How to choose an electric plane for an amateur and a professional
The electric plane is a technically complex and dangerous tool for inept hands. The higher quality and more functional the model, the higher its cost. It is worth buying a tool if you start building your own home. Buying raw boards and stitching them yourself will be much cheaper. For a professional, the merits of an electric tool are known, it would not be wrong with the manufacturer.
Tool selection criteria
- rotation frequency of cutters;
- planing depth in one pass;
- width of the treated surface;
- motor power.
The faster the knife drum turns, the cleaner the surface. The rotation speed of the knives should be at least 10,000 rpm, while not falling depending on the load. The higher the rotation speed, the higher the surface finish. The professional electric planer from Bosch and other well-known manufacturers has an electronic power control with a constant speed.
The progenitor of modern electric planers were hand-made wooden ones, they are still in good health. Even today they do miracles in the hands of cabinetmakers, and according to the work performed, they are called zenzubel, end zenzubel, tongue-and-groove, falzgebel, additional.
The effective power indicator is 2-2.5 times less than the nominal. Planing requires at least 350 watts. As the length of the knives increases, the resistance of the material increases. When choosing a tool, it is wise to buy a more powerful model. The gentle working conditions will extend the life of the electric planer.
The planing width in one pass depends on the length of the cutters installed in the drum. Standard knives have a size of 50,75,82,102,110 mm. Usually, a tool with a blade width of 82, 102, 110 mm is purchased. The blades are removable, they are inexpensive, the most budgetary ones are at 82 mm. It is optimal to purchase electric planers with a planing width of 110 mm.
In order for the entire workpiece to be processed equally, you first need to press harder on the front handle, at the end - on the back. You can take the workpiece along the length with a margin, after processing, cut off the edges from the ends.
How thick the wood layer can be removed in one pass depends on how high the cutters protrude above the level of the cast sole. The greater the immersion depth, the more power the electric hand plane is required. Household tools are rarely adjusted to a depth of more than 3 mm due to the risk of clogging the chip removal tube. The smaller the cross-section of this hole, the smaller the depth the device is designed for.
The quality of knives and belts in the drive is considered to be significant indicators of work efficiency. The presence of a dust collector will simplify cleaning at the end of work. The sole of the planer should be even, but have grooves for chamfering, have grooves invisible to the eye, but perceptible to the fingers for air exhaust.
Before choosing an electric plane finally, it is necessary to clarify the possibility of purchasing consumables - knives and belts for a tool of a favorite brand in your region.
Which electric plane is better for an amateur
For use from time to time, it is optimal to choose an amateur series plane. This tool differs in cost.During operation, it is necessary to control the heating of the engine, avoiding temperatures on the case 600... The quality of the electric planer, like other tools, depends a lot on the manufacturer. Bosch's amateur instrument is much more reliable than the Chinese one. But even here there is a difference - a device released on a Chinese site under license and under the control of the brand owner, or assembly in workshops with a label sticker.
When choosing an amateur handheld electric planer of budget cost, you need to know:
- high-quality household tools are produced by Skil, Ryobi, Bosch in green;
- made in China, but under the name of well-known European and Russian brands, at Russian factories;
- made in China without specifying the country of origin, with indistinct documentation and crooked stickers.
Even the third option is suitable for one-time use, especially since the price of such products is noticeably lower. With a careful attitude, even the most inexpensive model will fulfill its purpose.
An electric tool in inexperienced hands is dangerous and can cause injury. When choosing a planer, it is necessary to choose a model with the most closed cutter surfaces. Any repair and cleaning of the pipes must be carried out with blocking from accidental start.
A more expensive electric plane for professionals is produced by many companies. They are available to the population with average incomes. Industrial machines are expensive and their purchase is economically profitable only when working in especially difficult conditions. They are installed if the professional plane cannot withstand the load.
For amateur use, the length of the blades is limited to 110 mm, the 150 mm electric planer is produced only in industrial configuration.
Summing up the above, the gradation common among specialists will help in choosing a tool:
- Industrial grade equipment is produced under the brands Dussa, Protool, Hilti, Milwaukee.
- The professional planer can be purchased from Bosch, AEG, Makita, Metabo, Hitachi, Kress, DeWalt.
- Sparky semi-professional electric planers.
An amateur instrument cannot be said to be bad. Companies Interskol, Zubr, Bort and others produce quality products, production is developing, and they may well compete with well-known brands.
However, the adopted classification also explains the pricing policy in the woodworking tool sector, and will help determine which is the best to choose an electric plane.
Examples of models of electric planers
Despite the fact that the electric planers Bosch PHO 20-82 for hobbyists, green, are produced at the production site in China, they are of good quality. Planers are balanced. Precise planing depth control, high-speed rotation makes the work surface clean. Available in 82, 102 and 110 mm planing widths. Their price depends on the width of the knives, power and equipment. Models weighing 2.2 kg, power 680 W, with a strip width of 82 cm cost a little more than 3 thousand rubles. Bosch planers are usually equipped with one knife, but the drum rotates at a speed of 19,500 revolutions. The devices have connections for a vacuum cleaner and a container for shavings.
The company Makita is no less well-known among professionals and amateurs. Manufacturers keep the price of the tool high, rightly believing that they are leaders in the development of new tools. They are constantly working to improve security. So, the Makita 1902 model has a knife 82 mm long. With a power of 550 W and a weight of 2.5 kg, the device operates at a speed of 16,000 rpm. Makita plane performs finishing of the blade, since the chip thickness is 1 mm. Despite the fact that the tool is declared as an amateur, it is used by professionals. Knives and belts for planers of this brand can be bought in any remote corner of the country.
Interskol products compete with models of famous brands.In 2009, the company bought a renowned woodworking tool manufacturing facility in Italy. The company took over the designers and designers and a full-fledged tool manufacturing plant. Therefore, the electric plane Interskol R 110 1100M is created according to the latest technology, with a cast aluminum sole. This is the first model with a knife length of 110 mm based on the P 102 1100EM model.
The weight of the tool is 4.5 kg. It can process surfaces at 1600 rpm, up to 3 mm deep. With a power consumption of 1.1 kW, it cleans 110 mm of surface, has an adapter for a vacuum cleaner, a branch pipe for removing chips. In terms of configuration, the tool is not inferior to professional tools, it costs much less, just over 5 thousand rubles.
Electric plane Interskol 102 1100EM is in demand among specialists. The tool is used in the production of shaped blanks. Despite the modest speed of only 11,000 rpm, the electronic control contributes to a high-quality result. The machine weighs 3.8 kg, cuts 2.5 mm and chamfers 15 mm. The cost of the instrument is about 4 thousand.
The electric plane Bison ZR 1300 110 is irreplaceable in the carpentry workshop. The power of the tool allows cutting chips with a thickness of 3.5 mm. The high-speed knife at a speed of 16,000 cuts off even knots in the blade flush. The electronic system maintains a constant speed under load. The tool processes wood of any density. The rip fence allows you to select a quarter. The depth adjuster is combined with the front handle. There is a lock against accidental launch. The plane weighs 7.5 kg. The manufacturer's warranty for the planer is given for 5 years.
Inexpensive electric planer Bort BFB-850-T will become a master's assistant during the initial cleaning of building material. The molded sole with grooves for removing murals lies tightly on the surface of the material being processed. There is a second handle for manual planing. The sole is covered with a protective shoe during downtime. Using the bed, you can turn the plane into a woodworking machine. Processing width in one pass - 82 mm. Chip thickness up to 3 mm. The rotation speed of the knife drum is 16500 rpm. The weight of the plane is 3 kg, the price is 3350 rubles.