New planer - advice before I use it?

[Michael Faurot]

You probably all ready know this one, but for the original poster, this might be new . . .

Typically, you don't want to put anything through the planer that's less than about 12". If you do need to plane something that is less than 12", an easy and safe way to do it is to glue on some side runners that are 12" long. If you've got a piece that's say 6" long and then add two 12" pieces on each of the edges, it might look something like this bit of ASCII art:

+-+ +-+ | | | | | | | | | | | | | |+------+| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |+------+| | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-+ +-+

After getting the piece to the desired thickness, just cut off the side runners.

[mac davis]

Thanks.. sort of why I asked, because the planer doesn't have much of a manual, but suggested something like that to keep rollers clean..

Seemed like they were saying that it helps the rollers either during or after use, couldn't really be sure..

Closest Home Depot is over 3 hours away and involves a border crossing that isn't tool friendly, so I want try to prevent as many 'operator errors" as I can...

mac

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[mac davis]

It sounds like I need to run a DC hose outside... sort of an interesting logistical problem in the world of durawall houses and scorpions.. *g*

The exact reason for this thread... IMO, it's better to ask a stupid question then make a mistake because you were too stupid to ask...

Central. Could be more of a problem if

Yep.. unless they send it by mail, which ridgid won't, I have stuff like that sent to someone in the states and then brought or mailed down...

It seems like a real nice machine.... I was trying to get the Dewalt with 3 blades on a lot of recommendations here, but the ridgid was rated really high, less bucks and it's a lot easier to get HD stuff here than Delta or Dewalt... (it's a bitch getting jet parts for the lathes)

Thanks.. I feel a lot better already and trying to figure out which project for the wife is next.. lol

mac

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[mac davis]

I considered one, Mike, but don't have the budget for one yet... or the room, until I sell or give away the RAS and bench TS...

I've made an adjustable "jointing fence" for the TS from ideas ripped off from 2 or 3 wREC'ers web sites...(thanks Morris) I think that will get me by as long as I'm using lumber yard stock..

mac

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[mac davis]

Thanks... this planer comes with a pretty trick setup for DC... has a sort of shroud that fits 4" hose on one end and 2 1/2" on the other, with a reversible cap to plug the one you're not using..

I guess the reason that I wasn't going to use the DC was that everyone refers to "shavings" and I know that a DC on a lathe is useless because it just clogs the hose with shavings... I would hope that the shavings from the planer are shorter/smaller, especially with light cuts..

mac

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[mac davis]

lol.. one of my turning mentors lives in NY and says that the shaving on the floor keep his feet warm... Must be a bitch when you drop something in the shavings, though... especially if it's not something that you can find with a magnet..

In the states, 4 or 5 inches of shavings around the lathe was pretty normal, and when I was turning green stuff I had shaving on the bench, tools, ceiling, etc...

Different in the new house because the shop is inside the house and I try to keep stuff from getting tracked into the other rooms.. I wanted to spray endust on a couple of the cats that hang out in the shop, but my wife sort of lost her sense of humor when I suggested that...

mac

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[Lowell Holmes]

I always wear safety glasses (habit while in the shop) and hearing protection. I have prescription safety glasses, with side shields.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I made one pass on my planer and the next day I bought a DC. May not be a problem where you are, but it was a potential mess here.

[Lew Hodgett]

I operate my planer outside, no DC necessary; however, a broom, shovel, and a couple of plastic garbage cans are helpful, no, make that mandatory.

Lew

[J T]

Sun, Jun 24, 2007, 9:52am (EDT-1) [e-mail] (Michael=A0Faurot) If you do need to plane something that is less than 12", an easy and safe way to do it is to glue on some side runners that are 12" long.

I made a nifty planer sled that clamps the piece in, no gluing needed. Works like a charm. The planer sled is 100% wood, held together by glue, 100% wood cam clamps.

JOAT If a man does his best, what else is there?

- General George S. Patton

[J T]

Sun, Jun 24, 2007, 8:23am (EDT-3) [e-mail] (mac=A0davis) doth sayeth: Must be a bitch when you drop something in the shavings, though... especially if it's not something that you can find with a magnet..

Tell me about it. Which is why I made a "sifter". I dump a handful of sawdut/shavings in, sift, dump the siftings into a bucket, repeat, until I find whatever. As long as I've got a fair idea of where it dropped it doesn't take too long.

JOAT If a man does his best, what else is there?

- General George S. Patton

[Morris Dovey]

| I made a nifty planer sled that clamps the piece in, no gluing | needed. Works like a charm. The planer sled is 100% wood, held | together by glue, 100% wood cam clamps.

Can/would you post photos? I've thought about doing this, but never managed to come up with a design I thought would be worth building...

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[C & E]

I wouldn't be too quick to sell the RAS, Mac. I find it to be one of my most used saws for cut offs. You can lose the bench top TS, for sure.

[C & E]

I have only had 'shaving' issues with pine which produce wider and longer shavings. Hardwoods produce small cuttings and are not an issue.

[Jerry - OHIO]

Don't plane boards to remove paint or used wood with grit on it unless you like to replace blades .

Jr

[mac davis]

It just takes up too much room and needs to much attention...

I got it a few years ago at a garage sale and fixed it up.... It was probably worth more than the $50 I paid for it, but not much, and the move down here and months of no use (while waiting for electricity) and getting banged around haven't helped it...

Looking at redoing the table, cleaning and aligning everything and all the other wish & prayer stuff involved with a RAS, I'd rather have the vacant space in the carport...

Funny, most of us say we need a bigger shop... I never thought that a 40' x 15' carport might be a bit small...

mac

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[mac davis]

hmm... part of my plan to provide a source of mulch to the desert??

I'll have to work out a way to get a dc hose or pipe through the wall of the shop..

mac

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[mac davis]

I'll be working mostly with pine here, so I'll keep that in mind...

mac

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[mac davis]

yeah... I've done about the same thing.. had to find a brass pen bushing...

mac

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[mac davis]

great ad, bro... I want one!

It sounds like something I'm going to need, since one of the reasons for the planer is getting into laminated or segmented bowls...

Got any pictures or such, so I can make one?

mac

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