After YEARS of cutting and surfacing wood by hand, and dreaming of owning a nice powered planer, I finally purchased ('financed') one in '06. It's a JET 15", and it's the BEST tool I've ever purchased, bar-none. You'll be amazed how much you'll use it.....even for making guitar-building tools, templates and jigs. The JET jointer was my next purchase. Again, I use it all the time, and wonder how I got along without it.
Beg, borrow, or steal......get yourself a planer!!!!
Mike