I have yet another elementary problem. I have some small scraps of highly figured English walnut and other hardwoods that I want to use for miscellaneous projects. The scraps are rough sawn, and in need of truing surfaces flat, parallel, and square. That parallel part is the tough one, the others I can manage with the table saw.
Anyway, I don’t know a better way to break equipment or get hurt than working on small pieces, so I tend to avoid them where possible. But these are particularly nice and well suited to what I have in mind.
I have a Dewalt 12.5″ planer and a Delta 6″ jointer. But both tools are not recommended for use with small pieces, but they are the tools I use for making two parallel sides on rough sawn wood.
The pieces in question are 5.5×7.5×2″ and 4.5×4.5×1.75″ more or less.
Any suggestions?
Brent
Replies
Brent,
You're right, it's too dangerous to try to square up those pieces with power equipment. I would recommend using a hand plane. You can mark off a line parallel to one surface and plane to it.
Jim
BrentD
pieces that small are for hand tools. You can get it done faster, cleaner, and safer with hand tools. Think of all the time it takes to set up the t-saw or router table or any other power tool. You can be done in the time it takes to think it through.
If you must, get one of those jigs (or make one) for holding small pieces on the router table.
How about securing the pieces to a bench and work like a machinist?
You can guide any power tool with simple jigs.
I vote for hand tools if you only have few pieces.
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Planes/Wagner_Safe-T-Planer.html
This planer will get the surfaces parallel. I use is occasionaly on my dirll press. Just make sure the drill press table is perpendicular to the quill. You can test by chucking in a bent wire and rotating it to different spots on the drill press table to see if it contacts the tabel equally in several locations.
This saf t planer is really cool. It removes alot of wood in a hurry yet no kickback. Even works for tenons.
I sometimes glue a sacrificial piece to small pieces. I then run them through the planer and continue with stock prep using the largest piece possible until the final cut.
Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans.
When your ship comes in... make sure you are not at the airport.
You can flatten one side with a hand plane, even a block plane if there real small pieces.
Then stick it down to your bench rough side up using double stick tape, and surface the second side using a router and a trammel jig.
Small pieces can be safely cut at the table saw using hold downs and sleds!
Just think safety and if something seems unsafe to you don't do it! find another way.
Chaim
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