Skil 6.5 Amp 3-1/4 In. Planer

I put the Skil planer to work on a sticky exterior door, a batch of reclaimed fir, and a few maple offcuts to see where it shines and where it runs out of steam. It’s a straightforward corded planer with a 3-1/4-inch cutter width and a 6.5-amp motor, and it feels purpose-built for trim work, edge cleanups, and light surfacing. Over a few weeks of use, it settled into that role nicely.

Design and build

At a hair over 6 pounds, the Skil planer lands in that sweet spot where it’s heavy enough to stay planted, but not so heavy that your forearms complain after a long session. The aluminum base slides cleanly and stayed scratch-free after bouncing around in my job box. The base length is modest (269 mm), which is typical for this class; it keeps the tool nimble, though it’s not the long-shoe stability you get from larger planers.

The handle and front depth knob form a comfortable, two-hand grip that makes it easy to control your pressure front-to-back—key for avoiding snipe at the start and end of a pass. The lock-off switch is a proper two-stage affair. It’s a win for safety and didn’t slow me down once I got used to it. The built-in wrench storage is simple but genuinely useful; I didn’t have to hunt around when it came time to rotate or swap blades.

One detail I appreciated right away: the kickstand. It’s smooth and sturdy, and it kept the spinning blades off the work and my bench when I set the tool down mid-pass. It’s the kind of feature you forget—until you gouge a panel with a planer that doesn’t have one.

Power and cut quality

The motor spins the two-knife cutterhead at 16,000 rpm. With a full 3-1/4-inch bite in pine at modest depth, the planer stayed happy and consistent. In harder woods like maple, I kept passes to the lighter side, and the machine maintained speed without chattering or bogging. The max cut depth is 5/64 inch (2 mm). That’s conservative compared to some heavier-duty planers, but it makes sense here; this tool rewards a few controlled passes over one aggressive bite.

Cut quality is clean for a two-knife setup. I saw faint scallops in raking light, which is expected, and a quick sanding or cabinet scraper removed them. Edges came out straight when I maintained proper technique—pressure on the front shoe while entering the cut, then shifting to the rear as the back shoe fully supports the tool. If you try to muscle through with uneven pressure, you can coax a touch of snipe at the tail on longer boards. That’s on the user more than the tool, and it’s manageable with practice and support stands.

Depth adjustment and accuracy

The front dial has positive detents and fine enough increments for predictable material removal. I could sneak up on a perfect door fit in two or three light passes without overshooting. The sole and fence stayed square; I checked with a machinist square after a morning of use, and the alignment didn’t drift. That’s encouraging for anyone doing precise edge work on case parts or shelves.

For quick bevels, there’s a single V-groove in the front shoe. It’s handy for breaking edges consistently; I used it to add a soft chamfer to deck boards and to ease the back edge of a shelf. One groove is limiting if you like multiple chamfer sizes ready to go, but it keeps the shoe simple and flat.

Dust collection and chip control

Chip ejection is a high point. The dual-sided exhaust lets you choose left or right, which matters for both visibility and keeping chips off your line. On the right-hand exhaust setting, I had a clear view of the cut when planing edges. The included dust bag catches a fair amount but, like most small bags, it fills quickly and won’t keep up with long runs. Hooked to a shop vac via the supplied adaptor, extraction was much better—enough to keep the work area clean and the cutterhead from re-cutting chips. If you’re planing indoors or working with resinous woods, a vac connection is the way to go.

Rabbeting and guides

The planer ships with a parallel guide and a rebate fence. Within the tool’s 5/16-inch (8 mm) rabbeting depth, the setup worked as intended. I used it to cut a shallow rabbet on the back of a face frame to accept a panel, and the fence stayed tight without deflection. For deeper or wider rabbets, you’ll want a different tool or a router, but that’s beyond this planer’s brief anyway.

Ergonomics and handling

The balance is good. The center of gravity sits low and slightly forward, which helps keep the front shoe planted at the start of the cut. The grip texture is secure without being too aggressive. I wore light gloves in the shop and barehanded on site; the controls are accessible either way. Left-handed use is workable thanks to the reversible chip ejection, though the lock-off is clearly designed for right-handed reach.

The 1.8-meter cord is adequate, though I often ended up on an extension in the shop. If you’re working on doors in place, plan on managing the cord to avoid dragging across finished faces.

Blade system and maintenance

This is a two-blade cutterhead, and the included spanner makes swaps straightforward. The blade seating was consistent, and I didn’t have to fuss to get both knives aligned flush with the shoes. After hitting a hidden brad in reclaimed fir (my fault), I swapped blades and was back to a clean cut in a few minutes. Routine maintenance is simple: keep the base clean, check the belt and knives periodically, and blow out fine dust after heavy use.

Noise and vibration are in line with expectations for a 16,000 rpm planer—hearing protection is a must, and I wore safety glasses even with dust collection attached. Vibration was controlled enough that my hands weren’t buzzing afterward.

Where it excels

• Trimming and fitting doors: Light, precise passes make it easy to sneak up on a perfect fit without tear-out.
• Edge straightening and chamfers: The single V-groove and stable shoes produce consistent, clean edges.
• Reclaiming boards: With multiple light passes and good dust collection, it flattens rough faces and knocks down high spots before final milling.

Where it falls short

• Heavy stock removal: With a 5/64-inch max depth, it’s not designed to hog off material. If you’re frequently resurfacing badly cupped boards, a beefier planer or a jointer will be faster.
• Limited rabbeting depth: At 5/16 inch, it’s fine for back-panel steps or light joinery, but not a router replacement.
• Single V-groove: Functional but basic; if you rely on multiple chamfer sizes, you’ll miss extra grooves.

The bottom line

The Skil planer is a well-mannered, capable corded planer for everyday carpentry and furniture prep. It emphasizes control and finish over brute-force removal, and it backs that up with consistent depth adjustment, clean chip evacuation, and a handful of smart touches—kickstand, lock-off, and on-board wrench storage—that make day-to-day use easier.

Recommendation: I recommend this planer to homeowners, DIYers, and working carpenters who need a reliable 3-1/4-inch corded planer for trimming, edge work, and light surfacing. Its 6.5-amp motor, 16,000 rpm cutterhead, and thoughtful ergonomics deliver clean, predictable results, and the reversible chip exhaust genuinely improves visibility and cleanup. If your work leans toward deep cuts and heavy material removal, there are more powerful options with larger depth capacities. For controlled, accurate planing and tidy edges at a manageable weight, this Skil is an easy tool to keep in the rotation.