Heya I’m pretty new to shaping but have been fixing Dings for the last 10 years.
I decided to start shaping so I will get myself a Planer - hooray !!
Since I live on the island Sao Miguel in the Azores - so it will be rather difficult to get a secondhand SKIL 100 or in that matter any secondhand planer…
Do you have any advice for an affordable Planer - I can do some modifications but I would like/prefer something that works pretty much right off the bat.
Thank you very much for your advice 
Almost any planer will work. DeWalt. Makita. Hitachi. Some have minor drawbacks but most can be modified to do the job.
So I have found these:
What do you think? -
thank you so much :)
Ola,
Bosch might be an option too, the ones with two blades are preferred. Your power is 220VAC/50Hz, yes?
For me, when looking at planers for boards, there needs to be some clearance between the sole of the planer and where the belt guard, motor, and bearings are mounted.
On planers intended for wood only and a small cut this can be very small and then I catch or scratch the blank. The 100 has a nice amount of clearance compared to many.
I have an old Harbor Freight #95838 that I still use sometimes, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1PHXuLE_o On those you take off all the bottom attachments, sand the sharp corners of the shoe and sole, and fill in the chamfer groove. I did not convert the depth mechanism. I did that to another old Ryobi but still find it a little awkward and that one has not very much bottom clearance.
We have a member in France who knows many of the old planers, he might sell some newer ones too. His username here is Balsa. This is a planer from him and another member Petec: https://www.guethary-distribution.com/en-gb/makita-kp0810
You can google the Hitachis from Foamez and the Wens at Shapers Supply for more ideas along with seaching for the ‘Greenleaf’ modifications here for some more ideas.
-Ciao
The remoteness of your location tells me that you’d better better take what you can get down there and make a go of it. Most any Makita, Dewalt or even the single blade Bosch while not perfect will work. Must be tough getting materials down there. Blanks, resin, cloth?? France or Spain are good sources. Just saw a container full of RR, Hexcel and Marko being readied for shipment at my local supply house in LA a couple of days ago. Bound for France. Lowel
This is a real shaping planer meant for the EU and can be configured to your voltage https://www.guethary-distribution.com/es/home . Beware of using 110 VAC 60 Hz planers with a converter. Most only convert voltage and not frequency which causes the motor to run slower and results in overheating.
Of the ones you posted the Hitachi would be the best choice. Go for it.