Electric Plane Recommendation for DIY novice

jonny2510

Can anyone recommend me an electric plane?

We've just had carpets fitted, meaning 4 doors are going to need planing so they open/close ok.

I have an old stanley hand plane, though last time I used it it didn't work too well (perhaps needs a new blade / sharpening????)

As I'm short on time at the moment, I want to make this job as easy as possible, and so figured I'd need an electric plane.

It'll only get used on the occasional door I expect, so doesn't need to be all singing/all dancing.

Is an electric one going to make my life any easier?

Can anyone recommend anything?

Should I sharpen/replace the existing hand plane blade, and go with that?

vaio

Hand plane will do just as well as electric only (obviously) slower. That’s double edged for beginners, faster=less chance of spotting mistakes before it’s too late.

If you still want an electric one then I'd guess whatever is on offer at screwfix is the way to go

You can hire tools that will trim the doors without taking them off so that might be worth a thought too

jonny2510

vaio wrote: »

Hand plane will do just as well as electric only (obviously) slower. That’s double edged for beginners, faster=less chance of spotting mistakes before it’s too late.

If you still want an electric one then I'd guess whatever is on offer at screwfix is the way to go

You can hire tools that will trim the doors without taking them off so that might be worth a thought too

Any ideas what the best way to sharpen the blade is on the hand plane?

vaio

Traditionally it’s an oil stone (unless it has lumps missing out of it in which case grinder first then oil stone)

There might be a more modern method, maybe diamond hone?

mikey72

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/7113581/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CGarden+and+DIY%7C14418702/c_2/2%7C14418702%7CPower+tools%7C14418763/c_3/3%7Ccat_14418763%7CRouters+and+planers%7C14418764.htm

is a decent one,

but
http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb291pln-3mm-planer-230v/94665

looks ok for a cheaper one.

And to be honest, it's well worth the money compared to using a hand plane.
Just don't take off more than 0.5 to 1mm at a time.

edit - even the cheaper one gets good reviews

http://www.screwfix.com/p/direct-power-bp822y-2mm-planer-230v/78998

27col

You can always buy a hand plane with replaceable blades, or come to that, a power plane with replaceable blades. I've got a Matika that I bought over 30 years ago. It's a good plane, but the tungsten blades are impossible to sharpen at home, so it has hardly been used. I prefer to use the hand plane, if you are not going to use it very much, then the small cost of replacement blades is not going to figure largely in your budget.

tony6403

vaio wrote: »

Traditionally it’s an oil stone (unless it has lumps missing out of it in which case grinder first then oil stone)

There might be a more modern method, maybe diamond hone?

Correctly sharpening a blade from a hand planer is a skilled job ; the average DIYer would well advised not to go to the trouble and expense ( bench grinder , oil , oil stone , jigs ) .
The disposable blades on electric planers are a much better option.