Planer Jig


sbarton22

Recommended Posts

I don't have a drum sander, but I do have a planer. When I am cutting layers for lamination, resawing, or keys for a joint, I can only get as smooth a cut as my bandsaw will work with me. If I had a drum sander, I would just shoot a piece through there to get a nice smooth surface.

I have heard that you can put a board under your thin piece to get the piece above the planer's minimum depth. I would like to try this, but I have no idea what this sort of jig might look like. If I am looking for 1/8" final width, how to I make a jig so that I can make that a repeatable procedure? how do I keep the thin board from shooting all over the place when the knifes hit it? I understand the concept, just not how to do it.

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Similar idea to a planer sled used for jointing. A board with a small hook on the back that is lower than your final planing width (glued only; don't want any screws there). Put your stock ahead of the hook. Stick your stock down with turner's tape especially on the leading edge.

That's how I've seen it done successfully; I haven't used that for veneers/laminates since I have a drum sander so just passing it along.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I tried that with double sided carpet tape, making 3/32" strips of poplar. It was a total failure. Either the poplar would shatter in the planer, or it would break when I tried to pry it off the tape. I don't know if there was something wrong with my technique, if the carpet tape was too grippy, if 3/32" is too thin for a wimpy wood like poplar, if the planer blades were too dull, or something else.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Would rubber cement work better than turner's tape? I've had pieces break when I tried to separate them after holding them together with the tape.

I realize it's not cost effective to do rubber cement for large pieces. I have a few small pieces I've been holding on to for a project, but I don't have a reliable way of sanding all of these to the same thickness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have two suggestions for this problem. Al-tho I haven't used either on of them YET.

I use both of them for fixing paper patterns to wood for scroll sawing and I feel that they would work for the planer.

First, I have used double sided carpet tape with good success BUT, I use the cheapest carpet tape that Ace hardware sells. "Light Duty" . It is a plastic and doesn't have a real strong bond so that it can be separated fairly easy using a heat gun or hair dryer and a knife or putty knife.

Second, I cover the wood with blue painters tape and then spray glue on the pattern. For wood to wood, I would cover both pieces with blue tape and then spray glue the tape of one piece to the tape of the other piece and it should be fairly easy to pull the pieces apart as the blue tape isn't very strong.

In either case, it is surprising what "Mom's old hair dryer" or some "mineral spirits" can do to glue that doesn't mess up wood or break small, thin bits on a project.

Rog

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.