Replies

1. 
   calvinhobbs | Jun 30, 2004 10:53pm | #1

   Buzzsaw,

   I have a Delta 13" portable planer which I use outside just about every time.  I just sweep up the shavings out of the driveway and rake the neighbor's yard when I am done (she hasn't complained yet).  The worst thing about it is the noise.  I live in a typical surburban neighborhood and there are lots of kids (including my own) that are in bed by the time I get to any woodworking, so I try to save up planing for the weekend.  It also gives me a lot more room b/c my garage is extremely packed.

   Calvin

2. 
   bones | Jun 30, 2004 11:15pm | #2

   I have the Makita 2012 and connect my shopvac up to it. I have a dust colletion system, but still find the little portable unit usefull for things just like this. 

3. 
   nikkiwood | Jul 01, 2004 01:00am | #3

   I do it all the time. I keep a portable planer set up in my garage, and always run through large batches of stuff, before I bring it into the shop.

   I let the chips fly, sweep them up, and give them to a neighbor for horse bedding.

   The noise is fearsome, so I try always to do it during the week in the middle of the day when fewer people are around. And if it is a long session, I close the doors to mute the sound somewhat.

   If you are going to make a noise pest of yourself, it also helps to build very friendly alliances with your immdiate neighbors.

   
   

   ---

   Edited 6/30/2004 6:11 pm ET by nikkiwood

4. 
   AlbionWood | Jul 01, 2004 01:23am | #4

   I almost never plane in my shop.  My pathetic little DC instantly clogs up with planer shavings, so I go outside and let the chips fly.  I'm pretty isolated from the neighbours, so noise isn't as much a problem for me as weather.

   In the new shop there will be room for a "real" DC with a chip collector before the blower, so maybe I can stay inside.  Meanwhile I lug the 73 pounds in and out!

   "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler."  A. Einstein

   http://www.albionworks.net

5. 
   desertrat | Jul 01, 2004 03:03am | #5

   I'll concur with the others.  I use an old Belsaw planer with to chip collection and always plane outside.  Sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate, but then there's always another day.

6. 
   forestgirl | Jul 01, 2004 03:04am | #6

   Yep, sure do.  Not as often as I'd like, since I live in the Great (wet) Northwest, but I roll the table out the door, lay down a small tarp at the outfeed end to catch most of the shavings, and plane away.  Most often, I end up with a cat or dog laying in the shavings pile after the machine is turned off :-)

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   CharlieP | Jul 01, 2004 03:20am | #7

   Is it a bench dog?  :-)________________________Charlie Plesums  Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood

1. 
   Dave45 | Jul 01, 2004 06:24am | #8

   I have the dust collection hookup for my Delta and do my planing in the shop (garage).  The DC gets 95+% of the chips for most jobs but I have to stop and clean it out if I'm running several (10-12) boards.

   Right after I bought it, I resurfaced ~500 sq ft of 2x6 redwood decking.  I set it up in the yard, planed the boards and raked the chips around before I tilled the yard.  Free compost!! - lol

2. 
   forestgirl | Jul 01, 2004 04:25pm | #10

   :~)  !!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   desertrat | Jul 01, 2004 05:16pm | #11

   I found a neat way to clean up my chips, I use one of those blower/vacs that are for yard cleanup.  It chops up the shavings real nice and then I just till them into my flower garden.  Works great.

7. 
   sailalex | Jul 01, 2004 02:32pm | #9

   One of the nice features of the DW735 is that it has a blower that clears the chips; if you attached a hose to it and put the other end in a garbage can, it would collect the chips/shavings. Nice feature for those without dust collection. 

8. 
   sawdustmaker | Jul 02, 2004 04:15am | #12

   I have a 13" Jet planer / moulder that I roll outside when I can. I don't have a DC system, but use a shop vac with a 5 gal. pail separator. Works great. The Jet has a dust collection hood attached, and I can't use the planer without some sort of dust collection. I have a small shop, and in the spring thru fall months I will plane, joint, or use my table saw outside just to give me more room. Everything I have is on a mobile base. I wired a 220v outlet just inside the garage door for that very purpose.