Planing thin stock........

[Butch Butler]

I have some 3/8" resawn mohogany stock that I need to plane to 1/4" for the "pigeon holes" in a small antique desk I'm restoring. I have seen a thread on one of the forums regarding using a "host board" or carrier stock to attach the thin stock to, but can't seem to find it anywhere. I totally understand the concept, but need help with attaching the two pieces of wood so I can avoid having them separate under the knives, yet be able to separate them once I reach the thickness I need. Someone mentioned a temporary spray adhesive and another mentioned double-sided tape. I'd like to know what experiences you've had - both successes and failures, and which way I should go......Thanks, Butch.

[glenn bradley]

Double stick tape comes in many thicknesses and textures. "Turner's Tape" which generally has a thin substrate would work (as opposed to carpet tape which has a fat millimeter of gummy substrate) but, I prefer 3M 77 spray adhesive. Not only is it much cheaper to use, but it is strong enough that it will hold firmly and can be removed if not left in place for hours. The trick is, of course, to hold tight enough to give consistent results but no so well that wood fibers are damaged during removal.

[Brad Patch]

If the host board is jointed and planed flat and the thin stock is flat send it thru the planer with no attachment, the feed rollers will keep the two pieces together. You may experience some snipe on either end of the thin stock. I use this method frequently with no problem.

[Walter Plummer]

Hi Butch. In our shop we use a piece of 1" plywood with a piece of 3/4" material screwed on the end to catch the edge of the planer table so the slave board does not pass through the planer. The stock is then just fed through normally on top of the slave board and planes fine. We have planed to 1/8" this way. The 1" thickness is rigid enough and makes the math simple. I think basically we are just taking the bed rolls out of the equation. Good luck, walt

[Jim Rimmer]

Hi Butch. In our shop we use a piece of 1" plywood with a piece of 3/4" material screwed on the end to catch the edge of the planer table so the slave board does not pass through the planer. The stock is then just fed through normally on top of the slave board and planes fine. We have planed to 1/8" this way. The 1" thickness is rigid enough and makes the math simple. I think basically we are just taking the bed rolls out of the equation. Good luck, walt

I'm being dense tonight. I don't understand what you're saying. You said the slave board doesn't go through but then you say the thin boards are fed through on top of it. Is the feedstock just sliding on the slave board? What pulls it through?

[Thomas Canfield]

Hi Butch. In our shop we use a piece of 1" plywood with a piece of 3/4" material screwed on the end to catch the edge of the planer table so the slave board does not pass through the planer. The stock is then just fed through normally on top of the slave board and planes fine. We have planed to 1/8" this way. The 1" thickness is rigid enough and makes the math simple. I think basically we are just taking the bed rolls out of the equation. Good luck, walt

With this idea, I would think that a piece of 3/4" Melamine would make a good "filler" board inside the planer throat and stay in position being fixed at the feed end. The slick surface of the Melamine would be better than a plywood surface unless that was coated with Shellac or similar and waxed.

[Bill Huber]

What planer do you have.

I have a lunch box, Ridgid and I can do down to 1/8" with no problem. I have never done 1/8" before but I have done 1/4" many times.

[Ernie Miller]

What planer do you have.

I have a lunch box, Ridgid and I can do down to 1/8" with no problem. I have never done 1/8" before but I have done 1/4" many times.

+1 - I have a lunch box planer (Delta) and routinely plane down to 1/8" without a sled.

[keith micinski]

While I have done 1/4 with my 735 I have had a few instances where it grabbed the in feed end and chewed it up. I would use double sided tape that any home improvement store sells. The dummy board latches on to the in feed side of the planer and runs all the way through to the other side. It doesn't get fed through though it just basically acts as a 1 inch raise. I like taping the leading edge down on really thin stock though and this doesn't solve that. I guess I don't know why you would use adhesive because then you have to mess around with getting it off of the board when done.

[Walter Plummer]

I'm being dense tonight. I don't understand what you're saying. You said the slave board doesn't go through but then you say the thin boards are fed through on top of it. Is the feedstock just sliding on the slave board? What pulls it through?

Sorry Jim, went to bed early. Yes the stock is fed through by the in feed roller on top of the slave board. As others pointed out waxing the board helps.

[Bobby O'Neal]

I've done 1/8 in my DW735 with no trouble. How thin is too thin? At what point do you start to use a sled?

[Curt Harms]

I agree with the others. I have Jet JJP-12 J/P and it will plane to <1/4" no problem. I'd do it in 2 or more passes though.

[Butch Butler]

Thanks Guys........lotsa good info in your responses.......Butch