Popular Woodworking 2001-10 № 124, страница 61
planers. These hold the cutterhead in place on your final pass. They reduce, but do not eliminate, sniping. Stationary Planers These heavy-duty workhorses are powered by an induction motor and built using cast iron. As a result, they are heavier, more reliable and need less coaxing than their smaller cousins. Stationary planers start at 12" wide and go up. Most home woodworkers buying a stationary planer will shop for a 15" model, which starts under $1,000. When shopping for a 15" machine, check out the horsepower (usually 2 or 3 hp) and cuts per minute (between 13,500 and 15,000). One measure of the guts of the machine is the maximum cut the manufacturer recommends you take in one pass — most 15" planers can take between Vs" and V4". Check out the feed rate, which is how quickly boards move under the cutterhead. Some floor models have variable feed rates that can be changed with a lever or by adjusting a chain inside the machine. Another important feature is the knife-changing method. Most use springs or jackscrews to hold the knife in position as you lock it to the cut-terhead. If your planer doesn't have these, buy a jig for setting your knives. Rollers are critical in stationary planers. Most quality models use serrated steel feed rollers to grab and drive your wood under the cutter-head. Most have an adjustable chip breaker that will improve the final finish of your board. And be sure your stationary planer has adjustable bed rollers. These rollers are opposite the cutterhead and move rough stock more smoothly. Finally, don't forget to add up the niceties that come with some planers. You'll probably want to buy in-feed and outfeed rollers for your planer. These come packaged with some planers and are expensive accessories on others. Some planers come with knife-setting jigs, some don't. Some planers come with a dust hood, others don't. When factored in with the purchase price, these accessories can quickly turn an expensive machine into a reasonably priced one. PW PW Recommends occasional user • Delta 22-560, This 121/2" portable planer gives you a lot of high-end features at a good price — and you get the Delta name to boot. Knife-changing is a breeze. Keep your eyes peeled this year for the new 22-580 13" planer from Delta that will offer two speeds and some other nifty features. • DeWalt DW733, Rugged and powerful, this 12" planer is an excellent machine. Our only complaint is we wish the knives were two-sided. • Ridgid TP1300, This well-made machine offers a lot of refinements not found on some others, such as onboard tool storage. Plus it has a lifetime warranty. serious home woodworker • Bridgewood BW-15P, This machine comes complete with a dust hood and infeed/outfeed rollers. The motor is mounted below the cutter-head, a configuration that we prefer. This makes the knives easier to adjust and reduces vibration. • JET JPM-13 & 13CS, This 13" induction-motor planer gives you many of the features of floor-model planers and the additional ability to cut hundreds of moulding profiles with extra knives you install on the cutter-head. advanced woodworker or professional user • Grizzly 1033, You are going to be hard pressed to find another 20" planer for this price. It has many of the features found on its competitors — except for the price. These tools have been tested or used by the editors of Popular Woodworking and have earned their recommendation. |
