In a woodworking shop where the largest piece made is a dresser or desk,
is there any significant advantage to an 18" planer over a 12"?

Please remove the spambusting 7, so my address is calbert at mchsi dot com

Thanks

"Larry" wrote in message
news:YbCLd.41617$eT5.20558@attbi_s51...
In a woodworking shop where the largest piece made is a dresser or desk,
is there any significant advantage to an 18" planer over a 12"?

I just measured the side panel of the dresser next to me. It is 17" wide.
Since it won't fit through a 12" planer easily, the 18" may have some
advantage. Of course, if you have a 48" wide belt sander, it does not
matter.

"Larry" wrote in message
news:YbCLd.41617$eT5.20558@attbi_s51...
In a woodworking shop where the largest piece made is a dresser or desk,
is there any significant advantage to an 18" planer over a 12"?

Please remove the spambusting 7, so my address is calbert at mchsi dot com

Thanks

Not a lot of domestic wood in dimension over 10" any more, and, as Ed said,
after glueup it can be sanded.

I don't own a big planer but here is what I understand:

Advantages:

1.Wider capacity (duh)
2. Speed/power, You can take a bigger bite and dimmension stock more
quickly... it's also a tad more quiet.

Tradeoffs:

1. Initial cost
2. Not the same level of finish quality (or so I hear)
3. How do you move that sucker?

The lunchbox planers are really a production tool. The tradeoff of finish
quality is not really a big deal for a pro cabinet shop as they are likely
to have a big drum sander to finish that off anyway.

18 vs 12 is a convenience, but it's still not going to let you plane a
full-width desktop to I don't see it as anything more than a modest
improvement. It does not eliminate a step in making all but 12-18" panels.

I came to the conclusion that there is no point in *me* as a hobiest, to
move beyong the lunchbox.

YMMV.

Steve



"Larry" wrote in message
news:YbCLd.41617$eT5.20558@attbi_s51...
In a woodworking shop where the largest piece made is a dresser or desk,
is there any significant advantage to an 18" planer over a 12"?

Please remove the spambusting 7, so my address is calbert at mchsi dot com

Thanks

Gee, I have a shop full of 12-20 inch walnut, local cut. I'm sure not
ripping it just to plane.
16" jointer, 18" planer.

--
Ross
www.myoldtools.com
"George" george@least wrote in message
...

"Larry" wrote in message
news:YbCLd.41617$eT5.20558@attbi_s51...
In a woodworking shop where the largest piece made is a dresser or desk,
is there any significant advantage to an 18" planer over a 12"?

Please remove the spambusting 7, so my address is calbert at mchsi dot
com

Thanks

Not a lot of domestic wood in dimension over 10" any more, and, as Ed
said,
after glueup it can be sanded.