What else do people use their hand planer for?

[Mark]

I'm still spinning on trying to figure out a way to clean up some reclaimed lumber w/o springing for a jointer and planer or even a combo machine. I'm not looking at the 850 planer as a possibility for at least cleaning up and flattening (1) side of the lumber for making stuff like table tops and surfaces. Here's what I'm thinking...

1. Clean up 1 side of the plank so that it is flat and true
2. Reference the Domino off of this flat side and glue up a bunch of planks
3. Flip the concoction over and then flatten the entire surface with the planer?

Pros...
+ I'm buying a best in class tool rather than low end jointer or planer or combo for approximately the same money
+ Dust collection as I already have a CT22
+ Compactness... I don't have a shop or even garage space

Cons
- That the final dimension is not predictable
- That the 2 surfaces are not co-planer

All I've read and see about power planes are that they seem to be used on doors and to make surfboards What else do other FOG'ers use their planes for? Thanks

 

[RONWEN]

I've had similar thoughts. Can either of those two power planers be used somewhat as a scrub plane -- scribing a line around all four edges of a work piece & then much as you would with a scrub plane take the surface down to near finished dimension, finishing with jack & smoothers. 
i guess it's a good question for one of the retailers or Festool employees.  The other consideration would be the cost comparison of the 850 (or other) vs. one of the small bread box planers.  Te Festool planers are nice little tools but don't seem to get much discussion of their purposes.

 

[tbellemare]

Here's an interesting thread by Per Swenson.

Tom

 

[Dan Clark]

I posted a Mini Review on talkFestool describing how I've used my HL850: http://www.talkfestool.com/vb/festool-reviews/3470-festool-hl850-mini-review.html. Lots of pics.  Here's one:

I love mine and think it's the well worth the money.   While you can use the 850 as Per described it, for thickness planing, I think a small lunch box planer is great investment.   Combining a Festool HL850, CT Vac, and lunchbox planer, I've found that there's not much I can't handle.

FYI, below are pics of my Dewalt DW735 hooked to a Clearvue Mini Cyclone, which in turn is hooked to my CT22.  Some people argue that a vac will not handle the shavings from a planer of any kind.  So far, my CT22 + a mini cyclone has worked EXTREMELY well.  No problems at all. 

Regards,

Dan.

 

[tbellemare]

I use the same set up, Dan - except for the cyclone. I just use the long life bag in my CT 22. I have the same DW735 and upside-down HL 850.

Combine them with an MFT/3, TS 55, and TS 75 (plus routers and sanders) and there really isn't much you can't do.

Tom