Power plane blades

[davebrown]

I finally gave up resisting the 21st century and bought a power plane, a Ryobi double-bladed model at our local home depot for about $90. This entry-level tool would not be suitable for the professional, but compared to the other weekend user type tools, it looked pretty good. Here's the issue:

When I bring home a new hand plane (of which I have 12 or 15), the first thing I do is sharpen the blades until they will shave your arm. I read the destructions on this here power plane and lo! the manufacturer says I should NEVER sharpen the plane blades, but should replace them when they dull.

Is this protocal on power planes? This seems like a way to keep them selling me blades, while throwing away perfectly good blades that were never that sharp to begin with.

Furthermore, the depth setting, when turned down to zero, will not completely reduce contact with the wood, which suggests the blades as they are need to be adjusted for position.

I still think it is a good tool for the money, and for my use adequate (which is to take the edge off of gunwales, etc), but I think I should be able to sharpen my blades.

What say ye men?

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Sad to say you could have bought the small Bosch for the same money. I'd take it back and get the Bosch. The salesman tried to talk me into the larger Bosch but I made the right choice getting the smaller one. It's always done everything I've asked of it and the carbide blades last a long, long time before changes. Ryobi tools are for occasional users only. They just don't hold up to everyday use. My 2 cents.

Steven

[Stiletto]

I have a Ryobi I bought in the last year, the blades are disposable but can be turned over and the other side used, as they are double sided. The thing that swung me on the Ryobi was the exit chute that can be moved right or left. The replacement blades are relatively expensive .

There are two models that look similar, I bought the more powerful one but wish I had bought something lighter like my old plastic Skil that I cant get a drive belt for and has blades i can sharpen.

[PeterSibley]

Personally I'd take it back and get one with HSS blades, with the option to use after market carbide cutters.I tend to use the steel if I'm suspicious ;) of the iron content of the work before me.Otherwise the tungsten carbide cutters are pretty good ! They sure do last.......unless you find a nail....

[NormMessinger]

The cutters on my planer are about 1/4" or so wide, double sided. Unless the Riobis are much wider how in the world would one hold them to sharpen them? And even if one could, honing off ezakally the same from both blades would be the trick.

[Klaus]

I have used a Hitachi power planr for years. It came with steel blades and two small jigs.
One jig would clamp both blades parallel and some distance apart, so they could be touched up on a stone in one go.
The other jig set the blade edge the correct distance on the blade carrier - to ensure both blades would cut the same depth.

If your plane came without such a setting jig you have no way to get both blades set correctly.

I now use an aftermarket carbide blade carrier, these blades are heaps better than the steel blades and they are double sided so I get another go before replacing them.

Klaus

[davebrown]

Norm--a slender piece of maple with a slight kerf, say 1/4 depth, would allow one to insert the blade edgewise and thus hone the opposite edge.

Sounds like a mixed bag on results--the bosch is not much more, believe I will have to convince the store to exchange for next model up. I love to use a well-made, razor-sharp hand plane, but the older I get, the less sand I have in the hour glass...just can't take time to do some of these menial tasks by hand.

[Dave Fleming]

Attn Stilleto,


Skil that I cant get a drive belt for and has bladesIs the belt cogged or smooth? Are the pulleys V'd or Flat?

If the belt is not cogged and the pulleys are V'd then a good shop should be able to make you an O-ring to replace the belt. Stuff comes in reels of different guage, you just cut off a piece of proper length, splice the ends with a special adhesive and you are good to go. A bit better power transmission too!

[Alan Peck]

Dave: For what its worth. I have had a Ryobi for several years now. I have used it quite a lot and have had absolutely no problems.

[John Blazy]

I've sharpened my power plane knives a gazillion times and never actually removed them from the cutterhead. Sounds iffy, but once you do it right a few times its very accurate and time saving.
First, I put the planer in my benchvise, and put wedge between the cutterhead and the housing on either end to lock the cutterhead from spinning. Before I lock it tight, I rotate it forward til the hollow ground faces up (flats parallel plane to sole (bottom)).

Then I hold my 4" grinder ridgid, with my elbows braced against my ribs and rock like I'm a Bridgeport surface grinder, hitting the shoulder a little then putting (what appears to me) like a PERFECT hollow grind at the right clearance angle. Then I hone with a diamond hone. Then raise it if needed to flush with the outfeed. If honing, I only need to set the knives every third or so time.

