Plane advice requested (manual or powered etc)

I need to hang some doors, not many, just three of them. So I need to purchase a plane to get the job done. I've checked on 'toolstation' and a manual 'block plane' is around £30 Also on 'toolstation' I can get a cheap as chips, unbranded SL155 Power Planer for £22.50 Lastly, I can get a Ryobi L175 Planer for £50

Now, this item probably won't be getting that much use, but I don't relish he thought of having to scrap a whole door because I bodged it (I know a bad work man blames his tools, but they do make a difference).

Is there any point whatsoever getting the unbranded cheap-as planer? Is there an real advantage in using a power planer over a manual plane?

Keep in mind that I haven't used a plane since I was about 15 years old trying to make a sledge.

Thanks for any and all advice.

Seri

Reply to
Seri
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[T] I would think after my heavy wire brush / angle grinder setup, my Matika power plane is the other tool that I am VERY respectful of.

As long as the door is held very steady, a power plane may be easier to keep square etc?

Just count your fingers before you start and check again at the end ;-(

All the best ..

T i m

Reply to
T i m

I bought an Aldi £15 power plane a while ago; it works just fine. I suspect the unbranded one is made to the same design.

It's more important to have a couple of sharp blades (the ones that came with the planer are OK, or Screwfix sell TCT ones), and to spend some time settings things up so that the blades, body of the plane and adjustable front are all *exactly* parallel. I did this by holding the planer upside down, facing a bright window, and looking down the bottom.

Starting and finishing the cut are the most difficult bits, because only one of the front or back metal plates is touching the workpiece. Practice on some scrap wood first, you'll soon get the hang of it.

Don't ever fiddle with the blades without making sure it's unplugged and always remember that the bottom is spinning even after you've stopped, or you'll end up gouging your floor/going to casualty!

Ben.

Reply to
Ben Schofield

Things can go wrong very quickly with a power plane and if you're not in a hurry you may find the old fashioned sort easier to handle. Problems can occure when you try to plane across the grain where a tongue sticks through the edge of the door (usually on old doors only)

Also power planes can leave round dips if you don't plane the length of the door in one go especially at the start and end of a run.

Nick

Reply to
Nick Brooks

============================================ personally myself I bought a Manual plane , don't like them elecy gizmos as one poster pointed out you have to watch the start and the end, also if stop anywhere along the length of the wood you will find a nice shallow hollow where the plane stopped. :o( I Have a router which I use on doors now but it's too complicated to explain in words how it's done.

Grouch

Reply to
Grouch

Strange. I'm not in the least scared of mine - although respectful of it as with all power tools. Circular saws and routers scare me more, as well as angle grinders.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

All the ones I've seen have got adjustable cutting depth. So start off slowly and check after every cut - same as with anything.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

[T] Well indeed Dave ... it's just that some power tools sound / feel more scary than others!

Circular saws and routers scare me more, as well

[T] My angle grinder / coarse wire brush has caught me twice (I think I need to get it exorcised!). There I was, cleaning up a hydraulic motorcycle lift with the brush grinder and wearing ear defenders, goggles, gloves, leather apron, cap etc when the brush caught the floor and did a 0-60 onto my leg. It would have just been my jeans had they not had a small tear on the knee. All my jeans covered leg and it finds the one hole .. . I'm not exactly sure how many layers of skin we have but I do know all of them went in about .002 of a second ... .. ;-(

Planers. I think thay have taken more fingers in timber yards than any circular saw?

All the best and work safe .. ;-)

T i m

I think any power tool with a switch that locks (router, grinder, planer etc) needs special attention .. !

Reply to
T i m

Manual planes are all but impossible for the uninitiated. I bought a cheap as chips power plane for door sizing and it is absolutely fantastic. The manual plane never gets used. The electric is really easy to use, provided you work out a technique for finishing at the end. Some say to just pull back to stop the dip. However, I've found it easier to clamp some scrap onto the end, so the dodgy end cut is in the scrap, not the door. Then you can dip at the end to your heart's content and the cheap softwood doesn't splinter, either.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Yes. I'd say it's no more difficult to make a half decent job of with than a hand plane - both need skill. The difference is the electric one can take off more in one go.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

I've used two different power planes and couldn't get along with either. They are just too vicious. ;-) One wouldn't even set to 0 ie. with it on 0 it would take wood off and as for the gouging if you are not so careful.

I'll stick with my manual Stanley and go play with my grinder with knotted wire brush or welder - much less scary to use. :-)

Mark S.

Reply to
Mark S.

Weren't there any instructions on how to set it up after doing a blade change, etc?

On my old B&D one, the setting of the blades is pretty critical if you want a square cut.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

I carry around a small plane which has a blade about 1.25in across which can be (and in fact must be) used single handed. It gets used regularly to shave tight doors and windows.

The power plane comes out only very rarely, when I know I've got to remove lots of material.

PoP

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Reply to
PoP

Hi Seri.

I've found a power planer gives a much faster easier and better quality finish. But they have pitfalls to be aware of:

  1. Its important to buy one that uses disposable TCT blades. Some of the absolute bottom end ones use carbon steel blades that blunt rapidly and need setting up/aligning, which is a pain. Anything even vaguely decent uses replaceable TCT blades that dont need alignment.

  1. Half a second of inattention is all it takes to remove a fair lump of wood, or even a finger, so always pay total attention. Youve got 2 blades doing 10,000 rpm, so it'll eat everything it touches for breakfast. And it takes time for the blades to stop.

  2. Always run the plane end to end: everyone tries planing just part of it and getting it to line up, but it doesnt work that way.

  1. Theres a technique to avoid taking lumps out at each end. a) when going onto the wood put all the downforce onto the front of the plane only. Get the front sitting level on the wood, then proceed. At the end of the wood all the downforce should be on the back end only. b) For anyone who finds that awkward, clamp bits of scrap on each end and you're worry free.

No way would I go back to a hand plane. Once youve got the basic technique a power plane is so fast its almost a weapon of mass destruction.

  1. Screwfix's Ferm plane is good, and about £25 IIRC.

Regards, NT

Reply to
N. Thornton

Thanks for all the advice from everyone. My ScrewFix basket now contains:

1 x FERM FP82 PLANER 2 x PLANER BLADE 82MM PR

I'll post a quick update when I use it too let you know if I still have all my fingers and whether I've had to buy a new door :o)

Thanks once again for the help... much appreciated

Seri

Reply to
Seri

Do be careful. My dining room door now no longer sticks, but it doesn't fit in the frame any more, either. :o(

Reply to
Huge

How you going to type with no fingers? :) I guess we have to be resourceful.

Regards, NT

Reply to
N. Thornton

Difficulty is over the end grain with a manual plane.

The sides are easy.

Personally I belt sands the ends and plane the sides.

No power planer required, and arguably the belt sander is more versatile.

Cheers,

Paul.

Reply to
Zymurgy

Now that you've ordered the power planer it's time to check that you've got a cheapo metal detector. Doors usually have nails or staples cunningly hidden just under the surface, and these will take chunks out of the planer blade. Check regularly with the detector, and either punch them lower out of harms way, or remove them....

Reply to
MarkM

Darn it, we left my daughters metal detector in Scotland with my folks, figured the thing was useless (I think we were more dissapointed than my daughter).

Reply to
Seri

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