I Found the BEST Budget Planer for Woodworking!

The video “I Found the BEST Budget Planer for Woodworking!” is by 731 Woodworks. In this review, Matt shares insights on finding an affordable yet effective benchtop planer, specifically the Craftsman Planer, which he selected after extensive research and reading reviews.

Why Invest in a Planer?

For many beginner woodworkers, the journey often starts with essential tools like a miter saw and a table saw. Next on the list is typically a planer. A planer serves two primary purposes:

  • It standardizes the thickness of wood pieces, ensuring consistency for projects like tabletops and cutting boards.
  • It reduces the need for extensive sanding, which is a tedious task that most woodworkers would rather avoid.

Craftsman Planer Overview

Matt emphasizes that planers can be a significant investment. This model was chosen due to its balance of price, quality, and favorable reviews. One standout feature is its compact design, with foldable tables that make it easy to store.

Craftsman Planer Overview

Build Quality

The build quality of the Craftsman Planer is solid, primarily made of aluminum and plastic. Key components, including the frame and mechanisms, are aluminum, while only minor parts are plastic. This ensures durability without excessive weight—approximately 50 pounds.

Powering Up the Planer

After detailing the features, Matt powers up the planer for the first time. While planers are known for being loud, this one performed fairly well. It features powered rollers that pull the wood through the machine, making operation smooth and efficient.

Powering Up the Planer

How to Use the Planer

When using the planer, it’s essential to take small bites off the wood—never more than an eighth of an inch at a time—this prolongs the life of the blades and reduces strain on the machine. Matt demonstrates planing various wood types, including:

  • Spruce
  • Maple
  • Walnut
  • Epoxy resin

Dealing with Snipe

Snipe is a common issue with benchtop planers, where the blade digs into the wood at the ends. To mitigate this, Matt suggests sending a scrap piece through before the actual workpiece and adjusting the infeed and outfeed tables accordingly. After some adjustments, he successfully minimizes snipe on the spruce.

Dealing with Snipe

Performance on Different Woods

When testing the Craftsman Planer, Matt found that:

  • The spruce had noticeable snipe initially, but adjustments helped improve the outcome.
  • The maple produced a buttery smooth finish with minimal tear-out, a testament to the planer’s capabilities.
  • Walnut was planed with virtually no snipe, and the finish was excellent.
  • Even epoxy resin was handled well, with no clogging issues.

Using a Planer Sled

For boards that are twisted, Matt recommends using a planer sled. This involves using a piece of plywood with a cleat to hold the twisted board in place while it’s fed through the planer. This technique allows for flattening the top side before flipping the board to plane the other side.

Using a Planer Sled

Dust Collection

Proper dust collection is crucial when using a planer. It’s advisable to connect the machine to a dust collector or shop vac to manage the inevitable mess created during planing.

Final Thoughts

For beginners on a budget, Matt highly recommends the Craftsman Planer. It excels in performance, making it ideal for achieving uniform thickness and reducing sanding time. If budget allows, he also suggests considering the DeWALT DW735X, which has proven to be a reliable workhorse in his workshop.

Final Thoughts

Video

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