# Electric hand planers, or belt sanders how useful are they?



## KenBry (Sep 13, 2011)

I have been considering an electric hand plane or belt sander. I would use it to flatten large surfaces. I presenty don't have anything other than a palm sander. I know I need something to do the job. Just not sure which one to go with. Any help is appreciated.


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## live4ever (Feb 27, 2010)

Personally I'd go with the belt sander. You can take material off pretty fast with lower grits. Sanding is always better than cutting (on the wood) if you don't mind the dust and it potentially taking a little longer. You will find lots of uses for your belt sander.

I'd also recommend not getting a small one (like I did). The smaller belt sanders (e.g. 3×18) tend to be more jumpy and difficult to control, while the larger ones give you more control by virtue of their weighty and solid stance.


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## DMIHOMECENTER (Mar 5, 2011)

When I need to shave a door bottom, I grab either (battery or corded) of the electric planes. Fast, accurate and done. For removing a lot of material, yes the belt sander is really aggressive, but it would be hard for me to get a large area (say a door face or rough 4×8 sheet of BC plywood planed truly flat with a belt sander. It is pretty easy to go from rough and flat to smooth and not flat. The random orbital sanders have a place as well.

Hand planes are best admired from a distance IMO. I sometimes look at them on the wall as I practice scary fast instead of scary sharp. My own primitive tool exhibit. ;=)


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

I have both and they both have their place and benefits. I guess i am a tool nut who purchases tools when I need them. Might not use them frequently but I like having them there when the need arises.


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

Live4ever is actually wrong, even with a belt sander you only remove like .03 of an inch per pass, where as you take .07 with a hand plane, powered planes can actually take up to an 8th in a pass.

Either way, you are goign to end up sanding with the random orbit to get the scratches out.

I did a pair of twin book cases for an entry way not too long ago, I used both on them, the panels were something like 32" wide by 42 tall, was easiest to hit with the power plane then the belt sander to kinda level it, It's going in a 100 year old house remodel, so a bit of imperfection was needed more than perfect flat, For a piece in the Kitchen however I chose to break out the 18" jack plane instead, took about the same amount of time prior to me swapping to the random orbit.


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## jeth (Aug 18, 2010)

I know I won't be the first to say it but if you want to really flatten large surfaces then I would think handplanes. By the time you have belt sanded a board down to half its intended thickness trying to get it flat and track mark free the handplane is quicker. Planing by hand does take more physical effoirt, but you would be surprised how quick it is to get a panel properly flat.

As David says, the electric plane is useful for trimming doors and suchlike though I have never found many other uses for mine. I only ever tried a couple of times to get a surface flat with it then realised it wasn't the tool for the job. The knives are quite thin and get nicked very easily. You can use it to knock down high spots or take off the rough but again, little time difference over a handplane.

If you want to flatten with power tools then I would say identify and belt sand down the high spots then a half sheet Orbital Sander to follow up, taking a lot of care to keep the surface even.


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## live4ever (Feb 27, 2010)

TCC - I wasn't suggesting the belt sander takes off more material than the power planer. I was saying that it takes off material faster than you might think for being a sander. Perhaps I should have been clearer.


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## Sawdust4Blood (Feb 16, 2010)

I've owned both for years and I reach for the belt sander far more often that I do for the plane (so much so that I would make anyone a good deal on buying the plane I own). IMHO you'll get a lot more money out of the belt sander. So unless there is something very specific you need that a belt sander just won't do, I'd recommend the sander ahead of an electric plane.


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## TCCcabinetmaker (Dec 14, 2011)

It just read that way :/
Either or both work, both require some finesse,


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## wingate_52 (May 14, 2011)

The belt sander for me. My electric hand plane is probably my least used power tool.


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## syenefarmer (Dec 19, 2009)

The belt sander would come in handy far more often than the hand held planer.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

I shave with my electric plane. You have to set it really thin and be careful not to catch your lip in it. But it works much faster than the belt sander…

In the workshop I use handplanes. An electric plane in their would just be nuts…


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

I rely heavily on my belt sander-It is most useful for scribing countertops and cabinets.

If I need to flatten a large panel, the surface planer, or, wide-belt sander is best, but those are big pieces of machinery and out of reach to many hobbiests. (Talk about scary fast though)

Fortunately, I think the Woodworkers' Source (at least in Phoenix) has machinery set up they'll rent by the hour if you have lots to do.

I've never been accused of nostalgia for the old school process of woodworking. The cutting edge machinery works too well and is readily accessable in recent years. Maybe, after I retire, I'll look into what all the hand tool fuss is about. Nah! Probably not.


