Depends on what it's use will be. For guitar bodies, I'd go with one that is wider--maybe 20 inches.

 

Yeah it would be used for guitar bodies. Is a hand held planer worth getting?

 

Depends on the planer--block type, etc. It also depends on the thickness of the lumber. I sure wouldn't want to hand plane an inch off a piece for a guitar body. If going this direction, get a power planer that can handle your typical dimensions for bodies. Popular Mechanics has a good comparison guide--go search their site for it.

 

20 inch planers are wayyyy more expensive than a 12.5 inch. Check out this planer (http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/6/Tools/3/StationaryTools.jsp?locale=en)

scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see it. Its a really good deal, and I dont want to pass it up if this can get the job done.

 

Sure, great price--but only get it if you are making tiny guitar bodies. 12.5" is just not wide enough for one piece bodies. Now, if you're going to make 2 or 3 piece bodies, go for it.

 

It's only useful if you will use 2-piece bodies AND you have a precision jointer AND you're sure you can glue and clamp the pieces together to be dead flat. If your jointer is off, then do the treble piece flipped around so the angles make 180 degrees when jointed.

 

Another option is to check with local suppliers -- some will plane wood to your specs for a small fee.

The thing with 2-3 piece bodies is they should be jointed, glued, THEN planed. A 12.5 inch planer isn't big enough to do that.

Really tempted by the drill press that they have on sale though.....

 

Yeah I'm going to end up either renting a proper sized planer or going to a wood shop to get someone to do it for me.

Canadian Tire has pretty amazing prices on tools every odd week.

 

Especially this time of year. I got some FABULOUS deals in the past just before Christmas.

 

I have a belt sander, hand planer and a small planer/jointer/thicknesser. I use the planer and sander on larger glued bodies and the bench planer for neck blanks etc.

If you are doing 2 piece bodies then you don't need anything that wide. You can of course do everything with a hand planer and some sanding, but it does take a while.

 

...and you just can't beat the glassy smoothness of hand plane work! I wouln't use them for bodies though, unless i was starting with a hunk of lumber within a half inch of what I want--way too much elbow grease involved. I use my planes for finish work, not roughing.

 

Sorry, when I said hand planer, I meant it was not fixed, but still motorised.

To be honest I just buy blanks at roughly the right size. I only ever take a mil or two off to even out glue joints or whatever.