Portable thickness planer reviews | The Makita 2012nb benchtop?

Industrial vs. Portable thickness planers

Industrial planers are nice to have, but not everyone needs that much power for home or DIY use.

For most non-crucial applications, a portable thickness planer will do just fine. Of course, they aren’t as accurate as thickness planers, nor will they be able to handle high volume work.

But they are much cheaper and easier to get started with, and won’t take up too much space.

Unless you are planning on making a career out of trimming down slabs of timber to precise thicknesses, I strongly advise you to get a portable thickness planer instead of an industrial planer.

Electric Hand Planers Vs. Thickness Planers

Portability is usually a plus when it comes to power tools. But in the case of planers, portable models aren’t necessarily the best or most appropriate solutions.

Despite the bulk and cost of a thickness planer, there are situations wherein they are the better option.

Electric hand planers really are better suited for quick trimming or leveling, where extreme accuracy isn’t that important.

The best electric hand planer  essentially lets you bring your tool to where you need to work instead of the other way around. However, what you gain in portability, you lose in power and accuracy.

On the other hand, if you do need to trim lumber into precisely measured slabs, a thickness planer will be tremendously useful. You can learn more about planers. 

What thickness planers are better used for

Thickness planers can be quite useful in a home setting or a DIY woodshop.

They can be used to make finished lumber out of raw stock, which can save you a lot of money.

If you have a large construction project at home, for example, you can reduce your material costs considerably by purchasing unfinished lumber and trimming them down yourself.

Thickness planers also let you get your lumber to the precise thickness that you need. Handheld solutions won’t give you anywhere near the same accuracy and will require a lot more work besides.

With a good thickness planer, you can trim down a pile of lumber to the correct thickness in a fraction of the time it would take with a hand planer.

Some of the best planers even smooth lumber down to a perfect finish so you won’t have to do any additional sanding afterward.

Top thickness planer to buy

There are some pretty impressive thickness planers on the market these days, and you could easily find a few that will deliver the performance you need for a wide variety of trimming jobs.

Of all the models reviewed here, these three deliver particularly exceptional performance.

The DeWalt DW735X is a 13-inch thickness planer with a powerful 15-amp motor. Equipped with a triple-blade system, it can handle even the most stubborn stock without a hitch.

The 20,000 RPM motor spins the cutter-head at a top speed of 10,000 RPM, which is more than adequate for even heavy-duty jobs.

The DW735X also has a two-speed gearbox that lets you switch between 96 and 179 cuts per inch (CPI).

It even has a generously-sized aluminum base that is twice as rigid as the standard base that comes with most thickness planers.

Dewalt DW735X thickness planer, 13 inch

The Makita 2012NB is a 12-inch planer that scores top marks for portability and convenience.

Despite its compact design and lightweight, it is a surprisingly powerful unit that delivers the performance that you expect from the most efficient bench planers.

The 15-amp motor cranks out a no-load speed of 8,500 RPM, which should be sufficient for most planning jobs.

The 2012NB also has Makita’s own Interna-Lok automated head clamp system that eliminates snipes for more consistent results.

Even the blades are quick and easy to change, making this a convenient solution for professionals and DIY woodworkers who need a serious planing tool.

Makita 2012NB thickness planer, 12 inch

The Cutech/Wahuda Tools 40200HC-CT is an affordable thickness planer that is capable of pro-level performance.

Building on the success of the earlier 40200H-CT, the new model features an improved cutter-head with carbide inserts.

Along with professional features such as heavy-duty guideposts and elevating screws, a snipe lock for the cutter-head, internal height adjustment gears, and a dual-sized dust port, this makes the 40200HC-CT a planer to reckon with.

It even has a depth repeat cut setting and generously-sized tables that accommodate large stock.

Even with all these features, the 40200HC-CT weights a manageable 90 pounds, so you can easily move it around your workshop if necessary.

Cutech/wahuda tools 40200hc-ct bench top planer, 13 inch

Best value DIY thickness planer

If you are looking for a capable planer that doesn’t cost a bundle, definitely check out the WEN 6550T.

A 12.5-inch model equipped with a 15-amp motor, it has a two-blade cutting system that can make short work of even the roughest timber, transforming them into usable slabs of lumber.

The 6550T can make up to 17,000 cuts per minute and process stock at 26 feet per minute.

