Customer Reviews

Makita N1900B 4 Amp 3-1/4-Inch Planer

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Overall I like this unit; I've had mine for three years, and generally it's a well balanced tool that cuts very smoothly. Blade sharpening and replacement is pretty simple with the included fixture. What it could use is a dedicated fence for squaring up boards. It's built to take one, but I can't seem to find one for mine.

My unit is the 1923, which apart from a different rabbet system and 850 watt motor, is esentially the same. They have plenty of power, easy blade set and change and all that, with the usual top Makita build quality. But, the handle design! Ugh. Short sole plate, single hole for fence and top heavy balance. The angle of the main handle and its high position, with the poor front knob placement make these things very difficult to use effectively. Why oh why do power planer manufacturers continue to make em to this pattern?

Compared to the u beaut old 1100, which is still available in 240V guise, they are not in the hunt. I bought my 1100 second hand, after I'd bought the 1923h. The other way round, and I'd only have one.

Anyone want to buy a good secondhand 1923?

This tool is trim and lightweight. One hand operation makes it handy in tight spaces. Good precision and adjustability. Over all, more versitile and functional in it's class that I have used but not the best for heavy planing such as custom doors and volume milling.

I have owned this tool for about five years, I was not happy with the fence that comes with the tool, even with the fence as tight as it could be it still would move when planing.It wasn't until about a year ago that I found that makita makes a bevel guide, which is an ajustable fence that is screwed to the planer in front and the back, stopping the fence from twisting.
With the bevel guide it is a five star tool.

If you need to trim door slabs (other than pre-hung)- this is the best tool. It produces very smooth cuts with little effort. It is also quiet. I'm not sure if a dust bag is available - the tool throws a lot of dust, so be ready. I have used it to trim up to 1/4 inch of 80 inch long doors (precor masonite doors). The tool is prefect - provides a very straight finished edge that can not be accomplished using any other power tool, even a table saw

This planer should be located in a framing contractors tool box where it belongs. It might be able to "fix" a stuck door, but for production door milling use the correct tool, such as a Porter-Cable 9118 Porta-Plane (formerly the model 126). This tool is best used to straight line wall studs before drywall (& insulation) or for general framing use. Do yourself a favor and throw away the fence, as it will only frustrate you. Use a jointer or a table saw to square edges correctly.

This is a fairly rugged tool that is able to go through a couple of hidden nails before replacing the disposable blades. It is a Makita, not a yellow repackaged Blackened/Decker!

I am a finish carpenter and use a hand planer almost daily. This planer is great for hanging doors, making furniture, framing, etc. I own mostly milwaukee tools, but also trust and own makita products . I demand high quality and toughness from my tools, and put them work all year round. (I also own a makita 10" sliding miter saw, 1806 6 3/4" planer, and a belt sander) Being used to the 6 3/4" planer I found this one to be on the smaller side, but it is light, and is built tougher than the other 3 1/4 planers on the market. Its has a weighted crank shaft so the blades stay inside it when not running. This helps when you go to put it down not to ding or chip the blades. Also it has plenty of power to drive through harder woods, and doesn't bog down or skip over the wood. Changing and sharpening the blades is quick easy, and doesn't require much dis assembly. It has one distinct and easy to locate beveling guide on the shoe for angles. The only draw back is the depth nob is located too close to the front of the machine, making it difficult to raise and lower the blades if you have big hands. This is definitely a better made planer than the dewalt and bosch models.

This machine is great! I've used it on several door installs and some other trim and finish work.

In their continuing effort to snub the doorhanging trade, Makita continues to refuse to reintroduce the 1100b to the 110 volt western market. Some marketing wizards here or in Japan have decided that door hanging is a thing of the past, to be replaced by all prehung installs. this explains the ubiquity of these poorly designed planers on the US market. I'm sure the 1100b is still made in 220 windings for the japanese market. I'd just like to say to the genius executives of the power tool industry that I have not gone away. I still make a living hanging big heavy custom doors, fit to exact tolerances and I am not soon going to be relaced by monkees nailing in prehung units. I'd also like to say that I don't appreciate your smug, arrogant attitudes. You can run your buisness any way you chose, into the ground apparently.