Thread: Elu Power Planer

Elu was one of the better brands of woodworking tools and was sold to B&D and eventually DeWalt where a number of the models were rebadged and some are still available in Europe. Elu spares are available on line from England.

The Festool of their day. Still highly sort after.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hi Fonix, you've got yourself a very good tool there. Elu were bought out by Dewalt around the mid 90's and the grey tools suddenly became black and yellow, no other changes were made initially. In fact, some of them were so good Dewalt still haven't made any real changes: the 625EK router is a 30 year old rebadged Elu!

The blades should be standard TC 82mm double sided disposables that can be picked up anywhere, I don't recall them using any other type. The drive belt and motor brushes will be the same as fitted to Dewalt planers but any decent tool repairer should be able to identify them if they are needed.

As an aside, Elu used to sell a kit for this planer that converted it into a small jointer and thicknesses! It worked surprisingly well but had an incurable 1" of snipe.

Elu were regarded as THE premier professional woodworking tools in their day. Started originally by a fellow named Eugen Lutz (hence the nameplate). Production was in the Muhlacker factory in Germany & by Perles in Switzerland.

Many tools were indeed of such outstanding design that they continue to this day virtually unchanged. The plunge routers (an Elu invention/innovation) in particular have survived all but unchanged. The MOF96 is still arguably the best made, most intuitively handling & sweetest running router ever made. Made with the precision of a Swiss watch, unlike the Italian, British & Slovenian versions & the innumerable far eastern clones of the same tool that lack that special, indefinable "something" that the original Perles-made & Muhlacker models possess. Somehow, the magic didn't quite translate effectively.

The biggest benefit of these Elu tools, apart from their being at or near the state of the art at the time, is their extensive, innovative accessory system. Many more mundane tools provided amazing versatility with their propietary accessories. The routers had, for example, a whole range of accessory bases that would transform or morph from extended right-angle edge guides into mini spindle moulders and boths small & large extracted router tables, circle guides, trammel rods, etc. Many other accessory manufacturers added their own range of accessories principally for these Elu tools: the most famous of these, & arguably the most successful, have been Trend Tooling of the UK, who still sell Elu/DeWalt specific accessories.

The MFF80 & MFF40 were 850 & 1000w planers that could be fitted with replaceable front & rear soleplates/plattens. This allowed, together with a micrometer accurate adjustable heavily counterweighted & angled sub-base for smooth, safe absolutely flush trimming of countertop & shelf lipping. Or, with accessory moulding cutterheads and a 3 metre (yes, 10 foot long) guide for custom making one's own decorative mouldings, architraves etc. (up to an 80.5mm width limit) onsite, in a range of preset styles or even custom grinds in virtually unlimited lengths.

In many ways, Elu was a manufacturer way too far ahead of its time. It was the first manufacturer to take dust control seriously, allowing extraction for many, & over the years most, of its tool range. It actually offered not just one of the first auto on vacuum extractors, but a range of accessory dust shrouds & spouts that could be retrofited even to earlier tools too.

In its day it was the type of expensive, integrated, innovative & high quality manufacturer that Festool tries (but often fails) to emulate these days.

Ratbag, I will argue that it is the MOF97 (in the centre) that is the best of all routers, rather than the MOF96 (on the right).


I purchased the MOF177e (on the left) about 25 years ago in direct comparison with the Festool (then Festo) 2000.

I have another in my router table (with Router Raizer attached)...



Regards from Perth

Derek (Elu fanboy)

Derek, whilst I cannot argue about the quality of the Elu MOF 97 & 97E routers (I don't own either), I still prefer the later DeWalt version, if for no other reason than the fact that it shares the bigger spindle/arbor & collets with the super heavy duty EluDeWalt DW626.

In Europe the 97 (900w) & 97E (1100w) have a smaller arbor that allows only 1/4" & 8mm bit fitment. An oversight soon corrected in other markets as the DeWalt DW621 (USA & Australia), which allow 1/2" bit fitment. Stangely, European 620s & 621s still use the smaller, size-restricted collets from the Elu 96/E & Dw613/615. The truth is, the 1100 & 1400w DeWalts actually make damn fine hand held routers, with more than adequate grunt (within reason) to drive larger 1/2" bits up to about 25mm dia., or maybe even 32mm for the 1400w version.

