Thread: Trouble preparing western red cedar with a planer/jointer

This dilemma of mine is more than likely a simple newbie error that skilled woodworkers would take for granted, if that's what it is i don't mind being told.
Would really like to make a dent in the milling tomorrow.

BTW did experiment some with infeed heights with no advantage.

Hmmm. Interesting.

The blades might be new; but how sharp are they? The only comparable experience I've had was recently surfacing some Huon Pine boards. I thought the blades were plenty sharp. But I was wrong.

I turned them over (these are Tersa blades) and it sang through the timber. Blunter blades seem to be less of an issue on hardwoods. Go figure!

They seemed very sharp Mark.
Will check the blade settings first up but pretty sure they are right as the pine came out great.

This is a common problem with soft timbers like cedars. The trick is a super slick table surface and then a waxing. You may need to buff your table surfaces to create the slickness required, a scotch brite pad will do the trick. Paraffin wax the freshly buffed table surface and buff. Now apply a squiggle of wax to either the table surface or the face of the timber to be planed, a thick candle is handy here.
You should now be able to feed with speed.

If you still have problems with the feed after getting all anal with the table, do you have any sheets of ply lying around? Something you can make a sled from? (MDF would also do, but tends to be heavy.)

Cut a length @ 2.4m x (slightly under max width the planer can handle) and run it through. If it doesn't stick on the first side, wax the freshly cut surface, flip it and run it through again, just to ensure the ply isn't of wonky thickness.

It's a PITA having to put both the timber AND the sled though, slowing things down... but if it's faster than not getting the wood through at all, well...

One other thing I thought of; are you pushing against the fence? As counterintuitive as this may sound; it is easier using the fence, especially with the broader surface area of wider boards.

Thank you gents.
First up I went over the blades again to have them just moving a straight edge, rather than being same height as outfeed, then started off with 900mm lengths and all was going OK with just a hint of 'sticking'.

Realized to myself at the time, yesterday, I was "over doing things". Almost all the timber I've worked with has been (cheap) recycled and ply, so with this expensive wood I was over compensating, yes Mark, pushing against the fence and down to hard . The long lengths I still had some trouble with but not like yesterday.

Yes rustynail my effort of cleaning and waxing the tables was not to the spec you suggest, so will attend to that.

Hopefully I'll not need the sled Andy Mc as all pieces have now 2 sides flat and square.

I have more questions re building this door so I might open a new thread.

Thanks again blokes.

I read thicknesser for some reason.

Whoops

Wax the fence as well.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

I read thicknesser for some reason.

Whoops

Well handy to know if i have this problem with the thicknesser

Originally Posted by rustynail

Wax the fence as well.

Did splash a bit on there but will be far more thorough now