If you're a serious woodworker, the answer is probably yes. A planer can save you a lot of time and hassle when it comes to preparing lumber for projects. It's also a very useful tool for creating custom-sized pieces of wood.
Here are some of the key benefits of owning a planer:
1. You can quickly and easily create uniform thicknesses for your lumber. This is especially important if you're working with dimensional lumber that needs to be precise (for example, 2x4s).
2. You can make your own custom boards by gluing together thinner pieces of wood. This is a great way to save money on lumber costs.
3. You can salvage damaged or bowed boards by running them through the planer (known as jointing). This can give you straighter, more usable boards that would otherwise be unusable.
4. Planers can help smooth out rough surfaces on reclaimed lumber or other types of wood that have been sanded before. This gives you a smoother surface to work with overall.