Thread: Running boards on edge through thicknesser

I have done that, I prefer that way as long as I only have a small amount to remove.

Cheers Andrew

there are many ways you can do this
for me, if I need to remove a lot of material, I do it on my bandsaw and then thicknesser.

most thicknesser's capacity is 200-250mm high so if your board is higher than that then obviously you cant do it.

DS, there are a couple of safety concerns to consider with running boards on edge through a thicknesser, depending upon the ratio of the boards width to thickness.

Something like 42 x 19 mm is not such an issue but even 75 x 19 mm or wider starts to present a few nasty hazards.

1. controlling / supporting the board on edge so that it does not topple sideways,
2. preventing a kick back hazard,
3. access into the planer knives.

If the board topples sideways a little it is creating non-parallel edges and also means that the anti- kick back pawls will / may not engage effectively to prevent a kick back.

As always its an assessment of how stable the board will be, how likely is it to topple, or be thrown if there is gnarly grain etc. For boards likely to topple I would suggest using two parallel fences almost as high as the board is wide, and set a few millimetres wider than the boards thickness, to guide the board into and out of the thicknesser.

My first choice however would be the table saw.

Edit - my response was based on running single boards through.

Another method for running 'em through - if the boards are all to be the same width and you have a lot to run through - is to stack them on top of each other, until the stack height is at least roughly equivalent to the width.

Then screw a short scrap length vertically on each end. No need to screw every board, just a pair of screws into the bottom-most board and and a pair into to the top-most. Basically forming a frame that'll stop the rest of the boards from racking.

Generally best to cut any overhanging ends off the scrap pieces, to reduce chances of snagging something.

I have heard of people using short clamps instead of fixing scrap pieces but I very strongly recommend against this! That way lies disaster should a clamp vibrate loose while passing through... [shudder]

Originally Posted by DeeSki

Hi, rather than ripping on a tablesaw etc to create a parallel edge after jointing, I am considering cleaning up edges in the thicknesser.

Has anybody had good results with this?

Yep, did this pretty much daily at work. Once you start getting below 19mm thick, you have to watch for them wanting to feed on an angle, but I'd do 150 x 22 mm on edge easily.

If I have the option, and need consistent and and smooth edges, I stack as Skew suggests before cutting to final length then run a couple of screws through the stack face to face each end to maintain the stack. The screws are not a hazard to the cutters as the are parallel to and well away from them. Finally remove the screws and cut material to length trimming off the waste containing the screw holes. Avoids clamping the stack or screwing end blocks into end grain.

My personal choise is to run the boards thru the saw and then thru a table mounted router set to act as a jointer with as large a cutter as I have.

I have mounted a power feed on my router table to make this really easy if you have to make a lot of strips all sguare exactly the same size.

You thickness a board to final size, joint the edges on the router, cut off an over size strip from both edges and thickness them. Then repeat the sequence.

I did some today 190x34 spotted gum. Finished size was 180x34, but my thicknesser only goes to 182, so i set the spindle moulder up and took off 8mm, then the rest through the thicknesser. No problem at all.
if you want to dress thin wide boards through the thicknesser you can make a jig to hold them up easily. Just a piece of board the width of the table and a bit longer with a stopper cleat screwed at the infeed end, and then two pieces of say 70 x 35 screwed upright to the board with enough gap for your workpiece to pass through. Just remember to add the thickness of the base board to your finished size if you’re using the scale on the machine as your size reference.

Another option is to use a tracksaw. That will give you the parallel edges square to the face but might still want a run over with a plane if you want a better finish than the saw provides.

The responses have been both surprising and informative.

Surprising because I thought everyone used a table saw to cut to width, yet the responses suggest that it it quite common to use alternative methods. Elan having done it in a commercial setting certainly adds weight that it is an acceptable solution.

With many "how" posts having been shared, may I ask the respondents to fill me in as to why they prefer their thicknesser to a table saw for this task?

Originally Posted by LanceC

With many "how" posts having been shared, may I ask the respondents to fill me in as to why they prefer their thicknesser to a table saw for this task?

I generally prefer to use the TS over the thicknesser as I'm a hobbyist these days. There are benefits and hazards in using both machines so for experienced operators or in commercial settings it becomes a cost vs benefit vs risk decision. Decades in the past we used the DeWalt radial arm docking saw in rip mode for this task. Times have changed and so has the availability and quality of machinery.

I can't really remember any hobbyists with wood lathes or a TS, RADS, Jointer & Thicknesser in the 1960's & 70's, most clubs were still a concept in a few progressive minds back then..

Taking thin edge rips off boards using a TS can be a very dusty operation and may present a higher risk to fingers so some may consider it to be more "hazardous" than the thicknesser which may have a far higher dust / shavings capture than the TS & no risk to fingers if used correctly.

Lance,

The finish from my thicknesser is much better than that of the table saw. Plus I think the thicknesser is more accurate for final dimensioning in terms of obtaining parallel and square faces.

I do use my table saw to square up thin sections quite often but I usually cut slightly oversize. I have found the longer the length of timber the greater chance of it running slightly out of dimension on the table saw. Possibly (or likely) it is operator error on my part. I run it though the thicky on edge for final dimensioning to correct any errors on the table saw.

I have in the past clamped a number of thin pieces together with small G-clamps at each end and run them on edge through the thicky. Like skew said in his reply, I pray the clamps don't vibrate loose.

Just my 2c worth

Twosheds

I don’t even have a table saw at the moment, everything is rough rip on the bandsaw and through the thicknesser for me. If its a slab or sheet goods, I use the track saw.

Originally Posted by LanceC

The responses have been both surprising and informative.

Surprising because I thought everyone used a table saw to cut to width, yet the responses suggest that it it quite common to use alternative methods. Elan having done it in a commercial setting certainly adds weight that it is an acceptable solution.

With many "how" posts having been shared, may I ask the respondents to fill me in as to why they prefer their thicknesser to a table saw for this task?

I’ll only rip the piece down if it’s going to be a decent sized off cut that can be used for something else and then I will put it through the thicknesser to get a nice finish