A wood planer is a machine that shaves varying amounts of material off the top surface a wood board. Its major components are planer knives, or blades, an infeed roller, an outfeed roller, and a table. The wooden board is placed on the table, sent through the infeed roller where it passes under planer knives that rotate on a head. As the board travels through the planer the blades shave off layers of wood while the outfeed roller grabs the board and guides it through the exit. Blades and tables are adjustable so that the woodworker can remove as much or as little material as desired with one pass.
A wood planer opens up possibilities from cutting boards to countertops for the average wood worker. It has two general purposes in a workshop. They can be used to thin a board or even out and shape a plank of wood. Some wood projects require a board to be a specified thickness so the planer is used to shave down material. In some cases, planks are unfinished on one or more sides so the wood planer can be used to correct and finish the rough surface.
Typically home planers are either portable or stationary units. A portable unit is normally smaller and more compact, only able to accommodate smaller pieces of wood. A portable wood planer would be beneficial for small woodshops, less frequent use, or smaller scale projects. A large stationary planer is best for large scale, high volume planing needs.
Safety is always of utmost importance when working with any electric- or hand-powered tool. All wood must be checked for foreign objects before going through the planer to prevent any dangerous, flying objects in the workshop. Foreign debris in the wood can also cause damage to planer blades. Safety guards and dust collectors must be engaged and in use during machine operation. A thorough read-through and understanding of planer operation is also recommended.
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