about 2-3" wide. It doesn't have to be pretty so there are a few ways to do this. I guess I'm looking for an excuse to buy a new "toy" and I was wondering if they are useful or really just toys?Jerry
*Jerry, I have the Makita w/ carbide blades, very handy. As for planing OSB, I've done a little bit of that for various reasons and it seems to work fine- a little messy but it planes fine otherwise. There hasn't been any trouble with it dulling- at least not with the OSB- although it's tangled with a couple of other, um, "harder" materials that didn't do the knives any favors..... As far as usefullness (is that a word?), the planer has been mighty handy for remodeling- planing joists, fairing out one surface to another- very handy. SamSam
*Jerry, there is only one power planer, the porter cable,rockwell, etc. Versa-Planer. However as they are no longer made, and they seem designed for heavy meat eating, i have come to love the Hitachi 3 1/4" job at arond 90 bucks its cheap and powerful. i have used the crap out of it and definitely gotten my money's worth. (which is good cause it just died on me but im gonna buy another)
*Robert,Thanks for the advice. I was interested in the Hitachi but couldn't find it locally and didn't want to wait for mail order. I had to choose between the DeWalt and the Bosch. I liked the DeWalt but I wimped and bought the baby Bosch 3271A (I've been spending too much on tools lately). Anyway, I love it! It's a great tool and has already saved hours from an otherwise tedious job. It can only rabbet to 5/16" instead of the DeWalt's 1/2" and it has a smaller motor and shoe but it seems OK. In fact, it's smaller size could be an advantage in some situations.Jerry
*I have the Bosch 3271A too. Today, I was tempted to use it on some MDF, but thought that it might dull the blades - or make a mess of the MDF - I was scribing a paint grade mantle to the wall and a booboo would not be a good thing.Anyone know how a hand power planer works on MDF?TIA
*I also have the Bosch 3271. I have planed MDF before with it with good results, but hey, it's always good to test it first. To be honest, when I first read this post I was surprised. I don't know how anyone could live without a portable planer. I beat on my Bosch mercilessly, and it keeps coming back for more. Straightened many rafters and studs with it, and can still use it for light-duty trim work.
*Today my "nice little" planer rolled off my tailgate and hit the concrete - not very hard, but guess what - the frame of the machine is made of plastic. You know the rest of the story. Plastic is better - yea right!
*I use a Bosch for irregular surface planing and a Porter-Cable for dedicated door planing. My opinion is they are not toys and a rabbet is better done with a router.
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Any reccommendations as to brand, features, etc.? Are they useful? Can you plane OSB?
TIA,
Jerry