Does this planer use straight knives?
(if so, replacing these is moderately fiddly)
I see two upsides for planers like this over a modern benchtop:
- can usually be adjusted to eliminate snipe
- motor runs quieter than a universal motor
For basement shop, you will want dust collection. You should be able to make something homemade even if mfg doesn't have the part available -- anything to redirect the chip chute into your dust collector.
Matt