Hand held planer

A hand held planer for planing a work piece surface comprising:

• a. a housing having a leading first base, a housing bottom surface for contacting the work piece surface, a housing back surface, and a planing tool adjacent to the back surface of the housing such that the back surface of the housing is trailing behind the planing tool;
• and
• b. a second base in a trailing disposition to the housing, wherein the second base has a front surface configured to attach to the housing back surface, and a second base bottom surface for contacting the work piece surface, wherein the front surface meets the bottom surface of the second base to share a common edge, wherein the planing tool is disposed between the first base and the second base, the planer being configurable so that it can be moved by hand along the work piece surface with the first base leading, the second base trailing entirely behind the housing back surface, and the first and second bases guiding the planer along the work piece surface and the planing tool planing off a thickness of the work piece,
• wherein the second base is adjustable such that the second base is removable or movable between a position that provides an operable lengthened configuration to the planer and a position that provides an operable shortened configuration to the planer such that a length of the second base in guiding contact with the work piece surface is eliminated in the shortened configuration compared to the lengthened configuration,
• wherein, when in the lengthened configuration, the front surface of the second base is attached to the back surface of the housing,
• wherein, when in the shortened configuration, the first base and the planing tool are disposed in the housing and the planing tool is positioned within the housing at or near a trailing end of the housing back surface and the first base is leading the planing tool.