Cordless planers

Anyone use one?

I've got a cheap mains one that isn't very good. It doesn't get used a lot but it's one of the few things I haven't yet upgraded. I only need it for small occasional jobs. I have a choice between a cordless Makita (body only) to use on existing 18V batteries or a mains one from any of the decent manufacturers.

Thoughts on pros / cons, recommendations etc. most welcome and appreciated.

never used a cordless planer,something that might be a god send as all my stuff is 110v and requires a transformer.
i use a 4mm bosch pro jobby,old 1 i had lasted over 15 years and was well used.

I have a Bosch GHO40-82C 110 volt for the heavy stuff, but where I'm just snagging or planing-in a couple of doors the Makita DKP180 cordless is a nice piece of kit.

The DKP180 won't do everything. Battery life isn't stellar, even on 5Ah batteries, but 3Ah batteries will give me 2 to 3 door installations so I'm not too unhappy with that. I'd say the planer is slightly tail-heavy but overall still reasonably well balanced and it is very, very similar to the corded KP0810 model (so if you've used one of those the DKP will be familiar). Fairly big against, say, the Ryobi cordless planer - but it does have an 82mm cut width. Maximum depth of cut is only 2mm, but you can't expect more out of a cordless I'd say. I normally make my cuts at 0.5 to 1mm in any case. Cutting speed is a bit on the low side against a corded tool, but the added mobility cancels out the slower cutting IMHO. Side fence is a bent tin affair and adequate, but no tilting fence option, but for a trimming planer would you need one? The blades are the cheapo double-sided ones like the Bosch planers. I buy them in tens from Woodford in Stockport (who also do HSS as well as carbides). Comes supplied with a tool setting jig for the blades - changing blades can be a little fiddly - but again the plus is that you can change to resharpenble TCT or HSS blades if you like. Dust extraction throws out to the right side only (not left/right as on my Bosch corded), just like it's corded cousin. The dust bag (part #122793-0) is a £15 extra. Worthwhile getting a Makpac 3 carrying case and blow-moulded insert to keep it in good nick - these Makpac boxes are compatible with Festool/Tanos Systainers, Metabo Metabox/Metaloc, etc If you have any further questions, please ask

So basically, if you intend doing only light trimming in then I feel a Makita DKP180 is well worth considering. If, on the other hand, you need to go in for extended planing sessions where you reduce a 7 x 2in spar to a 3mm thick veneer, I'd suggest you need a corded tool (and possibly your bumps feeling). The choice is yours

i have an elu mf881 mains and the ryobi 18v the ryobi is brilliant at small nips but as said 2mm is 4 or 5 passes

i love the spring loaded support to stop you bu66ering up blades or surface when you put it down as it wont lie on its side easily with the bag attached
and off course it only has a 2" blade that is around £12 a pair

Unless you do a lot of bench work, I'd say that a cordless plane is much more useful and worth having instead of a mains powered one.

If you're already got batteries, then I can't see any reason not to add a body to your kit.

Thanks all for the comments so far. I'm definitely swinging to cordless. It really is only light occasional use

Joband knock - will the 180 cope ok with hardwood? E.g. planing down a sticking oak door?

Yes. It won't take a deep cut, but it will do 1.0mm cuts in most timbers with a fresh battery. Worth noting that cordless planers, just like cordless rip saws, are very sensitive to blunt tooling. It tends to drain the battery more quickly if the cutters are blunt

Thanks, I think I will go for it then.

Planers need to be wieldy, particularly when planning door edges. Weigh up how it feels in your hand balance wise.
I had a bells and whistles singing and dancing one that I had to retire because it was a big chunky affair. Went straight back to my old green Bosch which is small and light and very obedient.
Cordless sounds like a boon but try it with battery clipped in before you buy it.

noseall said:

Planers need to be wieldy, particularly when planning door edges. Weigh up how it feels in your hand balance wise.

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The DKP180 isn't all that heavy. In terms of ease of use it's much easier to wield than the old Elu MFF40 (very like a modern Virutex CE24E) planer I one had, or the big Makita/Wolf 100 which preceded that, or the Tarplaner we had where I apprenticed. In size/weight terms it's pretty much the same as a KP0800 corded planer, as I said. My own feeling is that a little bit of weight/mass in a power planer isn't always a bad thing, especially as you are often working horizontally

Well I've ordered one. It's due tomorrow. Will report back once I get the chance to use it.

Finally got around to using it today and it's an absolute delight. Way better in use than my cheapo mains one. Recommended.