Use an Electric Planer

Hand planers come in a few sizes, from small ones able to be used one handed, to heavy duty special purpose ones with cuts to 300mm wide . This is a photo of a small one. With an 80mm cut width and a length of 290mm. It has a 580 watt motor and weighs in at 2.5 Kilo. It does 15,000 RPM. (No wonder they call them buzzers). It is a good choice for fitting doors and general small planing jobs.

Steps

1. Electric planers or buzzers are nearly always used with TCT edged cutters. The tungsten blades last so much longer between sharpening, particularly with the hardwood timbers and plywood.
2. With the HSS (high speed steel) blades you can usually sharpen them yourself a couple of times on a standard oil stone, if you have one of the small jigs that holds two blades at once. When they are razor sharp they beat a TCT blade hands down for finish.
3. Also available are double-edged solid tungsten-carbide mini blades that are a throw away job when dull. They slot into a special blade. If you have a lot of planer work to do they will be economical.
4. When using a buzzer set the knob on the front for the depth of cut, and use it as a grip for your left hand. (If you are a right hander) Your right hand controls the machine. Firmly keeping the rear table on the freshly cut surface. The left hand used for balance.
5. All buzzers in this class usually come with a fence-guide.
6. If you have a lot of plywood edges to plane, you should know that it is hard on planer blades. (End grain and the glue). So use your fence to get extra life out of the blades.
7. Set the fence to do the cuts at one side of the blade and when it gets dull, move it a bit to work with a sharper section of blade. Move across the full width of the blade in stages until it is uniformly dull and ready for a sharpen.

Tips

• Finish the cut, but don't put the buzzer down flat on the bench. Use a bit of scrap to rest the front on, so there is a gap under the blade. (see photo) Make this a habit. You don't want anything touching the blade or lodging in there by accident. This way you don't have to wait for it to stop spinning either.

Warnings

• Some hardwood, and treated timbers, and certainly plywood and MDF boards contain chemicals that are dangerous. Use a good quality dust mask if there is any doubt.
• If you can, buy the bag that goes on the exhaust of the planer and you will breath less sawdust (and have less cleanup). If you are going to do a big job, wear a painters mask and consider putting a fan to blow the sawdust away from where you are working.
• Set the planner on the "lowest" setting so that it will not take off a lot of wood. The "high" setting can do a lot a damage by making deep gashes.
• Another tool that is designed for right handed people. So left handers be particularly careful with safety.
• Wear safety glasses or goggles to keep dust and harmful fragments out of your eyes.

Related Articles

• Use a Circular Saw
• Use a Steel Chop Saw
• Handle Kickback in a Circular Saw
• Set Planer Blades
• Prevent Electrical Accidents with Hand Tools
• Change the Blades on a Jointer

Sources and Citations

• This article is from the original author's website http://www.builderbill-diy-help.com/

See also

• Use a Dremel Tool
• Use a Wood Lathe
• Use a Tap
• Use a Plunge Router
• Use a Jigsaw
• Use an Angle Grinder
• File Metal
• Set Planer Blades
• Sharpen Chisels
• Plane Wood

What links here

• Make a Solid Boat Mast
• Set Planer Blades
• Use a Circular Saw
• Use a Steel Chop Saw
• Calibrate a Sprayer