The_Woodworker_and_Woodturner_-_October_2019

ON TEST

20 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking October 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.com

SKIL 1580 planer

SKIL 1580 AA

ELECTRIC PLANER

Ideal for planing

surfaces, chamfering

corners and making

rebates, this planer

from SKIL represents

good value for money,

says Phil Davy

Planing depth is easily set via the front knob, giving

a maximum cut of 2mm and marked in increments

of 0.25mm

A steel fence is also included, which

you’ll need to get a straight rebate...

A fair amount of chips were ejected from beneath

the planer, though hooked up to a powerful dust

extractor these were almost nonexistent

The planer’s 7mm thick alloy soleplate measures

270 × 80mm overall

A plastic stop is provided for rebating

and is simply screwed to the side of the

tool, giving a maximum depth of 8mm

The lightweight, rather flimsy fabric

dustbag can be attached to either

side of the tool

Each blade is secured with three bolts, which are

slackened off to free them

Located in front of the meaty on/off trigger, the safety

lock-off button can be accessed from either side

... this screws to the opposite side

and is adjustable for width

To change the blades a wrench is provided, which

is stored in a recess towards the back of the tool

plane blade. Then there’s shooting

the edge of that sticking door or

timber window. Again, it’s wise

to avoid using your hand tools on

any painted woodwork. A portable

planer is suitable for this sort of

work, though they’re restricted

to relatively narrow timbers

and edges.

SKIL’s new 1580 model is a

230V tool, with a cable length of

2.6m. It follows the standard format

of cylindrical cutterblock with a pair of

replaceable carbide blades. Equipped with a

powerful 710W motor, these rotate at 16,000rpm.

Located in front of the meaty on/off trigger, the

safety lock-off button can be accessed from either

side. The rear handle is covered in textured rubber

for improved grip. Overall weight is 2.6kg.

A

power planer may not be at the

top of your power tool wish list,

but it can be a pretty handy item for

many woodwork tasks. You probably

wouldn’t want to risk your prized bench plane to

true up the edges of a sheet of MDF or plywood,

which are quite abrasive. Or perhaps you want to

use some recycled timber for a project, which may

have hidden defects that would damage a hand

Respectable rebates

Its 7mm thick alloy soleplate measures 270

× 80mm overall and has the familiar ‘V’ groove

underneath the front shoe, used for chamfering

work. Planing depth is easily set via the front

knob, giving a maximum cut of 2mm and marked

in increments of 0.25mm. Like most planers,