planer/jointer

[t-bone]

hi, i just recieved my ridgid jointer/planer. question, can i plan both sides of a board or should you use a power planer for the other side of the board. i saw this on wood whisper that you plane one flat side than joint one edge than put thru a power planer (other flat side ) than saw the other edge.hate to keep asking things but i just got to know lol

[Beechwood Chip]

Generally, you joint one face and then use the thickness planer to do the other face. Here's why...

Parallel is not the same as flat / straight. The white dashed lines on a highway are parallel, even when you go around a turn.

Straight is not the same as parallel. The two foul lines on a baseball diamond are both straight, but they are not parallel.

The jointer makes things straight / flat, but doesn't make them parallel. The thickness planer makes one face parallel to the other face, but doesn't make them straight.

To get two faces that are both straight / flat and parallel, you first make one face straight / flat on the jointer, and then use the thickness planer to make the other face parallel to the flat one.

If you just used the jointer, you can end up with a wedge shaped board, with the faces straight but not parallel.

If you just used the planer, you can end up with a bowed board, with one curved face exactly matching the other curved face.

[dtrust]

Beechwood, you should be teaching. That is the best explanation I've ever seen of that concept.

[t-bone]

Generally, you joint one face and then use the thickness planer to do the other face. Here's why...

Parallel is not the same as flat / straight. The white dashed lines on a highway are parallel, even when you go around a turn.

Straight is not the same as parallel. The two foul lines on a baseball diamond are both straight, but they are not parallel.

The jointer makes things straight / flat, but doesn't make them parallel. The thickness planer makes one face parallel to the other face, but doesn't make them straight.

To get two faces that are both straight / flat and parallel, you first make one face straight / flat on the jointer, and then use the thickness planer to make the other face parallel to the flat one.

If you just used the jointer, you can end up with a wedge shaped board, with the faces straight but not parallel.

If you just used the planer, you can end up with a bowed board, with one curved face exactly matching the other curved face.

that was the best answer anyone could give made alot of scense thank you so much, i will get the ridgid power planer i have the ridgid jointer /planer already haven't put it together yet just got it yesterday but i think hd has it thanks again-T-bone

[Beechwood Chip]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm just repeating what I learned from Marc.

[gardnesd]

Not owning a jointer I have always wondered. If a piece has a slight bow in it what face do you put down on the jointer? And most importantly if you press down hard on the stock won't that straighten the bow and not let the jointer do its job??

[iSawitFirst]

up <--(-->down

Yes, pressure on a thin board will tend to flatten it. Its tricky.