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  1. #1
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    Default Flattening rough stock with electric planer

    I want to dimension some rough stock that is really hard. I was going to use my bench thicknesser and hand tools, but I don't think either of those will last too long.

    I'm wondering whether I would have more luck with an electric planer. I see that there are carbide blades on the market. Will they work?

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  3. #2
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    They are not a very precise tool to use but good to remove stock
    You could consider removing the bulk with it and then running through your thicknesser but a bandsaw or table saw would be a better option in my opinion

  4. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Beardy View Post
    They are not a very precise tool to use but good to remove stock
    You could consider removing the bulk with it and then running through your thicknesser but a bandsaw or table saw would be a better option in my opinion
    Yea, I was just after a solution to remove rough stock. Using my thicknesser would be ideal, but I don't want anything except carbide to touch this timber. It is incredibly hard and siliceous. Do you think a bench thicknesser with HSS blades would be ok if I just take very light passes?

    I was going to use a router flattening sled for dimensioning. I wouldn't know how to use the tablesaw to joint the face.

    Also, do you know if carbide planer blades can be sharpened, or are they meant to be disposed of? How long can I expect a blade to last? Should I stick to good brands or go generic since they are disposable?

  5. #4
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    The blades are sharpenable but most use the disposable blades these days, they come standard on Makita planes, I haven’t checked but assume the others do the same. I just buy the genuine ones as they are very reasonable priced, haven’t tried the cheaper Ozito etc ones.

    The HSS blades would still do the job but will not hold their edge as long.

  6. #5
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    Electric hand planes are vicious little sods that can take an alarming amount of material away unless used with care, plus they are a good example of “you get what you pay for”. I’ve had several cheap brand units over the years but now have a pair of DeWalts; the cheap ones were pretty useless at getting anything flat or square but excelled in turning timber into chips.

    If the timber is rough sawn and very variable in its thickness then an electric hand plane can do the donkey work before you take it to the thicknesser. Just take light cuts no deeper than 1/2mm. When I dimension rough sawn slabs I first trim to a chalk line with a circular saw, then use the electric plane to skim off the high spots on one face, then using a long spirit level as a straight edge gently work the face flat-ish.... Flip the board over and draw a pencil line around all the edges parallel to the face you’ve just cleaned up and work the second face until you have reached the pencil line. Now you have a board which can be put through the thicknesser to finish the job.

    The blades for electric hand planes are cheap as chips now with tradies regularly using them for small trimming jobs on timber containing brads, screws and nails. Another reason for buying a quality brand is that the blades can be swapped out in seconds without faffing about setting the blade height relative to the sole.
    Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.

  7. #6
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    As others have said an electric plane is very good for cleaning up old wood before you let it near your good tools. If just using it this way then a cheap unit will do OK.
    You can use one to dimention stock if you follow the same method as with hand planes. It's been pointed out they can strip away your wood and ruin a job pretty fast but they can also be set to take a quite fine cut also. Perhaps a more up market brand if you go this way.
    Regards
    John

  8. #7
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    yoboseyo

    To my mind an electric hand planer is a hand held jointer and in theory you can use it to flatten one side. This in fact is the preferred method of thicknessing timber: Flatten one side and then you have a reference surface to thickness the other side.

    However, the problem is that most of the electric planers are only 84mm wide so the question is how wide is your timber? Small jointers are 150mm wide so you can see that a board wider than you planer is going to require two passes. You might still have to finish either with a hand plane or still make a pass on either side of your timber with the thicknesser. Hnad held planers also normally don't have too much in the way of weight. None of this is insurmountable.

    As various other people have mentioned a lot also depends on the quality of your planer. I note this is a few days after you have posted so perhaps you have already tackled the project. If so, how did you go?

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  9. #8
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    As various other people have mentioned a lot also depends on the quality of your planer. I note this is a few days after you have posted so perhaps you have already tackled the project. If so, how did you go?
    I haven't yet. I'm going to dress the easy timbers first and leave the hard stuff till later. I'm not sold on planing, because as you mentioned, I'm still going to have to joint a face after the planing.

    Hopefully after I'm done with the easy timbers I would've built a router sled or befriended a woodworker with a jointer or spiral thicknesser who accepts payments in beer

  10. #9
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    yoboseyo.
    Lets look at this another way. As you have a thicknesser it's kind of a shame not using it. After a clean up of the wood with a cheap electric plane. Can the blades on your thickie be sharpened? If so there are home made jigs that can allow you to do that yourself.
    Regards
    John

  11. #10
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    Default

    I do use the thicknesser - I use it on Vic Ash and jarrah. Just in this case I'll be using it on Cooktown Ironwood.

    The blades are removable. I haven't looked into sharpening, but I'll consider the jig idea. Now the thicknesser is missing the gauge tool for setting the blades, so I'm a bit reluctant to take blades out. The thicknesser model is the Ryobi AP13AK.

  12. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by yoboseyo View Post
    I do use the thicknesser - I use it on Vic Ash and jarrah. Just in this case I'll be using it on Cooktown Ironwood.

    The blades are removable. I haven't looked into sharpening, but I'll consider the jig idea. Now the thicknesser is missing the gauge tool for setting the blades, so I'm a bit reluctant to take blades out. The thicknesser model is the Ryobi AP13AK.
    Yoboseyo

    Is this the gauge tool that is missing?

    P1050620 (Medium).JPGP1050621 (Medium).JPG

    This is one from a pensioned off Timbecon version of the lunch box thicknesser, but I think they are all the same. If you think it will do the job, you are welcome to it. Just send me a PM with address details.



    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  13. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bushmiller View Post
    Yoboseyo

    Is this the gauge tool that is missing?
    Hi, that looks a lot like it! The only thing is that mine's the 318mm thicknesser and the Timbecon one is 330mm, but I compared pictures of the gauge tool and they look identical, as far as I can see. I'll shoot you a PM

  14. #13
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    I don't think that is an issue. The overall length of the setting tool is 225mm and it is probably produced to fit quite a range of similar machines.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  15. #14
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    I made a jig similar to this when I had my last thicknesser. It was the same as the Ryobi and I used Ryobi blades in it.
    DIY planer blade sharpening jig

    Plenty other jig ideas out there on line also.
    Sharpening your own really saves time as well as money. Good idea to have 2 sets of blades so you are always ready to go.

    Regards
    John

  16. #15
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    Default

    Hi John, would you be able to rehost those images on FOG? They show up as thumbnails but 404 to the full pic (I signed up to FOG, but it still won't show). Cheers

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