There are probably not a lot of people that use a planer except for woodworkers. Too bad, since it’s a really useful tool once you understand what it does. It basically helps create impeccably smooth boards by shaving wood off their surface.
Since it would take a little bit of elbow grease and a lot of precision to do this manually, a planer can go a long way in making that happen. One of the most appreciated planers on the market is the WEN 6552T, a model that we decided to review and tell you what all the fuss is about.
The WEN 6552 is an ideal thickness planer for the intermediate worker who is interested in home renovating and woodworking
View DealOverview of the Wen Planer
The 6225T is currently available on Amazon and, while that may be a lot for some and a bargain for others, it is a product with a completely justified price. It’s the kind of product that professional contractors might not find powerful enough, but it’s a really good item to own by every other DIY enthusiast or someone with a smaller woodworking shop. In the upcoming sections, we are going to dissect the product’s key features to determine how it performs and who it’s for.
Pros:
- Portable units, with handles.
- Three cutting blades that ensure a smooth finish.
- The cast iron base offers great stability.
- Adjustable thickness.
- Infeed and outfeed trays have adjustable height.
- Performs up to 25,500 cuts per minute.
Cons:
- Some plastic gears feel a bit flimsy.
- Has a high noise output.
Construction
Whenever you’re dealing with these kinds of tools, taking a look at what they’re made of is going to give you a lot of hints on how this type of tool will perform in the long run and what lifespan you can expect it to have.
In terms of construction, the WEN planer is pretty compact, so it doesn’t really occupy a lot of space, making it ideal for a home shop or a small commercial workshop. It can comfortably sit on an existing benchtop, and the chances of knocking it over are pretty low. It uses steel and cast iron in its construction, but there are some plastic sections that could be signs that it isn’t designed for heavy-duty use.
Some users have complained about the fact that certain important gears are made from plastic, which could lead to some durability issues in the long-run. However, the complaints we’ve seen are pretty isolated cases, but it’s with mentioning the risk. The two year warranty should keep you covered though.
The metal parts kind of compensate for those plastic gears, as the planer does have structural integrity because of them. The cast iron base certainly makes sure the planer stays on the table. If not, you can always make use of the mounting holes located on the feet to secure this to the benchtop.
Motor & Blade
These two components have a lot to say about the quality of a planer in general. The motor on the WEN 6552T is a 15-amp model that can reach speeds of up to 8,500 RPM. It packs a three-blade design to deliver smooth and fast output. In fact, one of the things that was most praised from the buyer’s community was the fact that no sanding is required once wood passes through the 6552T.
Capable of achieving up to 25,000 cuts per minute, it is pretty clear that this WEN planer is designed to offer performance for a food price. The double-cutting edge that’s present on this model means that you can always flip the blades over when you notice there’s no bite on one side. New blades are going to have to wait, much to the delight of users that aren’t thrilled about spending too much money on such consumables.
Portability
Planers aren’t always designed to be portable, since they are mostly used for wood cutting in workshops, but let’s say you want a planer that you can take with you to a construction site. The 6552T model weighs 66 pounds and measures 25.25 x 21.75 x 16 inches, so it’s probably one of the most portable decent units on the market right now.
There are carrying handles located on the sides, so even if some of you feel this model is a bit bulky, it is certainly a portable unit. Plus, the infeed and outfeed tables are foldable so that you can easily convert the WEN into a more compact unit.
Performance
The cutting precision of the WEN 6552T planer is certainly one of the features that you’re most interested in. There are two additional features that are worth mentioning that we haven’t talked about until now. The first one is the adjustable planing thickness.
This can be achieved thanks to a crank handle located at the top of the unit. It works in tandem with the gauge located on the planer’s front, allowing you to shave between o and 3.32 inches.
The second feature that will still have to mention is the possibility to adjust the height of the infeed and outfeed tables. This can offer better support for the wood pieces and helps prevent sniping.
Related: Make Sure to Add a Biscuit Joiner to Your Arsenal of Woodworking Tools
Dust Port
This is often an underestimated feature with wood planers but, the truth is, nobody wants to work in a dirty environment. The dust port located on this WEN planer has to be appreciated.
You can easily connect a dust hose and a collector to the port and help keep your workshop clean but, most importantly, you’ll prevent sawdust from getting into your eyes, nose, mouth, pockets, and other places where it doesn’t belong.
When the planer is turned on, the fan will blow dust away from the board and draw it inside the dust hose and eventually deliver it to the attached collector. Connection is pretty easy, since it takes a few seconds to fasten the screws on the dust chute.
Is the WEN 6552T Planer Right for You?
Now that we’ve looked over the main features of this planer, let’s see what you need to first determine in order to see if this product is the right one for you. Before spending money on the planer, consider the following:
- What you’re going to use it for. There is a difference between planers that are designed for professional woodworkers and those that are more suitable for DIY enthusiasts excited about making their own home improvements. How much work the planer will be subjected to is going to determine whether or not the WEN is right for you. For beginners, the 6552T might be a little too much, but it’s definitely something that you’ll appreciate if you’re interested in precision, power, and speed. It’s not suitable for commercial projects because it has limitations in terms of power.
- The motor power output. The next step is to determine the power of the motor for the planer you want to buy. Generally speaking, planners that operate at less than 8,000 RPM aren’t worthy of your money. Since the WEN 6552T offers 8,500 RPM, it’s a pretty powerful unit as far as benchtop planers are concerned.
- The board capacity. One of the things that you need to look out for when choosing a planer is the board capacity, which translates into the size of the boards that the unit can work with at a time. The 6552T can take on timber pieces that measure up to 13 inches in width and 6 inches in thickness. This, of course, determines what type of project you’ll be able to complete using this planer.
- The overall performance. Considering who this product is designed for, it’s safe to say that the WEN 6552T planer manages to deliver more than our expectations, especially considering it’s relatively low price (at least when you compare it with other planers). Thanks to its three-blade system, the WEN 6652T can create smooth finishes on timber pieces, which is a feature that’s worth mentioning time and time again because we didn’t expect to see it in a product within its price range.
The WEN 6552 is an ideal thickness planer for the intermediate worker who is interested in home renovating and woodworking
View DealConclusion
This sturdy little fellow seems to have a very specific audience in mind: the woodworking enthusiast that likes making home improvements. It’s too powerful for a rookie and too weak for a contractor working on commercial projects.
It does offer features that have impressed even expert reviews (considering its price tag), such as the precise three-blade system and the dust collection ports that minimizes the amount of sawdust flying all over the place. Overall, every feature of the WEN 6552T is absolutely worth the money.
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