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WEN 6550 Thickness Planer | Honest Review

4.6/5
BUILD QUALITY
POWER
FEATURES
PRICE
WARRANTY

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The WEN 6550 thickness planer is one of the most lauded planers in the market. It is built for those intending to upgrade their planers and try something new. It has distinct features making it easy to operate, especially if you are moving from a hand planer. 

Therefore, this is the right benchtop planer if you already know how to use a wood planer and want to enjoy extra features to better your woodworking. The WEN 6550 comes with different accessories needed for its proper function.

WEN 6550 BENCHTOP THICKNESS PLANER
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Here’s a rundown of what we’ll provide in this WEN 6550 review

  • First, we break down the technical specifications of the WEN 6550 benchtop planer 
  • Second, we’ll discuss the best features and benefits we think you need to know 
  • Next, we look at the many plus points the WEN 6550 offers
  • Then, we’ll explain some of the drawbacks of this WEN planer you might need to know about
  • Lastly, we compare it to other wood planers.

Sound good?  Let’s begin!

WEN 6550 Planer

WEN 6550 Benchtop Planer Specifications

 Brand Name: WEN

Model: 6550 Thickness Planer with Granite Table

Motor: 120V, 15A

No-Load RPM: 8,500

Max Cuts p/minute: 17,000

Feed rate: 26 p/minute

Infeed & Outfeed Table: Yes, both foldable

Fan Assisted Dust Port: Yes

Maximum width: 12.5 inches

Maximum thickness: 6 inches

Weight: 73 pounds

Mounting Holes: Pre drilled holes

WEN 6550 features

This unique creation of the formidable benchtop WEN 6550 planer has several useful parts and features. These include: 

Granite table 

It has an all-granite table offering you maximum support for your wood boards as you go about your woodworking projects. Granite is a sturdy non marring surface that maintains your workpiece as you work, saving you from the challenge and cost of replacing your wood upon damage. It prevents warping and distortion. The granite table repurposes rough old wood, giving it a smoother finish.

Motor

This machine’s motor is commendable. It has a powerful 15 amp motor with a two knife blade cutterhead system, which enables it to achieve 18000 cuts per meet at a fantastic feed rate of 26 feet per minute. This powerful motor gets the work gets done. 

Boards 

You can plane board that measures up to 12.5 inches wide and 6 inches thick. This is made better by the smooth granite table, which prevents warping, allowing you to achieve better precision and support as you work on the piece of wood. 

WEN 6550 Planer

Cast Iron base 

You need top-notch stability while using woodworking tools. The cast iron base offers you the perfect work desk preventing wobbling and unnecessary breakage. This base is also thicker and expansive, which is needed for optimum stability and making this a very sturdy planer.

Handles

You will need to move your planer from one place to the next. Luckily, this power tool comes with a two-sided mounted handle for proper carriage and effortless movement. The handle can also cat as in or out-feed tables. 

These handles are hollow, giving your fingers more room. It is thus accurate to refer to them as slip-proof. While still discussing portability, it is worth noting that the table can be collapsed, allowing you to move it around the workshop easily. 

Other notable features include a tri-roller system that minimizes snipe, a rubber adjustment handle, and a dust port connection put in place for convenience. The dust hose connection feature helps you maintain a cleaner working station, which is every woodworker’s desire. 

Related article: WEN 6552 Planer Review – Exactly How Good is it?

Video: WEN 6550T

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WEN 6550 benefits

Overall construction 

WEN is one of the leading brands in tool construction, and WEN 6550 is not an exception. This may explain why most of its tools are relatively expensive. This planer boasts of premium materials that allow several working hours. 

It was designed with sturdiness in mind, which can be seen from the overall build. One would expect that this tool is made of bulky material, which is not the case. It is light enough to allow movement from place to place. 

It also boasts of an anti-vibration feature, which has everything to do with its construction. This will give you a comfortable time during usage. 

Ease of usage 

This is one of the most important considerations when buying any workshop tool. This product was made with beginners’ welfare in mind. It has two useful features that make your job easy. The most commendable one is the high RPM cutting speed with double-edged blades and the handy depth adjustment knob.

You can lower your cutter head planer knives using the handle to effect a cut with a maximum shave thickness of 3/32 inches, which is remarkable. This rate allows you to work on the most warped board and achieve excellent results. 

This tool has also been streamlined for maximum safety and speed. You can easily dismantle the dual blade mechanism if you need to sharpen the action or flip blades to their other side. You can efficiently work without having to worry about injuries. 

Debris management 

Dealing with sawdust is usually one of the most significant disadvantages of having a workshop. However, WEN has changed the dust extraction game through its dust chute creations, which is evident in this machine. It has a directional exhaust port on the back, which removes shavings from the wood.

You can choose to add a dust hose connection port to properly eliminate sawdust allowing you to work in a clean and healthy environment.

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Safety 

This planer has three rollers that direct wood through it. The cutting blades are located in the center roller. The manufacturer put all measures in place to ensure that the user enjoys safe operation and minimal distractions. 

However, we advise that you also protect yourself when using the tool. You can wear personal protective apparel such as safety glasses and overalls. 

Assembly 

This product does not require lots of assemblies. You only need to fix the adjustment handle and bolt the sawdust chute to its body. It will take less than five minutes to assemble the parts, which is remarkable. 

Warranty

Your product must have a warranty to absolve you from costs in case of damages or malfunctions occurring within the warranty period. This product has a solid 90-days manufacturer warranty from the day of purchase or 500 hours of professional use. 

Keep in mind that this warranty only applies to the original purchaser and does not cover items wearing out naturally. 

Weight 

Weight defines several things in a workshop tool. This fantastic creation from WEN weighs 73 pounds. Even though one may argue that it is heavy, its weight is attributed to the thick base, which plays a vital role in achieving overall stability. 

However, this does not mean that you will have challenges transporting the tool from place to place. It has helpful features for easy portability. 

WEN 6550 | Pros & Cons

  • It has a powerful 15A motor.
  • It has a high feed rate
  • It is affordable, allowing wood planer users to upgrade easily.
  • It has twin-double-sized blades.
  • This machine is too loud.
  • It must be bolted to the table for optimal stability.
  • It best serves big shops.

Bottom line

We like this model, a lot!  For the money, the WEN 6550 offers great value for money and in comparison to similar planers, it beats them hands down. Yes, it’s heavy and is best served to pros in a larger workshop but its overall performance is superb and time and again it will give you clean cuts from all types of wood.  

Here are some other articles you may like:

DEWALT DW735 Planer Review – Affordable Excellence?

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DEWALT DW735 Vs. DW735X – How to Quickly Spot The Difference

Jointer Vs Planer | Which One is Right for Your Needs?

Comparison of other wood planers

Walter Snyder
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