Running edges through a planer..

[Wayne Lomman]

Sure you can dimension your boards on a table saw if you don't mind sawn finish and you are not trying to produce consistent square or nearly square profiles. Note that in my post above I prefer sawn finish for certain applications. However, to produce a reliable say 70 x 70, it is necessary to joint face and edge and then plane parallel.

Also, there seems to be a belief that timber is planed and then taken back to the saw for trimming to size. This is not correct. Timber needs to be rough dimensioned to +5mm on the saw before dressing with the jointer and planer. This is the only way one ends up with straight timber as the internal stresses are relieved before dressing.

As to speed, what is quicker, 5 or 10 at a time through the planer or 1 at a time through the saw? We all do it our own way, but let's do it by choice not because we were never shown any other way. Cheers

[Rick Fisher]

Bigger planers use Segmented feed rollers for running multiple boards through at once. Edges is a prime example of when that's really handy.

[Martin Wasner]

You won't find a commercial shop that doesn't and is still in business.

Or, they've found something better.

[keith micinski]

Sure you can dimension your boards on a table saw if you don't mind sawn finish and you are not trying to produce consistent square or nearly square profiles. Note that in my post above I prefer sawn finish for certain applications. However, to produce a reliable say 70 x 70, it is necessary to joint face and edge and then plane parallel.

Also, there seems to be a belief that timber is planed and then taken back to the saw for trimming to size. This is not correct. Timber needs to be rough dimensioned to +5mm on the saw before dressing with the jointer and planer. This is the only way one ends up with straight timber as the internal stresses are relieved before dressing.

As to speed, what is quicker, 5 or 10 at a time through the planer or 1 at a time through the saw? We all do it our own way, but let's do it by choice not because we were never shown any other way. Cheers

So so there is something wrong with my saw setup because it gives me perfectly square consistent edges every time I use it. I almost understand the speed argument when doing large batches of the same dimension, even though you have to first rip all of that material close to its final dimension in the first place so why not just rip it to its final dimension then and be done with it. Milling rough sawn wood multiple times with drying time in between is great in theory, I wonder how many people or businesses actually make money doing it that way. It does sound like for a large batch of parts most professional shops use this method to increase efficiency. Never worked in a professional shop so that must be where the disconnect is.

The argument I don't understand is the quality and consistencey issue. If anything my planer leaves the same or less of a quality edge as every once in a while I may still get a small amount of snipe from time to time and the serations from the out feed roller definitely show on the piece. What are you guys doing to your table saws that they can't make a repeatable glue line cut?

[Wayne Lomman]

Note on both previous posts that I quite openly say there are tasks where a sawn edge is acceptable and even preferable. I do that with no problem. It is the best way to achieve a result especially edge gluing. However edge gluing is only one task. There are plenty of other tasks that aren't edge gluing.

It also seems that there is some misunderstanding of how timber is efficiently processed. Timber is milled once green, seasoned and then sawn to size for working in the shop. How this can be turned into multiple sawing tasks beats me. Professional shops don't waste effort. I strongly suggest anyone who hasn't ever seen the inside of a professional shop should try to organise a visit and see how it is done.

If your feed roller serrations show, you aren't taking enough of a cut.

Look at my recent posts as to dealing with snipe. If you can't get rid of it after that, allow a little extra length. Cheers

[Wayne Lomman]

Or, they've found something better.

Please let us know the better way. Genuine question by the way. Cheers

[Evan Stewart]

Sure you can dimension your boards on a table saw if you don't mind sawn finish and you are not trying to produce consistent square or nearly square profiles. Note that in my post above I prefer sawn finish for certain applications. However, to produce a reliable say 70 x 70, it is necessary to joint face and edge and then plane parallel.

Also, there seems to be a belief that timber is planed and then taken back to the saw for trimming to size. This is not correct. Timber needs to be rough dimensioned to +5mm on the saw before dressing with the jointer and planer. This is the only way one ends up with straight timber as the internal stresses are relieved before dressing.

As to speed, what is quicker, 5 or 10 at a time through the planer or 1 at a time through the saw? We all do it our own way, but let's do it by choice not because we were never shown any other way. Cheers

This is exactly why I use this site!! Based on the ongoing thread asking about people's ages i am fairly young in this field and even though I have been successful in creating product I am very aware that there are countless ways to improve quality and efficiency. Just because I was shown methods or acquired them on my own that have worked doesn't mean that those methods are the best ones.

I have only been an active member on this site for about a month and i can say with out a doubt that by instituting some of the suggestions given to me progress on my current project has been improved. Thank you all for sharing your experience.

[Martin Wasner]

Please let us know the better way. Genuine question by the way. Cheers

S4S machine or moulder.

I dimension stock on a shaper and an outboard fence. I would call that a lateral move from using a planer. Better quality cut basically impossible to be out of square, and a very small amount of straightening ability. The process isn't as fast, but secondary and tertiary operations go more smoothly calling it a wash in my book. It's basically a little more idiot proof is all.

I ran stuff on edge through the planer for a decade, but I prefer the shaper.

[Bradley Gray]

I prefer to use my thickness sander - same method as planer - no tear out or ridges.

[Martin Wasner]

The speed is probably very marginally slower. I think I'm running the shaper at 33fpm, my old planer was at 16fpm. So on the shaper I'm doing 2 parts in the amount of time I would do 5 in the planer. But, with the shaper there is basically zero empty machine time. I'm loading the next piece before the prior one is done. Everything is end to end. That's tough to do by yourself with a planer.

A running machine that isn't cutting wood drives me crazy.

[jack duren]

I prefer to use my thickness sander - same method as planer - no tear out or ridges.

Not as consistent as a planer....

[Joe Calhoon]

Please let us know the better way. Genuine question by the way. Cheers

This is how we do it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RA-BosQ06Ew

Before this we always used the jointer and planer. Still do occasionally. I've had a lot of planers over the years and some keep stock on edge square better than others.

[scott vroom]

I edge plane face frames, rails/stiles, drawer boxes on a 4 post 15" planer with spiral cutter. I first straight line on the TS then rip to final width + 1/8", then face joint if needed, then finish up thicknessing faces and edges on the planer. For me, edge planing groups of boards is faster and less tedious than edge jointing one board at a time. I'm not a production shop and pretty much do what feels best, which is not always the quickest or fastest. One of the advantages of only answering to myself.

That Martin T90 in Joe's vid is awesome but probably costs more new than most or all of my tools put together

[Evan Stewart]

I just ran 3 test pieces 96" long. The first piece was jointed and run through table saw. The second piece was run through table saw then jointed. The third piece was run through table saw, jointed and run through planer. Based on the results the third piece clearly had more square edges both visiably and to the touch. The dimension was also far more consistent planing both sides with deviations of .09mm or less beyond areas effected by snipe. There where deviations of up to 1 mm by using table saw after jointing. There where deviantions of .5-.7mm using jointer after table saw. I would assume that if my planer was tuned better even these deviations could be improved and the roller marks and snipe could be reduced.

I was tought that the correct process was plane, joint 1 edge, use that edge against fence and rip off the opposite edge. Even after it became obvious that i was experiencing difficulties and I consulted books and online other online sources this was generally the process listed. Using this method has created a significant amount of extra secondary work to fix deficiencies. I cant even count the number of times that I adjusted my table saw fence and jointer because I wasnt getting the results I wanted. One thing that is beyond question for me is that investing time on preparation always translates into time saved during building. Im sure this all seems like basic common knowledge to most but I do appreciate people being willing to help those of us with less experience.

[lowell holmes]

If the jointer does not give me the edge I want, I hit with a hand plane. Hand planing will leave very smooth edges.