I was visiting my local Woodcraft dealer and got into a discussion on planes/planers. Since I'm somewhat of a novice with not much plane experience I asked why I'd spend 200-300 on a single plane and instead just get the HL850e with some additional cutters. I must have struck a nerve because we preceeded to go to the workbench and demonstrated the hand plane bot I still felt the 850 offered a lot more. What am I missing here?
850E
- Thread starter suds
- Start date
2 different animals. If you are wanting to woof a lot of material off quickly then the 850e is the one for you. If doing finer work the hand plane is the only way. I would like to see anyone take a smidgen off a mitre with an electric plane.
Really depends what you will be doing.
Really depends what you will be doing.
Ken Nagrod
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If you want to see a carpenter with some good control over the HL 850, go to Thisiscarpentry.com website and watch some of the videos of Gary Katz.
This Is Carpentry.com
This Is Carpentry.com
Kev
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My first power plane was a big Hitachi ... I decided to take a "smidgen" off a sticky door. One smidgen later and the door swung through the frame [scared] [eek] [embarassed]
I haven't invested in hand planes really ... I have a 12 inch Record and small Record low angle block plane. I don't have the means to sharpen them with any consistency (or the skill yet), so not only do these planes see little use, I also haven't felt the urge to invest in others.
I'm seriously considering the 850 - I have the 65 (and still have the big Hitachi). I really like the effects Kreg did on some mantels with the 850.
I do think you can take a whisper of wood off with a power plane if you're very careful - but I can see how using a hand plane expertly can be both more accurate and rewarding.
I haven't invested in hand planes really ... I have a 12 inch Record and small Record low angle block plane. I don't have the means to sharpen them with any consistency (or the skill yet), so not only do these planes see little use, I also haven't felt the urge to invest in others.
I'm seriously considering the 850 - I have the 65 (and still have the big Hitachi). I really like the effects Kreg did on some mantels with the 850.
I do think you can take a whisper of wood off with a power plane if you're very careful - but I can see how using a hand plane expertly can be both more accurate and rewarding.
Well, my wife likes the "rustic look" for some of the beams around our home. We have a small ranch that she'd like more "ranch looking" I'm making some bird houses for friends and family so it really is just hobby and fun stuff. Half my enjoyment of woodworking is being able to work with precision well built equipment. Just chiseling/sawing/drilling wood has been so relaxing and peaceful for me, I wish I'd been able to start doing it many years ago. I have to credit Festool with introducing me to woodworking I never thought I could accomplish and enjoyment I've never found with other hobbies.
suds said:
For the work you describe, working beams, etc. a power plane is a great tool.
Hand planes and chisels need an initial investment in sharpening first the back flat portion and then the edge. Many years ago, I bit the bullet and honed plane irons and chisels until my fingers literally bled (from contact with the sharpening stones. But, almost 40 years later, I can still pick one up and use it with pleasure and the retouching of the edge is straight forward now that they have great honing guides.
If you get into building furniture, look at some hand tools to reduce the noise and know that with paper thin cuts you will not ruin an expensive piece of wood with a slip of a power tool.
Yes, I found that the hard way. I purchased a cheap sharpening kit and I never could get the old chisels i have sharpened. Last year I purchased the Worksharp 3000 and wow what a difference. Today finally got to use one of those old chisels just cleaning up some cuts i made. Most relaxing time just shaving the wood away and no particular hurry or anything that had to get done. . I do have a couple of old Stanley planes. One block plane and I believe a #3 that I'm going to start experimenting with.I've heard a lot of guys say they really enjoy just planing wood. I bought a Kapex and have had more fun just cutting up wood and making little boxes. So, as you can tell this is more for fun/relaxation than a necessity.
suds said:
Then you have to view the video made by Kreg.
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-how-to/video-showing-how-to-make-a-rustic-mantel-with-the-850-planer/
One other thing. The 850e has an adapter option that lets you use it as a mini planer. I don't think the smaller Festool 65 plane has the same option available.
Kev said:
You're saying the 65e model does have the bench adapter? If so, please point me to it on the Festool website. I looked at festool.com and festoolcanada.com and there was no bench unit accessory for the 65e model. At least, I couldn't find one if there was.
I have had the 850 for several years. I used it mainly for flattening one face of fire wwood pieces i had rescued from the wood pile to make small projects (requireing no longer than about 18"). You can set about 1mm depth of cut, but unless chamferring the edge of the blade, i never was able to leave an abslutely flat and un blemmished surface without getting out my hand planes. It is tricky to plane a wide surface without leaving a ridge from the 850 blade edge, but easy to remove by hand planing.
For that work, I used the 850 for hogging and flattening and then the handplanes for final smoothing before going to the thickness planer to bring board to dimension.
