Terminology question

**barrysumpter** · 18th May 2000, 10:01 AM

Could anyone please tell me the general gist of the difference between a planer, a buzzer, and a thicknesser?

Much appreciated,
Barry G. Sumpter

**RETIRED** · 18th May 2000, 07:38 PM

Gooday.

Planer is Yankee

for thicknesser. It is used to dimension timber that is parallel and an even thickness or width.

Buzzer is a jointer: used to get a board flat on one face (the wide bit)and to form an angle on one edge (normally at right angles) in relation to the jointed face. This is done before thicknessing.

------------------
Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"

**barrysumpter** · 18th May 2000, 08:12 PM

Thanks I was hoping youd be the one to answer this.

I'm in the market to purchase a planer. Should I worry about the buzzer part/step?

Thanks in advance,
baz

**RFNK** · 19th May 2000, 12:11 AM

Barry, If you don't use a jointer to make sure your stock is dead flat, when you run it through the thicknesser you could simply have a wavy or twisted board with lovely parallel faces provided by your thicknesser. If you don't use a jointer for such material, you have to fix it to a flat board and run the whole lot through the thicknesser. Very time consuming! Rick

**Kevan** · 20th May 2000, 11:24 AM

What are you wanting to do?
If you you are buying DAR (dressed all round)timber in standard thickneses and simply want to reduce the thickness for various projects then a planer (thicknesser, thickness planer) is what you need. This is on the proviso that the timber is straight when you buy it. For example taking a length of pre-dressed 19mm thick timber down to 15mm thickness is best done with a planer.

If you want to machine your own DAR timber, say from recycled sources, then you really need both a planer and a jointer. You could get away with just a jointer but it is difficult to dress large quantities of timber to a uniform thickness using only a jointer.

I have only a jointer and feel that this is the way to go if you can only afford one machine initially. The jointer is more versatile in my opinion. My projects tend to utilise standard thicknesses obtained off the rack (eg 12mm, 19mm, 30mm).

**barrysumpter** · 22nd May 2000, 09:30 AM

Wow! Thanks for all the excellent replys gentlemen.

I've got about 40 rough pieces (some very rough) of meribu kwai (spelling?) which are anywhere between 4-12" inches wide and 2 to 4 meters long.
I've also got about 70 Tasi Oak picket fence palings which have turned grey on the outside. And would only need the slightest amount removed.
I'm also interested in improving my furniture projects. First by thicknessing then by 120 grit sanding.
I just came from the Triton Users Group Holmesglen (third sunday of every month) where they were demonstraing the planer attachment for the triton. Which really is a thicknesser because of the way it was set up. The result was fantastic! Even before sanding.
Didn't think to ask about the jointing feature.
Thanks again everyone,
Barry G. Sumpter

**knuckles** · 22nd May 2000, 11:16 AM

<html>

<body>

KWILA

</body>

</html>

**RETIRED** · 22nd May 2000, 07:17 PM

Gooday.

Barry, Merbau is known as Kwila in some states.

Sort of like Pacific Maple is Meranti.

------------------
Ian () Robertson
"We do good turns every day"

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