I did my whole boat (and all my pro furniture/cabinetry) with an ALWAYS sharp planer. This technique is so fast and reliable that I'm never reluctant to plane plywood nowdays. (great when scarfing).

[davebrown]

Wow! What a technique! I am willing to try it--with a hand stone.

[Stiletto]

Dave Fleming, thanks for your reply, the pulleys are multi V'd and so was the belt. I found a hitachi part that looked the same only two V's wider and carefully cut the width down , but in practice the belt must have been a little too long as it threw off after a short while . It was quite expensive too.

[David G]

After using a variety of power planers over the years, I have to agree that the Bosch is a heck of a value. I own one, and use it a lot. Paid $99 for it, IIRC. Have never used the Ryobi, but wouldn't expect the same consistent level of quality, accuracy, and durability as the Bosch. The slight depth gauge/blade miscalibration is probably an example of that. I also own a Virutex (Swiss) power planer. It's nice, but quite expensive. The Bosch is not the same level of bulletproof, industrial quality that one usually finds in such tools as Virutex, Metabo, and Fein, but it's definitely a step above the Ryobi.

[Wes White]

I have sharpened those little replaceable blades on an edge sander. No jig, just go slow and have a pan of water handy. You can also use a wet paper towel held against the off-side of the blade. Hold the blade so that the belt runs along it, not across it. For the real small ones, you can hold it with a couple of pair of needle-nose pliers. Saves the knuckles. I have never had one get away from me. In our opinion, carbide lasts well, but you can't get the edge on it that you can with steel.

[epoxyboy]

I have one of the Ryobi's with the switchable exit chute, and have no major complaints about it. Just keep an eye on the little grub screws that set the depth of the blades in the cutter head (not the bolts that actually lock the blades in) as mine have tried to back out a couple of times.
I have to wonder if Ryobi's dubious reputation in the US is due to running on 110v instead of 230v, as they would have to run at twice the current to get the same power. I have killed plenty of budget Black and Decker stuff, which mostly got replaced with Ryobi (angle grider, jig saw, drill), has not missed a beat - and the saw especially is far nicer to use. The original steel blades did fine until I had to work on some Australian Jarrah hardwood.

Pete

[allananicol]

I've got my trusty old Green Ryobi I've used for about 15-20 years, just shapen the blades on a stone every so often, perfect. It is a pre disposable blade model, thats how old it is.

But the best tool I've bought recently to do a specific job on my boat is the new SMALL footprint GMC electric hand planer, just a bit bigger than a 3" stanley smoothing plane, but does a great job really fast, and has several preset depth adjustments, beautiful on Ply, hardwood, everything I tried it on, easy to use one handed, only gripe is the safety switch, got to push it to release the trigger with the thumb, but probably better than loosing a few finger tips etc.

[SamSam]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but does anyone resharpen the disposable 12-13" planer blades and if so, how? Sam

[Norman Bernstein]

I own and use a small electric plane (B&D, but I think it's actually a Bosch, re-labeled).....

It seems to me that these things are 'crude' tools, meant to hog out a lot of stock without a lot of precision.... they're not like stationary power planes. I don't expect a fine finish from one of these... and would normally follow up with a sharp hand plane for a good result.

Therefore, I only change (or reverse) the disposable blades when they become so nicked that it becomes hard to clean up the result with a hand plane.

[pipefitter]

I like the smaller bosch planer as well. The blades go to the edge of the base so you can cut rabbets or gains with it.Also agree that the carbide blades are tough. It also exhausts out either side.

[Jay Greer]

My old trusty Skill Plane is so old I guess if could be called an antique.
But it has a long bed and works like a jointer plane because of it. It uses high speed or carbide tipped blades, which I send out for sharpening. It is great for planing masts and making plywood scarfs.

Receintly, I picked up the small single blade Bosh plane.
It uses a patend "Tersa Head" that takes a disposable blade much like a Shick razor does. The dust port can be hooked up to a shop vac and is very efficient. For quick work, I like the Bosh. But, if you can find an old, long sole, Skil Plane on ebay or at a yard sale, buy it and never loan it to anyone! You'll be glad you did.
JG

[WadeH]

The one I used to have would accept moulding blades. I would get a set of blades made patterened after a style of moulding and would then make my own trim. Not sure if the newer planers will do this or not.