Ever wish your electric planer had a longer stance and better dust collection? Porter-Cable is attempting to meet those needs with its new 6 amp Hand Planer (model #PC60THPK). The brand new Porter-Cable PC60THPK 6-amp Hand Planer is actually rather sleek, with a raked back profile and 3 chamfer grooves. The new motor, which is reasonably powerful for those looking to do significant hand planing for finish applications, comes up with 16,500 RPMs. At first glance this planer seems perfect for planing wood planks, shortening doors and joists, and also chamfering and profiling the corners and edges of various hardwoods. The part we liked, however, was that it could chunk out up to 5/64″ per pass. For those who have trouble with fractions, that’s a little over 1/16 of an inch – not terribly deep by planing standards, but this is an instrument meant for finer work, not something with which to replace your circular saw. The planer comes with two blades and you can use either high-speed steel (HSS) or carbide blades. HSS blades are perfect for more aggressive planing – where nails might be encountered, and carbide blades are your tools for finish carpenters or craftsman who don’t risk jamming them up on anything except wood.
Depth adjustment is possible via 11 stops which are positioned every 1/128 of an inch up to 5/64″. Many planers don’t offer this fine of differentiation between depths, so the PC60THPK is truly meant for precision work and limited material removal per pass. To be certain of level and square results, the planer has an extra long 11-1/2″ cast aluminum shoe and the three different-sized chamfer grooves allow you to pull off all manner of bevel cuts with a hassle-free proficiency. Like all planers we’ve seen of late, a kickstand protects the blades when the tool is not being used.
The angle of the handle is perfectly positioned to drive the plane forward while providing just the right amount of downward force to keep the tool level and straight. A lock-on switch also means that you can use the tool for extended runs without having to clamp down on the two-finger trigger. Black rubber overmold covers the handle – all the way up to the top where a second hand might be used to stabilize the planing action. The depth knob is positioned at the front of the tool and also has an easy grip surface with a hearty construction so you don’t mind grabbing hold of it to direct the planer. The PC60THPK includes a robust dust collection bag that filters and collects dust and debris. We typically recommend the use of a shop vacuum or dust collection kit for best results since planers take off an inordinate amount of dust very quickly (the tool also includes an adapter to get you connected to most units straight away). To counter this, we did note that the bag is actually larger than most and maintains a rectangular shape to collect more than a typical oval bag. A 2-way dust extraction switch lets you flip the exhaust left or right so you have the maximum amount of flexibility while working. About the only thing that comes up short on this tool is its cord – which is a scant 6 ft in length.
Porter-Cable PC60THPK 6-amp Hand Planer Features
- Motor: 6 amps
- Max depth of cut: 5/64″
- Max rabbit depth: 0.47″
- Includes carbide and HSS blades
- 11.5″ cast aluminum shoe
- Integrated kick stand
- 3 chamfer groove sizes
- Dual sided dust extraction
- Speed: 16,500 rpm
- Durable belt construction
- Replaceable motor brushes
- 2 finger switch with lock on
- Dual blade design
- 6′ high grade cord
Almost in an effort to stave off questions of durability, Porter-Cable included replaceable motor brushes, a replaceable belt drive system, and both sets of blades (high speed steel and carbide). The Porter-Cable Hand Planer (PC60THPK) is on shelves now and retails for a reasonable $89.97. Aside from the blades, vacuum adapter and dust collection bag, the tool also comes with a metal rabbiting fence (0.47″ depth capable) and a blow mold case for storage. The tool also comes with Porter-Cable’s 3-year limited warranty, a 1-year service agreement and their 90-day money-back guarantee.
