Thickness Planer Infeed/Outfeed Table

[Paul Kierstead]

Well, I am pretty tired of hefting my DeWalt thickness planer around and

-- even more -- babysitting the longer bits of wood as they go through. So, I want to add extension tables and put it in a more permanent place. The planer stays in the shop and I have wall space to spare, so portability is not a great concern (with one exception noted below).

I have looked at the FWW plan for an Infeed/Outfeed table (July 96 issue, also in one of the books I believe) and it looks like one way to go. However, its primary function seems to be reduction of snipe, which I don't have a great deal of trouble with. So the question is: Is this the best way to go? I am not real keen on the "through the planer" design, although perhaps it is the best way. Has anybody built this, or another version? I am looking for any input. I would build it a full 8', so that 4' (well, a little less) is on each side. I am guessing this would allow 6' boards or so to be planed easily. The exception to portability is for longer boards: I see a need, occasionally, to do 8' boards. In this case I may have to move the planer to a different location, so once in a blue moon it will have to be moved.

The other thing about this I was looking into is combining it with a chopsaw station. This would seem almost ideal to combine it with, though I am not 100% sure how it would work out. The chop saw is occasionally (a few times a year) taken out of the shop, so some level of portability would be nice.

Any help would be appreciated.

Paul Kierstead

[Bay Area Dave]

my DeWALT 733 finally got put on top of a mobile base about 16 months ago. that was ONE of my better ideas. I use roller stands for the longish boards. It can be rolled into position anywhere in the shop in a few seconds, and conversely, moved out of the way just as quickly.

dave

Paul Kierstead wrote:

[C Carruth]

I made the fliptop mobile planer stand, and what a great idea! Rolls around easily, and when in the stored position, creates a pretty big work desk. Easy to use - I recommend it highly!

[Edwin Pawlowski]

I've thought about doing just that, but I don't have the space for it. I'd build a bench along one wall and have the planer set in a recess. the miter saw in another. Ideally, you'd need a space twice the length of the longest board, plus the width of the planer. The board could feed across the miter saw either going in or out of the planer. Either could be yanked out if they had to be moved to another location. -- Ed [e-mail]

[Paul Kierstead]

That is pretty much the idea. I have a quite long wall available for this; I am more limited by the amount of work & wood I am willing to dedicate to this then the space. What I don't know is how much effort should go into the surface; and whether I really need to do a table "through the planer" design or whether some relatively simple adjustable tables (or even not adjustable) on either side would do the trick.

And I guess I am trying to get a feel for the pitfalls for before I fall into them :)

PK

[Ace]

Why don't you check out the plan for the planer table, -- On Wood Magazines or Plansnow.com -- I can't remember which. I think both are Wood Magazines site. The table has locking wheels with 2 fold down wings. I leave mine against my basement wall. I built it and I like it very much. I have never had a problem with snipe on my Dewalt 733.

[Jerry McCaffrey]

Paul Kierstead wrote in :

I currently have my planer lugged onto my shop table when I need it, spewing wood chips all over the shop. I've been thinking of the same thing, but thought of another weird idea. At work long ago I used to use a type writer table for a portable work area. I estimate it would hold the planer on the base stand with retractible rollers. It had two wings that snapped up for work area. With those blocked up to the correct height...a portable planer table with extensions. Looks like it is yard sale time or surplus office equipment to find one. Maybe that helps :) just a weird idea!

Jerry