How to make a surface planer from a planer. Do-it-yourself thicknesser from an electric planer: video, drawings and photos

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If you have a certain amount of technical knowledge, making a thickness planer from an electric planer with your own hands does not present any particular difficulties.

The electric planer is a useful household device - it allows you to process wood very quickly and efficiently. However, any tool becomes unusable over time, and electric planers are no exception in this regard. An electric planer that has become unusable over time can be given a second life by using it to make a surface planer.

Thicknesser is an indispensable device for wood processing work. The cost of a surface thicknesser manufactured by industrial manufacturers is quite high, and purchasing one is not always justified. expensive equipment. The easiest way to make such a device is from an electric planer. If everything is done correctly, then the quality of wood processing operations performed using such a tool will be quite high.

Before you start constructing a surface planer, you should thoroughly study the principles of operation and purpose of the device.

Design and purpose of a surface planer

This tool is designed to make precise and correct lines on any plane.

Using a surface planer allows you to speed up the process several times. construction work, while the tool will avoid the assumption large quantity errors and will make the construction process more accurate. This unit is a full-fledged substitute for a pencil and ruler. When using a pencil and a ruler, drawing lines is somewhat difficult, since very often the line can have different thicknesses, can be broken or uneven. All these defects lead to inaccuracies that can affect the quality of work. A homemade thicknesser, thanks to the presence of a sharp pin in its design, allows you to get rid of such difficulties.

The design of the tool includes the following components:

  • clamps;
  • barbell; pin or blade;
  • pads.

Thanks to this design, the device easily copes with the task of creating straight lines on any surface. During the operation, the block moves along the rod and allows you to measure the distance from the pin to the block. The use of a special screw clamp allows for reliable fixation of the tool. Thanks to the presence of a measurement scale printed on the rod, it is easy to reconfigure the tool to the size required during work.

To make a surface planer with your own hands from an electric planer, you will need to prepare:

  • electric plane;
  • blocks of wood and sheet plywood for assembling the body of the device.

In addition, the master who decides to construct a device must have a set of basic knowledge in the field of physics and mechanics.

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Preparing for the fixture manufacturing process

Before you begin manufacturing the device, you should decide on the dimensions of the parts to be processed. This nuance has great importance, since it affects the size of the thicknesser that is planned to be manufactured.

When determining the dimensions of the workpieces with which you plan to work, it is very important not to make a mistake, since this parameter of the parts affects the width of the device, the length of the guides, the size of the stud and the height of the walls of the unit.

All these requirements must be met in order for the manufactured tool to have high stability on the surfaces with which it is to be worked. In addition, before making a homemade surface planer. you need to know exactly how to position the pin. This structural element causes the electric plane to rise and fall; for this reason, it is not recommended to mount the pin in the center of the body. The pin should be mounted so that it is midway between the rear and front handles. If the pin is positioned differently, working with the device will be inconvenient, and the device will not be able to be securely and firmly fixed.

When manufacturing the device, care must be taken to ensure that the pin is provided with maximum mobility. For these purposes, a rolling bearing is placed in the upper part of the cover. A nut is welded into the middle plate. It is with this design that it becomes possible to adjust the height of the location of the working element of the structure with small size step.

The guides are made using wooden blocks. The length of these bars should have some margin. Designing a work plane is important point tool manufacturing process. When using the device, it is necessary to ensure that the workpiece moves parallel to the blades, otherwise the evenness of the applied line will be questionable.

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How is a thickness planer made from an electric planer?

It is necessary to fix the plane on simple adaptation in the form of a block of wood (using clamps) and establish a certain gap. The gap to be set must be the same size as the thickness of the workpiece being processed.

A support beam is fixed to a workbench or other convenient platform, a gap is installed on it using a selection of layers of plywood, and a plane is attached. Attaching the tool to such a base is done using clamps. To secure the installation you will need four clamps. Two of the clamps hold the base to the surface of the workbench, and two are used to hold the plane, which is set to the specified thickness and raised above the base.

For more accurate operations, a millimeter scale is applied to the stud. For this purpose, it is most convenient to use a file or needle file. After completing the assembly of the thicknesser, it must be painted with paint for metal surfaces, which helps prevent the appearance of fungus and the development of corrosion processes. Only the lower plane of the tool, with the help of which the work process is carried out, should not be painted.

