I have been wanting a bench-top planer for awhile. I tried Craigslist but the ones I found were either junk or the owners wanted a ridiculous amount for it.
I was trolling Amazon and came across the WEN 6550 for $219.42. This was cheaper than comparable ones on Craigslist. NOTE: The price has since dropped to 195.92.
This planer is a 12.5 inch with 15-amp motor capable of planing boards up to 6-inches thick. It has 2 blades that produce 18,000 cuts per minute and a feed rate of 26-feet per minute.
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I have a WEN 12-inch variable speed drill press that has performed well so I decided to give the planer a try.
Although I was told it would arrive in five days, it actually arrived in two. The box arrived in good nick with no visible damage. NOTE: This tool weighs in at 73 lbs so figure 80 lbs with the packaging.
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The tools appeared well packaged with form fitting styrofoam reinforced by a cardboard sleeve.
![Image]()
Be careful removing the packing as the instructions are sandwiched between one of the cardboard sleeves and styrofoam.
When you flip down the in-feed/out-feed tables you will find a plastic bag containing parts and three foam blocks which protect the blades and roller mechanism.
![Image]()
In the bag are the following items.
-Depth adjusting handle
-Bolt with Lock Washer (to secure the the handle)
-Plug (covers the handle screw)
-2 Magnets (used when changing blades)
-T-handle Hex Wrench
There is also a dust chute that needs to be installed.
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The magnets and T-handle wrench has on-board storage above the dust chute.
![Image]()
The three foam blocks are wedged securely. To remove them you need to first install the depth adjusting handle using the included T-handle hex wrench and raise the rollercase.
Upon removing the blocks I found the granite table had some sort of residue on it. I cleaned this off with a de-greaser followed by glass cleaner.
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I next installed the dust chute which can be oriented for either left or right discharge. There are two thumb screws (pre-installed) that secure it to the planer.
![Image]()
Once I had everything setup, I was ready to take it for a test drive. I connected the dust chute to my 1 gallon Shop-Vac using an adapter I had.
I went through my scrap pile and found the worst piece of wood I had.
![Image]()
With the planer off, I placed the board on the granite table and lowered the rollerhead until it just touch the wood. I then backed it off a full turn (One full turn of the handle equals 1/16"). I turned on the vacuum and the planer and fed the board through. Being cautious, I lowered the handle one-half turn passing the board through each time until the blades contacted board.
Although the in-feed/out-feed tables are adjustable, I have not had to move them.
After about 4-5 passes lowering the rollercase by one-half turn each time, this was the result.
![Image]()
So far I am happy with this planer. It seems to be solidly built and performs well. My test board did not have any snipe. Granted, the board was only two feet long so this may have been a factor. I will have to see the results on longer boards when the opportunity arises.
The auto-feed rollers performed well feeding the board smoothly through and with no hesitation.
There is no rollerhead lock but it does not seem to need it as it remained at the preset height during each pass.
The planer is quite stable no doubt in part because of the weight the solid granite table lends to it. Even though I did not have it clamped down during testing, it never moved.
The vacuum system worked great with one small caveat. Be sure to use something bigger than a 1 gallon vacuum and empty it often. Those 4-5 passes completely filled the 1 gallon vacuum.
The included manual provides adequate information in setting up and using the tool. It is clear it is a translation as some sentences do not make sense. It is a minor issue however.
There were some issues I will now cover.
According to the instructions, the dust chute screws come pre-installed. I originally thought one was missing as it was not where it should be. I eventually found it inside the planer along with a small plastic box. My guess is they worked loose in transit. After studying the parts diagram in the manual, I figured out the box is the drive chain mechanism cover and was able to easily reattach it.
At $193 and a 2-year warranty, this planer is a good value for the home workshop. The blades are reversible so unless you are planing enough wood to build a house should not need replacing for awhile.
I was trolling Amazon and came across the WEN 6550 for $219.42. This was cheaper than comparable ones on Craigslist. NOTE: The price has since dropped to 195.92.
This planer is a 12.5 inch with 15-amp motor capable of planing boards up to 6-inches thick. It has 2 blades that produce 18,000 cuts per minute and a feed rate of 26-feet per minute.
I have a WEN 12-inch variable speed drill press that has performed well so I decided to give the planer a try.
Although I was told it would arrive in five days, it actually arrived in two. The box arrived in good nick with no visible damage. NOTE: This tool weighs in at 73 lbs so figure 80 lbs with the packaging.
The tools appeared well packaged with form fitting styrofoam reinforced by a cardboard sleeve.
Be careful removing the packing as the instructions are sandwiched between one of the cardboard sleeves and styrofoam.
When you flip down the in-feed/out-feed tables you will find a plastic bag containing parts and three foam blocks which protect the blades and roller mechanism.
In the bag are the following items.
-Depth adjusting handle
-Bolt with Lock Washer (to secure the the handle)
-Plug (covers the handle screw)
-2 Magnets (used when changing blades)
-T-handle Hex Wrench
There is also a dust chute that needs to be installed.
The magnets and T-handle wrench has on-board storage above the dust chute.
The three foam blocks are wedged securely. To remove them you need to first install the depth adjusting handle using the included T-handle hex wrench and raise the rollercase.
Upon removing the blocks I found the granite table had some sort of residue on it. I cleaned this off with a de-greaser followed by glass cleaner.
I next installed the dust chute which can be oriented for either left or right discharge. There are two thumb screws (pre-installed) that secure it to the planer.
Once I had everything setup, I was ready to take it for a test drive. I connected the dust chute to my 1 gallon Shop-Vac using an adapter I had.
I went through my scrap pile and found the worst piece of wood I had.
With the planer off, I placed the board on the granite table and lowered the rollerhead until it just touch the wood. I then backed it off a full turn (One full turn of the handle equals 1/16"). I turned on the vacuum and the planer and fed the board through. Being cautious, I lowered the handle one-half turn passing the board through each time until the blades contacted board.
Although the in-feed/out-feed tables are adjustable, I have not had to move them.
After about 4-5 passes lowering the rollercase by one-half turn each time, this was the result.
So far I am happy with this planer. It seems to be solidly built and performs well. My test board did not have any snipe. Granted, the board was only two feet long so this may have been a factor. I will have to see the results on longer boards when the opportunity arises.
The auto-feed rollers performed well feeding the board smoothly through and with no hesitation.
There is no rollerhead lock but it does not seem to need it as it remained at the preset height during each pass.
The planer is quite stable no doubt in part because of the weight the solid granite table lends to it. Even though I did not have it clamped down during testing, it never moved.
The vacuum system worked great with one small caveat. Be sure to use something bigger than a 1 gallon vacuum and empty it often. Those 4-5 passes completely filled the 1 gallon vacuum.
The included manual provides adequate information in setting up and using the tool. It is clear it is a translation as some sentences do not make sense. It is a minor issue however.
There were some issues I will now cover.
According to the instructions, the dust chute screws come pre-installed. I originally thought one was missing as it was not where it should be. I eventually found it inside the planer along with a small plastic box. My guess is they worked loose in transit. After studying the parts diagram in the manual, I figured out the box is the drive chain mechanism cover and was able to easily reattach it.
At $193 and a 2-year warranty, this planer is a good value for the home workshop. The blades are reversible so unless you are planing enough wood to build a house should not need replacing for awhile.
