Popular Woodworking 2000-12 № 119, страница 8

Tool Test

SPECIFICATIONS:

Makita 20I2NB Planer

Street Price: $499 Motor: I20v, I Samp, universal Max. Cut: '/s" high, 12" wide Feed Rate: 27.9 feet per minute RPM: 8,500

Table Size: '2" x 30³/s" Weight: 59.5 lbs.

Knives: 2, double-sided, disposable Cuts per Minute: '7,000 Performance: mm Value: lllmm

Makita: 800-462-5482, or www.makita.com

Makita's New Benchtop Planer Loaded With Features

In today's home wood shop, benchtop planers are fairly common. It wasn't that long ago, however, that only a couple were available, and Makita had one of the first. The 2012 (which you can still find if you look hard) brought stationary machinery performance to the home shop. Makita is now unveiling its updated version, the 2012NB, and it's a completely new machine. The most noticeable difference from the original 2012 is that instead of the table moving up and down under a fixed cut-terhead, the table is fixed and the cutterhead moves — like most portable planers today. But there are lots of other changes as well.

Three amenities on this planer help you get to your finished thickness quickly. First, there's a depth-of-cut indicator that is a simple gravity-powered pin-gauge. As you place your lumber under the cutterhead, the pin rises to show you how deep your cut will be. On the right side of the planer is a depth stop, which allows you to dial in your finished thickness. For example, if you always thickness to ³4", you simply set the depth stop and the cutterhead will stop at this thickness every time. It works a lot like the depth stop on a plunge router and is quick to adjust, fine tune and move out of the way. Finally, the crank knob that adjusts your cut has a dial indicator to show you how much of a cut each turn of the knob produces, and this works hand-in-hand with the planer's depth scale, which is easy to read and adjust.

If you've ever worked with a benchtop planer, you know that some models can be difficult to adjust. However, the Makita is a snap to set up. First, all the tools to adjust the machine store in a box mounted to the motor. Adjusting the large infeed and outfeed tables is simple work using only an Allen wrench. And changing the double-edged disposable blades is the easiest system we've encountered. The cutterhead is held in place with an automatic lock that kicks in when you remove the dust shroud. The bolts to release the blade hold-down are easily accessible. And a groove in the blades aligns with the blade hold-down for quick and foolproof blade set-up. The system also allows you to move the blades side-to-side a bit to cancel out a nick in the blades.

The machine's case is beefed up with cross bracing and a cast aluminum top, all of which helps reduce snipe. Speaking of reducing snipe, unlike a lot of benchtop planers, the Makita 2012NB doesn't have a cutterhead lock. Instead, Makita has designed the 2012NB with a spring-mounted nut and screw design on the cutterhead to maintain pressure and control deflection.

So how does it work? After testing we're happy to say this is a very nice planer. Perhaps the best benchtop out there — by a nose. The cuts are smooth and nearly snipe-free in both figured oak and pine. However, the $499 price tag may put this planer out of your reach. In fact, for just a few hundred more you can upgrade to a cast-iron floor model planer. But if your shop is limited in space or you need both portability and performance, this new Makita is your machine. For more information, circle #'70 on the Resource Directory Coupon.

HOW WE RATE TOOLS

At PopularWoodworking we test new tools and products with an honest, real-world workout.We check for ease of assembly and determine how clear and complete the manuals are. Then we use the tool in our shop to build projects that appear in the magazine. Each issue the magazine's editorial staff shares its results and experiences with the tools,rating each for performance and value.

We use a one-to-five scale,with "five" in performance indicating that we consider it to be the leader in its category. For value,"five" means the tool is a great deal for the money,

while "one" means we consider it pricey. However,a tool with a low value rating may be worth the high price.

If our tool reviews don't answer all your questions,e-mail me at DavidT@FWPubs.com or call me at 5l3-53l-2690,ext. 255. If we haven't reviewed the tool you're considering, there's a good chance I've used the tool, but simply haven't had a chance to write a review. Give me a call and see if I can help.You can also check out our past published tool reviews at our website: www.popwood.com.

—David Thiel, senior editor

12 Popular Woodworking December 1000