Hand Planer advice please? Festool vs The World.

[nicguthrie]

Hey folks!

I've said before that I'm not the picture of health, and I find it very hard to use a hand plane, due to its jarring when it jams and the amount of force that one has to put in being mostly focussed through the elbow and wrist. I often hit small jobs that I can't manage without some sort of plane, and the times that I've tried to use a simple No.4 have always ended in pain and horrible results.

I'm thinking of getting the Festool EHL 65. It looks pretty amazing in most reviews etc. that I hear about it, but what bothers me is that, for the price, I could buy the top end version of virtually any other hand planer on the market. I've seen glowing reviews of the top Makita and Bosch machines, and I'm just wondering, Festool fandom aside, whether I'm paying more for the name than the machinery (as happens a lot in my old field - computers) or if it really is considered better than the other brands within its price bracket.

I do like the fact it's light and small, but I've heard some mention that that actually makes it less capable of things like smoothing.

Appreciate any input, it's for general planing use, cleaning cut timber to smoothing ends, the whole gamut, and I'm not worried about the ultimate perfect finish, I'm not afraid of sanding and I'm experimenting with scrapers to see how my joints hold up.

Nic.

 

[Waka]

Nic

I can't comment on the other planers you mention, which is a shame because comparisons are always give good information.

I can mention the Festool EHL 65 because I've just bought one. I have resisted any type of tailed plane for years, but have given in.
I made some gothic arched doors for my nephew, one of which is a front door. With the wood acclimatising I've had to remove the door several times to make adjustments and the Festool 65 has been an excellent tool for this.

Why do I like it, well it is so light in the hand, made specifically for one hand operation, excellent dust extraction which can be taken for left or right of the planer, 3 year guarantee, fine depth adjustment.

Mind you I am a Festool Fan, i.e. there anywhere local to you that you can have a play?

 

[Jacob]

I wouldn't bother with a hand planer at all but instead go a step further and get a planer/thicknesser. This would be vastly more productive, except for the very rare jobs were only a hand electric planer will do. I had one for many years and never found a use for it, once I had the PT.

 

[nicguthrie]

Unfortunately Elgin is a pretty small town, and the only places other than the usual B&Q and Homebase are industrial suppliers that mostly deal in low to midrange gear.

I'd have a chance in Aberdeen or Inverness if I could find an appropriate retailer, but I try to travel those roads as little as possible at this time of year.

There's a lot I couldn't tell while fiddling with one in a store too, like how it'll smooth down a badly cut edge, or smooth a flat surface.

The weight and one handed use is a massive plus for me, but as my only tool of its type, I worry that those features may inhibit it's performance as a plane in some circumstances?

Thanks for the input.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

 

[kostello]

If you get the festool I think you get 15 days to try it out and get your money back no questions asked if you don't want to keep it.......

Just saying

I've got a Bosch one and the festool, the festool is better in my opinion. But it costs more........ For me I use it at work so the better finish saves me time, therefore I earn more

 

[MMUK]

I've got a Bosch one and the festool, the festool is better in my opinion. But it costs more........ For me I use it at work so the better finish saves me time, therefore I earn more

I think that's a psychological thing. You assume it's better because of the name and the price tag. A decent set of blades and a flattened sole will transform even a £40 electric plane. It's no more than people do with an old hand plane they pick up for £5 at a car boot so why should it be any different with power tools?

 

[n0legs]

Hi, I have the Bosch GHO ???? Planer, it's a big one takes off about 3-4mm in one pass, and fairplay it's excellent. It is on the heavy side, blade change is easy and it leaves a great finish. Had it years and it has not missed a beat, I find it easy to use one handed.
I also have a little Ryobi, I have no idea of the cost as a family member was having a clear out and it was given to me. Cut is 1.5mm, it is very light and easy to use. The blade change is easy, but I have found getting both blades parallel more difficult than the Bosch. It cuts very well and is great for a quick pass over a door edge. It is built to a price.
I used a friends DeWalt a few months back and that was an excellent tool. If memory serves it will cut 2.5mm gives a a very good finish. Like my Bosch it has a substantial machined aluminium base, again easily used with one hand. I haven't changed the blades on it but I'm told that it is straight forward.

 

[tim burr]

I think that's a psychological thing. You assume it's better because of the name and the price tag. A decent set of blades and a flattened sole will transform even a £40 electric plane. It's no more than people do with an old hand plane they pick up for £5 at a car boot so why should it be any different with power tools?

Unbelievably in this case it's definately not psychological. I am far from a festool fan, thinking the majority of their kit is stupidly overpriced, however the planer really is as good as people are saying. The finish is definately finer than that left by other planers and it ks also a lot more accurate. In some instances I've been able to leave a shot door edge with just the need for a light sand straight from the festool plane, while using the makita one that I normally have access to needs a tickle with a hand plane afterwards to leave an acceptable finish.

The only reason I've put off buying one is that I really want a cordless makita to add to my kit, plus you're looking at approx £12 for a set of replacement festool blades.

 

[carlb40]

I think that's a psychological thing. You assume it's better because of the name and the price tag. A decent set of blades and a flattened sole will transform even a £40 electric plane. It's no more than people do with an old hand plane they pick up for £5 at a car boot so why should it be any different with power tools?

Unbelievably in this case it's definately not psychological. I am far from a festool fan, thinking the majority of their kit is stupidly overpriced, however the planer really is as good as people are saying. The finish is definately finer than that left by other planers and it ks also a lot more accurate. In some instances I've been able to leave a shot door edge with just the need for a light sand straight from the festool plane, while using the makita one that I normally have access to needs a tickle with a hand plane afterwards to leave an acceptable finish.

