Take your woodworking shop to the next level with quality planers and joiners from Ace Hardware. These power tools improve the speed and efficiency of your woodworking, helping you create smooth surfaces with ease.
Joiner vs Planer: What’s the Difference?
Both thickness planers and joiners have many useful woodworking benefits that can complement each other. Discover the unique advantages each tool offers for different jobs and types of wood.
What is a Wood Planer?
Once you have a flat surface or straight edge to work with, a wood planer will even out the board, making the opposing side parallel, creating an equal thickness throughout the length of the wood. During this process, the planer also smooths the surface and removes any saw marks and imperfections.
What is a Joiner?
Although there are a variety of joinery systems for you to work with, all essentially have one purpose: to make it easier to join different parts for your woodworking projects. With a selection of manual, biscuit and other joinery systems available, find the right one for your workshop at Ace.
How to Choose a Planer
A planer is a wonderful choice if you work primarily with pre-milled stock or even with rough wood that’s mostly straight. Planers typically come in two varieties: handheld and benchtop, and both usually have depth adjustment capabilities.
Handheld and Cordless Planers
A handheld planer is a versatile planer tool that comes in handy for pros and DIYers alike.
- Portable planers: Take your planer wherever you need to go with a battery-powered cordless planer or corded electric design. Designed with a stable base to create an even cut, our portable planers allow you to shape boards on the go without relying on a bench-fixed tool. Enjoy the speed and power you expect from your stationary tools but with greater versatility.
- Ergonomic handles: Enjoy a comfortable grip even after hours of use with ergonomic designs. Shop planers equipped with rubberized handles for a secure grip with a cushioned feel.
Benchtop Planer
A benchtop planer, or thickness planer, is designed for large projects in your workshop. They do what handheld planers do but have the power and capacity to tackle larger projects with ease. Although they present a greater investment, thickness planers are essential for easily tackling large woodworking tasks. If you still need to touch up your wood after it goes through the benchtop planer, a belt sander can help you finish the job.
What is a Biscuit Joiner Used For?
Also known as a plate joiner, the biscuit joiner tool allows you to utilize biscuit joints in your woodworking projects. Plate joinery is highly popular, and biscuit joiners help make this joinery system easily accessible.
After cutting crescent-shaped holes in the sides of the wood pieces you’re working with, you can place “biscuits” with glue to join the two pieces together. Using a biscuit joiner tool should allow you to keep the glued parts evenly aligned as they dry. However, caution is important for inexperienced users, as a poorly aligned job can throw off your entire project.
If you do opt for one, biscuit joiners come with several useful features, including:
- Retractable anti-slip pins to ensure accurate work.
- Preset depths for uniform biscuit sizes.
- Fence tilts at adjustable angles for greater variety.
Some plate joiners come in full kits that include everything you need to get your joiner working on the first try, including dust bags, vacuum adapters, a carbide blade and more.
Shop Planers Near You at Ace Hardware
Discover woodworking essentials when you shop planers near you at Ace Hardware. With a selection of portability and precision features, Ace makes it easy to find the right power tools for the job. Or, order planers and joiners online from DeWalt, Craftsman and other brands and enjoy fast shipping to your home.
