Electric Planer: how to choose a tool

Today, the modern market offers various types of modern electrical equipment, which is designed to facilitate the processing of materials based on wood. Most people who are fond of joinery, level the wooden surface with a hand planer, since at home it is impossible to use a factory machine.

For this reason, electric planers, which can quickly process the surface of wood, have become very relevant today. Below is a detailed discussion of how to choose a plane that runs on electricity from the many options available in the construction market.

One of the weighty advantages of purchasing this tool is the opportunity to save money when buying boards. After all, raw materials are much cheaper than processed ones. If you use a plane regularly, an electric tool will very quickly pay for itself and add comfort to the process of working with wood.

How does the electric planer work?

The main functioning element of the plane is a jigsaw. The components of this part of the tool move in rotational ways. In order for the electric planer to process the coating well, its motor should be 800-900 W, and the cutting parts should move at a speed of at least 9 thousand r / min.

To facilitate the process of changing the belt, providing the transfer of speed from the motor to the cutting elements, it should be placed in the side of the tool. The belt is hidden under the case, which is easily removed. By the same principle are brushes, that is, the replacement of these parts will not cause any difficulties. So that the motor does not overheat and functions more stably, its speed rises smoothly.

The base of the electric planer consists of two fragments; it is made of cast aluminum. The back of the foot is static, it is always adjacent to the treated surface. The frontal part is adjacent to the untreated wooden surface, the level of the height of its location can be controlled manually.

To control the depth of planing, either a special pen or a keypad is present on the tool. To ensure a good output, the electric planer needs to be moved at a constant speed.

The equipment is equipped with a special limiter, which is located on its side. With it, you can pick up a quarter of the desired width, without exerting physical effort. Some tools have a folding case type, which rises when you need to pick up the desired quarter.

Technical specifications of power tools

Depending on the model, the power of the electric planer varies from 500 to 2200 watts. For infrequent use in the home it is customary to select equipment with a capacity of 600-700 watts. If you use the plane quite often, you should pay attention to the more powerful models (800-900 W). Equipment whose power exceeds 1,200 W is usually used by skilled carpenters; it will not be necessary at home. If you need a reusable tool, purchase an electric planer in the range of power up to 1000 watts.

When selecting a power tool, be guided by its foot - it should be uniform and free from defects. From the surface of the foot depends on the final result of the processing of wooden products.

The main functioning element is the rotary device to which the cutting parts are attached. The torque of this device reaches 10-20 thousand rpm, depending on the power tool. To have an idea about this indicator, test any Bulgarian - its power does not exceed 11 thousand r / min.

At a maximum torque of 20 thousand rpm and with the presence of 2 cutting parts, the electric planer processes a wooden surface in 1 cycle, which would have to be walked 40 thousand times with a hand plane.

Practically all models of the tool, with the exception of some specimens, are capable of processing wood to a width of 8 and 11 cm. The performance of the equipment depends on the value of this value, that is, the work will be carried out much faster.

Electric planers for home use allow you to control the depth of processing products in the range of 2 mm. Industrial tools have a pitch width of 0.1 mm, and the planing depth reaches up to 4 mm.

When choosing, it is worth considering the weight of the equipment, which varies in the range of 2.5-9 kg. For domestic purposes, a planer model is suitable, the weight of which does not exceed 4 kg.

Help in choosing an electroplane

To choose the right planer, an electric tool is examined for the presence of specific features that affect its durability. In addition, indicators that ensure the safety of the master during the operation of the equipment are important.

For comfortable use of equipment, it is recommended to select an electric planer equipped with two handles, one of which helps to hold the tool evenly, and the other to push it in the right direction.

When selecting a tool, you should carefully inspect its foot. If it has a smooth and uniform surface, the plane handles the wood very high quality. In the case of planing a rough or bumpy surface, you should look at the foot with the presence of special grooves. For processing the corner parts of the product, the front part of the foot is made in the form of a 90 ° angle.

The height of the corner of the foot can be adjusted in the vertical direction. Some models of electric planers (Metabo, Ryobi, AEG) allow you to shift the front part of the tool even horizontally, this provides additional convenience for the master during operation. Despite the fact that the level of the height of the foot varies, the cutting part does not change its position relative to it, therefore, the treatment will be uniform in any case. The size of the foot affects the overall stability of the electroplane, that is, for large sizes it will stay on the surface more stably.

