"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 20:02:55 +0000, Pete C
wrote:


I recently tried out a Challenge 'Xtreme' planer for the first time
after buying it 8 months previously and it was terrible, in that the
blades were well out of alignment and the method of adjusting them was
a nightmare. Also the front part of the base was some way out of
parallel with the back so no matter how the blades were adjusted it
would never give good results.

So I went back to Argos and got my £24 back, then bought a £31 Skil
planer from Machinemart and the difference was like night and day. OK
it was less powerful and with a much lower depth of cut but gave far
better results.

Though I'd agree that not everyone needs a planer to do a precise job
and that it can be the luck of the draw with tools at this price
range.

cheers,
Pete.

I think that that is a very sensible choice for a tool of that type
and expected use. Planers of this type really aren't going to be
precision tools anyway.

Having less power and less depth of cut is a better way to work
anyway. If you try to take off 3mm or more, you're going to make a
mess anyway.

I bought a planer from Screwfix for £10, as they gave me a deal, about 5
years ago. It is accurate enough and performed faultlessly. One of the
best £10s I have ever spent.



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