Hitachi P20SBK 3-1/4-Inch Portable Planer (Discontinued by Manufacturer) (Discontinued by the Manufacturer)

Product was just what I was looking for to assist with surfboard shaping, good alternative to the much more expensive Clarke foam option

I purchased this planer a year ago to knock off twists and crowns from some rafters. It was a real timesaver, and I have used it to plough out casings and trim as well as fitting doors. I actually like the shorter shoe since it makes it easier to follow a scribe line. It is also very light weight. Much easier to handle than the big PC.The only major drawback is the lack of a dust/shavings adapter for the vac. It blows shavings a good ten feet!

If you need a hand planer for occasional use and don't want to spend more than $100 bucks this is an excellent buy. I gave it 5 stars are mainly because this is a best value choice. I got mine on sale for $89. It came with a metal case and right angle fence. It's a quality tool and fit and finish are very good. The shoe is a little short, making it slightly unbalanced, but it still feels pretty good in your hand. Depth of cut adjustments are simple and accurate, and it will produce a very clean cut. I've had mine for 2 years and the blades are holding up extremely well. I have not had to change them or sharpen them. It takes a little practice but it will take down to 64th of an inch with very little snipe at the ends. Has plenty of power for my needs. I use it mainly on bowed studs, shaving jam extensions flush, or back planing baseboard. None of these operations require extreme accuracy, but this tool delivers very nice results. Occasionally I will use it for shaving doors and it works fine but you will likely need some touch up hand sanding.I think this is the probably the best hand planer out there for less than $150. For under $100 you can't beat it. If you want the top of the line look at the Porter Cable 9118 but that tool is 5 times the price.

I looked at all the planers. I was going to buy a planer with AMPS being my first concern. With a 3.4 amp motor this planer did not fail once. I put this machine to work on rough cut white oak with the blades full bore, and I got tired before this Hitachi planer. My only wish is the shoe as in all planers in this class was 1 inch longer. With a longer shoe or base this would get 5 stars. At this price you cannot go wrong. Blades are a snap to change, and sharpen. This is a nice machine.