The Planer Truth

Astragal Press books on antique tools and more

The Planer Truth
A Brief History & Guide to Servicing Vintage Single Surface Roll Feed Planers (1850-1950)

Dana Martin Batory

This book can answer all your questions about antique wood planers.This is the first book to gather together all the valuable miscellaneous data scattered piecemeal throughout scores of old texts and manuals and combine it with practical, hands-on experience.Author Dana M. Batory gives a brief history of the machine since its invention in 1828 and then carefully describes the complete planer system from infeed to outfeed and everything in-between.

Learn how to adjust and fine-tune each of its separate elements: table adjustment, chipbreaker adjustment, pressure bar adjustment, knife setting, and more. It’s all here and profusely illustrated.There are also chapters on troubleshooting, practical information, and helpful hints. From required horsepower and halted feeding to snipes and torn grain, everything is covered. The book’s detailed illustrations have been collected from the author’s extensive library of period catalogs, manuals, and photographs.
About The Author:
Dana Martin Batory is a geologist-turned-cabinetmaker who operates a small one-man shop containing several vintage woodworking machines. He is the author of Vintage Woodworking Machinery,Volumes 1 and 2. Dana has written numerous articles on antique woodworking machinery for such publications as Woodshop News, AntiqueWeek, American Woodworker, The Chronicle, etc. He wrote a popular Q&A column on woodworking machinery for Woodcraft Magazine and continues to write a regular column for Fine Tool Journal. Dana has also been an advisor on vintage woodworking machines for the best-selling reference book Schroeder’s Antiques Price Guide since 1992.

Also Available by Dana Martin Batory:
Vintage Woodworking Machinery
Vintage Woodworking Machinery, Volume II