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

Stumpy
LMAO
That's why I luv ya Man.
Hey, you know a guy in the U.P named Vitito?


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## dkirtley (Mar 11, 2010)

I don't find the power planers to be of much use. They are heavy, noisy, and not much less work than doing it by hand. If I was installing doors professionally on the clock, I might feel differently. Even then, I can't say for certain that it is faster than a scrub plane followed by a jack plane. The power planer knives tend to be pretty delicate.

Belt sanders are quite useful. They handle odd materials gracefully. They don't really care if you hit a nail or a brad. They make a pretty good sharpening station for rough shaping as long as you keep stuff cooled off. Clamp them up in a vise and you have a nice sanding station. I have never felt the need to put anything finer than a 80 grit on one.

Neither one are very good at flattening stock. If you do big stuff, you would have to spend a lot of money to get large capacity power tools. If budget is an issue, you are going to get a lot more mileage from a few hand planes.

This is not just a power tool/ hand tool opinion. I have both. I have a dinky little 8in combo jointer/planer that will handle most stuff. Anything bigger than it's capacity gets hand tools. By the time you get much greater capacity, the price goes way up and unless you are doing it professionally, it is hard to justify the expense for the high capacity machinery.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

Sure, Jim… we people here in Michigan know EVERYBODY else in Michigan…


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

I've had a power planer and a belt sander for a long time. They are both handy tools for what they are good for. Flattening large surfaces is not one of them. If you buy either of these tools for that purposes you'll be completely disappointed.

The best tool as a lot of other folks have said is the hand plane. And actually your going to need to finish the job with a hand plane no matter what else you use. (or do a lot of sanding)

You can also use a router with a jig and a flat bit, but even that is going to leave marks unless you spend a lot of money and time making that jig to exact tolerances.

Go for the hand planes. They are relativity inexpensive, fun to use, quite, and do the best job. Plus your lungs will thank you.


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

Electric planers are great for fitting - scribing stuff to walls and floors etc, and of course, fitting doors. I can't see one being the total solution for flattening large surfaces, not sure about the belt sander for that application either, when you say you want to flatten large surfaces, what exactly do you mean?


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

My son-in-law has had my belt sander for over two years and I still haven't found a need to ask him to bring it back. - lol

I have a power planer that does a great job on edges, but I wouldn't dream of trying to use it on a large surface.


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

I use a belt sander. i own 2 of them: a 4×24 and a 3×21. They have their place. You have to learn to use one properly or you will wreck your project. I am surprised that no one has suggested you invest in a good set of scrapers and a means to sharpen them. They can remove a surprising amount of wood in a very short time yet you really don't have a great of risk as with power tools. They will do a large surface too. For the edge of doors you can use the other tools but for a large flat surface a good scraper is hard to beat.


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## cloakie1 (May 29, 2011)

both can do a lot of damage in a very short time….i only use my planer for trim fitting doors and window sashes….or i also use it on a fine setting to remove old paint from doors. then tidy up with belt or a strokesander witha final finish with the orbital and hand sanding. i find it best for stripping paint because strippers leave a horrible mess behind


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

In wood boatbuilding the power plane is more useful and more used than almost any power tool aside from the bandsaw and the drill. *But*, no one would use one to try to flatten a big surface. They are used to fair the cambers on heavy timbers, add bevels to the edges of planks and to shape timbers. The only really good one I know of and the only one you'd ever see in a shipyard when they were still available is the Skill 100.










I have two of them, one so worn out I just keep it for parts. They have many many hard miles on them. They went out of production in the early '80s and were over $300 then. I just saw a used one on ebay for $889.
They were (are) 18" long x 3" wide and built like a tank. (They weigh a little less than a tank.)
I've never found a use for a belt sander except to make thinner uneven wood out of thicker uneven wood.


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

Check out this bad boy

http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/scripts/details.php?cat=Planes%20Makita&product=64846

If you want to level large surfaces, this is the one.


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## ETwoodworks (Jan 10, 2011)

I really like to use my belt sander when i need to turn a small touch up job into a major refinish.


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## tierraverde (Dec 1, 2009)

Wow $1600.00 smackaroos


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## planeBill (Oct 21, 2011)

I have the dewalt 433 or 432, can't remember which one it is exactly, belt sander and find myself using it quite a bit, That thing is an absolute beast with an 80 or 60 grit belt. I use it a lot to flatten large panels when I am in a real rush. Others are right though, non-electric hand planes are soooooooo much nicer to use. They are definitely my prefered method. A scrub plane will do major stock removal and sooth your mind at the same time.
If you do go electric and use a belt sander just remember to let the weight of the tool do most of the work and keep it moving and try to put pressure on the front and rear handle evenly.
Oh I forgot, the electric planer I have, also a dewalt tool, while it's a nice tool, I have found no use for it in this field though as has been said by shipwright, it is very usefull in the boat building arena.