I have an English-make DW621 in 1100w 1/2" capacity Australian market & German DW622 in 1400w 1/2" capacity, as well as a big Italian-make DW626 in 2300w configuration. All share the same collets. I stupidly sold my original 1980 Elu MOF177E (1850w) & gave away my prized MOF96/02 (900w) of similar vintage. The latter I regretted so much that I soon replaced it with a well-used replacement that was subsequently nicked.

I'm still seeking another. To me, the tool is irreplaceable. None of the other tools, despite their greater capacities & power can approach the intuitive, ergonomic delights of the Swiss 96/E. I could literally operate the tool blindfolded, I'm sure. The inconvenience of the 80's vintage two-spanner bit change, crude height control (in comparison to yourown personal fave MOF 97/E & DW620, 621 & 622 clones, which are probably the world's best) & lack of extraction spouting simply pale into insignificance when the precise & smooth plunge action is used on critical freehand & guided work such as variable depth templates, freehand carving etc.

Plus, for me a plain & simple thumb-operated on/off switch trumps the sort of fancy-pants handle-mounted double-action switch with integrated trigger lock that the other routers use, which still catches me out even after years of operation. The baby Elu simply lets me concentrate on the job rather than the tool's needlessly complicated controls. Additionally the baby 96E is an almost perfect match to the Elu "Accessory Set" mini spindle-moulder kit that was sold in the 80s.

Plus there's the extensive range of Trend Tooling's guide bushes (40+!!), jigs & templates that are still sold for this particular machine & its clones. The midrange Elus & DeWalts tend to miss out on the comprehensive aftermarket accessory ranges designed & sold for the largest & smallest Elu/DeWalt machines. As these little gems approach their 40th anniversary of life, they still boast the world's biggest & most comprehensive integrated OEM & aftermarket accessory program for routers.

Originally Posted by Fonix

Has anyone ever heard of this brand, it says made in Switzerland - my father bought it at a swap meet in Perth in the early 90's and I recently got it from my brother.
It needs a clean I know, I got it home from my brother's about 10 minutes before I took the pic - he is an award winning gas fitter but any tool not his he treats with contempt.
If I had known he had it I would have got it much sooner.


What I am hoping is that someone knows of these and will tell me blades and belts from something else will fit so I can use it.
If I can't use it I'll keep it as a keep sake of my now deceased father.

Fonix, specific to your initial request, here's a few suggestions for parts. Elu were, & still are, supported by the B&D/DeWalt spares & repair network.

The drive belts are still available locally, and also from flea-bay. Search "planer belt elu" for a few sources.

The blades are of a similar profile to virtually all other HSS & Solid Wolfram Carbide (erroneously named TCT) blades, i.e. 5.5mm x 1.2mm, with one significant difference. The length is only 80.5mm, not the more "normal" 82mm. Longer blades, however, will fit, provided extra care is taken on lateral alignment, to prevent fouling on the tool's casing, & to minimise excessive unsupported single-sided overhang. Unsupported ends are of course subject to damage from rough usage, particularly with the hard but brittle wolfram carbide metal. Blades are also available in pairs, 4 & 10 packs from flea-bay too. Search "planer blades 80.5" using an international or wordwide search for multiple results.

Dustbags & vacuum adaptors are I assume still available too (albeit less readily) if required, as are the occasional inversion (surface planing) stand & planer thicknesser jigs. Once extremely popular particularly in Germany, they were available for the best quality brands: Bosch, Metabo, AEG & Elu. Elu specific versions are occasionally available on "ebay.de" by searching "elu abricht dickenhobel" or "ADE 80". Whilst useful for smaller sizes & construction-grade timber, don't expect pristine results from these small jigs.

As previously mentioned, quality tools last, and there's many, many Elu planers out there still in everyday use. One of my favourite features of this particular tool is the "lock-on" button next to the trigger on the handle. Whilst the safety Nazis may disagree, I still feel much more comfortable having this button lock the tool on (just like a power drill) rather than the more common function these days of having the button act as a "double action failsafe" to prevent inadvertent startup. Not having to concentrate on or second-guess complex tool safety lockouts or hold a trigger on are more useful safety devices in my opinion.

One further word of advice: the tool lacks a spring loaded foot or retractable cutter guard as fitted to most of its European contemporaries. Meaning that you should let the tool slow to a complete stop before setting it down after each use, or set it down on a small wooden block to cock-up one end of the platen/soleplate to prevent inadvertent gouges. Don't put it on its side. You'll crack the light grey plastic fan inlet housing if you do, which happened to mine.