CRAFTSMAN Benchtop Planer, 15-Amp (CMEW320)

br>br>This planer is quite nice and reasonably priced; I was torn between it and the DeWalt planer, which costs a hundred dollars more. After all, I'm not a professional woodworker, so I went with the craftsman option. And it's not something I'm sorry for. The Dewalt planer has a few nicer features, such as three blades and a depth of cut indicator (which is different from a thickness indicator), which is the only real criticism I have for it. br>br>Tonight, I got my first chance to use the planer, milling some rough cut walnut down from 5/4" to 3/4". Although the tables were not completely level out of the box, and I had to disassemble the middle table to remove the blue plastic film (which was a little inconvenient), setup was relatively simple. To set up this planer, place it on a LEVEL bench top and use a level to adjust the four bolts under the outer tables to make them level with the inner table. It only took a few minutes for me to figure out, but it was simple enough. br>br>The dust collection system works well, and it's convenient to be able to assemble it with the chute facing either way. The thing is almost dust-free thanks to my shop vac. That took my breath away. If you don't set something for outfeeding the board to hold up the end as it slides out, there will be some snipe in the last 2". The snipe had mostly vanished after I set up a piece of wood roughly level with the planer's outfeed table. I've seen this happen a lot with lunchbox planners. However, if you've planned ahead of time and have something in place to catch your piece as it emerges, this shouldn't be a problem. br>br>It also leaves a very nice smooth surface on the wood, which I was very pleased with. I'll still have to sand it, but it's looking pretty good right now. br>br>I deducted a star because the Dewalt has some better features and the setup was a little finicky at first, as well as because the height adjustment handle on the Dewalt has more play than the Dewalt (I tried both in the store and the Dewalt has virtually none). Overall, I would strongly advise you to use this application. It is, in my opinion, superior to the other options in the same price range. br>br>By the way, if you're looking for planer knives, this planer is the same as the Porter Cable PC305TP (also a Stanley-branded planer). (This is a Black and Decker product. ) For both of them, the knives are identical. The knives, however, do not have a part number published by Craftsman. This is also a criticism of the planer (the lack of a part number for a consumable). PC22562 is the part number for this item.

Chana Bender

| Aug 10, 2021

The only oddity is that the inches on the front gauge's ruler are divided into tenths rather than eighths or sixteenths. br>br>Recent changes: br>br> I was constantly converting measurements to tenths of an inch, which drove me insane with the gauge. The problem was solved by covering the gauge with a masking tape ruler. Craftsman, on the other hand, should have known to use a better ruler to begin with.

Frances Gilmore

| Nov 22, 2021

It was very simple to put together; all we had to do was attach the handle and plug it in. A 2x4, 1x3 treated board, and a cedar fence were used to put it to the test. This is a fantastic piece of equipment! The wood was very smooth and pleasant to the touch. I was able to easily remove the rounded edges. I like that it can handle large boards and that it's simple to adjust; however, there is a snipe at the end of the wood. When you first insert the wood, it's as if the board hopped or something pushed the blade down even further. I'm not sure what to do about it. We'll have to look into how to fix that, but other than that, it's perfect! This will save me a lot of time and aggravation! It's time to start reading the instructions! br>br>Recent changes: br>br> Snipe is a simple problem to solve. Check to see if the board is inserted correctly. To avoid snipe, don't make deep cuts all at once; instead, make smaller passes several times.

Seven FRASER

| Feb 10, 2021

Because this item is quite heavy, you should either build a dedicated rolling stand for it or set up a separate workstation for it. It's been more than a week since I got it. So far, I've used lumber to construct a table top, and I'm pleased with the results. The same unit can be found for $329 at Lowe's. It's only $289 right now! By no means am I a professional. I simply enjoy making household items. As well as family and friends. However, after constructing my table top out of 2x8's, it appears to be semi-professional work, haha. I'm sure there are better planers out there, but for how often I'd use it and my level of experience, this one fit the bill. You can't go wrong with this one if you're just getting started, have a limited budget, or simply want/need a planer in general. I would strongly advise anyone interested in improving their woodworking skills to purchase this book.

Simon Webb

| Jun 04, 2021

It is well worth the money. I agonized for months over whether to go with 2 blades, 3 blades, or 12 blades. 5", 13" and a variety of brands were examined. This is a fantastic tool. Apart from taking it out of the box, I haven't done anything with it. It throws sawdust all over the place if it isn't connected to a dust collection system. I attached an elbow to it and aimed it at a 5-gallon bucket with tape.

Isla Nolan

| Dec 02, 2021

I noticed that others were having the same issue, there is a small snipe in the first and last two inches, which causes the blades to cut about 1/64 deeper in the first two inches and then do it again as you leave the planer. I tried to level it, but it was still doing the snipes, so I put a wedge at the level of the exit table on the planer to hold the end of the wood as it slides, which solved the problem. I believe that such a problem should not exist on such a high-quality and precise machine; I'm considering returning it, but I'll give it another try.

Jadiel Frey

| Nov 26, 2021

Simple to set up, simple to operate, and consistently good results! Although there is a snipe, the rest of the board has a very smooth finish. It's helping me clean up chainsaw milled walnut, and it's doing an excellent job. This has become my go-to device.

Marie Montgomery

| Aug 10, 2021

I'm not a professional woodworker; I'm just a hobbyist. It does have some snipe, but I experimented with the infeed/outfeed tables to see if I could eliminate it, and using the "penny trick," I was able to reduce the snipe to almost nothing. Overall, I'm happy with how it's turned out so far.

Savanna Daugherty

| Jun 03, 2021