Advice on my first planer

[wtnhighlander]

As an owner of a benchtop jointer, here is my opinion. If all your projects require boards 2-3' in length, a benchtop is OK. Anything longer, I would advise making do with hand planes and planer sleds while you save for a good floor model jointer. Six or eight inches wide seems to suit most folks fine, and the longer the tables are, the better off you'll be.

[bleedinblue]

On 12/26/2015 at 10:01 PM, wareaglewoodworker said:

Thanks for the advice, I still haven't decided on my jointing option.  I've only worked with the lumber off the store shelves to this point in my journey.  This next project will be my first with S3S.  Will I need to joint an edge or face on S3S?  For a jointing I still haven't decided between going the hand plane route, getting a small bench-top jointer, or trying to make enough space for an entry-level floor model.

Unless I'm missing something, S3S means "surfaced three sides," so it has already been face jointed and planed and one edge has already been jointed. 

Watch Marc's video on milling rough lumber.

I'd go entry level floor 6 inch jointer for sure.  If it means getting the Dewalt 734 and a jointer vs. just getting the Dewalt 735, the 734 and a jointer is a clear winner.  I've got a good working Ridgid 6 inch jointer from Craigslist and a 734, it suits my needs just fine.  Wider stock can be dealt with in other ways when needed (which isn't often, actually)

[Eric.]

8 hours ago, bleedinblue said:

Unless I'm missing something, S3S means "surfaced three sides," so it has already been face jointed and planed and one edge has already been jointed.

While yes, that's technically true...it WAS flat when it came out of the mill...it has now sat around for a while (sometimes a LONG while) and possibly traveled across the country through significant fluctuations in climate, and there's a good chance that it's no longer flat.  I almost always re-mill the S3S material I work with just to make sure it's DEAD flat.  I also take the time to pick out the flattest boards I can find so I don't have to remove much material to get back to flat...with S3S you don't have much meat to spare if you're shooting for a full 3/4".  I don't find that thickness to be critical in most situations, but there's no reason to work with bowed boards if you don't have to.

Anyway, the point is, just because it was flattened at the mill doesn't mean it's still flat today.  Every serious hobbyist needs a jointer and planer, full stop...6" minimum...8" is better.

[Cliff]

When I visit the lumber mill he almost never has a board in the species I want under 6" and almost never has a board over 8" so that determined my ideal jointer width.

[Jfitz]

You can face joint with a planer with an appropriate sled or some other method. You cannot, however, thickness plane with a jointer.  So if it's one or the other....IMO the planer takes precedence.

[MikeHoncho]

I would never expect a  bought board to be straight enough to my liking that comes from anywhere other than my shop.  For this reason I usually don't buy anything other than rough cut.  You can't joint /plane store bought material and end up with usable thicknesses. 

[Eric.]

8 hours ago, MikeHoncho said:

You can't joint /plane store bought material and end up with usable thicknesses. 

Not if you HAVE to have 13/16" in thickness anyway.  I've experienced that need exactly zero times in my life.  Most of the S3S material I buy is flat enough that I can yield a full 3/4" after a few light passes.  But I find 3/4" to be too clunky for most projects so I very often go thinner than that.

I mostly buy rough only when I have to.  Too much waste in rough because you can't see what you're buying.  And more work getting it flat and down to desired thickness.  The only advantage of rough stock, IMO, is the price.