getting by without a planer

[Joe Trotter]

I dont have a planer, and as I read about others project's I wonder if I need one.

Is wood available to purchase already planed?

Are planers available for a decent price?

I have some plans for a blanket chest and it appears I will need to plane some of the wood.

I hope the LOML understands the need for more tools :)

Joe

[glenn bradley]

Read my correction to this post further down. . .

Joe Trotter]I dont have a planer, and as I read about others project's I wonder if I need one.

- They are a blessing but I've found I could have faked it without a planer better than without a jointer (saving for a "real one").

Is wood available to purchase already planed?

- Yes but consistency can be a problem and planing only creates parallel sides. If your board is warped it planes warped, just consistent in thickness.

Are planers available for a decent price?

- If $350 as a starting point is a decent price, yes.

The Ridgid gets good reviews at about $380. I have the DW734 and like it for about $360 (woulda loved to have the DW735 but just couldn't convince myself to spend the extra $180 or so). Beyond the DW735 you may as well start looking at the big-boys. I'm sure others can chime in.

[Jim Becker]

Joe, you can often buy pre-surfaced material (at a cost) in 3/4" and sometimes 1/2" thicknesses from some sources and others will plane rought material for you for an added cost.

The upside is that you can get away without the planer provided your projects are compatible with these thicknesses and are small enough that using material that is not quite flat doesn't materially affect your ability to do joinery. In fact, there are many pro cabinetmakers who buy pre-surfaced material for speed.

The down-side is that your material costs more when pre-thicknessed and they almost never joint it flat. And you're limited in thicknesses which doesn't always play for certain kinds of projects when proportion is important. Species may be limited unless you pay for planing of rough stock at a mill.

IMHO, when you can afford it, consider a 12-13" "portable" planer for your arsenal. You'll get your money back in a reasonable time by being able to buy rough or skim-planed lumber rather in whatever species is appropriate and desired for your project. Your cost will range from about $250-400 new...keep your eye on the classifieds for someone moving up to a larger machine and selling their older portable.

[Ted Miller]

Joe, You can save money on buying wood rough and doing all the milling yourself. You can buy S4S but the price will make you choke and like Glenn mentioned thickness of these boards is not always the same.

Look around in classifieds, I found my used Makita 15" planer for $200.00. It was the model made in Japan and it has not broken down yet in 12 years. The lunch box planer 12" from Makita brand new from Amazon was only $229.00 about a year ago on sale. They both are great and I use them on every board I work with except plys of course...

[Matt Lentzner]

- They are a blessing but I've found I could have faked it without a planer better than without a jointer (saving for a "real one").



I don't understand this. I would think it would be easier the other way round. You can joint (after a fashion using a sled) in a planer, edge joint with a router, and even face joint with the requisite jig. Also, as I understand it, you can plane down the edges of a board to get it to lay flat and you will get a flat face when you run it through the planer.

I don't see how a planer can be faked, other than a lot of work with a hand plane.

What am I missing?

Matt

[Paul Johnstone]

Check Craig's list and places like that.. I see used portable planers for 100-150 fairly frequency. Ebay might be another good source. They don't seem to have much resale value, which is good for you.

[Joe Hardesty]

Hi Joe,

Look at it this way. They were making some pretty nice furniture long before they found electricity.

If you are like me, and have more time than money, just brush up on those hand tool skills and be really proud of what you can make.

[glenn bradley]

I don't see how a planer can be faked, other than a lot of work with a hand plane. What am I missing? Matt

Matt, you are more correct. I'm just disgruntled because my baby jointer is not good for very large pieces. I should correct myself as with a planer sled you could do more with the planer than you could with the jointer having only one or the other.

Sorry about that guys (specifically Joe).

[scott spencer]

Joe - You can "get by" without a lot of tools, but life sure is easier with a basic planer. The convenience is incredible, but it also opens up alot of sources for cheap wood...reclaimed, rough sawn, salvaged, etc., not to mentioned the improvements to your projects.

If you're big enough and determined enough, you could probably successfully make off with several of my tools and live to gloat about it, but to get away with my planer, TS, and router you'd have to pry them from my cold bloody stumps with whatever remnants of life you had left in you, and even then the curse I put on them would haunt you 'til day you thankfully departed this earth! :D (other than that, I'm luke warm about...who needs a planer?! ;) )

[glenn bradley]

Don't hold back Scott, tell us how you really feel.

[Joe Trotter]

Joe - You can "get by" without a lot of tools, but life sure is easier with a basic planer. The convenience is incredible, but it also opens up alot of sources for cheap wood...reclaimed, rough sawn, salvaged, etc., not to mentioned the improvements to your projects.

If you're big enough and determined enough, you could probably successfully make off with several of my tools and live to gloat about it, but to get away with my planer, TS, and router you'd have to pry them from my cold bloody stumps with whatever remnants of life you had left in you, and even then the curse I put on them would haunt you 'til day you thankfully departed this earth! :D (other than that, I'm luke warm about...who needs a planer?! ;) )

I am 6'7". 280, and an ex-marine, but I still wont mess with a man's tool's :)


Thanks for the information everyone.

Joe

[Tom Jones III]

You need to decide what is your goal in wood working? What size projects do you want to do? Do you care more about making a lot of useful furniture or are you more interested in making a few small masterpieces?