Any joiner is well aware that unprocessed boards can be bought several times cheaper. But to use them for the manufacture of some products will not work, as they have an unpresentable appearance. Therefore, if you want to save money, you have to process the wood yourself, for this you need a planer. The thing is necessary on the household, especially for those who like to craft something with their own hands. It remains to learn how to choose an electric planer. Let's start with the basics and get acquainted with the main technical characteristics of the unit.
Features of the structure and principle of operation of the electric planer
Such a tool can significantly accelerate the processing of wooden boards. A small motor is installed in its body, which rotates the drum with knives. The average electric planer (Zubr, Makita, Interskol and other popular models) is capable of speeds up to 15,000 rpm, and its maximum power is up to 1.2 kW.
Power is transmitted from the engine to the drum using a timing belt. If the belt breaks, repairing the electric plane is very easy. It is easily replaced, it is enough to remove the side cover and get an unusable belt, replacing it with a new one. Another removable cover hides the motor brushes. The principle of action is as follows.
The drum removes a thin layer of rough wood from the board. The planer itself rests on a smooth sole that slides along the board. There is a hole in the sole through which the drum removes chips. For convenience, the height of the sole can be adjusted by reducing or increasing the thickness of the chips. At this time, the back of the planer further smooths the treated surface.
With the help of an electric planer, you can create neat grooves in the boards, cut the edges and perform other carpentry.
What should be the sole of the plane?
In order for the quality of the processed wood to be at its best, pay attention to the sole of the equipment. Before choosing a power plan and rushing to the cashier to pay for a purchase, inspect the sole of the tool. It should be perfectly smooth, without any burrs or other irregularities.
The sole is made of aluminum. A recess in the form of the Latin letter V is mandatory at the edges. Only under such conditions will it be possible to plan a flat board. In the absence of these recesses, an air gap is created between the tool and the work surface. Under the influence of its force, the planer leads in different directions, and the cut is uneven. For the stability of the tool, a wide and long base is created, the more these indicators, the more stable the equipment. When choosing a model, do not forget about it. For a perfect cut, it is important that you keep the distance between the knives and the sole. To do this, the best electric planers are equipped with height adjustment of the upper part of the sole. This makes the operation of the electric planer more convenient.
How many handles do you need?
The handle on the instrument plays an important role. The speed and productivity of work depends on its convenience. Otherwise, unpleasant painful sensations will appear, dropsy and calluses will be rubbed, and hands will quickly become tired.
For ordinary manual planers , it was enough to have one handle, since the device was small and light enough. Modern electric planers are bulky and heavy. Therefore, it is important to have two handles to control the tool. The rear handle allows you to push the planer, and the front handle serves to guide the tool. For convenience, a button on / off equipment is placed on the front handle.
When choosing an electric planer, ergonomics of the handle are important. To do this, hold the tool in your hands and determine whether it is convenient for you to work with this type of pen. If you feel the slightest discomfort, it is better not to buy such an electric planer. The prices for it may turn out to be pleasant, but the hand will quickly get tired, and you will not be able to work with such a tool for a long time. Also pay attention to the angle of the handle. From this value depends on what force needs to be expended to push the tool.
How to adjust the thickness of the film?
Before choosing an electric planer, determine to which category you belong: beginner, experienced, master. If you do not have enough experience and skill, pay attention to models on the front handle of which there are special notches. With their help, the chip thickness can be adjusted from three to half a millimeter. More experienced craftsmen carry out such adjustments on the go, but, I dare to repeat, this requires a lot of experience in the carpentry.
However, there is one indicator that you need to pay attention to both beginners and the gurus of this matter. When choosing an electric planer (prices also depend on this), pay attention to the lower value of the scale, which regulates the thickness of the chips. The lower this indicator (and the step does not exceed 0.1 mm), the higher will be the quality of the processed surface. You can smooth out any unevenness and give the product a perfect look.
How to choose a power planer with reliable knives?
A knife on a drum of an electric planer is one of the most important parts in the structure of a tool. The speed of work and the quality of the product depend on its condition. A blade made of the best metal, being blunt, will not allow you to get a smooth and free of burrs surface.
So, when working with hard wood, knives made of hardened steel are used. They have a special design and are most often made removable. As a result of a breakdown or the need for sharpening the knife, the clamping bolts are removed, the knife is removed. Such knives have a small feature - the sharpening angle is not the same as that of the other knives. A groove is made on each blade of the knife, which helps to center and install the cutting element in accordance with all the rules.
Conventional double-sided knives are made of tungsten and carbide. When using straight blades at the end of the job, you can detect waves on the surface of the product. They were formed due to inaccurate adjustment of the knives. To avoid such a collapse, use equipment with spiral knives that are located diagonally.
Protection above all!
The speed of rotation of the knives is simply huge, so it is important to observe safety precautions when operating an electric planer. Instructions for its use state that there is protection at the bottom and side of the device. Her role may be:
- extendable legs;
- auto focus;
- protective cover;
- protective plate.
Each of these elements is able to provide you with safe operation.
Where do the chips go?
Some models of electric planers are equipped with a strainer. You do not have to clean a lot of wood scraps in the room, as all the garbage is collected in a special compartment. Working with such a device is quite pleasant and not troublesome. All rubbish flies to a precisely designated place. In addition, upon completion of work, you will not have to tear the instrument for a long and tedious cleaning of chips. It can be used as a litter for hamsters or to shift apples for the winter.
What should be in a complete set? Optional accessories
For convenient operation, the equipment should be equipped with a power cord with a length of 5 m or longer. In addition, a lateral limiter and depth gauge must be included in the configuration of the electric plane. The first device allows you to measure the required width and depth of the chip. With its help, it is easier to maintain the balance of the tool and cut the angle at the desired degree. With the depth gauge included, you can create a perfectly flat and smooth surface.
Additional accessories that turn out to be useful include wavy knives and a device that allows you to lock the tool in one place. Thus, we get a planer and a jointer machine.
Choosing a manufacturer according to customer reviews
The world market is flooded with many popular brands that represent in their assortment various modifications of electric planers. The most famous brands are: Bosh, Skil, Makita, AEG, Black & Decker, DeWalt, Metabo, among this list there is also the Russian company Interskop.
Makita electric planer gained particular popularity
, according to user reviews it becomes clear that it is in demand by both professionals and beginners. Buyers noted the high build quality, power, ease of operation, high-quality knives and low weight. Among the shortcomings, the weak design of the instrument and the lack of a suitcase for storing it were noted.
In concluding, the following can be noted: when choosing an electric planer, consider the equipment, the quality of the sole and knives, the presence of two handles and a compartment for collecting sawdust.