By making a surface planer from an electric planer and using it in your work, you can apply markings of any complexity to the plane.

Every woodworking master will agree that an electric planer is a useful, and often completely irreplaceable, thing in a home workshop. With this manual machine Any wooden workpiece can be processed very efficiently, and most importantly – quickly.

Another indispensable tool for processing various wooden parts is a thickness planer. The cost of such equipment is now quite high, so it usually makes sense to buy it only if the craftsman will earn something from processing wood blanks. If such a machine is not used for the purpose of earning money, but only to perform various works around the house, then the optimal solution would be to make a surface planer from an electric planer. It is quite possible to do such work even with your own hands. At the same time, the quality of the work performed when using such a homemade machine will remain at a fairly high level.

Necessary equipment

To make a surface planer from an electric planer with your own hands, you need to have:

  • an electric planer, which it wouldn’t be a shame to convert into another tool;
  • drawings of future equipment;
  • plywood and blocks for assembling the equipment body;
  • a small amount of free time.

First of all, when converting an electric planer into a surface planer with your own hands, you should determine exactly what size parts will be created on the new machine. The dimensions of the thicknesser being created will directly depend on their dimensions: this equipment must have a body of the same width and height, as well as the length of the pin and guides, which will exactly match the workpiece.

Correct installation of studs and guides

Working on a homemade machine

Another important point is the position of the pin, using which you can raise and lower the tool during operation. Many self-taught people make this pin so that it is located exactly in the middle of the body. But this solution is completely wrong: when making such a machine with your own hands, it is recommended to place the pin exactly in the middle between the rear and front handles. In such a case, not only will it become more convenient to work with the tool, but also fixing it in the desired position will be much more reliable, and it will be much easier to do it.

When converting an electric planer into a manual surface planer with your own hands, its pin must be made as movable as possible. For this purpose, a rolling bearing is installed in the top cover of the new machine. In addition, a nut is installed on the middle plate, which is responsible for setting the height of the machine. In this case, the height of all equipment can be adjusted, if necessary, in small increments and with fairly high accuracy.

The guides of a new machine for the workpieces processed on it can easily be made from ordinary bars, but a small margin of length should be provided so that they are not exactly the same as the length of the workpiece. wooden part, but a little larger.

In addition, it is important to design the lower plane in such a way that during the processing of the part it moves immediately parallel to the machine knives. If this plane begins under the electric planer, during the work it will be very difficult to achieve maximum precision in processing the part.

Safe work on a homemade machine

Having remade this with my own hands hand power tool into the thicknesser, you should also remember about safety during its use. To get the job done on a new one home machine as effective as possible and completely eliminate the possibility of getting certain injuries, you should adhere to the following rules when performing certain work:

  • When processing any part, it is necessary to use eye protection;
  • When working with rough material, gloves should be used;
  • When starting work on a homemade machine, you should check the functionality and reliable fixation of all its parts;
  • the pins and knives of the machine must not have any cracks or any other defects;
  • Only clean workpieces that do not contain nails or any other metal particles can be processed on a homemade machine.

How to work on a homemade machine

Thicknesser based on an electric planer

Working with a self-made surface planer is extremely simple. The machine pin is set at the required distance from the edge of the part, the required size is set, and the block is fixed. After this, the machine tilts slightly away from itself, as a result of which the cutting part of the pin is exposed. Then all that remains is to pull the tool towards you.

Thus, if there is an unused or outdated electric planer in the house, even with your own hands you can easily convert it into a full-fledged thickness planer, which will provide ample opportunity in the creation and processing of any wooden parts.

If properly executed, such a home-made machine will be almost in no way inferior in functionality to the simplest factory models of this type of electrical equipment for a home workshop.

How to make a surface planer with your own hands from an electric planer?

Many people ask: how to make a thickness planer from an electric planer with your own hands? Those who want to simplify and automate their work in the construction industry as much as possible do not need to spend a lot of money every time buying a new tool in the store. You just need to be patient, attentive, hardworking and boldly create necessary tools with his own hand. There is nothing impossible in producing a surface planer from an electric planer.

By making a thickness planer out of an electric planer, you will greatly simplify and automate your work.

However, before you start work, you need to understand what a surface planer is. This tool is mainly used to make precise, regular lines on any surface.