This past winter (or early spring) I picked up the bench unit and attached the 850 to use for what others use their floor planers for. That suddenly brought the 850 on line for so many other projects. I have fooled around with a lot of scrap lun=mber and found i can do so much more with the planer than ever dreamed of. I am surprised at how long a piece of lumber can be edge planed. Later, in the summer, i will make up a set of extensions to mount on my MFT/3 and I think I will be able to do much more. Last week, i set up to do tongues for tongue and grove. I run the groove edge thru my WoodRat and then over to the 850 for the tongues. Works better than I had expected.
Tinker
For that work, I used the 850 for hogging and flattening and then the handplanes for final smoothing before going to the thickness planer to bring board to dimension.
This past winter (or early spring) I picked up the bench unit and attached the 850 to use for what others use their floor planers for. That suddenly brought the 850 on line for so many other projects. I have fooled around with a lot of scrap lun=mber and found i can do so much more with the planer than ever dreamed of. I am surprised at how long a piece of lumber can be edge planed. Later, in the summer, i will make up a set of extensions to mount on my MFT/3 and I think I will be able to do much more. Last week, i set up to do tongues for tongue and grove. I run the groove edge thru my WoodRat and then over to the 850 for the tongues. Works better than I had expected.
Tinker
Holzhacker
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As Tinker points out, the bench unit is available here. I also bought the bench unit for my 850 but haven't bought the angle unit. My 850 pretty much lives in the bench unit. I'm not sure I've actually used it on a single door yet. I use mine primarily for edging, sculpting and fine tuning of trim or 1x pieces. It probably works great free hand doing stuff but I wouldn't really know. The Bosch is still my hand power planer. I wouldn't recommend the 65 though.
this is a timely post! I was going to post something about this planer the other day (lost my forum password though 
) anyway my Q was about how powerful this unit is. Reason that I ask is that the house where I'm working a couple of carpenters are laying down 1" plywood (sub foor, on the concrete/wood sleepers), and in some places they need to hog out the back of the ply.
I see them hour after hour using a small "blue" power planer. It works, but wow- it's taking time. I wondered if the 850 would speed up this process?
(exciting side story: they hit the hot water pipes that run thru the concrete- with a screw. leak. called the folks that installed the system to come and fix. Day later an apprentice show's up, no tools, walks around for a bit- then leaves. I am glad I'm not the super! )
) anyway my Q was about how powerful this unit is. Reason that I ask is that the house where I'm working a couple of carpenters are laying down 1" plywood (sub foor, on the concrete/wood sleepers), and in some places they need to hog out the back of the ply.I see them hour after hour using a small "blue" power planer. It works, but wow- it's taking time. I wondered if the 850 would speed up this process?
(exciting side story: they hit the hot water pipes that run thru the concrete- with a screw. leak. called the folks that installed the system to come and fix. Day later an apprentice show's up, no tools, walks around for a bit- then leaves. I am glad I'm not the super!
)I am making a rustic mallet as a joke for a friend of mine. The wood was rescued from downed hickory branches.
Last nite, I started with the handle and started taking a few knots off with fro and chisel. As i pounded away, i began thinking about my new 850 bench mount and adjustable fence. The more i thought, the lazier I got and decided the best way to rest up would be to try smoothing the short branch would be to run it across the 850. Voila!!! It did a great job.
from there, i got even lazier. Why not try trimming down to a good circumference by running across the 850.
I set the fence at a random angle (At this point, i reset the fence to meet bottom of fence to planer table.) I made a series of cuts with the blades set at about 4mm until i had a fairly even circumference. i then reset the fence to a little flatter angle and completely around a few more times. this left me with close to round, but obviously not round enough. From there, it was an easy project to go at it with my low angle block plane. i am thinking to leave the part of the handle most likely to be held while working as it was left from working with the 850. The head end of the handle will take a little more work with the block plane.
I had originally thought to do the rounding and smoothing with one of my old hatchets, but that would have meant considerable time at the sharpening station before hand. The 850 with bench mount and adjustable fence saved a lot of work.
I just wonder what i was thinking when i bought the 850 without the bench unit and fence. i now use it for almost every project.
Tinker
Last nite, I started with the handle and started taking a few knots off with fro and chisel. As i pounded away, i began thinking about my new 850 bench mount and adjustable fence. The more i thought, the lazier I got and decided the best way to rest up would be to try smoothing the short branch would be to run it across the 850. Voila!!! It did a great job.
from there, i got even lazier. Why not try trimming down to a good circumference by running across the 850.
I set the fence at a random angle (At this point, i reset the fence to meet bottom of fence to planer table.) I made a series of cuts with the blades set at about 4mm until i had a fairly even circumference. i then reset the fence to a little flatter angle and completely around a few more times. this left me with close to round, but obviously not round enough. From there, it was an easy project to go at it with my low angle block plane. i am thinking to leave the part of the handle most likely to be held while working as it was left from working with the 850. The head end of the handle will take a little more work with the block plane.
I had originally thought to do the rounding and smoothing with one of my old hatchets, but that would have meant considerable time at the sharpening station before hand. The 850 with bench mount and adjustable fence saved a lot of work.
I just wonder what i was thinking when i bought the 850 without the bench unit and fence. i now use it for almost every project.
Tinker
