Read All Makita 2012NB Review
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Category: Tools & Home Improvement
Brand: Makita
Model: 2012NB
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Makita 2012NB Reviews
Makita 2012NB Review by John L. Toner (Libertyville, IL United States)
I received my new Makita 2012B Portable Planer for Christmas. I had researched all the available models and felt that the Makita had the edge on paper. Putting it to the reality check test, a friend and I ran over 100 board feet of quartersawn white oak through the planer, then finished up by using the system to shave down a walnut inlay in ash. I was really impressed by the performance! No snipe, very smooth surfaces, quiet operation, and ease of use were at the top of my list of favorable impressions. We especially liked the depth stop option for reproducibly machining multiple boards to the same thickness. Too early to tell how the planer will hold up with time. I will write a follow-up after a year of use. The only objection I have to the tool is that for the price, Makita should include the dust hood. It is essential and has to be ordered separately from Makita.
Makita 2012NB Review by Pete, Custom home remodeler (Belmont, CA United States)
I bought a Makita 2012 a few weeks ago and immediately ran a couple of thousand feet of Western Red Cedar through it. I know, that's not exactly a tough test, but it performed flawlessly, quietly (would you believe that it is quieter than a Skilsaw? it is) and smoothly. Literally right out of the box: there was no set up time, there was no snipe, there was no chatter, there was no slipping, there was no clogging. Just really smooth boards, planed exactly the way I wanted them, quickly and easily. There are several other reviews (posted at Amazon) that address the 2012's long term performance and ease of use and I found them very helpful and I've found nothing to indicate these reviews are not 100% accurate.
Before buying this machine, I read many reviews on Amazon, especially the 1, 2 or 3 star (out of 5) reviews, for various planers. Reviews simply indicate patterns. (For example, read the reviews of the DeWalt planer, and you'll discover that the blades don't last very long, even according to the users that love the machine.) Less than optimal reviews (1 and 2 stars) indicate the problems with the products and these reviews are what convinced me to buy the Makita. In the case of the Makita 2012, the consistent "problems" written about involve lots of concern over the dust boot, a few concerns about feed roller slippage and a few concerns about shipping damage. I'll address each below. Please note that I'm taking the time to write this because I think that the Makita 2012 is a great tool which may be getting short shrift from reviewers concerned about all the wrong things.
First, the dust boot. Full disclosure: I purchased the dust boot but it did not arrive yet so I can't comment on its performance. I can however address another issue raised by some of the other reviews: the outlet on the dust boot is the wrong size for a shop vac. This is ridiculous. Run one board 6" wide by 12' long though the planer a couple of times and you'll create enough shavings to clog up an industrial sized shop vac; you'll be lucky if you don't damage shop vac or the planer by jamming them up with shavings. The reason the boot is not sized for a shop vac hose is because it's designed to be used with a dust collector. Shop vacs have their place on the jobsite, but controlling the shavings from a planer is a mis-use of the tool. I would downgrade the rating on any planer that had a boot outlet sized for a shop vac. (I will attempt to update this review and address issues raised regarding the 90 degree bend on the boot once I've connected it to my DUST COLLECTOR and run some boards through.)
Second: feed roller slippage. As with any tool, the Makita 2012 will require periodic maintenance. This should include cleaning pitch and/or sap and general dirt/grime off the feed tables and rollers. As other reviews indicate, cleaning the tables and/or rollers works in most of the slippage cases. To my way of thinking, it is disengenuos to downrate a tool because the user did not treat it right.
Third: shipping damage. This is the one that really gets my blood pumping. Downrate a tool because the shipper dropped it and the handle is broken? This is not a problem with the tool! The Makita 2012 is a heavy tool (40-odd pounds which is actually fairly light for a 12" planer) and it was delivered to me via truck. Normal protocol when receiving anything from a third-party shipper is to check for damage before accepting the delivery, including opening all boxes to inspect the contents. If the product is damaged, don't accept it, refuse it. This is so that the manufacturer can provide you with an undamaged tool at the expense of the party who damaged it, whether it was shipper, wholesaler, distributor or retailer.
Bottom line is don't give a tool 1 star because you don't have the correct complimentary tools or because your delivery acumen and your maintenance procedures each earn half a star. I gave this tool 5 stars because it earned 5 stars. Now I have to earn 5 stars by taking care of it.
Makita 2012NB Review by John A. Martinsky (Monroe, CT United States)
I am a professional remodeler and in the past five years I have burnt out three Delta planers. Twice, the feed rollers gave up and the last one apparently suffered a major internal failure. I have had the Makita now for two months and it has been flawless as I would expect. We plane some tough stuff like Ipe so we definitely give these things a workout. If it is still flawless in a year, I will give it a fifth star. I appreciate the ergonomics of this well, thought out machine. I am glad that Makita has eliminated a cutterhead lock. I personally couldn't care less about "snipe", of which this machine creates very little. We plane long and then cut to size on the miter saw. Don't you? I do have one question ..., is there any reason why I can't buy replacement blades online?
Okay, so I'm a year late, this is one VERY good planer! It continues to perform like new, with only blade changes. I have it hooked up in my shop and have run hundreds of feet of maple, pine, poplar, Ipe, oak, even plywood and MDF. It just does its thing. Very uneventful, I like that. That's what I pay for. The only downside is that it makes justifying a 15" Powermatic planer difficult!
So here were are now, its 2004 and the little bugger just keeps going! I may never get that new planer. What can I say, after, I don't know, five or six thousand feet of various hardwoods, no changes to date! See you next year!
What can I say? Late again! So here we are almost eight years later and the little SOB just keeps running! New blades, vacuum occasionally, lube the posts if I think of it and it just keeps going. If it ever dies, I'll let you know!
More Reviews...
Makita 2012NB 12-Inch Planer with Interna-Lok Automated Head Clamp:: Features
- Compact and lightweight for easy transporting to the job site
- Quietest (83dB) planer in its class
- 4-post design and diagonal cross supports for stability
- Fastest and easiest blade change system on the market; uses disposable double edge blades
- One-year manufacturer's warranty
- Item Dimensions: 0 x 0 x 0 inches; 68 pounds
- Brand: Makita
- Model: 2012NB
- Product Type: Tools & Home Improvement
Makita 2012NB:
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