Hand-held planer worth it? / TopShak Power Planer Review / BIG SURPRISE!

[@jayraysdiy852]

I have a DeWalt powered hand planer that I bought several years ago. I used it to smooth out my dining room table top after I glued it up. I set the planer to zero and went several passes in different directions until it was not removing material any more. It worked very well for me.

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Thanks for that tip! I will be trying it in the next 24 hours!

[@m007mm]

@@benchtopwoodworks How did it go?

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Hey max, I used the technique on a pine panel that was too wide for my planer. I left a few marks that sanded our, but was able to level out the surface.

[@Laserwurks]

END OF August 2022 I purchased from Walmart had best price but TheTOPSHAK 10-Amp did not last long some black plastic broke while planing a 38" Oak slab. IT DID WORK FINE FOR A SHORT TIME. It did remove chain saw marks from oak slabs in short order and flatten it wonderfully but then it broke on the 3d slab. I was only planing one side then using a attachment to my Arm saw to flatten the other side the flipping it over to make both side even.

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Thank you for sharing!

[@tomtheyankee3646]

Thinking about buying this from eBay

[@ChrisTietjen_00]

At that price I ordered one. I liked the 4-3/8" blade/shoe width and the powerful motor. I use a Makita 3-1/4" planer for the same uses you demonstrated. I also use it for fitting doors. Mostly I use it for cleaning edges on 1 x? boards that have been ripped either with the skil saw or the table saw. These would most often be boards for various interior or exterior trim applications. I normally lay the board on a flat plank between saw horses and I let the edge of the board overhang the plank by half an inch. I try to avoid using clamps but that ultimately depends on whether or not the board is longer than the work plank. If it's shorter, then I just use three stops, one at one end of the board and two against the opposite edge of the edge to be planed one placed at each end so the board can take the side force of the planer pushing against the edge to be planed. I also have a wooden fence screwed into the sole of the planer that runs the length of the planer and acts as a guide and auxilliary handle running on the top face of the board supporting the weight of the planer as I press the planer against the edge to be planed. This allows for a true 90 deg. setup and gives a better grip point for controlling the planing motion while also giving excellent protection from exposure to the blade. In my many hours of belt sanding while working in cabinet shops I learned to always keep a small loop of the power cord in my trigger hand so that if anything snagged the cord (even inadvertently stepping on it) the tug on my trigger hand would be enough to pull the loop loose and save the work piece from being gouged. I adopted the same method when using the power planer and would suggest it as an important safety habit. I've also found that it's important to let the power plane completely wind down before letting go of it physically. That may sound excessive, but I've been bit and would never have foreseen that it could happen the way that it did. Just incase you didn't notice it when you were examining the v-groove for chamfering you're still plugged in and you're relying on the non-transmission of a radio wave. Yikes! Also I've used Banggood a couple of times and found them to be reliable with shipping. A very thorough review. Thanks.

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Chris, thanks for watching and the loop tip! I've tried to indoctrinate on letting all tools come to a full stop also.... too many stories of angle grinders and other tools & flesh. You may have heard my shop vac spooling down, but I make sure to let the tool stop before putting it down. I really appreciate the loop tip, I'm going to try to incorporate it. I think it will help preserve the cords from stress also where they enter the tool and often wear out. I appreciate you sharing your experience and thank you for calling me out when I reached over the cutter without the tool being unplugged. All of the other times I was deliberate to unplug and I failed to that time. Fortunately, my fingers were close but not in a place that they could contact the cutter. Definitely a lesson that will stick with me for publishing bad technique!

[@rosshemmings9384]

I have a Ryobi version and I found skewing the unit as I go across a large board helps keeping it even/level

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Thanks for the tip, Ross I was thinking of trying that, I'll give it a go on those panels!

[@leandersmith6184]

As for any planer you have to do some work on the blades as they come from the factory. You start with grind off the sharp edges on the end and give the blades a bit of a bow. That way working on wider boards avoiding the sharp gauges you talk about. All planers needs to be calibrated and I did miss that in your review. John Arieves talks about the blades and from his model( 700 watts same brand) the blades are special and not to buy in a hardware shop but only online. Is this the same for this model? Thanks for making this review and lots of luck with your channel.

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Thanks for sharing your advice Leander! I assume blades are only online, but not yet confirmed.

[@m007mm]

John Arieves?

[@kenluning909]

Nice video evaluation of this tool. I had a smaller sized one from Harbour Freight. I seldom used it to the point that the rubber drive belt came apart when I went to use it. Hopefully the drive belt on yours will last.

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Thanks. Ken, great point on the belt dry-rot. Absolutely something to keep an eye on!

[@andrewshenton6541]

Did the front shoe move a little side to side as i had with a wen which in sent back

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Andrew, I do not notice any side to side movement.

[@andrewshenton6541]

@@benchtopwoodworks thanks for getting back but I do wander perhaps a more well known brand like porter cable which is priced well may be a safer bet , just wandering

[@CARL.593]

Hey there. I just bought that planer but I’m having problems. It might be , like you said, user technic, but I always end up having a line after every pass . Or there might be something off on the planet, any recommendations??

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Hey Carlito, is the line sniping at beginning or end or something else? Is the line in a consistent location or between passes or something else? You may need to check the blades to ensure they're properly set parallel to the shoe and coplaner to the back bed. Unfortunately the manual is something that is a bit lacking for this model. Stumpy Nubs recently produced a video that does a great job instructing the setup and uses of handheld planes.

[@CARL.593]

@@benchtopwoodworks let’s say in a 2x6 board, on the sides it’s good, but on the face of the boar, it leaves a line, first pass on one side all good, but when I make another pass on the other side (same face) it’s like if would have turn the depth nob for a deeper cut, I already checked the blades and seems to be all good.

[@TWC6724]

Where do you get blades for this? I love the planer for the price but how easy is it to get replacement blades?

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Great question and I'm not certain of the answer. I'll look at the manual for a part number, I hope/assume they sell them on Banggood.

[@rhytonen]

@@benchtopwoodworks I have one and want a helical cutterhead, for figured grain wood. Any Idea how to find one? Which other brands use the same cutterhead?

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Sorry, no clue. I know some brands like festool offer multiple cutter heads for the same planers including texture/inserts. I'm pretty new to this tool and the brands

[@leandersmith6184]

Not so easy but you can look at AliExpress and probably find the ones you need good luck I'm in the same process and want to know before I buy.

[@glenschumannGlensWorkshop]

Thanks for this video. This is a tool I know little about.

[@benchtopwoodworks]

Thanks for watching, Glen!