- Because of its small size, the power planer by Craftsman is useful for most DIY homeowners and carpenters. Your power planer has a cutting edge made of a series of blades mounted on a cutting drum. This drum spins at up to 20,000 revolutions per minute. Front and rear shoes are adjusted in order to determine how much wood is removed from the surface being planed---the difference in height between these shoes determines the amount of wood removed. A gauge on the Craftsman planer determines the depth, from very small amounts of wood (similar to what you would achieve using a sander) or larger amounts of wood up to 1/8th of an inch. While the blades of this planer are extremely sharp and built to last, running the planer against a stray nail can ruin the blades, so be careful.
- Holding and pushing your planer in a steady motion will ensure the success of the job. Begin your planing project by gently resting the front shoe to the piece of wood being planed. Be careful not to begin with the blade pressed against the wood. When the planer reaches its full speed, push slowly and steadily forward, maintaining the initial pressure throughout your follow-through. Make certain that your hand is balanced on the instrument so that the front and rear shoes maintain the same level of contact with the wood as you plane. Finally, don't overshoot your mark when you reach the end of the piece you are planning, as this can cause an uneven cut or "snipe" to be shaved into the edge of the wood and will require further planing to even out.
- Make sure that your Craftsman planer is taken care of, as its useful life depends on proper maintenance. Replace the blades early and often, before they become dull. Dull blades cause the power planer to work harder than it needs to, and a dull blade can cause the planer to kick up fine sediment that can disrupt proper function. Also, make certain that you change the blades at the same time in order to maintain the balance between the two. By following these tips, your experience with a Craftsman power planer will likely result in success from your first uses to your last.
