Bosch Planer Review: PL1632, PL2632K and GHO12V-08N

Bosch is a German engineering and manufacturing brand that has long been a success. It’s been around since 1886, and over the years they’ve established a sterling reputation for innovation and reliability.

It’s a brand that also exemplifies the German reputation for engineering brilliance. Their power tools have been setting the standard in the industry since 1956.

Bosch Planer Review

If you have a woodshop, then you really should consider obtaining a Bosch planer for your DIY projects.

Here are a few terrific examples:

• Bosch PL1632 Planer
• Bosch GH012V-08N, 12V Cordless Power Planer
• Bosch PL2632K Planer

Bosch PL1632 Review

This Bosch PL1632 planer features a 6.5 amp motor that gives you about 16,500 rotations per minute. The Bosch reputation for innovation is well-earned with this planer, as it is the first planer in the industry that features a lock-off and lock-on button. This helps you to avoid starting the tool up accidentally.

Other protective features include a stand that is spring loaded enabling the tool to protect the blade and the resting spot from damage. The dual-mount guide fence has a protective shield, to let you plane door edges steadily. The plastic overshoe prevents any marring of the door face.

This also has various features that make it comfortable and easy to use. The handle is set at an optimal angle when pushing forward, while the grip is nice and soft for you to grasp. You also have separate metric and inch depth scales so you can easily set the planing depth. The shape of the planer also lets you have easier access to the middle of the work-piece.

Advantages

• The blade here can work for several hours at a time, and it’s easy enough to replace.
• The cord swivels easily so you’re able to keep it out of the way.
• You can use this for both softwood and hardwood, as it can cut through the toughest wood smoothly.
• It weighs only 6.3 pounds, so it’s quite portable. You can carry it to a different worksite with no trouble.
• You get a good grip with the textured handle, and you don’t feel as tired holding it after a couple of hours using the planer.
• It has a 1-year warranty.
• It offers ample speed and power, and it’s great for beginners.

Drawbacks

• It only has a single blade.
• The kit that includes the carrying case costs extra.
• It’s not exactly meant for heavy duty tasks.
• You will end up with a mess of sawdust after using this for a few hours.
• Even if you use the shavings bag included with the purchase, you’ll just find yourself emptying the dust collector too frequently.

Our thoughts on Bosch PL1632

This is a nice planer for a beginner, and its features and prices reflect its entry-level status. It’s very affordable, yet it’s fun enough to use especially if you’re new to power planers. It’s meant for light duty tasks only, but those are the tasks that beginners tend to try first.

Bosch 12V Planer Review: GHO12V-08N

This just came out in 2018, and it’s a great cordless planer that will be much easier to use than a regular hand planer. If you’re a newbie to planers in general, you will undoubtedly prefer this than a manual planer.

The size is similar to a hand plane, with a 2.2-inch planing width. Use it at a depth of 0.04 of an inch on an inch of hardwood, and you’ll get 33 feet of planing per battery amp hour. You can create rabbets of up to 0.7 inches. The 2.2-inch planing width makes it ideal for most doors.

As it doesn’t have a cord, you can now make sure that you don’t run out of cord while you’re in the middle of your planing pass. It only weighs 3.3 pounds, and the grip is quite comfy.

There’s a knife holder and hex key in the battery chamber. This will accommodate a Bosch Carbide 56mm knife. There’s also a knob at the front optimized up to 1mm planing depth. It’s possible to double that to 2mm if you press the release button under the knob.

The main drawback here is that the battery and charger are sold separately. But all in all, it’s a great alternative to large, cumbersome corded planers. It’s basically a combination of the best features of a power planer and a hand planer.

Bosch PL2632K Review

This is the Bosch 3¼-Inch Planer with Carrying Case, but that doesn’t mean that you just have a kit added to the Bosch PL1632 planer. The Bosch PL2632K Planer is a bit different, though it does have certain similar features.

You still get the 6.5 amp rating, 16,500 RPM speed, and the 6.3-pound weight. It also features a lock-off release button that prevents it from starting accidentally, while the lock-on feature helps you to use this continuously for an extended period of time.

Again you have the spring-loaded stand and its shape lets you access the middle of the workpiece with no trouble. You have the plastic overshoe as well as the dual-mount guide fence.

What’s new is that this has a machined groove for chamfering. You also have a two-blade system that you can use with use with large high-speed steel blades.

The Ratcheting depth knob lets you adjust the depth setting from 0 to 2.6 mm (3/32 In.) within one revolution. This removes the need to re-zero the depth.

This also has dust ports are located on the sides to accommodate large shavings bags. The chip-ejection switch can be set to discharge the shavings either left or right.

The belt can last for a long while, as the planer uses a poly micro-V drive belt. The ball-joint cord swivel also lets you position the planer and the cord to more convenient spots.

Our thoughts on Bosch PL2632K

All in all, it’s a nice entry level planer, and the kit includes 2 wood razor micro grain blades, along with a carrying case. The 2 blades offer more cuts and smoother results, but it’s still a light duty planer that’s best for beginners.

Conclusion

Bosch deserves every bit of acclaim it has earned through the years, and these 3 Bosch planers introduce newbies to planers that they will find easy to use.

If you’re a beginner having a hard time with hand planers, you really ought to check these Bosch planers out.