How to Know the Types of Wood Planes

Some planers are power planers and others are the old hand planers. Each type of planer has a benefit and each one has its own drawbacks. If you know the types of planers available, you can choose the best one for the job that you have to do.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Use a table planer or flatbed planer if you're cutting wide faces of wood. The flatbed planer thins the wood to the appropriate thickness but, unlike a jointer, it won't straighten out a warped board. This is the best tool to create a consistent thickness.

2. Work with a hand held power planer when you want to do jobs that you would do with the old hand planer. A hand held power planer can replace the hand held planer for making rabbets and scrolling.

3. Substitute a hand held power planer for the old smoothing plane. The job can be done with less toil and more precision.

4. Eliminate the cord with a cordless power planer. This planer does everything that its cousin, the planer with a cord, does but eliminates the need for electricity on the job. It's great for new builds. The elimination of the cord allows you to take it anywhere and not worry about the cord being in the way.

5. Cover all the area and use a non-powered jack planer. This can change a warped board into a usable piece of wood. Unlike the table planer, both the jack planer and the hand held power planer are useful for this job.

6. Make smooth crevices, dado cuts or rabbet joints when you use a miniature planer. The hand held power planer can also replace these old planers.

Tips & Warnings

• Always wear safety glasses when using woodworking tools.
• Wear a dust mask when you use power planers of any type. Make certain the dust blows away from your face.
• Wear earplugs when you work with power tools to avoid certain tone deafness.
• Never work on the blade of a power tool with the tool plugged in or power pack attached.