Am I ever going to use a power hand planer?

[Zach England]

Before I was really into woodworking, and more interested in "building stuff", I bought a makita power hand planer. It's the 1912b model, which retails for about $200-250. I recall using it once to trim some parts for my chicken coop, but I don't think I have used it since. I figure if I could sell it for $75-100 I could find an excuse to buy the Veritas low-angle jack plane. I am trying to de-clutter ("de-clutter" actually means "buy more tools").

If I sell it will I immediately come across a task for which this is just the right tool? Will I regret selling it?

[Myk Rian]

Originally Posted by Zach England

If I sell it will I immediately come across a task for which this is just the right tool? Will I regret selling it?

Only you can answer that. If you don't use it, get rid of it.

[Jack Camillo]

If you regret selling it, you can buy my deWalt (iirc): I bought it, cut my finger real bad trying it out (brought it to "port arms" while it was still running), and have never picked it up again.

[Peter Quinn]

I couldn't vote above because I don't feel it is crude or useless. In the wrong hands it can wreak havoc on wood quick. In the right hands it can plane beautifully and quick. Not so different from any hand held plane, just a bit quicker. I have slowly been learning to use mine and my results have improved greatly.

But honestly it has limited usefulness in fine wood working and is more practical for carpenters and in particular door hangers. I have a big ole PC porta plane that I used last weekend to hang a few doors at the FIL's house, puts a perfect 3 degree bevel on a door in one pass and leaves a finish that barely requires sanding. First door i ever used it on took me 2 hours to fix the problems I created in one light pass!

If you don't find it useful, I say ditch it. Remember that the hand planes are just as capable of screwing up your work if not used properly, just not as quickly. You should probably have very good facility with a hand plane before using a power plane anyway, DAMHIK.

[Cary Falk]

I've only seen it used by door installers.

[Mike Henderson]

I've used it to shape wood for furniture. For example, I built a swing and used it to round the back and front of the swing. Doing it by hand would have been a lot of work. But it hasn't gotten much use since then.

The best thing is to have a friend who has one and who will lend it to you when you need it.

Mike

[bill mullin]

I whipped this up in about 12 hrs, not including the doors and finish, which I did not do. Every piece of 1x material that you see, and some you dont see, like the finished paneled back, and the glued up legs, were ripped on a jobsite TS, and finished with an electric planer. Maybe not a piece of "fine furniture" by some standards, but the customer loves it. (And yes, it would have looked better with inset doors, but she had a strict budget and wouldn't pay the extra labor.)
As Peter said, used properly, an electric planer can do beautiful work. I use one a lot on my jobsites and have lots of practice. I can't and won't haul a jointer and planer around in my truck.
Having said all that, it is not the best tool available, and if I built a lot of furniture and cabinets, I'd use better equipment.

[Mac McQuinn]

I know quite a few Boatbuilders who use these. Not for finesse but for speed in getting something down to size quickly.

Mac

[Rick Fisher]

Other than doors. I have never needed mine..

[Jim King]

I have burned up at least 50 Chinese planers cleaning up end grain burl and log slice table tops. Nothing better for that use..

[Rob Sack]

I find it works great for scribing cabinets, much better than a belt sander.

[Paul Atkins]

It's like asking a cabinet maker what his use of a hatchet is. Perfectly good tool, but not for final tuning of drawer sides. My hand planer is valuable for it's unique ability. The last time I used it was on the lathe. Well, on the corners of a 8" beam that didn't clear the banjo, and it saved me from hoisting the things on the band saw. Leveling slabs before the planer is a good use too. Checking out the grain on that big piece of who knows what in the yard that has turned a nondescript grey. Again, not for the finish of the Mahogany bar top.

[Vic Damone]

If you shaped surfboards it would be your livelihood and there are some vintage models that are sought after. I've got a cheapo B&D and it gets used for unusual situations. Like a sawsall I wouldn't consider it a fine woodworking tool but when the need arrises I'm always happy I have one.

[dennis thompson]

I have a Bosch & every time I've used it I get disastrous results, I'm sure it's the user not the plane, but I'll most likely never use it again
Dennis

[Larry Edgerton]

Your poll is BS. Just because you don't have the use or the skill to use a tool properly does not make it a useless tool.

If you do not have a use for it, sell it, but don't make generalized statements about its usefullness based on your circumstance.