APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING A FORMING OPERATION ON A WORKPIECE

摘要

An improved portable wood planing machine for the surface planing of wood en planks or boards is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the planing machin e includes a carriage assembly locking mechanism for locking the carriage assembly relative to a plurality of vertical support columns to thereby vertically fi x the carriage assembly. In one form, the carriage assembly locking mechanism includes a plurality of levers which cooperate to engage the support columns of the carriage assembly. The exemplary embodiment further includes a depth stop adjustment mechani sm which allows the operator to accurately select a minimum workpiece depth fro m one or more predetermined depths and a material removal indicator assembly operable for enabling the user of the planing machine to accurately determine the amount of material to be removed during each pass of the workpiece.