What level of skill and maintenance does a power planer require?

[lostinthelight]

lightly marking the surface with a soft pencil, should show if your bearing down correctly

 

[^woody^]

I have several cheap planes of different size/patterns based on old Stanley/Rabone/Irwin models but likely made in India or China. Once set up and the blade sharpened these work like any other plane you could mention and just require the wheel to be turned and the blade smoothly moves forward or backward. Absolutely no fuss or faff.

I can't see why this should not be the case for everyone, but we've had that debate previously.

For power planes, I'd suggest these are for rough and quick removal in bulk, and not where any finesse at all is required. And if you are thinking of a power plane, it may as well be cordless.

My tip of the day, is if you are power planing a door edge, stop before you get to the end, don't let the blade run past!

 

[MisterBoy]

I have several cheap planes of different size/patterns based on old Stanley/Rabone/Irwin models but likely made in India or China. Once set up and the blade sharpened these work like any other plane you could mention and just require the wheel to be turned and the blade smoothly moves forward or backward. Absolutely no fuss or faff.

I can't see why this should not be the case for everyone, but we've had that debate previously.

I just remember we seemed to spend multiple lessons at school taking them apart, sharpening them, adjusting them - and hardly ever actually using them
I'm interested you've found the cheap modern replicas to be good - the classic ones go for an absolute fortune these days but then they should last multiple lifetimes.

For power planes, I'd suggest these are for rough and quick removal in bulk, and not where any finesse at all is required. And if you are thinking of a power plane, it may as well be cordless.

So one specific job I have lined up is removing all the paint on an old church pew (oak or pitch pine I think) that was painted then left in the garden for years. Half the paint is falling off, the rest I've been stripping. The wood under the good paint is still lovely, the rest is all dry and nasty.
I need to get it all back to smooth wood after I get as much paint off as I can before restoring/staining the wood.
Is this a job for a plane, or a sander, or a combination?

My tip of the day, is if you are power planing a door edge, stop before you get to the end, don't let the blade run past!

As someone who hasn't used a plane for many years and never a power planer, can I ask why? What goes wrong?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

As someone who hasn't used a plane for many years and never a power planer, can I ask why? What goes wrong?

Going middle, to end, will splinter the end - so you always work ends towards the centre.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

So one specific job I have lined up is removing all the paint on an old church pew (oak or pitch pine I think) that was painted then left in the garden for years. Half the paint is falling off, the rest I've been stripping. The wood under the good paint is still lovely, the rest is all dry and nasty.
I need to get it all back to smooth wood after I get as much paint off as I can before restoring/staining the wood.
Is this a job for a plane, or a sander, or a combination?

Scrape as far as possible then use a sander where there is still paint. Start with a coarse grit (P40 or P60) then work up through the grits to about P120 or P180

As someone who hasn't used a plane for many years and never a power planer, can I ask why? What goes wrong?

It's to do with grain direction. On a traditional frame and panel wooden door if you are planing the long edges you can just work straight through as the stiles run the full length, no problem, but if you are planing the top or bottom edges you are planing across the grain when you plane the ends of the stiles but with the grain of the rails in the middle - unless you support the end grain of the stiles it will often break - or stop short and plane in the last bit from the other end

 

[MisterBoy]

Oh yes that makes sense, same as sawing timber and 'breaking' the last bit if you're too rough. Thanks

 

[^woody^]

For your pew task, it would suit either a scraper and hot air gun, or a random orbit sander.

When planing with a power plane there is a tendency to press down on the front, however lightly. So when the plane goes over an edge the front and blades go down and take massive chunks out of the surface. That's in addition to splintering! There are ways to avoid it, but its oh so easy to forget and do.

I've got planes from Anant (Indian No 4 pattern) my very first from the mid 80's still a great plane, Senator Nr 5 (Cromwell tools own brand) and Faithfull - various (Indian made , and solid) and some others speciality planes who's name I forget and they are no different to my famous brand planes. Just keep that blade sharp. I blame that Paul Sellers bloke for the price of planes rocketing

 

[Deleted member 174758]

For your pew task, it would suit either a scraper and hot air gun, or a random orbit sander.

I'm always very wary of suggesting hot air guns on old paint - pre-1950s paint generally contains lead, but old varnish doesn't

...they are no different to my famous brand planes.

I blame that Paul Sellers bloke for the price of planes rocketing

I think the collecting thing is way before Mr Sellars influence TBH.

 

[MisterBoy]

I actually used a chemical stripper that is really good (unlike most), but where the wood is not perfectly smooth you can't get it all off. So it'll be quite a lot of sanding - but hopefully worth it. Think I got to it just in time.

 

[^woody^]

I'm always very wary of suggesting hot air guns on old paint - pre-1950s paint generally contains lead, but old varnish doesn't

Hot air guns and a mask then.

Allow me to qualify my "No different" statement.

"No different when I use them". LOL

But seriously, it's not the plane than maketh the planer

 

[Deleted member 174758]

But seriously, it's not the plane than maketh the planer

I agree. I'd just love to see how you'd get on with one of your namesakes, though - a "woody"

Another project to clean up and get working...

 

[^woody^]

I agree. I'd just love to see how you'd get on with one of your namesakes, though - a "woody"

View attachment 254246

I did pick up one of those 18" monsters just after the first lockdown. Some bloke who got a bit carried away with his new DIY hobby in the lockdown, apparently he bought too many tools to fit in his new DIY shed!. I went for a bargain Record no 52 1/2 quick release vice, (which me and Mr Hammerite subsequently restored), and while I was there got this wooden beauty!

It was £3, in very good condition and had the intriguing name of the original chippie stamped into it.

Anyway, it might be me and my inherent lack of patience, but I find it a bit finicky compared with metal planes. Probably like the OP in his first post! But I'm determined to give it a go whenever I can.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Couple of tips - get out your Thor nylon head hammer rather than use a metal head hammer, after all even the newest "woody" will be 50 odd years old, probably a lot older. Also, they only adjust one way (i.e. thicker) so position the blade, hand tight the wedge and try a stroke. If it's too shallow rap the blade lightly with the hammer and retighten the wedge (hand tight) and try again. Once she's cutting well tighten the wedge with a tap from the hammer - don't go mad, it isn't necessary to hammer it home so hard that it cracks the cheeks. The only other thing is that being wooden, "woodies" move, so you may need to pop it in your #52-1/2 and flatten the bottom (plane front to rear) to take any warp or wind out of it. Once they are working they are nice to use and can take a far heavier shaving than you'll get with a metal plane

I still wouldn't choose to use them on a daily basis, though!

 

[opps]

I'm always very wary of suggesting hot air guns on old paint - pre-1950s paint generally contains lead, but old varnish doesn't

Electric heat guns set to no more than 500 degrees centigrade are considered safe by the H&SE.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis79.pdf

My Steinel (digital display) heat gun goes up to 650 degrees C. I normally stick at 650 but keep the gun moving so that it doesn't burn the paint. That said, I seldom use it indoors.

 

[^woody^]

After the Omicron Apocalypse, us wooden plane users are going to be in demand. Mark my words