Review: Woodpeckers Router Plane – FineWoodworking

The router plane has always been a staple in my tool collection. Although this plane is not used every day, it is invaluable when called upon for a project. The primary purpose of the router plane is to provide fine depth adjustment. Some of the most common uses are adjusting dadoes and rabbets, setting hardware, and dialing in joinery. However, a router plane can also be vital for many other specific woodworking details, such as inlay.

The Woodpeckers brand has always been known for its precision tooling and ingenuity, so I was happy to have the opportunity to review this router plane. The basic mechanics of the tool are quite simple. The two most critical factors in a router plane are that the sole of the plane is flat and that the cutting edge is parallel to the sole. This router plane was perfect on both counts right out of the box.

The heft, feel, and finish of all the components were really nice, and the design of this router plane offers a variety of different blade and handle configurations that could prove useful for specific applications in the shop. Woodpeckers provides three Allen wrenches for making all the various adjustments. The plane’s metal handles are slightly tilted and secured tightly in any of the prepositioned locations. The large size of the rectangular base is great for referencing off flat surfaces, but it does set the handle position wider than on most router planes. In addition, when paired with the tilted handles, the large base gives the plane a bit of a machine feel and can limit hand positioning around the cutter in some situations.

The router plane arrives with two cutting blades, a 1/2-in. straight cutter and a 1/2-in. spear-point cutter. Both cutters arrived flat and polished as expected, but the 1/2-in. straight blade required a significant amount of honing to remove some small nicks and a micro bevel on the edge. Once the cutter was tuned, it performed well and held an edge. It was a surprise not to see a 1/4-in. cutter option for this router plane at this time.

I recommend the Woodpeckers router plane. It is a solid, well-made tool that is built for precision.

Dan Faia is a furniture maker and woodcarver in Rollinsford, N.H.

Woodpeckers Router Plane

The Woodpeckers brand has always been known for its precision tooling and ingenuity. The basic mechanics of the tool are quite simple. The two most critical factors in a router plane are that the sole of the plane is flat and that the cutting edge is parallel to the sole.
Metal, 2 blades, 20 blade positions

Price: $289.99 at the time of writing

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