Having a surface planer will speed up the construction process many times over, help you avoid many mistakes and make the work more accurate. It is a complete substitute for a pencil and ruler. If the latest devices often allowed for the possibility of the appearance of such defects as different thicknesses of the marked lines, their unevenness, and abruptness, then a homemade surface planer, due to the presence of a sharp pin or blade in it, is 100% accurate.

Scheme of a thickness planer. In order to make such a tool, you should first become familiar with it. components

: clamps, rod, pin or blade, pads. Thanks to this composition, the tool easily copes with creating straight lines: the block moves along the rod, the distance from the studs to the block is measured, and the screw clamp securely fixes the tool. Thanks to the measurement scale on the rod, the thicknesser can be easily adjusted to the size you need.

  • electric plane;
  • In order to make such a tool from an electric planer, you will need the following materials and tools:

sheet plywood, as well as wooden blocks.

Preparing for tool making

In order to start making it, you must decide what size parts you will work with in the future. This is a very important point. Based on this, you will know what thicknesser you need to make.

It is important not to make a mistake here, since according to the size of the parts with which you will use the thicknesser, you need to adjust the width of the tool body, the length of the guide parts, the dimensions of the pin and its length, and the height of the side walls of the device.

To make a surface planer from an electric planer you will need plywood, blocks and a plane.

All this is necessary to ensure that the tool you make is stable on the surfaces with which it will work.

When making this device, care should be taken to ensure that its pin is as movable as possible. In order to do this, it is necessary to place a rolling bearing in the upper part of the cover. A nut should be welded in the middle plate. Then your surface planer will have the ability to adjust the height of the mechanism with a fairly small step size.

In order to save on material, guides can easily be made from wooden blocks. Their length should be generous so that they are not end to end. Designing the bottom plane is a very important point. When working with a thicknesser, it is necessary that the material moves parallel to the blades, otherwise the evenness of the line can be questioned.

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How to make a surface planer from an electric planer: instructions

Scheme of a planer planer.

You need to install your plane on a simple device in the form of a block, clamp it with clamps and set a certain gap. The gap should be of a thickness that matches the thickness of the workpiece being processed.

A support beam is attached to a workbench or a convenient surface for you; by selecting layers of plywood, we set the gap you need and attach the plane to such a base using a clamp. The entire installation is fixed using 4 clamps. Two of them hold the base itself on the workbench, and two hold the plane, which is set to a given thickness and raised under the base.

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How to use a thickness planer using an electric planer?

It is necessary to set the gap between the electric planer and the bottom plate to the lowest possible height, while turning the pin. As soon as the height is set, you need to turn on the device and run the desired material under the plane blades. If the design is carried out correctly, we get an even, completely smooth part. There is no need to put too much pressure on the part, as the plane may fail. Making a surface planer from an electric planer is a completely simple and easy task that will bring high-quality results.

Making a surface planer from an electric planer with your own hands

  • Preparing to work - setting up and using the tool

If you have a certain amount of technical knowledge, making a thickness planer from an electric planer with your own hands does not present any particular difficulties.

Scheme of a planer planer.

An electric planer is a useful device in the household - it allows you to process wood very quickly and efficiently. However, any tool becomes unusable over time, and electric planers are no exception in this regard. An electric planer that has become unusable over time can be given a second life by using it to make a surface planer.

Thicknesser is an indispensable device for wood processing work. The cost of a thicknesser manufactured by industrial manufacturers is quite high, and the purchase of such expensive equipment is not always justified. The easiest way to make such a device is from an electric planer. If everything is done correctly, then the quality of wood processing operations performed using such a tool will be quite high.

Before you start constructing a surface planer, you should thoroughly study the principles of operation and purpose of the device.

Design and purpose of a surface planer

This tool is designed to make precise and correct lines on any plane.

Using a surface planer allows you to speed up the process of construction work several times, while the tool will help you avoid making a large number of mistakes and will make the construction process more accurate. This unit is a full-fledged substitute for a pencil and ruler. When using a pencil and a ruler, drawing lines is somewhat difficult, since very often the line can have different thicknesses, can be broken or uneven. All these defects lead to inaccuracies that can affect the quality of work. A homemade thicknesser, thanks to the presence of a sharp pin in its design, allows you to get rid of such difficulties.

Having a surface planer will speed up the construction process many times over, help you avoid many mistakes and make the work more accurate. It is a complete substitute for a pencil and ruler. If the latest devices often allowed for the possibility of the appearance of such defects as different thicknesses of the marked lines, their unevenness, and abruptness, then a homemade surface planer, due to the presence of a sharp pin or blade in it, is 100% accurate.

