WEN 13" Planer w/ SPIRAL CUTTERHEAD Review PL1326 || Woodworking Tool Reviews
WEN 13" Planer w/ SPIRAL CUTTERHEAD Review PL1326 || Woodworking Tool Reviews
In depth woodworking tool review and demo of the NEW Wen 13″ thickness planer that comes with a spiral cutterhead (PL1326) bought on Amazon for only $450. I upgraded from the 12.5″ Wen Thickness Planer that I reviewed as the “cheapest planer on Amazon” a couple years ago. I have been woodworking at home for several years and now even professionally. The thickness planer is a critical tool to have in a woodworking shop. But they are also very expensive. Typically a replacement carbide cutterhead like a Byrd or Shelix style spiral or helical cutterhead cost $700+ on top of the cost of your planer. So when Wen came out with a new thickness planer that included a spiral cutterhead for only $450 I knew it was time to upgrade. So if you are in the market to add a budget friendly 13 inch thickness planer you’ve come to the right place. I have a passion for woodworking and also enjoy reviewing tools. So it only makes sense for me to combine the two and cater this channel more towards woodworking tools and woodworking tool reviews. I also have a second channel devoted to my wood turning called, “Brads Woodturning” and will link it down below as well as link the Wen 13″ Thickness planer w/spiral cutterhead.
Wen 13″ Thickness Planer w/ Spiral Cutterhead
https://amzn.to/3aQOaDI
*this was $450 when I bought it on amazon. Right now it only looks to be sold by third party sellers. If the price is over $500, look at some of the other brands mentioned in the video*
Wen 13″ Thickness Planer (3 blades)
https://amzn.to/3eFzUPa
Wen 12.5″ Thickness Planer (2 blade)
https://amzn.to/3gWVwZY
Review- https://youtu.be/mwM8XxMbkoQ
*Who am I?* I am a husband and father. I’ve spent my life supporting my family with my bare hands as a proud tradesman. I have worked as an electrician most of my life in plants or the oilfield. I have recently turned my hobby into a career and work full time for a custom woodworking shop while still presuing my dream to one day support my family with my own custom woodworking shop. Feel free to come by my Etsy shop or my 2nd channel, “Brads Woodturning” to see some of my custom woodworking projects. Links are below
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The threads for the depth adjustment rods on the dewalt are way heavier duty. I think a long term test of this planer would be great, as you have planed. Thanks.
Wow, it comes with the spiral cutter head? Great
"Game changer"…not from I can see…
You’re back!!!
Just purchased mine today now that they’re back in stock. Was cheaper directly from WEN than Amazon. Can’t wait to give it a try!
You are a natural for doing product reviews, nice planer too👍
Nice Review.. I was not aware the Wen Planner comes with the Spiral Cutter head
Hi Brad, Nice review. I have had a thicknesser for about a year, second hand, and never used it. I don’t do much flat work if any and when I do segmenting I true up the rings on the lathe.
This might well change as I want to start to make some cutting boards.
Take care Brad. Cheers, Huw
I have a bit of a problem with WEN calling the cutter head spiral when clearly it’s NOT! It is a helical head. I find their marketing to be VERY misleading.
Thanks for the review. I bit the bullet and got the cheapest WEN a couple years ago, best decision ever. Works great. Glad to see they are putting these cutters on new tools. Time for others to catch up! Need to start a "no more straight knives" petition.
good info thanks for the review. instead of playing music in video it would have been better to hear the machine on the 12 inch ash. unless you are a band there is no need to play music in video!
Thanks Brad. Missed your content.
this is exactly what i wanted to hear as i had arbitrarily decided that i would like this cheaper planer better, thank you
Very helpful. Thank you.
I’m thinking of still getting the DeWalt 2 speed 13-in and upgrading the blade I feel like DeWalt put way more quality into there planer
I just looked on Amazon Canada and the WEN’s were more expensive than the DeWalts!
For Wen your cheap has a handful of decent tools. 4 Bolts makes a lot more sense! Looks like it got the job done, just need to CNC some metal versus nylon and get carbide cutters.
You can pull out the 2 1/2" insert from the dust collection port…that will open up the full 4" bore for your 4" hoses…I didnt realize till a week or so later that it pulled out.
Very Cool Brother 👍 Looks like a great machine.
I like it
Wen 13" Thickness Planer w/ Spiral Cutterhead
https://amzn.to/3aQOaDI
*this was $450 when I bought it on amazon. Right now it only looks to be sold by third party sellers. If the price is over $500, look at some of the other brands mentioned in the video*
Wen 13" Thickness Planer (3 blades)
https://amzn.to/3eFzUPa
Wen 12.5" Thickness Planer (2 blade)
https://amzn.to/3gWVwZY
Review- https://youtu.be/mwM8XxMbkoQ
Those are some nice looking boards!
Made in Taiwan. I think that is interesting right there. I wonder how it compares to the Chinese ones?
Wow, it’s a Rikon with orange paint.
KEN = low quality…..no thanks
Good video tho.
Only $450 ?
Great review. You should have done a review of your neighbor’s fiesta. Just saying…
Carbide cutter heads with 4 sharp edges are only $25. for qty 10 on Amazon. Easy swap out to carbide when the steel ones get dull.
Hey man, it’s been a few months since you’ve made this video, any update? Did you try getting carbide cutters for it? Has anything broken or wore down yet? I was thinking about getting a dewalt planer, but this one is definitely cheaper.
If you are more than a hobbiest, then this will not stand the test of time. I’ve gleaned that inferior products with cheap components do not last and then it’s virtually impossible to find replacement parts rendering your equipment as redundant. I’ve always been of the philosophy that a cheap man pays twice. Bite the bullet right from the get go and buy tools with substance. I would invest the extra dollars and purchases the DeWalt 735.
Thanks for your review and your input about this WEN. Cheers!
Nice review Brad, looks like a great little planer! Thanks
Thank you for filming this and pointing out the sprocket concern. A 1-year review is a great idea. For me, I’m planning to make a planer purchase in the next couple of days. How has the Wen held up? Any new concerns? Thanks again, Brad.
I’m looking to get one of these for my shop and would be bolting it to a flip-top tool cart. Is there anything that you can think of that would be a problem if this were to spend some of its time inverted?
Upside is you can rotate those cutter heads easy and get probably 3 times the life of a regular blade. So when you wear out all 4 sides buying carbide replacements won’t be a big deal
Good review brother, my only question is…. how is the snipe?
Snipe issues at all?
Hi Brad! Fantastic review. I plan on getting this soon but im currently building a new work table with hinged sections for each tool. Any chance you could snag a measurement full width, and then also depth with the feed tables folded up? Youd be doing me a huge solid if so! Thanks!