Woodworking is one of the most interesting propositions in modern times, it has come a long way since the days of old when the woodworking industry was unfairly sidetracked by other so-called illustrious professions. Now, thanks to a plethora of reasons woodworking has gotten some deserved respect, as it’s not out of the ordinary to see young people stocking up on supplies, and doing it themselves.
So much of this perceived change in the way people look at woodworking is because of the advent of sophisticated machines and gadgets to make the work more glamorous, giving the woodworking industry a much-needed boost impetus. Now, handymen, woodworkers, do it yourself entrepreneurs, and a host of other people are taking a special interest in the do’s and do-not’s of the woodworking industry, with the knowledge that they’ll be able to navigate the pathway in no time.
Here, we will be discussing two of the most useful woodworking tools known to man, we will be discussing the planer and the jointer. We will first proceed with describing what a planer is, and how it is used for woodworking. Then, we will describe what a jointer is, and how it is used for woodworking.
Following that, we will compare the two types of equipment, highlighting a couple of similarities, and deducing some of the most essential differences depending on the woodworking project being undertaken.
We will then conclude by giving our two cents on the two types of equipment, closing out with some important advice about the essence of technological breakthroughs like them in the woodworking industry. So without further ado, let’s get to examine two of the best things to happen to the commercial woodworking industry!
The Planer
The woodworking tool is known all around the world as a Planer or wood planer “is a tool that reduces the thickness levels of all kinds of wood surfaces, whether it be a large cut of wood (slab) or a simple board for a timber deck. A wood planer will do the perfect prep work for the job. It can also be used to flatten and smooth wood depending on the project it is being used for.”
Different Kinds of Planers
Wood planers are perfectly designed to make work easier for woodworkers, handymen, and do it yourself entrepreneurs. They come in different shapes and sizes, and it all depends on the kind of task that you purchased it to perform.
Manual Planer
There’s the manual planer which is more like a throwback to the days of old, it is suitable for little woodworking projects that just need a little bit of wood taken off here and there.
However, it won’t be the best option if you’re trying to work on more advanced projects, at it doesn’t operate using electricity, meaning that your productivity would be rather low compared to other wood planers.
Power Hand Planer
Then there’s The Power Hand Planer, which is more sophisticated than the manual planer, this power hand planer is “a real-time saver and makes short work out of a lot of wood projects.” These planers represent great value for money, they operate either through batteries or being plugged in, and most woodworkers have one of these in their houses or workstations.
Benchtop Planer
Moving on, there’s The Benchtop Planer, which are stationary pieces of machine super suitable for middle-sized projects, that don’t require so much power or effort. Due to its stationary nature, it isn’t exactly easy to move this planer and we certainly cannot call it portable. But the planer makes up for its few inadequacies with its ease of use, and advanced workload carrying.
If you thought the Benchtop Planer was difficult to move, then you should check out the Stationary Planer, a planer that possesses a lot of power. These are the most sophisticated types of Benchtop Planers, and they aren’t meant to be moved from a location to another without a good reason. This planer is one of the most professional around, so we won’t typically advise you to get one of those except you are truly making moves in the woodworking industry.
2-in-1 Planer Option
The last planer and the most sophisticated of them all is The 2-in-1 planers. This planer is more or less strictly reserved for the cream of the crop in the woodworking industry. It’s super expensive, super accurate, and one of the best inventions known to woodworking. It’s an industrial planer and it would be advisable to stock this planer in your workstation instead of the residential abode.
The Jointer
A Jointer (jointer planer) is a sophisticated tool used to flat surface along a board’s length. Thanks to a jointer, “this machine can be used to produce a flat surface along a board’s length”. Jointers are super useful, and it’s rather difficult to visit a professional woodworker’s workstation without seeing at least one jointer planer.
They are also fantastic for “flattening out cupped boards, removing twist, and preparing board edges to be glued together.” Is the workload too cumbersome for you? Then you should invest in a proper jointer and see if that case remains the same.
To some woodworkers, jointers are objects of luxury while some others see it as a pure necessity. Whether you need a jointer depends on “the type of woodworking you do and how often you’re in the shop.” Typically, it won’t be smart for mere rookies to purchase a jointer as soon as they start their woodworking careers, however, it would be a more suitable purchase when the said woodworker has reached an intermediate level and also earned some money off his woodworking project.
Simply put, “If you’re at a point in your woodworking where you’re starting to use rough sawn lumber, say from a lumber mill or your local sawyer, then a jointer is essential to your shop workflow.”
Options for Jointers
Also, you can either purchase a simpler type of jointer which is known as a jointer plane, or you can go for the power jointer, the choice is yours. Just keep in mind that the jointer planes are more affordable, they are more basic, they are easier to learn, and you’ll have little or no problems maintaining them. However, power jointers are more sophisticated, more expensive, and they are known to take time and effort to maintain.
We typically advise amateur woodworkers to purchase the jointer plane, while we advise the more versed in the game to purchase the power jointer. The choice remains yours, as only you know where the jointer comes in handy.
Which Comes First: The Planer or the Jointer?
The jointer and the planer are two of the most useful tools in the entire woodworking industry, they tick so many boxes, and it won’t be a bad idea to cop both of them if you can afford to. However, sometimes it’s not possible (or affordable) to get both of them at once, as such the question remains, “Which tool should be purchased first?”
Firstly, the jointer is suitable in “flattening one face and square up to one edge, while the planer is then used to make the second face flat and parallel to the first”. Also, it’s common knowledge that there are different varieties of planers while there are only two types of jointers in the strict sense, meaning that you’re more than less spoilt for choice in the former. Also, the price ranges for both tools are around the same figures, with the average jointer being a little costlier than the average pointer.
So in a nutshell, we would advise you to purchase a planer first, then work your way up the cadre in other to later purchase the jointer. The reason is that you’ll be able to perform better with a planer than without it when compared to how you’d be able to perform without a jointer than with it. The planer is way too versatile to ignore, as it is perfect for the pre-milled stock, thickness tasks, a cleaner finishing, and so much more. There’s so much productivity that the planer assures, it would be foolhardy to sacrifice that if you can afford to purchase it!
Final Thoughts
Like we said at the beginning of this piece, woodworking has evolved in ways that didn’t even look remotely possible in the not too distant past. That’s thanks to a plethora of tools such as the two that were discussed in this piece. The planer and jointer both have their merits, a few demerits, and they are vital pieces of a serious woodworker’s arsenal alongside your router table.
It’s difficult picking one over the other, but after weighing the factors and non-factors, there was always going to be one winner. That winner is the planer, and just like its name, it simply gets the job done, and in record time too.