Planers Reviews

If you have this planer you need this chip collector. It works, it fits, It's easy to install, you'll get a better cut without the chips flying all around getting caught between the knife and your lumber. It's cheap. I have had this planner for 10 years I should have got the hood sooner. You will need an adapter if your not set-up for four inch collection.

Made out of plastic and fits very well to planer. I would choose this one over the metal one with different part numbers any day. I also bought a adapter for a 1.5 shop vac and this does not fit to the 5" outlet because both parts are 5" so I duct tape the adapter on the 5" outlet on the planer connect.

Used this Freud C400 knive set to replace the OEM knives in my Ridgid (Home Depot) 6" jointer. They fit and perform perfectly--plus Amazon's price for these knives can't be beat!

I have placed several orders for these knives, two sets each order. They only seem to keep one set in stock so it takes some time to receive the blades. I just wish that I could order a few sets and have them shipped sooner, a service issue not a product issue. The knives are great and at this price it does not pay to have them re-sharpen, just buy new.

needed a machine to plane wide panels for table tops this is the best i've seen and does a great job top quality and build to last runs very quite and does not even seem to pull very nice finish little sanding required Grizz keep up the great work

No disappointments here. Just as advertised this makes changing knives a breeze. With the added benefit of the cost of replacing the dull knives being actually cheaper than sending them out to be sharpened. This should be standard equipment in any shop with a planer or jointer.

I believe the actual picture is upside down. When installed at the back of the planer, the 4" dust opening points straight up.

There's not much to this except its an optional accessory for the planer. It should have been included with the purchase. The unit is made entirely of metal which may account for the hefty price and the slightly out-of-round 4" dust opening. But once you have the dust hose connected, its a pleasure to see the shavings being whisked away.

I am sorry I didn't buy this tool sooner. It does a beautiful job. I have the big Dewalt power plane with a 7+ Amp motor. It has a lot of power for hogging out material but the chute doesn't keep up. It clogs pretty easily . Then there's the cord. Have you ever been in the middle of a crucial cut and the stinking cord hangs up on you creating a nice divot or burn mark on your piece. That problem is a thing of the past now. I hesitated to buy this little planer , thinking it wouldn't have enough power to be useful. Boy was I wrong. It totally surprized me how nicely it glides through the material . It is so light and easy to control .You never have to check the cord or grit your teeth and hope it's long enough. It won't clog up like the big Dewalt does. The fence is well made and makes accurate cuts easier. The reversible carbide blades are great. There is a chamfer groove built into the front shoe like on others'.It Does anything any other power plane will do. It's just better because it's cordless. The battery lasts quite a long time. If mine walked off the job tomorrow , I would be ordering a new one the same day.

I have had this planer for over 3 years now, and it has been a great tool. I have had absolutely no surprises or failures with this machine. Adjustments are easy, the surfaces are perfect, and the unit is constructed solidly. I am very glad I bought this machine, because I love using it, and I keep finding things to use it for. For cleaning up pieces quickly or removing material when doing remodel work, alterations or funky projects, it has proved invaluable. I have made a mountain of wood shavings with this baby, and it has proven to be tough and a true performer.
The only thing I would say may be an issue is the side cover. I have seen it break on other planers of the same model. This breakage occurred from falling off a workbench onto a concrete floor, landing on the cover. Certainly not the planer's fault. I am not sure what Makita can do about this issue. I suspect it is better to replace a cracked cover than to risk having a dented metal cover contact and foul up the mechanical internal parts it is supposed to protect. The best remedy would be to not drop your tools from any height onto concrete. I am sure it says this in the manual someplace.
This machine performs flawlessly. I have used it to plane crooked doors, straighten lumber, remove excess material from a host of materials in many different applications. I have used the unit to correct measurement mistakes and "adjust" features on work pieces and other projects. I work a lot with scrap, recycled, and found lumber, and have never lived in a house that was square anywhere. This planer has helped me fine tune constructed pieces to fit in the weird places they need to. I used to have problems getting straight cuts and joints, and I used the planer to clean them up (I am a lot better at this now, thanks to some tips, practice and better tools).
I most recently I used the machine to straighten a 14 foot 6x6 post for use in building a loft in my shop. I got the post at a local lumber mill for pennies on the dollar because it was crooked and a little corkscrewed. With a little time and a little artistry, I got the thing straight enough to use as a support post. Not bad for a modest little 3 1/4" hand planer! I regularly use the machine in its deepest depth setting, and it is always more than capable of cutting without bogging.
I have never had any problems with this unit, and highly recommend it. I can also attest to having witnessed this machine in use at many professional jobsites and in many shops. I've never heard anything but praise for the little Makita planer. It is versatile, well priced, and dependable. I do not anticipate having to purchase another unless this one is stolen. I use it occasionally, so I am confident it will last me forever. That said, I would not hesitate to buy this unit again. I am considering buying a larger unit to do different tasks, but will keep this one handy. It is the best at what it does, and I have found it capable of doing way more than I anticipated.
A true pleasure to use, and a great buy at the price. This is a great tool.

Please Call 1-800-462-5482 {1-800-4MAKITA} choose option for English or Spanish, Then choose 4 for parts, then choose language again, (Tech Support is on a different system) and we will get blades to you usually within a week. The hours are 8am to 8pm Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

If I have infringed on anyone's rights or have technically (shopped) this seller, then please remove this review and the preceding one as well.

I bought it to adjust my planer infeed/outfeed rollers and knives as well as to set my jointer knives. It takes the guess work out setting planners and jointers and it is very simple to use. I have also used it to set my router table bits when using my incra jig and it works nicely. Nice tool to have for such a cheap price that will give you the accuracy that you need.