This is a pretty impressive feed rate for any model, but it is even more so considering the reasonable price of the 6550T.

Features such as the smooth granite table, heavy-duty base, and fan-assisted dust port make this a thickness planer that can easily hang with the best of them.

WEN 6550T thickness planer, 12.5 inch

Thickness planer features

Durability

Thickness planers are generally built for durability, especially the models from the best brands.

You do have to maintain them properly and avoid subjecting them to abuse.

This usually means not using them for excessively hard materials and

Bench Size

Bench or table size is an important consideration when shopping for a thickness planer. Most models support boards from 12 to 13 inches, but some can support boards of up to 15 inches wide.

Choose a planer that can accommodate the widths that you will likely be working with.

Blade Count

Planers can have one to three blades. You can generally expect more efficient performance from planers with more blades, as they can remove more material in a single pass.

They also tend to last longer before they need to be sharpened. This is a definite plus, as sharpening is a time-consuming and tedious process. Unless you just buy new blades, to keep perfect cuts.

Motor Size

You will want to get a planer with a powerful motor, which will allow you to trim down even hard and dense stock. Most of the models featured here can trim a variety of woods efficiently without bogging down.

Brand

Some of the best thickness planers on the market are made by companies such as DeWalt, Makita, and WEN.

Brands such as Porter-Cable, Delta Power Tools, Grizzly Powertec, and Cutech also make affordable models that deliver excellent value and performance.

Price

Shopping according to price doesn’t necessarily equate to getting the cheapest model on the market. It is more important to maximize the value that you get from your tool, so price shouldn’t be the only consideration.

In most cases, it is better to spend a little more for a higher quality tool than to settle for a substandard model just to save a few bucks.

Tips For Using Your Thickness Planer

Thickness planers are fairly straightforward tools, but you do have to know how to use them to ensure safety and quality results. As with all power tools, you have a higher risk of injury if you use a thickness planer without knowing the proper safety and operational procedures.

Wear protective gear at all times when operating a thickness planer. At the very least, these should include a dust mask and safety glasses or goggles.

Prepare the planer before you begin, making sure that all the components and safety features are in place. This typically requires unfolding the feed tables and setting up the guide fence.

Always check to see that your blades are sharp and securely fastened. It is usually best to trim the stock by making a few passes instead of trying to remove a lot of material at one go, and overworking the tool.

Of course, watch out as thickness planer blades they are expensive to replace so take extra care to make sure there are no nails in any timber before feeding it into the machine.

You can save money on lumber by using an Alaskan mill and your best gas husqvarna chainsaw to cut timber slabs. After letting the timber dry you can run them through a thickness planer to mill some perfectly smooth timber boards.

Thickness planer comparison

	DeWalt DW735X	Makita 2012NB	Cutech / Wahuda Tools 40200HC-CT	DeWalt DW735	Grizzly Industrial G0505	DeWalt DW734	DeWalt DW733	WEN 6550T	Porter-Cable PC305TP	Delta Power Tools 22-555	Mophorn	WEN 6552T	Powertec PL1252	Triton TPT125	Ridgid R4330
	CHECK CURRENT PRICE	CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Max Cutting Width:	13 Inchs	12”	13”	13”	12.5”	12.5”	12.5”	12.5”	12”	13”	12.5”	13”	12.5”	12.5”	13”
Weight:	105 lbs.	61.9 lbs.	88 lbs.	90 lbs.	73 lbs.	80 lbs.	85.2 lbs.	70 lbs.	64.8 lbs.	58 lbs.		66 lbs.	63.4 lbs.	63.9 lbs.	72.9 lbs.

Conclusion

The best options by far are the DeWalt DW735X, the Makita 2012NB, and the Cutech/Wahuda Tools 40200HC-CT. The DeWalt DW735X is an excellent choice for those that need to make large cuts in wide materials.

The Makita 2012NB is a more portable option that delivers efficient operation in a compact design. Ideally suited for finish woodworking, this is also a good choice for cabinetry and furniture making.

As for the Cutech/Wahuda Tools 40200HC-CT, definitely check out this model if you place high demands on your thickness planer. With a wide array of pro features and a reasonable price tag, the 40200HC-CT is a step up from your average planer.

If saving money and doing the job by hand is still an option for you  follow this link for my next best recommendation.