Park 12" Planer

[John Bailey]

Does anyone know if the old Parks 12" planer had only a 4" height capacity?

John

[Bill Simmeth]

Yes, it is/was rated at 4" depth in it's various incarnations (Parks/Sears/convertible). There's an excellent survey/history of the planer, which is quite sought after, here...
http://www.owwm.com/Parks/Survey/Default.asp

[John Bailey]

Thanks Bill,

It is quite a sight. I never thought of myself as an old iron type, but after working with my 1950's DeWalt RAS I'm becoming a believer.

John

[pat warner]

I can eke out 4-5/8. To be sure, 6"+ would have been appreciated.
Pix and utility at the material prep link.

[John Bailey]

Pat,

Thanks for the information. The planer looks great, but I am concerned about the height. I'll just have to keept contemplating. It's easier than buying.

John

[Dev Emch]

Hey John...

What is the model number of your DeWalt RAS? Dialed in, isnt that quite the saw! Mine is a GE that I found rusting under a tree with a 7.5 hp motor. This big snout monster can plow dados into full kitchen cabinets in one pass.

The Parks was a good planer. Its small and lightweight and as such, was thickness limited. As you go wider and thicker, you need more mass to keep from tipping over. I would not wish to run an 8 inch thick plank through a planer the size and weight of a Parks! For doing lightweight cabinet work, its great.

When you move up, you get to three phase power and much heavier machines. I know its expensive, but have you looked at the general 14 inch planer made in Canada? Many of the same old iron features of the parks but it can handle more capacity. No plastic.. no glitz... just hard core old school machine work! And this one is still made today although finding them used is not easy!

Another one worth looking into is the powermatic 100 planer. Slightly larger than the parks planer. If you can bridge the three phase dilema, then you can consider the oliver 399 which was an 18 inch planer. Awsome!

These all had modern features. I am working, as time allows, on the restoration of a 1904 Fay & Egan 20 inch planer. Lots of tiny cracked iron parts however which requires much milling machine work. But this beastie was line shaft driven. Now if only the females would lighten up on the honey do list and allow me do what I want to do!

[Richard Wolf]

Come on Dev, some of us are visually handicapped and need pictures. It's time to post some pics of your shop, machines, work, you, and your operations. How about it?

Richard

[Alan Turner]

Hey Richard, can I join in your "Show me" chant to Dev?

[Dev Emch]

I know, I know, I working on it. Here is the last photo i posted elsewhere on the forum...

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t=23320&page=2

This is a white knuckle photo not for the faint of heart! If you have an issue with white knuckle experiences, dont look at this photo!

Will try to get more photos. Got to get some T-17 photos tonight and I will try to get some bandsaw cuttin' pictures today as well. Started cloning a clone of an old Henry front end loader for the orange tractor in this picture. This egyptian pyramid moving stuff is getting old... show me Da Hydraulics Now! My loader should have no problem picking up 4500 pounds to trailer height...

Also, I am going to get some pix of my kindt collins disc sander...

One day I will start buidling a new shop like the one Garret Hack built. But for now, I have to live in my crowded environment. Pix comming....


Dev

[John Bailey]

Dave,

Sounds like you have a good project going. The reason I got interested in the Parks is that I want a small planer, but don't really want a lunchbox. I don't have need or space for a large planer, but I tend to like heft. So, adding small and hefty, the sum kept coming up Parks. I'll have to look into the Powermatic. Is that a 12" also? I've seen the General. Like all the General products, it makes me drool!! However, that isn't, and won't be, in the budget.

John

[Dev Emch]

Yes. The powermatic 100 is beefy and its a 12 incher as I recall. Another often overlooked option is the William & Hussey moulder. This moulder has only a single axis and cutter which is top cut, horizontal. Its about the size of a planer and if you use straight knives, it is a planer. But you can also swap in profile knives. Very small and lightweight realitvely speaking. But used ones are hard to find.

[Bill Simmeth]

The Powermatic 100 is a 12" machine and is rated at 5" thickness.

I can't say enough good things about my W&H moulder - as a light duty moulder. I ran over 3,000 lin ft of German-lap siding with custom knives on it last summer for the Victorian we restored for our offices. It matched the original siding nicely. We also matched a bunch of exterior and interior mouldings. As a planer, though, the W&H would do in a pinch, but it will only handle just under 7" width. That's a bit limiting as a general purpose planer. It can handle 8" thickness, though!

[John Bailey]

Dave,

My DeWalt is the MB-F 9" model. Not close to the behemoth you've got. But it's just what I wanted. And you're right, it works. Still can't figure how a 3/4 hp motor powers through (I know that's a relative term) wood better than the 2.5 hp motor that was on the Craftsman.

John