Thanks Casey, Although I wouldn't be quite so harsh, there are many folks wanting to learn, experiment, try out new things. When someone has taken the trouble to post genuine critisium, it does give me the opportunity to explain further. Sometimes when I think up new ways of doing things it can be a bit of a challange to established ways of working that others have used for years.
Hi Peter, Good Question. The referance board I use is PSE from a timber merchants with Quater sawn grain so its not bad. Although it's not perfect it works because the planer only "sees" the thickness that's passing through it. So as long as the referance board is flat when you position the wedges the board will come out good. Try it and see what you end up with, you could then use the one just planed as the referance board, repeat as required to get it flatter every time. Good luck.
Great idea. Something that I'll remember to do when planing rough boards that a slightly warped. Beats having to use a hand plane or router jig for a small board.
Nice technique :-) I've seen something similar which saves you marking the face of the timber with a screw and fiddling with wedges, where you hot glue gun an upright straight thin strip of material either side of the board then pass through the thicknesser a few times until its took off the high points of your board - the upright glued on strips prevent it from flexing n the planer bed. Then simply rip off the strips on our table saw after you're done - voila!
I find using the (jointer) part of the machine to get a flat surface takes a lot of skill and consitency of hand applied pressure, its even harder on longer boards. This technique takes all the guess work out the job so that is why I prefer to do it this way. So I don't think you've missed anything and the thicknesser does give you parallel edges, in this case exactly parallel to the referance board every time.
Nice job. I use the same technique, but I have a box full of small wedges, each about an inch long. These make fitting to the gaps a bit easier. But does your thicknesser not have a feed table? It makes life loads easier.
Cheers Robert, It looks the comment isn't showing - too many negative votes. You are right, good crafts people are the ones who have always and are still prepared to learn from others. "on the shoulders of giants". I wouldn't put myself in the expert category but I do like to pass on what I've learnt from others or by trial and error and thinking around problems. It's great to get constructive critisum and additions to our collective knowledge bank, unfortunately some don't see it the same.
Makes sense... I will straighten a couple of 2x2s on my tablesaw by screwing a plywood straight edge on it, and then fixing that to a melamine board from an old IKEA shelving unit. Of course you are right - it only has to be straight when fixing the cupped/warped board to the "sled". Thanks
@donepearce Thanks, yep I can see how the small wedges would work just as well maybe even easier. The thicknesser doesn't have feed table and I've often thought a longer steel plate added to the rising table might be an advantage. I don't know if the rising mechanisum is strong enough to take the extra tiliting force this might put on it. It's certainly not a perfect machine but I do get good enough results out of it as it is.
@christhesnaildriver , Well spotted, there's actually a CX custom and the Silver Wing in the process of being triked. Video of the trikes first run is now on my channel. I'm not in any club, just occassionally I manage a few rallys n beers with mates.
Lesosibirsky (LDK) u/s!!! great choice of timber, Try finding Taiga LDZ/ Ilim timber (**ny** marking), much better sorting than every other large mill. Beware of the moisture content of russian timber, it tends to be inconsistent.
Damn it.. I am with Kyle... why did I think of this.. although I have one board that is super warped that I can not do this to because it would make it to thin.. thanks..
How do maintain, or indeed produce, the reference board... I mean - solid timber of that length - doesn't it warp? How did you make it? I was thinking of laminating 2 pieces of melamine together, but i don't have a single 100% flat surface to do that on either :).
Hi Peter, I am intrigued on how to straighten timber on the table saw. I have been wondering if this is possible, do you have any more information on this technique? Or anyone else for that matter. Thanks in advance.
To straighten an edge on a table saw is doable. The face? Not as easy. If you don't have a thickness planer but you do have a router that's a possibility.
It sounds like you've got it sorted. Why not do a quick video to show us how it all comes together, you can link it a video response to this. There's plenty of folks interested in these kind of solutions.
how come you stopped doing videos you got some really great videos very informative stuff just curious also just subscribed hope you do more videos and then near future
I have been busy with the Whitby cottage renovation, that done I've got footage ready for editing. The next project is a timber framed conservatory. I've also got the sliding sash windows to do and leaded glass. All I need is the time . Thanks for asking.
iDoStuff niiice! That should be interesting..look forward to seeing it! Yea never enough time in a day. And videos take forever to upload wish it was faster..thanks for reply
shoot - I watched this video 2 days too late, as I just spent $500 CDNon a jointer and plan to buy a planer this week...mmmm....should I return the jointer, and use your technique where I only need a planer to flatten both face sides?!?
Why not just use a jointer (here in the US) to get the perfectly flat surface you need. It seems like you're using a machine for a purpose other than what it was designed. A planer (thicknesser in the UK I guess) is designed to make one surface parallel to opposite surface and to make it the thickness that you want. Am I missing something here?
Where does one obtain a flat and true reference board to begin with? It turns out that all of my existing wood is warped, cupped, and twisted beyond belief, even my plywood and MDF.
It's a chicken and problem. With all your timber warping, you might have some storage problem? You could have a good look for new board at timber merchants, a quarter sawn piece would be best for stability. Or can you get some faced chipboard / second hand kitchen worktop.
I may shoot a video, but it's a future project... If you write "planer sled" on google, fine wood working has a great video on another type of sled :) - i think i will be one of the first hits you get.
If this is any good to you, encourage me : ) "Like" it, "Tweet" it or "Facebook it". COMMENTS are more than welcome - ANY WHERE, particularly on the iDoStuff Blog, just follow through from the link in the description. Thanks.
Viewers and woodworking students please do ignore this ridiculous comment from Casey. He is what's known as an internet troll; meaning he's intentionally trying to be discouraging just for the sake of being rude. It is very unlikely that he is even a woodworker. Every good woodworker, professional or hobbyist, has spent many hours learning from more experienced craftsmen. Casey may be surprised to find out how many professionals have studied their craft at the collegiate level.
I think the Sam Tarly Actor is from Manchester so another northerner. Although there is the pennies between us, my hint of Derbyshire + some Staffordshire + some Yorkshire will no doubt be a bit confusing it's definitely Northern.
Classy Casey, wood critic here. No criticism to you, but rather it will be directed to your viewing audience. Viewers, if you were born as a button pusher, then stay out of the workshop. Only a hand full of us on this earth, me included, can use our mind to get the job done. We don't need to text,call, or look up the answers. What agbagb is showing you is how to get the job done. If you can't cook, then stay out of the kitchen.
