OK, today I got an e-mail, with some questions about my planer sled. Usually I just discard mail, unread, from unfamiliar senders. The subject caught my eye, so I checked it first. I wasn't terribly involved in anything, so I decided to respond, rather than just dumping it. I wan't say who it was from, or post his e-mail, but here's my reply.
First off, closing my eyes helps my visualizing any of my ideas. And, no, I don't use cam clamps.
If you're planing the edges, you could clamp several boards together, and run them thu the planer. I had thought about that, but didn't want any metal going thru my planer, just in case. So, I checked out planer sleds with google. Some used metal in t hem, some wedges, etc. Didn't really like any of them.
I think I used about an 18" chunk of 2" X 9" for the base. Then I took a chunk of 2X4 down to about 3/4", and glued it to one side of the base. This is the backer.
I had a batch of cam clamp parts I hadn't put together to make the actual clamps yet. So took two clamp jaws, with the cam in them, lined them up with the backer, and glued them in place on the front of the base, cam out.
The cam clamps are made from plywood, mostly scrap, whatever thickness I have around. Then a piece of wooden dowel, for the pivet. No metal in any of them.
When I want to edge plane pieces, I set them in edge on the sled, however many pieces I'm gong to do. If there's not enough for the clamp to put pressure on, I put some pieces of scrap in, until I can get pressure. Then run them thru. Gives a nice straight edge. I don't take a lot off in one go, so I swaps ends every time I send it thru. Then turn the pieces over, and do the other edge, same way. Then take them out, and run them thru flat.
The pieces I run thru are wide enough to stick up enough so there's no problem of the blades getting down to the clamp part, or the backer. But, even if they did, no metal, so no prob. I don't have any pictures of the sled. Might get around to taking some one day. But, I would think you should be able to make a similar one, no prob. I reposted cam clamp plans the other day.
Used Titebond II.
JOAT We will never have great leaders as long as we mistake education for intelligence, ambition for ability, and lack of transgression for integrity.
- Unknown