Hand held power planer

[Bob Michaels1]

What make and model would you recommend for a hand held power planer in the 3 1/4" range for planing door edges and the like. I have a 20" PM for the shop but thought this may come in handy for job sites as well as the shop. I would only use it occasionally. I have a 40 year old Rockwell 167A that is downright dangerous to use because of the way you are forced to hold it. Thanks.

[Bradley Gray]

I have a Hitachi. Easy to control and adjust. Has a flip-up stand to protect the blade and surfaces. I bought it used on ebay for $40.

Check out "tips from a shipwright" on You Tube

[Warren Lake]

Makita 1100 its a heavy unit and a Makitcaa cordless one, Doing some roof work I found the 1100 extended out in front of me a bother, the battery one just fine for what I had to do.

[Yonak Hawkins]

I have a PC and I've never had trouble with it, although I really don't use it much. It's kind of heavy. I find hand held planers a bit tricky to use but, I suppose door edges don't really have to be perfectly straight.

[Kevin Jenness]

The Bosch is not bad, light with decent power and dust collection and reversable carbide insert knives. I use a power planer for scribing, cleaning up edges of large doors and the occasional rough shaping of a non-planar piece like the customised door sills between my addition and original house.

[Julie Moriarty]

I bought a Makita in the mid-80 when building my house. I used it a lot then but only sporadically after that. I've also abused it on occasion. Still works fine. The knives are easy to change. But there's no vac hose connection so it's let the chips fly.

[Steve Jenkins]

I have a Festool that I bought used and used it to cut the under bevel on the table I recently I recently posted. It worked great and dust collection was excellent. I have an Oneida dust deputy also which saved the bags in the vac

[Jim Becker]

Although I don't own one, I have used the Festool that Steve mentions and it's excellent, albeit at a cost. If you will be doing this kind of work on-site in folks' homes and want the dust extraction benefits, then it's absolutely worthy of your consideration. The knives are skewed for a more shearing cut, too. There are also alternative knives available for applying special effects to panels that some folks find useful for artistry without using hand planes when time is of the essence.

[Tim Bueler]

I bought a Makita in the mid-80 when building my house. I used it a lot then but only sporadically after that. I've also abused it on occasion. Still works fine. The knives are easy to change. But there's no vac hose connection so it's let the chips fly.

I have probably the same model from the same era though I am on my second or third one. Works acceptably once I shimmed the "outfeed" table. I did upgrade the knives to the reversible carbide. It's planed everything from door edges to flushing up PT joists for decks (wet, stringy). Not a lot of features but they have all been reliable within the limits of the abuse I give them.

[Brian Holcombe]

Festool, It's nice and quiet! Mainly sits in the box but when I need it, it's nice to use.

Need the big (medium I think) hose for it.

[Tim Einwalter]

I have a Makita and I'm very happy with it. Would buy it again.

[richard poitras]

Not sure if this matters but if you need to use it in a sled to power plan a large slab like you use a router for flatting large slabs you may consider the design as well,

[Bob Michaels1]

Many thanks to everyone who responded. I suspect one of the ones suggested is going to be in my shop shortly. Really appreciate the guidance. Bob

[Chris Fournier]

My DeWalt has eaten a mountain of wood. Flawless.

[julian abram]

I have used a Makita trimming doors and other projects for twenty years. It's still going strong.