The design of the tool includes the following components:

  • clamps;
  • barbell; pin or blade;
  • pads.

Thanks to this design, the device easily copes with the task of creating straight lines on any surface. During the operation, the block moves along the rod and allows you to measure the distance from the pin to the block. The use of a special screw clamp allows for reliable fixation of the tool. Thanks to the presence of a measurement scale printed on the rod, it is easy to reconfigure the tool to the size required during work.

To make a surface planer with your own hands from an electric planer, you will need to prepare:

  • electric plane;
  • blocks of wood and sheet plywood for assembling the body of the device.

In addition, the master who decides to construct a device must have a set of basic knowledge in the field of physics and mechanics.

Return to contents

Preparing for the fixture manufacturing process

Before you begin manufacturing the device, you should decide on the dimensions of the parts to be processed. This nuance is of great importance, since it affects the size of the thicknesser that is planned to be manufactured.

When determining the dimensions of the workpieces with which you plan to work, it is very important not to make a mistake, since this parameter of the parts affects the width of the device, the length of the guides, the size of the stud and the height of the walls of the unit.

Homemade thickness planer.

All these requirements must be met in order for the manufactured tool to have high stability on the surfaces with which it is to be worked. In addition, before making a homemade surface planer. you need to know exactly how to position the pin. This structural element causes the electric plane to rise and fall; for this reason, it is not recommended to mount the pin in the center of the body. The pin should be mounted so that it is midway between the rear and front handles. If the pin is positioned differently, working with the device will be inconvenient, and the device will not be able to be securely and firmly fixed.

When manufacturing the device, care must be taken to ensure that the pin is provided with maximum mobility. For these purposes, a rolling bearing is placed in the upper part of the cover. A nut is welded into the middle plate. It is with this design that it becomes possible to adjust the height of the location of the working element of the structure with a small step size.

The guides are made using wooden blocks. The length of these bars should have some margin. Designing the work plane is an important aspect of the tool manufacturing process. When using the device, it is necessary to ensure that the workpiece moves parallel to the blades, otherwise the evenness of the applied line will be questionable.

Return to contents

How is a thickness planer made from an electric planer?

It is required to fix the plane on a simple device in the form of a block of wood (using clamps) and set a certain gap. The gap to be set must be the same size as the thickness of the workpiece being processed.

A support beam is fixed to a workbench or other convenient platform, a gap is installed on it using a selection of layers of plywood, and a plane is attached. Attaching the tool to such a base is done using clamps. To secure the installation you will need four clamps. Two of the clamps hold the base to the surface of the workbench, and two are used to hold the plane, which is set to the specified thickness and raised above the base.

For more accurate operations, a millimeter scale is applied to the stud. For this purpose, it is most convenient to use a file or needle file. After completing the assembly of the thicknesser, it must be painted with paint for metal surfaces, which helps prevent the appearance of fungus and the development of corrosion processes. Only the lower plane of the tool, with the help of which the work process is carried out, should not be painted.

By making a surface planer from an electric planer and using it in your work, you can apply markings of any complexity to the plane.

Return to contents

Preparing for work - setting up and using the tool

Before using the tool, it should be prepared for use. The quality of the work depends on the correct preparation of the device. The effectiveness of the device and the safety of working with it also depend on the correct setting. The operating principle of the tool is based on the sliding of a bar with a pin inside the block, which is equipped with a special mechanism to hold the bar in the desired position.

Assembling a thickness planer from an electric planer.

To obtain a uniform and clear line, the pin must be well sharpened. The sharpness of the sharpening pin should be checked before each use of the device and, if necessary, sharpening.

Working with the tool is simple. To perform operations, the pin is installed at the required distance from the block. The process of installing the stud at the required distance is carried out using a steel ruler, after which the bar is fixed. The block is pressed tightly against the workpiece, and the tool is slightly tilted away from the master. By tilting, the cutting part of the pin is opened. After tilting the tool, it moves along the plane towards the master working with the tool.

During operations with the tool, care should be taken to avoid injury.

Operating rules and safe operation devices are the following:

  • When using the tool, you should wear eye protection;
  • when working with rough materials, you should use protective gloves;
  • Before turning on the device, you should check that the instrument is configured correctly;
  • Before work, the stud should be checked for cracks.

