Tool:18V Brushless Planer GH018V-26N Shop Now
Manufacturer: Bosch
MSRP: $229 (Bare Tool)
Every once in a while I’m fortunate to be struck by serendipitous situations in this job. After building the record stand I was left with a pile of perfectly good rough-cut walnut that would make some great boxes. Only problem was that it was too small to go through the planer, meaning I would need to plane it by hand or make a sled. Just my luck then, that Bosch emailed me about their new brushless 18V planer.
The GH018V-26N features a 13,600 rpm brushless motor, a fast and safe blade change system, and a maximum cut depth of 3/32“. After a few test passes at a shallow depth of cut, I decided to go for broke and crank the adjustment for a full-depth, full-width pass on the walnut. The planer took it in stride and left a clean finish with no chip out. That’s especially impressive given that the planer has one of the best cut depths in the class.
Based on what I’ve heard, I expected using the planer to be a messy task, but the dust collection system worked fairly well. I really appreciated the ability to mount the dust bag on either side of the tool for different applications.
Like most handheld electric planers, the Bosch can be equipped with a fence (which is included), turning into a defacto jointer for making completely square stock.
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