The Makita 2040 was an industrial-grade planer made in Japan in the 1980s and early 1990s. It cost about $2000 new. It is made mostly of cast iron and is very sturdy. Makita also made a smaller version that included a jointer, called the Makita 2030.
The planer can only be switched on once a safety key is inserted. It uses two standard blades which are calibrated by adjusted hex bolts underneath, as is common on machines from this era.
Motor Design
One design difference of the Makita with many other floor planers is that the universal motor is all the way in the base, driving the arbor with a belt. On many other planers the motor is often integrated in the arbor section, making the top much larger and heavier.
Optional Features
As optional features there was a small stand, and there was an extra sprocket set to allow for a slower feed speed (the standard feed is relatively quick, so may not give the best results on difficult boards).
Feed Roller Issue
One common problem seems to be that the polyurethane or rubber on the feed rollers dries out or disintegrates (normal after such a long time). It can be quite costly to have this replaced, so take that into account when purchasing a used machine.
Replacement Blades: If you’re looking for new blades for the Makita 2040, you can get some original ones from eReplacementParts but they are very expensive. Some more affordable ones by Freud can be found on Amazon here.