In addition, before using the device, you should prepare the workpieces; to do this, you need to clean their surface from dirt, nails and debris that could damage the working element.

Homemade thickness planer from an electric planer

For processing wooden products can use a special thicknesser made from an electric planer, made independently and intended for finishing wood blanks. To make a surface planer with your own hands, you can use an electric planer, which has been used for quite a lot of work. long time, but retained all its performance characteristics.

Thicknesser from an electric planer

Design of a thickness planer

The thickness planer includes:

  1. horizontal work table for processing wooden products;
  2. working processing shaft;
  3. pressure rollers for feeding the workpiece into the processing zone;
  4. table height adjustment system;
  5. a safety device that prevents the workpiece from being returned.

Thicknesser using an electric planer

Thicknessing machines are manufactured at industrial enterprises and are used in production where finishing of the surface of wooden workpieces is required.

The use of a thicknesser significantly reduces the processing time of workpieces, but if the selling price of the machine is quite high and one-time operations are performed, it is better to make the unit yourself with your own hands. Using an electric planer, which has been in use for quite a long time, you can make a thickness planer, on which you can process various products with sufficiently high quality and accuracy.

In order to make a surface planer from an electric planer with your own hands, you need the following units and components:

The operating principle of the machine is to carry out the processing operation wooden blank, fixed with clamps and supplied to the area of ​​the working shaft of the plane.

Manufacturing of the machine

To manufacture a thicknessing machine, several operations are carried out during which the work is performed:

  1. The base for the desktop is made of plywood (10-15 mm), 400x500 mm in size.
  2. The stands for the platform with the electric planer are being fixed. Plywood is used to make stands. The structure is assembled using screws and fixed to the base, followed by installation of an electric planer.
  3. A platform is cut out for mounting the electric planer. A plane is attached to the platform, taking into account a special hole cut exactly in the center, matching the size of the plane. For fastening, special strips are used, which are fixed with screws.
  4. Threaded screws with gears are mounted on the platform. A special mechanism is installed to raise and lower the platform. 4 screws are mounted at the corners of the base.
  5. The platform is mounted on ready-made stands and, together with the electric planer, is secured with screws. Electrical wiring is laid to power the plane, taking into account the possibility of preventing damage to the wiring when processing workpieces.
  6. The platform control handle with an electric planer is being installed.
  7. A bar with a scale and a special pointer are installed. A measuring bar is necessary for accurately measuring workpieces and maintaining specified dimensions.

After completing the assembly of the thickness planer, testing and adjustment are carried out. After work, the electric planer must undergo cleaning and lubrication of working parts.

Planing diagram Drawing of the operation of a thickness planer based on a planer

Features of manufacturing a thicknesser

Initially, before manufacturing a surface planer, a drawing of the machine is made indicating the exact dimensions of all parts.

The dimensions of the machine’s structural elements are precisely established, which must be made, observing:

  • width of guides;
  • length of guides;
  • hairpin length,

determining the dimensions of the processed workpieces.

The installation of the pin is marked, which should be located between the two handles exactly in the middle, which ensures ease of operation on the machine. To displace the pin, a bearing is mounted in the upper part of the housing cover, and a nut is welded to the plate to adjust the height of the workpiece.

It is also necessary to take into account that the length of the guides made from bars must be greater than the base. This ensures parallel flow of the workpiece during processing relative to the knives of the electric planer.

You may also be interested in the following articles:

DIY thicknesser machine How to make planer DIY woodworking How to make a homemade four-sided machine Homemade machine for the production of lining

Do you want to expand the functionality of your electric planer? Assemble your own surface planer!

Before we begin to consider making a surface planer with our own hands, let's find out what it is and what it is needed for.

Reismus is called a woodworking machine that, with minimal loss of material, planes timber to a given thickness.
It is important to distinguish jointer from the thicknesser, since the workpiece must be planed before thicknessing.

A planer removes uneven wood and makes the surface smooth, and a thickness planer is designed for finishing and is used to obtain the exact dimensions of a beam or board.
In this regard, you need to understand that through a thickness planer you will be running a pre-prepared timber to obtain the appropriate dimensions, and not a piece of wood without any preliminary processing.

Let's look at the device of a do-it-yourself surface planer.

