# powermatic model 412 planer



## dogvila (Nov 23, 2010)

hello, saw a Powermatic 412 planer on craigslist for 200 bucks. looks like it has been cared for by the pictures provided (haven't seen it in person yet). is this a good price for this planer, assuming its in good working condition? i have been looking around the internet and cant seem to find much info on it does anyone on here have any experience/opinions on this model. 

im a beginner at woodworking so im not looking for the best tool out there, yet, but don't want to spend good money on a piece of junk. this will be my first planer and truly have no experience with them, anything to look out for? any help is greatly appreciated


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## Mort (Jan 4, 2014)

$200 is a good price for a Powermatic decal. Those are good tools.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

For that planer, it's worth $200 even if it needs some repairs. In good condition it's probably worth six to eight hundred.


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## Bob Vaughan (Oct 29, 2008)

$200.00 is a fair price for a used but in good condition Asian import 12-1/2" bench top planer like that.


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## dogvila (Nov 23, 2010)

this is the planer i am talking about. emailed powermatic and they said there are still parts available for it and he emailed me a pdf of the manual so thats good
http://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/5126208842.html

same guy is selling a jointer

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/tls/5126195718.html

i suppose that leads to my next question, is a jointer totally necessary? i was reading on the forum that some think its even more important.... most of the lumber i am getting is from woodworking stores and the like so its already cut to a certain size. my thought process is that it most likely already has a flat side to it so the jointer may be overkill for a beginner? thoughts opinions?


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## dogvila (Nov 23, 2010)

gentlemen from powermatic also said that a majority of the parts for this machine are obsolete. he did say major parts like the cutter head and feed tables and are still available. in your experience what generally fails on planers?


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## Bob Vaughan (Oct 29, 2008)

On those types of planers, the drive belt often goes first.
On both machines, assume the knives are dull when you get it.
The reasons to have a jointer are to straighten the edges and flatten the faces of solid lumber.


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## JMHubbs (Jun 1, 2015)

Greetings Dogvila,
I didnt realize Powermatic was rebadging that low end of items and selling them. At one time, Powermatic was the gold standard. I am familier with their higher end equipment, and it is top notch.

That being said, you should see about a bundle deal on them. IMHO you will need the jointer as much as the planer. Perhaps not right at this moment, but you will down the road. Anytime I make a cut with the tablesaw, it gets a pass through the jointer. I know some will swear their tablesaw does an amazing job, but I just like to do this. If you ever edge glue boards, you need the jointer, end of story...


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## PhilBa (Jun 30, 2014)

The way I was taught to plane boards is to edge joint, then face joint and then plane the other side. If there is a bow in the board, the planer just presses it down and the board springs back when it exits the planer.


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## BZawat (Sep 21, 2012)

PhilBa said:


> The way I was taught to plane boards is to edge joint, then face joint and then plane the other side. If there is a bow in the board, the planer just presses it down and the board springs back when it exits the planer.



Not for nothin', but I find it more efficient to face joint first. This way when you edge joint you produce an edge that is 90 degrees off your flattened face. JMO. 
A jointer is just as important as a planer, if not more so. I very rarely ever buy stock that is already dimensioned, because I'm picky (read: totally anal) about my stock being dead flat & straight. I don't trust someone else (retail store or lumber yard) to do it for me because my range of acceptable tolerances is much tighter than what you'll generally find on a retail rack.


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## dogvila (Nov 23, 2010)

so i ended up picking up both machines, got the planer for 120 and jointer for 220. blades on the jointer were pretty rough but those are like 15 bucks so im not too worried about it guy said his father has an extra set and he will give them to us when he finds them, see how that works out. gonna start getting into them tonight or tomorrow hopefully cleaning oiling tuning up and all that good stuff. 

thanks for all the input!


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

My first planer was a PM 412 bought used. It worked, but was very loud. 
Had snipe of course. 
After a while one of the cheap plastic bevel gears for raising/lowering stripped. At the time PM had them. $1 or $2. each. Told you they were cheap! Plastic wasn't what I expected in a PM machine.

Sold it when I found a Boice-Crane for $150. Big, big difference.


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