Name: Powermatic Planer
Location: Main wood Shop U4
Reservation availability: Open Shop Use
Notes:
Basics:
A wood planer is a woodworking tool used to flatten, smooth, and reduce the thickness of boards to a precise, uniform dimensional thickness. It works by feeding a board across (or under) a rotating cutter head fitted with sharp blades, which shave off thin layers of wood to correct warping, twisting, or unevenness left over from rough-sawn lumber, and to bring multiple boards to the exact same thickness so they match up cleanly in a project.
The planer is typically used after cutting rough stock to rough size but before final joinery or assembly — for example, after resawing a board on a bandsaw, or when working with reclaimed or hand-selected lumber that hasn't already been surfaced by the mill. It's also common to use a planer in combination with a jointer: the jointer flattens one face and squares one edge first, and the planer then works off that flattened face to bring the opposite side down to a consistent thickness.
Short video (under 3 minutes) on planer basics
Video on an easy method to set the planer to the top of your board. (38 seconds)
Machine details:
Calibration adjustments to the bed are not to be performed by members. If calibration is needed, make a request in the #woodshop SLACK channel.