    What components does this include?
  • The most important thing is an electric planer. the choice of which must be approached with all seriousness, depending on the tasks at hand.
  • Some regular plywood, the thickness of which depends on the design you choose.
  • A handful of screws for attaching to the base assembled from a 60x200x1000 board
  • And two slats as guides.

The simplest design that can be assembled in 30-40 minutes now.
An example of how you can make a surface planer from a plane and available materials is shown in the photo.

Fast, simple and affordable. If you are not looking for great accuracy, then this option is quite suitable for you.

This video explains in detail how to do this.

Since the number of parts for making a surface planer is not so large and they do not have any intricate shape, there is no point in making drawings. While you are drawing them, your neighbor, having watched this video, will already assemble a surface planer.

Another example of how you can assemble a surface planer from an electric planer with your own hands.

True, in this case you will have to spend much more time on production and will require you to have a jigsaw, 10 mm thick plywood, M10x1.5 pins for making the adjusting screw, self-tapping screws and patience.
But the final part will be more accurate, it will be easier to adjust the equipment to the required size, and it will be more pleasant to work, though wide board can no longer be processed. In any case, it's up to you, it all depends on what you need this moment. And one more example that is not difficult to do. True, the maximum possible dimensions of the workpiece on this machine are limited to a height of 100 mm and a width of 110 mm.

And one more option. Which one to choose is a matter of taste and depends on availability suitable materials, time and desire.


If none of the options I suggested suit you, you need large volumes of wood processing, or you simply don’t want to do it yourself, think about purchasing a stationary thickness planer.

They sent me a link to a video with a homemade surface planer, I couldn’t resist, I posted it on the website. Enough simple design and very practical. There is a nuance in the precise manufacturing of frames, but if you try, you can do everything accurately and beautifully. This thicknesser can also be easily converted into milling machine, which is important in our time of crisis. Watch, try, do!


Let's start with the basics, for those who don't know what a surface planer is, it is a tool for working with wood, namely planing a flat plane with a given thickness relative to a second, initially planed flat surface. They can't be compared flat surface certain material for sawing. This surface planer, which you can make with your own hands, has an electric planer as its main component and serves as a mechanism for planing lumber.

How to make a surface planer with your own hands?
For this we will need the following materials and tools:

Materials:
- a sheet of plywood with a thickness of at least 15mm
-wood planks and beams with dimensions: 15×15 and 25×25;
- drive sprockets - 4 pcs.;
- a chain from a bicycle;
- washers of different sizes;
- screws for 25-100-105 pcs;
- nuts with M14 thread;
- long threaded screws;
- "spots" for screws 4 pcs. so that they are not pressed in during operation

Tools:
- jigsaw;
- electric planer, which is used in construction and carpentry;
- screwdrivers and wrenches of different sizes;
- a corner and a regular ruler;
- screwdriver.

We use an electric planer as the main mechanism for the planer.

Instructions for making a surface planer from an electric planer with your own hands in a home workshop

Carefully look at the diagrams, photos, drawings for creating a thickness planer from an electric planer in step by step instructions and you will succeed.

1 . Let's take plywood as a basis.

As I already wrote, we take a sheet of plywood at least 15mm thick, cut it in the form of a rectangle 500mm long and 400mm wide.

2 . Then we attach the stand for the electric planer.

The stands for the surface planer will be made from the same piece of plywood. These parts will be divided from several elements that we will assemble on the spot. We fasten everything from the back to the base with screws, and here we will install an electric planer with a working platform.

3 . The next stage: we will make platforms for the electric planer.

The electric planer is mounted on an individual platform, which has an opening in the center. We cut the hole with a jigsaw exactly in the shape of the electric plane. We secure the electrical appliance using clamps and screws.

4 . We assemble threaded screws with sprockets for the platform.

We assemble the drive mechanism onto the platform base; it will guarantee the lowering and raising of the platform itself for the surface planer. We install screws with large threads at all four corners of the base (where an electric planer is pre-installed on the screws) thanks to them we will set the thickness of the processed lumber

We make stands from plywood on which we will install the upper part of the planer with a platform and a fixed plane. We fasten all this with screws. We think in advance where and how to lay the cable from the electric planer; it is important that the coating of the wire is not damaged during work

6 . Then we install the handle, we will use it to control the surface planer.

The handle for adjusting the platform is installed on one of the long threaded screws. We fasten everything with a set of washers and nuts. To prevent the electric planer from falling off the mounts, we make a through hole on one of the screws, thanks to this we will securely tighten the fastening nut.

