I'm currently working on building cedar planters using cedar picket fences. My first step is sanding the boards down to about 80 or 120 grit to eliminate the fuzz and tidy them up a bit. This process typically takes me around 60 to 90 seconds per board, which adds up with 30, 40, or even 50+ boards to go through. I'm wondering if a bench top planer could speed up this process, or if it serves a different purpose altogether. While I don't need a planer urgently since I'm focused on these planters right now, I'm interested in getting into making cutting boards down the line, which would definitely benefit from having a planer. I've been looking at the DeWalt 735 since it's highly recommended. Should I invest in it now for the cedar projects, or is it not the right tool for what I'm currently doing? I already have a table saw, miter saw, circular saw, and orbital sander, but I work in a shared 1.5-car garage. What do you all think?
5 Answers
Absolutely, a bench top planer can save you a ton of time—like seconds per board! Just keep in mind, if your boards are uneven and you’re planing too much off, you might end up with thinner boards than you expect. Sanding usually hides those imperfections a bit better than planing will, so be cautious about removing too much material. Overall though, it can definitely make your work faster!
Not necessarily worth it, in my opinion. You might need to make two passes on each side for a clean finish, which means a lot of time spent for all those boards. Plus, all the mess from planing can be a hassle to clean up! Unless you've got a strong dust collection system, I’d be cautious before making that investment.
Go for it! I use a Bauer planer from Harbor Freight, and it works really well for making cedar pickets super smooth. It’s a game changer, so you’ll definitely see the difference once you start using it.
I think a planer is just what you need! The Dewalt 735 is a solid choice. Just a heads up though, if the boards are thinner than about 1/3 inch, you might want to tape them down to something larger for more stability while planing. Also, be aware that you might deal with a little snipe—your boards could end up slightly thinner on the ends when you plane them.
From my experience, running picket fences through a planer can be tricky since they're quite thin. I usually make a sled to help get them through smoothly, but once you do, the finish is definitely worth it! Just be prepared for the setup time with that sled.