Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Jun 08, 2007 06:16am | #1

   You'll need one flat face for your planer to "reference" off of to get the other side flat (e.g., if you put a twisted board through, it'll come out twisted -- parallel, but twisted).

   It's possible to make a sled for your planer that enables you to use shims to get the board level (compensating for cup or twist), then run the board through using the sled.  The board will come out with one face flat, then you can ditch the sled and put that flat face on the table, serving as the reference face.  The side that's being cut will come out flat also.

   Am off for an appointment...someone will give more details.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   
2. 
   Cincinnati | Jun 08, 2007 06:24am | #2

   The Jan/Feb 2005 issue has an article on flattening boards with a planer & sled. If you purchased the Best of DVD Vol2, it is in there.

   GREG

   •••••••

   Exo 35:30-35

3. 
   forestgirl | Jun 08, 2007 06:56pm | #3

   Hmmmm, I ran a Google search on planer sled.  There are quite a few articles out there <click here>.

   I know someone at another forum who built this one.  I'd be concerned the scew heads would dig into the lumber though.  Really, all you need is a long sled-board (6" or so longer than the lumber you're planing), with a stop on the outfeed end to keep the stock and the sled moving together (a lip on the upper side, assuming you're using a bench-top planer with cutter on top).  The stock needs to be shimmed such that it doesn't rock on the sled.  Hot-gluing shims should work.  A long board will require more shims than a short one.

   On another note, when a board is wider than even your planer, you can use a router mounted on a sled to flatten it.  For wide stock, the sled is built around the sides of the stock and a plunge router is set, with a largish planing bit, and moved back and forth over the stock.  I found an interesting twist on this idea this morning, for smaller boards, at the LeeWay Workshop site <click>.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

   
   

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   Edited 6/8/2007 11:57 am by forestgirl