7 . The final stage of work is the installation of a measuring bar and an indicator (arrow-pointer)

The measuring bar must be present on the surface planer; it is irreplaceable; we use it to measure the thickness of the material we are working on. A piece (6-8 cm) of an ordinary plastic ruler will do just fine as a bar. The most common arrow made of tin is suitable as an indicator for a thickness planer.

That's all, the thicknesser made at home with your own hands is ready, now it needs to be tested on any the right material, while simultaneously tuning it. Like any electrical appliance, the thicknesser needs periodic maintenance (clean or sharpen the blade).

Let your homemade surface planer with an electric plane serve for a long time and not break.


A thicknesser is a device with which wood is processed, and to be more precise, a thicknesser is used to plan a flat plane, focusing on a planed, flat surface. It can be used to level the material before sawing. The author decided to make a surface planer based on an electric planer.

Materials and tools for making homemade products:
- wooden planks, as well as beams measuring 15×15 and 25×25;
- plywood (sheet thickness at least 15 mm);
- four drive sprockets;
- bicycle chain;
- washers (you will need different sizes);
- screws;
- nuts (M14);
- long threaded screws;
- four spots for screws (needed so that they do not get pressed in during operation).
The tools you will need are a jigsaw, a screwdriver, an electric planer, a ruler, a corner, and different sizes keys and screwdrivers.

Homemade manufacturing process:

Step one. Making the base
To make the base you will need a sheet of plywood, the thickness of which is at least 15 mm. From it you need to cut a rectangle 400 mm wide and 500 mm long.




Next, you can make a mount for the electric planer stand. As for the stands for the surface planer, they are also made from a piece of plywood. These elements will be made from several parts, which are then assembled. Everything is attached from the back with screws. An electric planer with a working platform will also be installed here.

Step two. Platform for electric planer
At the next stage, you need to make platforms for the electric planer. It will be installed on its own individual platform, in the center of which there is an opening. In order to make a hole you will need a jigsaw, it needs to be made exactly according to the shape of the electric plane. The electrical appliance must be secured using clamps and screws.


Step three. Assembling Threaded Sprocket Screws
In order for the platform to rise and fall, a special mechanism must be made for it. To do this, you need to install long screws with large threads in the four corners. It is thanks to these screws that it will be possible to adjust the depth of processing of the material.


Step four. Installing platforms on stands
The stands must be made of plywood. It is installed on them top part surface planer on which the plane is attached. Everything is connected with screws. During the construction of the device, it is important to figure out how to lay the cable so that it is not damaged during work.



Step five. Handle for controlling the thicknesser

The handle is needed so that you can conveniently adjust the height of the platform. It is installed on one of four long threaded screws. The entire structure is held together with a set of washers and nuts. To prevent the plane from falling off its mounting points during operation, you need to make a through hole on one of the screws, thanks to which you can securely tighten the fastening nut.


Step six. The final stage of device assembly
At the final stage, the indicator and the measuring bar are installed. A measuring bar is needed so that you can measure the thickness of the material being processed; it must be present. To make such a bar, a regular ruler is suitable; you will need a piece of 6-8 cm.


That's all, the surface planer is ready. Now it can be tested and configured; an unnecessary piece of material will do for this. The thicknesser needs periodic maintenance; it needs to be cleaned and the blade must be sharpened from time to time.

If you decide to make yourself a surface planer from an electric planer with your own hands, drawings, visual videos and our recommendations will help you achieve your goal. The electric planer itself is useful tool on the farm. But buying a surface planer for household purposes is quite an expensive pleasure. That’s why many people decide to assemble the equipment themselves, using an electric plane as a basis.

To assemble a surface planer from an electric planer, you will need a set of materials and tools necessary for the future machine.

If you need a thicknesser in order to generate income from products that you will process on the machine, then the best solution will be the purchase of a ready-made device. If the thicknesser is a purely household tool for home work, then you can safely make it yourself.