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## ldl (Dec 4, 2011)

I don't have a jointer or plainer and had been using my tablesaw to make smooth edges for edge gluing. I would then have to take my ROS to smooth out the edges. As often as not I wouldn't or couldn't hold it straight on the boards due to the motion of the disc. I borrowed my brothers elec hand plane and set it on first or second line setting. I then clamp 2-3 boards together and use the elec plane to smooth the edges. The flat bottom of the plane allow me to stay flat with the boards. I use the belt sander for most other sanding needs where I need to remove a lot of material. I don't have any usable hand planes so that I have never learned to use them.


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## jgeorge64uk (Aug 9, 2016)

Hey,

Great information provided here, very interesting to read all the comments (although I'm a bit late!)
I'm looking to purchase a power planer, does anyone have any recommendations?
[URL="benchtopplaner.com][/URL]

Josh


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## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

I've got a barely used Bosch I'd sell.


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## JBrow (Nov 18, 2015)

KenBry,

I have flattened many a large surface with a belt sander. But until I bought a sanding frame, it was tough to achieve a surface free of deeper valleys here and there caused by leaving the belt sander in one spot a little too long. Once I outfitted my DeWalt belt sander with a sanding frame, those deeper valley problems disappeared. The sanding frame mounts to the belt sander and surrounds the belt. It can be set for a maximum depth of cut when sanding. It does a good job of keeping the belt sander from digging in and ruining the work piece.

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW4055-Sanding-Frame-Stand/dp/B0000CCXTW

I have thought about buying a power plane, but have yet to do so. I am not sure how well the power plane would work for flattening a surface, especially if the surface is extra wide and long. Also replacing nicked or dull knives would, I image, be a tedious job. Lastly tear out from a power plane always worried me a bit. As a result I never bought nor will I likely buy one.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I have an electric plane, a few hand planes and a few belt sanders. Each has it's own place, the power plane is good for edges, not so much for large areas. Belt sanders, the larger the better, work best for larger surfaces but to get something truly flat with any hand held sander would require a great deal of skill. I have found they are particularly useful for sanding end grain cutting boards through the first few grits as the rate of material removal is far faster than a typical ROS.

Speaking of the infamous SKIL model 100, it's been copied by a company producing the basic form and function but in an all billet tool that has a price to match! http://www.accuratewaterman.com/


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## CyberDyneSystems (May 29, 2012)

> ...
> 
> As David says, the electric plane is useful for trimming doors and suchlike …
> 
> - jeth


As evidence of this, keep in mind that for many years ALL power planes had fences attached, which prevented their use on large flat surfaces, and limited them to use only a boards (or doors) edges. They were created to be used in the mass door installation and hanging market, and sold along with hinge and lock mortising jigs.

The idea of hand held power plane that could be used on a boards flat was relatively recent, novel, and well, not very practical.

They do use them very successfully for shaping surfboards.

P.S. I own about 5 old power planers, one is the flat bottomed type that can be used how the OP intends, and I use them almost never. I reach for the hand planes, or the belt sanders. Only the Porter Cable 126 (with fence, can;t be used flat) ever gets used, and it is used to size doors almost exclusively.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

I learned using a belt sander for cabinet face frames in a cabinet shop. You learn real fast how to control one as to not get cross scratches at every intersection.
I have used them ever since, although now days, 
I mostly use one to get an edge close to flush then ROS from there.
I use it way way more than my electric planer.


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## jgeorge64uk (Aug 9, 2016)

Hey guys,

Is there an updated thread for this?

www.amazon.com

Thanks Josh


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## Kirk650 (May 8, 2016)

I have a Bosch electric planer, which doesn't get used much, but is very useful when I do need it. Much better and faster wood removal then you can do with a band sander. I have to be careful to not remove too much wood. The times I used it a lot, I probably could have used my scrub plane, but the Bosch was easier and much faster.


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## ArtMann (Mar 1, 2016)

With a belt sander, it is possible to sand to a contour rather than a straight line so you can obtain a custom fit. You can't really do that with any control using an electric hand plane. If you really want precision fitting a door, use a track saw. You can shave off a tiny bit with excellent precision.


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## Kirk650 (May 8, 2016)

Art, that's true, and I use sanders for door adjustments. The Bosch planer has come in most handy for prelim squaring up of long square stock that will be bed posts, and for rapid adjustment of treated lumber. The planer isn't for delicate stock removal.


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