A planer is a woodworking machine used turn raw lumber into panels that are of the same thickness throughout it's length, and flat on both sides.

What a Wood Planer Does

A wood planer is probably the most basic and yet versatile of tools. Planers have been around for many hundreds of years and have helped to create some furniture masterpieces. Modern planers vary in size and style but their basic premise has never changed.

Thickness Planer

Shopsmith has two models of planers: the Thickness Planer and the Professional Planer. In terms of what it does, the planer might be the simplest power tool in a home woodworking shop. Yet, simple as it is, when teamed with other power tools, the planer gives you everything you need to transform all kinds of lumber into useful, beautiful and fun projects.

Choosing and Using Woodworking Planes

There is a wide range of wood-working planes, to cope with all kinds of work. But for most basic jobs, two patterns will suffice - a bench plane and a block plane. A block plane is useful for small work and for end grain trimming. It measures 90mm (3 ½ inch) to 200mm (8 inch) long and has a blade 25mm (1 inch) or 40mm (1 5/8 inch) wide.

Jointers and Planers

In order the fully enjoy the benefits of either machine, you need both. They truly compliment each other. Actually,  to properly prepare wood, you need three machines, a jointer, planer and a table saw. A jointer will make wood flat (relative to length), either one flat edge or one flat surface.   A table saw can make the other edge parallel to the flat edge produced by the jointer.  A planer can make the other surface parallel to the flat surface produced by the jointer.

Planer

A thickness planner allow the following