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Thread: Using a planner to make identical board widths?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    Pittsburgh, PA
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    Using a planner to make identical board widths?

    Hi,

    It never occurred to me to set boards on edge and run them through my planner to end up with boards of identical width.

    A couple years ago someone mentioned doing this to me, and I tried it once and it seemed to work. The only advantage I see is perhaps having a smoother surface than a rip blade on the table saw would produce.

    The wood I tried was not that tall, probably 3/4 inch wide and less than 2 inches high.

    How crazy is this idea?

    The more I think about it, the crazier it becomes!

    Is there any real use for such a procedure? The more I think about it, the more I will just try to forget the idea!

    Unless i I am missing something!

    Bill
    Too much to do...Not enough time...life is too short!

  2. #2
    at 2 inches, I don't see much problem.

  3. #3
    Pretty much standard practice in professional shops. I usually gang my strips in groups of five or six. Also, when milling dozens or even hundreds of pieces, every operation done on the planer is one less exposure to the dreaded take saw blade.
    I usually like to rough size then do a finish pass on both edges.

  4. #4
    You can do that with wider pieces ,too. Just clamp a box type fence on a slight angle and the stock will be guided by it .
    Easy to run several pieces at one time.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Coppell, TX
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    Standard operation for me as stated by others

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2016
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    North -Eastern Ontario, Canada
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    Everything (and I mean everything) solid wood in our shop gets dressed all 4 sides. Even tall base boards, etc. Industry standard practice.

    Just grab enough pcs in width and guide them through together. If you start square and vertical, and your planer is decent, they wont want to tip over.

    We do the same with passing things through the wide belt sander also.
    Andrew J. Coholic

  7. #7
    SOP in shops that don't have a better option.

    I've been told it doesn't work as well when using in insert head because the angled knives will push the material around. I don't know if that's heresy or not. I have a curved knife planer, and back in the day that's how I sized all of my material for doors and face frame parts. I put as many pieces together as I could grip.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2016
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    North -Eastern Ontario, Canada
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    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Wasner View Post
    SOP in shops that don't have a better option.

    I've been told it doesn't work as well when using in insert head because the angled knives will push the material around. I don't know if that's heresy or not. I have a curved knife planer, and back in the day that's how I sized all of my material for doors and face frame parts. I put as many pieces together as I could grip.
    Works just fine in my Cantek with insert head. Never found any difference than my previous straight knife planer, in that respect.
    Andrew J. Coholic

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Coppell, TX
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    Also have an insert head and its never pushed the material anywhere

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Tasmania
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    This is a standard process. It is the only way you can guarantee identical dimensions. Get used to it and you won't believe you did without.
    The type of cutter block does not affect how the timber moves through the machine - it is the pressure bars before and after the cutter block that keep timber correctly aligned. Cheers

  11. #11
    I mostly do this with a thickness sander

  12. #12
    Join Date
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    I do it with a table saw followed up with a jointer if needed.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
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    I do it to all stock unless it's run through the shaper with an outboard fence.........Rod.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Kansas City
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    I do this routinely in my home shop with a lunchbox planer. Boards 4-6" wide, as long as they are reasonably close to each other in width. Table aprons mostly.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    NE Iowa
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Calow View Post
    I do this routinely in my home shop with a lunchbox planer. Boards 4-6" wide, as long as they are reasonably close to each other in width. Table aprons mostly.
    Yup. Standard operating procedure.

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