# Hand Planer vs lunchbox planer



## ShopWench (Jan 26, 2012)

Seems like there is no easy solution to the planeing issue….so if I am mainly doing cutting boards and boxes etc what do you think is the best solution to getting it all nice and smooth?


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

Hand planes I like to use when jointing. I don't have the space for a jointer and hand planing for flatness on one side and planing an edge is not bad. Thickness planing, however, is a whole different story. Some might view it differently, but I am glad to have a thickness planer to make the board uniform.


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## patron (Apr 2, 2009)

after reading davids comment
i realize mine below 
is about an electric hand planer
not a traditional handplane

they both have different purposes
even though they do basically the same thing
if used properly

the hand planer is much harder to control
as it can gouge and skitter around
and can leave a rustic surface

the machine planer 
just pulls wood thru
and replicates what is on the table 
the wood rides on
why a jointer is good first
as it gives you a straight flat side 
to ride on the table
and follows that so it comes out parallel
and even thickness


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

It really depends. I've restored over 200 hand planes in the last few years, so its easy to say hand planes is the way to go. But it really depends on your goal. If you need to be productive and profitable, you'll want a planer. If it pure enjoyment and quiet satisfaction, its going to be hand planes. I'm of the opinion a good mix is the best approach. If you know how to work with both of them, you will know when each is appropriate.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

If you are refering to making the top and bottom of the cutting boards smooth I would suggest a thickness sander.

Running a end grain cutting board through a thickness planer is a formula for disaster. Kickback, chip out, tearing of wood grain and damage to the planer blades will happen.


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

Drum sander for final sanding would be most helpful. Hand planing for final finish on endgrain can be difficult. Lunchbox planer is possible, but the board already needs to be pretty flat, and like Dallas said, it is tough on the machine and kickback is possible.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Lunch box style planers are generally used for thicknessing wood to different dimensions. For instance small boxes can require wood as thin as 3/8" or 1/4". You can take standard 4/4 stock and resaw on a bandsaw to get some thinner stock then run them through to final dimension. It works on cutting boards too, if they are *not* endgrain cutting boards. I like to make cutting boards by ripping 8/4 stock into 1 1/8" pieces, edge glue them and then plane to 1" final thickness. Also a lot of furniture projects require pieces of wood that vary in thickness. From 1/2" for drawer sides and even thinner for decorative accents. I have an old Ryobi 10", one of the first lunch box style planers made, from the '80's, it is still going strong and I wouldn't be with out one.


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## Philzoel (Dec 26, 2011)

Drum sander.


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