Which dimension defines the width capacity of a planer?

• A. horsepower
• B. length
• C. weight
• D. width of stock it will surface

Answer: (D)

Width capacity is the maximum board width the planer can surface in a single pass. It comes from the distance across the machine’s bed between the infeed/outfeed area and the fence, which determines how wide stock can sit under the cutterhead as it moves through. This spec is what tells you the widest board you can run through without it hitting the sides of the planer.

Horsepower affects how heavy-cut you can take and how easily the machine handles tougher stock, not how wide a board can be. Length describes how long a piece can be while feeding it through, which is different from width. Weight relates to portability and stability, not to the width the machine can handle. So the width of stock it will surface is what sets the width capacity.