To increase comfort in the process of carrying out the work with the purchase you need to pay attention to the handle. To correctly select a plane, an electric device is selected from those models that have 2 handles. The rear handle is located right next to the start button of the equipment, and the front handle helps to move along with the sweep.

To cut off very hard pieces of wood, the front handle is pressed down with a little effort from above. The back handle is often used to control the depth of the cut. To do this, there are special notches on the inside, so the probability of changing the thickness of the slice is completely absent.

Makita electric planers are made without notches on the rear handle, the cutting depth must be controlled manually. This option is more suitable for qualified professionals with extensive experience. It is better for home craftsmen not to purchase a model without cuts.

The standard adjustment notch pitch is 0.1 mm. When selecting electroplanes worth paying attention to the manufacturer. For example, Skil, Peugeot and Bosch plane even when choosing the zero mode. It is recommended to look closely to the following brands:

• Ryobi;
• Makita;
• AEG;
• Festo;
• Black. Decker.

The listed models have a scale starting with a mark below zero.

When choosing a model, you also need to look at the types of cutting devices. For example, in a jigsaw, the cutting tool is a saw, and the electric plane is cut using sharp knives. Most models are equipped with two knives, they are made of materials such as carbide, stainless steel and tungsten. Over time, the blunted knives can be sharpened again.

Festo planers are equipped with only 1 knife, which is located diagonally and allows for a spiral cut. This approach provides high-speed and high-quality processing of wooden surfaces.

Carbide knives are much easier to assemble into the device, but after their turning points in the process of re-consolidation, you need to pay attention to the height of the cutting parts. Replacing a spiral knife in a matter of seconds. In order to secure this process, 2 safety devices are provided in the plane, located in the lower and side parts of the equipment.

In Black brand instruments. Decker, Festo, Metabo and Bosch have a special stop, ejected after lifting the back of the foot. Skil and AEG are equipped with a removable body that protects the rotary drum. Its removal is carried out both automatically and manually.

At the end of planing, the electric plane is put in place by the part where the drive belt is located. On the side there is a special spring, which rises to the level of the produced quarter.

Other distinctive characteristics of electric planers

Tools may vary in the following features:

• waste disposal method;
• presence of a depth gauge;
• presence of a side stop.

Most electric planers use the method of ejection of chips from a special opening. In this case, waste scatters throughout the room and pollute it. To prevent the scattering of chips, a special socket is used, with its help the waste is emitted in a single direction.

You can choose the option in which the plane collects waste in a small bag. To do this, you need to choose the appropriate bag size and place it so that it does not interfere with the planing process.

In addition, a hose from a household vacuum cleaner can be attached to the device. In this case, the chips will be collected in its bag, which can be cleaned upon completion of the work.

A special depth gauge is used for high-precision installation of the required width and planing depth. If there is a need for processing thin-layer products, you need to use a side stop. Choosing a tool, you need to pay attention to the presence of these attributes. It is worth mentioning that they can not be present alone.

The modern market offers several types of cutting parts for power tools, among which wavy knives made of high-strength steel are present. If the plane can be fixed with an additional device, the presence of wavy knives will turn it into a machine for processing wood.

Main advantages that allow you to perform work qualitatively

As you know, during operation of an electric jigsaw, an important factor in successful work is comfort when using the tool. The same factors play a primary role in the operation of the electric planer. Tilting the handle of the device, you not only give it the necessary direction of movement, but also the pressure force with which the necessary depth of the cut is adjusted.

Planers with two knives will require you to have a more precise position when planing. Tools with a single knife, by contrast, are the easiest to use. In addition, they provide a high level of performance.

Since the buttons for starting and adjusting the power of the tool are located on the rear handle, planing can be done even with one hand.

If you need a device for working with a swing, you need to choose a plane weighing up to 2-3 kg. This will allow planing to be done effortlessly. When buying, you should also pay attention to the length of the cord, it should correspond to the distance to the outlet in your room.

The main goal of wood processing is the desire to achieve the most uniform surface. If you can not achieve this result, it is worth checking the correct location of the knives. Such a problem occurs in planes with straight blades. Therefore, it is recommended to replace them with spiral knives.