The main components for assembling the unit are:

  • Electric planer. Please note that each time you will not be able to re-equip the surface planer into a regular electric planer and assemble the machine back from it. Therefore, it is better to make a unit from a planer, which is not a pity;
  • Blueprints. You can draw up your own drawing, based on the characteristics and features of the electric planer, the planned work and the parts that the machine must process. It is more difficult to adapt ready-made drawings for yourself, since each of them is based on certain models of electric planer, materials used, parameters, etc.;
  • Wooden blocks and plywood. From these you will assemble the body of the future thickness planer;
  • Free time. To make a machine with your own hands, you won’t need much time. But you shouldn’t try to assemble the unit in a couple of hours, otherwise the result may disappoint you.

The main emphasis when designing a surface planer based on an electric plane is on matching the characteristics and capabilities of the machine with the workpieces being processed. Before starting assembly, make sure that the equipment receives a body, studs, and guides that perfectly match the parts you will be dealing with.

Studs and guides

These components of a surface planer based on an electric planer should be discussed separately, since they play a significant role in the performance and efficiency of the surface planer.

  1. The pins allow you to lower and raise the thicknesser when processing workpieces.
  2. Often, beginners install the pin exactly in the middle of the machine body. But this decision is wrong. If you decide to make a machine, the pin should be installed in the middle between the front and rear handles of the device. This arrangement will provide comfortable work with the equipment, will allow you to securely fix the tool in the desired position. There will be significantly fewer problems during operation.
  3. When converting an electric planer into a surface planer, try to give the tool pin maximum mobility. To do this, install a rolling bearing on the top cover yourself.
  4. Attach a nut to the middle plate of the machine, which will be responsible for adjusting the height. This solution will provide you with the ability to adjust the position of the equipment in small increments and with increased accuracy. This is relevant for particularly delicate processing using a surface planer.
  5. Guides are used for precise and efficient processing of workpieces. They are made from wooden blocks, so the cost of assembling the equipment can be considered minimal.
  6. When making guides for an electric planer, make a certain margin in length. It is not recommended to make them identical in length to the processed workpieces. Do these elements a little more.
  7. The lower plane of the thicknesser from an electric planer is made so that when processing the product it moves immediately parallel to the cutters of the device. If the plane starts under the power tool, you will not be able to achieve high precision machining. Therefore, the effectiveness of such a machine will be reduced to a minimum.

Security measures

Any homemade power tool or machine places increased demands on safety issues during operation. Therefore, if you decide to make a surface planer using an electric planer with your own hands, be sure to familiarize yourself with the basic rules for its use. This will protect you from injury and also extend the life of the tool itself.

  • When cutting workpieces with your own hands using a thickness planer, always wear special safety glasses;
  • When working with dense, rough workpieces, keep your hands in gloves;
  • Before turning on the equipment, make sure that all its elements are securely fixed and that the wiring is not exposed. This must be done before each new working day;
  • Knives and pins must not have defects, damage, or cracks on their surface. If they are detected, these elements must be immediately replaced;
  • Make sure that the workpieces being processed do not have metal components - staples, nails, screws, self-tapping screws. If they get on the thicknesser, this threatens not only injury, but also complete failure of the machine itself.

Rules for operating the machine

Having assembled a working thicknesser from an electric planer with your own hands and familiarized yourself with the recommendations for safe operation, you can begin processing the workpieces.

In this regard, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with several practical tips.

  1. There is nothing difficult about working on a homemade planer, built on the basis of an electric plane, no. Therefore, a beginner can handle such a unit.
  2. Install the pin in correct position. It is mounted at a certain distance relative to the edge of the workpiece.
  3. Set the size that matches the part, fix the block acting as a guide.
  4. Tilt the equipment slightly away from you. This will expose the cutting part of your electrical stud.
  5. Now pull the tool towards you. This ensures the operation of the thicknesser, which removes layers of material from the workpieces.
  6. If you correctly assemble the unit, taking into account all the recommendations and following the drawings, a homemade electric surface planer based on a conventional electric planer will be little inferior to factory equipment in its functionality, productivity and efficiency.

The abundance of drawings and diagrams for assembling a thickness planer from a power tool allows you to use an old unnecessary electric planer to your advantage. Without any special skills or experience, beginners manage to build excellent machines.

As your needs expand and you gain new experience, the machine can be improved, or modern, high-power electric planes can be used to assemble it.

If you need a surface thicknesser for the production of large volumes of blanks with their subsequent sale, homemade device you can hardly get by. For such purposes, it is recommended to purchase factory equipment from trusted manufacturers. Due to the quality and productivity, the cost of purchasing a machine will be justified over time, and you will receive a net profit.



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