# Shopsmith Thickness Planer



## teenagewoodworker

cool i might look into a thickness planer this summer so this review will help me out.


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## matt1970

great review…as a Shopsmith Owner I have always wondered about the SS PLANEr…I took a class with the traveling acadamey and the instructor talked about the planer…but the price has scared me away--but you mentioned some things that are great to consider…

So far I have been very happy with my all my other Shopsmith tools…thanks…


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## hops

Napaman - the TAs are great - I would attend again if I had the chance.

Regarding the price… the SS planer, as you know, isn't a "cheap" tool. But, as they say, buy well the first time and you'll only cry once. With that said, do your homework and compare the SS planer to comparable planers on the market and you'll see that you get a heck of a lot of planer for the price!


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## 8iowa

I have the Shopsmith Pro planer. This is probably the best "finefinish" planer on the market. As stated in the review, the feed motor is separate. Actually it is a DC motor with infinitely variable speed, giving you feed rates between 7 and 20 feet per minute. Unlike many "lunch box" planers it has four jack screws. The cutter is stationary - very firmly a part of the main housing. The table raises and lowers. The Pro Planer is powered with a 1 3/4 HP induction motor - not a cheaper universal motor as found on most bench top planers.

It's also made in the USA. That's not too bad either.


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## SST

I'm glad I saw this review. I have watched SS planers sell on ebay and always wondered why they brought more than comparable size planers. Now I know. It's not just the size, it's the mechanics. Thanks for the info. -SST


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## 8iowa

See the Shopsmith Pro Planer in operation;
http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Archives/SS105/SS105_Planing_Procedures.htm


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## 8iowa

I just made a finger joint jig. One of the most critical aspects of this type of jig is that the "stud" must be precisely the same width as the slot cut by the dado blade. I made a 3/8 stud out of hard maple. After cutting my stock it to rough dimensions, I proceeded to plane it down in my Pro-Planer. As I got close to 3/8" I slowed the feed motor down to a crawl. I was actually able to mill off 2 thousands at a time, repeatably, on the Pro-Planer, until the stud fit the milled slot perfectly. Amazing precision!


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## jnimz

Yay! Another MUST HAVE…


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## dusty2

I am a frequent user of the Shopsmith Pro Planer and it has never let me down. In fifteen + years all I have done is sharpen the blades and clean out the sawdust and shavings. Oh yeah, I wax the daylights out of the table three or four times a year.

I don't send the blades out to be sharpened. I do that using a special jig and the Shopsmith Mark 5 or on the Power Station. I have two sets of blades that I cycle through this process, as required. But in these many years I have yet to sharpen the life out of these blades.

Now it is only fair to say that I plane very little reclaimed lumber and I never plane without checking for embedded metal. I don't use much lumber from the box stores but when I do and I find tags put on with staples - I make mental note. That is not where I want to buy lumber frequently.


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## deeman

I bought my SS Pro Planer in 1988. It is still going strong.


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## chickenguru

I also will now be looking for this addition to my SS. had not planed on it before,thanks for the review


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## Big_Eddy

My son came home with a SS Planer.. I know it not Christmas yet for all of you.. but.. It's my Christmas.. I love the review and I have the best son ever. Hope you're all jealous… he also brought home over 200 bd ft of black walnut, spalted oak and chestnut… now I bet you're jealous… What a great son I have…


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## Sixfiend

I've been looking around / saving up for a planer for the last few months and was about to pull the trigger on a DW735 from rockler with the stand, in/out tables, and extra blades for $650. Then i saw a SS 12" planer show up on CL…

http://neworleans.craigslist.org/tls/4923372300.html

Is it worth the $500 he's asking? Doesn't look like its in the greatest shape but it's always hard to tell from pictures. I'm a bit skeptical on getting a 24 year old machine, but i don't know much about the SS outside of this thread.

What about if he'll go for $400?

Any info / advice would be greatly appreciated!


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## TheOtherMrRogers

Ok, I'll throw my two cents in.

I got one via craigslist for $100. It was dirty, and nasty, and just a little rusty. A few hours with WD-40 and sandpaper, and it was as good as new, except for the belt that had developed "set". I need to go to a linked belt.

And I got an original shopsmith workbench (72 inches) for an additional $100.

Sometime, it just works out.


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## DMiller

Is this a 110v or 220v machine? Thanks


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## SkinnyFeet

I have to agree with the OP. I picked up the Pro Planer version on CL for $150. Considering this is my first planer, I don't have a baseline to compare against. However, it's been a joy to use thus far on oak, fir and some mysterious white hardwood I picked up at my local rebuilding center. I have a feeling, though, that replacement parts will be a little tough to find. Currently on the hunt for the dust chute that goes with this model.

Kyle


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