Thread: Managing l-o-n-g boards when planing.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

So how do you manage long (and longer) boards?
Derek

Cut 'em shorter.

Since most of the things I make have parts less than 1.2m long, I try to cut boards into roughly finished lengths for the reasons you've outlined, and because it's much quicker, easier, and less wasteful to flatten/straighten a short part of a curve. But occasionally, of course, you have to leave a board long for some unavoidable reason. The bed-extensions on my jointer earn their keep, then, but if it's more than 150mm wide, it's back to the steak and patatoes-driven machinery to get the job done.
I can get 2M between dogs on my bench, so up to that length I'm ok - over that, it's a matter of using clamps on the bench tops, and all sorts of ingenuity and bad language. Fortunately, I've rarely needed to do it.
Cheers,

The hardest part is making sure I have 9 feet of clearance beyond the blade on my jointer

Seriously, I could not plane a board that long in my current bench set up because one end is against the wall and there is another bench in the way at the other end. Boards of up to 6 feet I can plane by clamping one end in the vice and either resting the other end on a drawer pulled put out slightly from the cabinet under the bench, or clamping it against the side of the bench.

Get yourself an outfeed roller stand and set it to the height of the outfeed side of your buzzer table. Record make a nice roller stand. I've found I can plane 3-4m length boards no problem. I use the same roller stand on the outfeed side of my table saw (panel saw) when cutting wide panels. And to support long rails or door styles when I'm clamping them into a morticing jig. Etc. They're handy little things.

I've done it heaps of times, mostly making timber masts and stuff, by clamping between two workmates, with sandbags on them.

Given the usual state of tune of my usual weapon, the Stanley #4, mostly this also involves judicious use of the foot to keep the thing steady, and it goes without saying that I'm not working to .020mm tolerances!!

(See workmate thread...)

P

I edge joint on my sawbench.
For long lengths I just add an extension to the fence.
I joint faces with my thicknesser.

My bench is 2.4m long no worries! I like the look of the Lee Valley roller stand though, for the thicknesser. Check it out - looks to be good value too.


http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,240,41060

Like Midge, I use two Workmates (actually, I've got one old Workmate and two cheap knock-offs). With a bit of additional weight on the steps and with one foot holding things in place, this works reasonably well.

Incidentally, Derek, why are you planing such long boards to make a bed for your young bloke? I've met him and he's not 9 feet tall!

Col

Hi Derek,

I add an extension to the face vise that is just a coupla pieces of wood with a few dog holes. This gives the necessary extension to my tail vise. I think it might have been in MoW in FWW at some time. Will post a pic when I get around to it. I like it though - works well for me.

All the best,

Chris

Incidentally, Derek, why are you planing such long boards to make a bed for your young bloke? I've met him and he's not 9 feet tall!

Col, he's really shot up in the past few months. We've signed a contract with a major basketball manufacturer that will pay him many squillions in the future, and he's only 12 years old now! I'm convinced it is the hormones in the chicken that is responsible (and more likely the takeout hot chips), or otherwise it was the postie.

Best

Derek

Hi Chris

I look forward to seeing your pictures. I could do with a longer bench, but do not think that this is the solution for edge planing where boards are not flat (yet).

Regards from Perth

Derek

I know, I know, they is made by Triton but these stands are excellent.

http://www.triton.net.au/products/ms_2.html

Originally Posted by Sprog

I know, I know, they is made by Triton but these stands are excellent.

http://www.triton.net.au/products/ms_2.html

I've got a pair of these, very handy!

I've never needed to tackle a 9 foot board, I can't wait to see pics of the young bloke when he outgrows it.

My bench is around 7ft long, Record front vice plus a row of dog holes along the front with a home made hold down lets me clamp up to about 8ft, (2.4m for the imperially challenged) wothout too many probs.

Getting an 8ft shaving is more a challenge.

Now Derek

You must think we all came down in the last shower. Come on, admit it. This thread wasn't started to find out how others plane long boards - it is really to show off a 9 foot shaving at 2 thou. I bet you have shown it off to anyone who comes within 50 metres of your garage.

Cheers