Moving from old-school manual planers to automatic planers has been a fortunate shift for woodworkers. The automatic planers consume less time and are easy to use. Going from the shabby and jagged pieces of wood to a smooth surface with even thickness has never been easier. Are you looking to invest in a good planer for you?
The WEN 6552 Benchtop Planer is considered to be a beginner’s best friend. It has advanced features. Suitable for woodworkers who are looking to upgrade from basic hand planers. This planer is a sibling to the WEN 6550 but offers higher speed and power.
Features of the WEN 6552
Speaking about the features of this planer, it weighs 66 pounds with dimensions of 25.2 x 21.8 x 16 inches. It has a 15-amp motor. This allows it to control wood boards up to 6 inches in thickness and 13 inches in width with a feed rate of 26 feet per minute. The planer has a strong cast iron and steel build. Making it durable and a great investment. It would take a long time and some rough and tough wood to cause harm to it.
This planer has three blades and a cutting speed of 25,500 cuts per minute. This makes it more powerful and ensures accuracy and a smooth finish to the board. Because of this, the usual manual sanding that follows is reduced to a minimum. The planer can work with almost all the different kinds of wood. The WEN 6552 also comes with adjustable height outfeed and infeed trays, which prevents sniping.
If you wish to secure the planer to your benchtop, there are provisions for that. It is within an affordable price range and comes with a 2- year warranty. Other than these common features like a sturdy build, high power, quick speed, and precision, there a few other pointers that help the WEN 6552 to stand out.
Adjustment knob
The adjustment knob allows the user to select the thickness that needs to be removed. The user has the option of choosing anywhere between 0 to 3/32 inches. This improves precision.
Attached fan
The entire process can be really messy with sawdust and pieces of wood everywhere. The attached fan to the dust port helps with the mess that is created. You can also attach a dust hose or a dust extraction device to collect everything.
Sturdy yet portable
The WEN 6552 has a strong build. It will not be wobbly and spoil your work. Along with this, it is also easily portable. It weighs just 66 pounds and has handles that you can use for carrying. The infeed and outfeed trays can also be folded, making it easier to store.
Double-sided blades
The three blades have a double cutting edge. If one of the sides becomes blunt, then you can turn it over and use the other side. This means it will be a long time before you have to buy new blades for your WEN 6552.
Pros and Cons of the WEN 6552
Pros
- Beginner friendly and easy to use
- Powerful 15- amp motor
- Strong cast iron and steel build with great stability
- Adjustable knob for thickness which results in improved precision
- Height adjustable infeed and outfeed trays that avoids sniping to a certain extent
- Value for money
- Can handle different types of wood
- Three cutting blades that ensure a smooth finish to the wood
- Has reversible blades
- Foldable trays and handles make it easily portable
- Does not create a huge mess
- Has a feed rate of 26 feet per minute and a cutting speed of 25,500 cuts per minute
Cons
- The size and power are not enough for professional use.
- Creates a lot of noise
- Unlike the cast iron and steel build, some plastic gears can get damaged if not used carefully.
- The support of the infeed and outfeed trays are not enough for longer boards of wood.
Alternatives
The WEN 6552 is one of the best planers in its category. If you still have doubts, here are a few reliable alternatives that you can browse through to help you make an informed decision.
- DeWalt DW735X Benchtop Planer
- Makita Planer Benchtop Planer
- DeWalt DW734 Benchtop Planer
- Delta 22-555 Benchtop Planer
Our verdict
The WEN 6552 is a beginner-friendly planer that can mainly be used for small projects. The cutting speed of 25,500 cuts per minute is pretty rare in benchtop planers. It saves a lot of time with some of its features. You will not have to spend a lot of time cleaning up because of the dust port and fan. The follow-up sanding is minimized because of the smooth finish that it ensures.
It might not be suitable for industrial work and is more of a home tool. It compensates for the cons with high power and fast work. Overall the WEN 6552 is a great deal.