The first time I used a power planer, I was remodeling an old house and needed to level several sagging, uneven ceiling joists to prepare them for new drywall. I made my first pass. The planer yowled and chewed, showering the room with a blizzard of shavings. In no time, those joists were leveled and smooth. It took my breath away, and the finished ceiling looked fabulous.

Power planers are timesavers that have found their niche with such varied tasks as edge-smoothing and leveling framing lumber and chamfering handrails and posts. With the proper skill and accessories, you can also use power planers for finesse work like beveling door edges, scribing cabinets and countertops, and shaping and tapering wood trim. We'll show you five common applications, plus tell you how to use, maintain and work safely with this unique, versatile tool.

How They Work
Like a hand plane, the power planer rides on a shoe, or sole plate. Like a jointer, the planer has blades mounted on a cutter head or drum that spins at 20,000 rpm, removing wood equal to the difference in elevation between the front and rear shoes. The front hand grip doubles as a depth-adjustment gauge. The gauge, with its built-in scale settings, turns back and forth to move the front planer shoe up or down, setting the depth of the cut. Depending on the depth you set, the planer removes lots of wood (1/8 in. per pass) or, like a belt sander, a little (1/64 in.).
Two carbide blades spinning on a cutter head are the heart of a power planer. Using the depth adjustment knob, control the bite of your blades by raising or lowering the movable front sole plate (or shoe).

Proper Pressure is the Key to Success
Get the most out of the tool by mastering the right way to hold and push the planer. Properly balancing your body ensures safety and the best planing results.
Balance means standing with your feet apart in a position that you'll find comfortable throughout the full tool pass on the workpiece. Each pass of the planer involves a rhythm of balance and hand pressure:

• Begin by resting the front shoe of the planer flat on the wood without letting the blade touch the work.
• Start the tool, let the motor reach full speed, then ease the plane into contact with the work and push it steadily forward.
• Keep your initial pressure on the front grip as the planer enters the workpiece.
• Balance hand pressure between the tool handle and front knob as both planer soles contact the work.
• As you push the tool off the work, apply greater control to "catch" the rear handle. Avoid overreaching at the end of a pass; the front shoe will drop off the wood and let the blades take an uneven bite off the end of the wood (called "snipe").

The speed at which you push the tool and the depth setting you choose will affect the final smoothness of your work. For power-shaving dimensional lumber, bites of 1/8 in. per pass are OK. To obtain the smoothest results when you're edgeplaning hardwood boards, use a 1/64- in. or 1/32-in. depth setting, push the tool slowly and make more passes.

Easy to Buy
Most power planers have blade widths of 3-1/4 in. Some are equipped with blades 6-1/8 in. or wider. Planers differ in cost because of blade width, quality of construction, amp power and standard accessories-like a carrying case. Light-duty wood planer models (included our) will handle 90 percent of your tasks and cost less than $50. Contractor-grade planers are more rugged, have more accurate and easier-to-work depth gauges, include standard accessories and cost $130 or more. Select tools or buy accessories with:

Safety Tips

• As with all power tools, protect your eyes and hearing by wearing appropriate safety gear.
• After turning the tool off, protect yourself and the work-and the blades-by setting the front shoe of the planer up on a wood block while the spinning cutter head stops.
• Work safely above your head by placing walk planks between two ladders, in line with the direction you'll be making your cuts.

Author: Carl Robinson
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