The Shop Fox W1742 planer is one of the leading wood planers currently available. It comes equipped with ground cast iron wings, a movable table made out of iron and even a stationary headstock. The cast iron table guarantees that your wood cutting efforts won’t go to waste, by guaranteeing a consistent planing depth without any room for potential headstock.
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The W1742 is currently priced at roughly $1,200 provides unparalleled performance for its price. With a 5,000 RPM cutterhead speed, you’ll find it extremely difficult to find a material that will beat this. About the Shop Fox W1742 Out of the box, the Shop Fox looks rather plain and old.
It definitely isn’t styled to be modern, that’s for sure. But as we all know, you need to be wary about the things which look the least scariest – and that’s right. As a big planer, it gets the job done under just about any circumstance. If you only have experience with using a smaller planer, you’ll find the W1742 really easy to use and take control of.
The first thing that we need to tell you is that this product is remarkably light in comparison to its competitors. Weighing in at only 590lbs, you can just about carry it around if you’re strong enough. The head is fixed onto the planer so there isn’t any head to table tolerances that you’ll have to put up with. Best of all, it seems that just about every single component on the Shop Fox is adjustable in one way or another – crazy. We got to work with it and gave it a piece of oak to deal with. As we were cutting along, we noticed the fine detail that this machine puts to use. After we had finished, we were honestly amazed with the results.
One word to describe the finish was ‘absolute perfection’. We have never seen a cut finish this smoothly and so precisely for quite some time.
With that said, we found it remarkable that such an affordable product could produce such amazing results Conclusion: The Shop Fox W1742 stationary planer is absolutely amazing for just about any of your wood planing needs. It’s honestly perfection in a box. Large or small, this machine will get the job done! Currently, Amazon.com has the best deal on the Shop Fox W1742.
Just a quick post for somwhere to put comments. The model covered is a Woodstar PT85 which seems to be very similar to other makes. The videos have received knocking on for 70,000 views on Youtube and there are plenty of folks who have them useful.
It’s few years on from my original review and my woodstar is still working OK so the conclusion ” OK for the money” could now be upgraded to ” Good for the Money” Anyway I’ve just had a comment through direct to my email that I’ve reposted down in the comments. If you have any experiance you would like to add please feel free. On Comment reposted from email:- Your piece in planers was utterly, utterly brilliant! I have just taken delivery of the new fox version (I expect all the others will be similar).
The fence is now extruded aly ‘plank’ about 12mm thick and actually pretty rigid, good enough. A locknut-lever is provided to lock the thickness setting (replacing one of the socket screws on the back). There are some minor changes to the dust extraction and the thicknesser extension table. It still seems to take a 1/2mm cut on zero setting though. I’m pretty pleased but haven’t used it in anger. I have their saw bench (as I notice you do) but I am less happy about this. The combined angle and height locking collar is an arse.
The height changes when you lock it up, and you lose any carefully set ‘0’ degrees. Its either for the skip, or more likely some heavy-duty modification of the faceplate to install something usable. I also bought (yes, a busy time) the similar spindle moulder (really a bench router). Because the new ones come with only one collet I chose the older one (a draper as it happens) which had four (1/4″, 6mm, 12mm, 1/2″) which covers the tools I have and make it easy to buy cheap US ones if required. This required squaring up (just one way needed luckily) the cutterhead to get better than 1mm in 100mm, and a making a better fence that allowed the use of finger guides etc and which was actually square. Anyway well done a most useful website.
On Thanks Oz. Thanks I’m glad to hear you found the review useful. It sounds like a few of the details have been addressed (or the Fox version has always been better detailed) You can set the blades lower but if too low the feed roller leaves marks on the surface, 0.5 mm does sound like a bit high for the minimum cut so you shoulld be able to reduce that with some trial and error. The saw bench is cheap and cheerful.
The height adjustment is a bit loose, I find it changes when the machine is started up. So to get the right depth you need to guess or make some trial cuts. It also chages a bit under load, there’s play and flex in the links. The angle setting I’ve found to be OK although I did adjust the zero stop, I seem to remember it being hard to get to but it made mine useable. The power and depth of cut and eventual accuracy have been good enough for me for now although I’ve often considered an upgrade or maybe a band saw. Cheers Andy. On Hi I am new to woodworking, and just starting out as a hobby.
I have been keenly following your videos and notice you have both a planer thicknesser (jointer) and a planer thicknesser. I can seeking to purchase one of the following, my budget is £300 Triton Planer Thicknesser 317mm Fox F22-564-250 10″ x 5″ Planer Thicknesser I am slightly confused as they are both called the same but look very different.
My understanding is that the Fox (jointer) should provide a flat surface, although your video suggests it will but not brilliantly based on your similar machine. In another video of yours ” Bowed, Twisted Timber (Lumber) Planing, easy HOW TO” you demonstrate using the Triton equivalent. Therefore you demonstrate they can do the same thing.
As you have both similar machines, my question is simple Given the choice and my limited budget, which would your purchase. I hope you time to respond ( I am buying in the next week), you seem very busy, and I must say your web site is awesome. Eric on Hi Andy I have just purchased the Sip version of the same tool. It has some minor differences like the fence and its fixing which is with 2 socket head screws.
I haven’t used it yet but will bear in mind the points about the in table adjustment. I notice you dont have any hoses connected to the chip collector. My Sip has come with a hose and a collection bag. Are these any use? The manual is not great so i am thankful for your video. I presume the fence has to be removed as a thicknesser so the collector can be fitted to operate the interlock switch.
![Planer Planer](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125382112/315206813.jpg)
Have you had to replace the cutters or can they be sharpened? Axel on Hi Sir, Many thanks for this useful article.
I bought the same machine beginning of 2015 and all the issues you are mentioning remain. I used the planner part for the first time really yesterday and have been super bothered by the difference of height between the left and the right of the in feed table.
I was a bit unconfident but even took off the blades and placed them back to be sure they were parallel to the axis. Well now I will try to give it a little slap as you do, hopefully it will temporarily fix the issue! I am now reading your explanations about the different types of lumber and it is of great interest. Many thanks for your help Sir, carry on doing great stuff! On Hi Eric, Apologies for the late response, I getting loads of spam comments and don’t always spot the genuine ones straight away.
Hopefully he Sip Collector bag will work OK. Watch out that the Cowl / hose doesn’t get clogged up. If the chips /shavings get backed up it ends up marking the planned surface. Yes the collector mounts on the top after removing the fence.
No I’ve not had to replace he cutter yet although I have had to remove them and made a simple jig to regrind them after a nick on a hidden nail. A diamond card can be used with the blades in place in between full sharpenings. On Hi Andy, Went to use my – similar – version of the PT85 today, starting with lowering the planer table to remove the Dust Cover. I must have been too forceful as I am now unable to raise it again!
![Planer thicknesser screwfix Planer thicknesser screwfix](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125382112/504136996.jpg)
Looked for a maintenance manual on the ‘net but could only find a user manual, but then discovered your Review. Watching your videos has given me more confidence that I can sort out the problem, as well as getting some tips for better performance. I have the later fence, which is more easily removed, but I think I will leave it off and use your ‘piece of a door’ solution instead. Thanks for the Review – it is very comprehensive and sensible! Perhaps I should have waited until AFTER trying a repair, but at my age I might forget to thank you.