The only reason I've put off buying one is that I really want a cordless makita to add to my kit, plus you're looking at approx £12 for a set of replacement festool blades.

Same with me. I have been using this for about 5yrs now.
http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-gho-26-82-planer
Purchased as it was the lightest at the time. Being able to switch sides for the dustbag comes in handy in tight spaces. Really like the one blade system, blades only a few quid on ebay.

I want to get a cordless planer to go with my makita kit. But having used previous versions of the bosch planer i may go with that. Although i am really tempted by that festool

 

[RossJarvis]

Unlike the other two posters I have the Bosch GHO 26-82 planer and find it to be a right pain. On anything more than a fine cut it'll clog up if you are using the bag, so connecting some kind of extraction is essential. The finish left is not as nice as a hand plane. The belt burnt out after minimal use, the little foot at the rear, which pops down to protect the blade, doesn't. The power cord needs to be thought about when doing long cuts as it always snags on something. The Wood-Razor blades are ridiculously expensive and seem fairly fragile (I think the single blade idea is a bit of a waste really), plus it removes wood but too easily takes too much off if using deeper cuts and you aren't holding it absolutely flat. Nor will it leave a straight flat surface if removing a lot of wood. Oh yes it makes a lot of noise too. Maybe the Festool is better, but I would not recommend the Bosch.

 

[carlb40]

Unlike the other two posters I have the Bosch GHO 26-82 planer and find it to be a right pain. On anything more than a fine cut it'll clog up if you are using the bag, so connecting some kind of extraction is essential. The finish left is not as nice as a hand plane. The belt burnt out after minimal use, the little foot at the rear, which pops down to protect the blade, doesn't. The power cord needs to be thought about when doing long cuts as it always snags on something. The Wood-Razor blades are ridiculously expensive and seem fairly fragile (I think the single blade idea is a bit of a waste really), plus it removes wood but too easily takes too much off if using deeper cuts and you aren't holding it absolutely flat. Nor will it leave a straight flat surface if removing a lot of wood. Oh yes it makes a lot of noise too. Maybe the Festool is better, but I would not recommend the Bosch.

That is the bosch i use. I get the blades from ebay for 4 quid each - genuine and in its wrapper. I had to replace my lead for PAT testing as the previous test put nick in it :evil:
It now has something like a 7mtr cable so can pretty much plane anywhere i want. :lol:

 

[chippy1970]

I've had an ehl65 since 2008 , one of the best planers I've owned. I recently sold it and bought the newer model with the plug-it lead.

What ever you do don't buy the dust bag for it ,it doesn't work. The planer is designed to work with dust extraction. It does this well , I can go into peoples houses and trim and hang doors with hardly any mess.

 

[petermillard]

...I think the single blade idea is a bit of a waste really...

That's one of the things I liked most about the Festool coming from a big old Elu planer - no more balancing the blades! A single blade you can just fit and forget - fabulous!

 

[Sawyer]

Personally, I wouldn't consider a power planer to be a replacement for a no. 4. I use them in different ways for different tasks. To me, the power planer is more of a site tool, which is used only rarely in the workshop.

Mine is a cheapish Elu, which I don't find that I use all that often (but then, I have a good collection of hand planes and a P/T). It is adequate.

 

[MMUK]

I think that's a psychological thing. You assume it's better because of the name and the price tag. A decent set of blades and a flattened sole will transform even a £40 electric plane. It's no more than people do with an old hand plane they pick up for £5 at a car boot so why should it be any different with power tools?

Unbelievably in this case it's definately not psychological. I am far from a festool fan, thinking the majority of their kit is stupidly overpriced, however the planer really is as good as people are saying. The finish is definately finer than that left by other planers and it ks also a lot more accurate. In some instances I've been able to leave a shot door edge with just the need for a light sand straight from the festool plane, while using the makita one that I normally have access to needs a tickle with a hand plane afterwards to leave an acceptable finish.

The only reason I've put off buying one is that I really want a cordless makita to add to my kit, plus you're looking at approx £12 for a set of replacement festool blades.

You won't regret buying the Makita. However, the Makita blades are pants. I fitted Trend Micro PB/22 blades in mine. I would say the 18v Makita is easily as good as the Festool on finish.

From what I've seen of the Festool, the height adjustment is a lot finer which is the only partial advantage I can see.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Don't get a Freud.

Don't ask me why, except that I was stupid enough...

 

[nicguthrie]

Some handy advice there, thanks guys.

I'd truly love a P/T in my workshop, but after having considered it for several months, I've decided that it's just not likely to be doable. The size of even a moderately decent one with the tables attached, is just too large for my 12foot square shop, especially when it already has a floor standing Pillar drill, Bandsaw, Lathe and two workbenches in there.

I'm planning on the hand planer and eventually perhaps a cheapish thicknesser, which, not having the planer side tables extending from it, should at least be able to be hidden under a bench when not needed.

@ MMUK, which Makita do you mean? I've always liked their gear in the past, so I'd happily take a peek at whatever they offer that can do similar to the Festool, especially if there's a possibility of fitting better-than-stock blades to it.

Otherwise It looks like I may be in for my first (and probably only) Festool item for my workshop

Nic.

 

[MMUK]

I have the BKP180 Anniversary Black & White like this one:

http://www.angliatoolcentre.co.uk/makit ... tAodVHkA9A

Although I just bought the body and battery for £160 from FFX when it was on offer.

 

[PAC1]

I think even a moderate surface planer is better than a hand planer if you are preparing wood. Do you need two benches? Or could you get a bench top surface planer you see them on eBay or there is a proxxon one at Axminster