Wagner Safe-T Planer

[jimi43]

Hi Guys

I thought I would ask here about the Wagner Safe-T Planer.

I hear such great things about it from my American buddies...basically it is a couple of blades mounted in a circular fitting that goes in a drill press and carefully removes wood to thickness it.

I think this is my preferred option for thicknessing some figured rosewood that I have for my first acoustic guitar project but the only place I can seem to find it is STEWMAC in the USA and the shipping is really expensive given the size of the thing.

Anyone used one of these or know where I can pick one up in the UK?

Cheers guys

Jim

 

[Tom K]

Hi Jim, its available from Tilgear
http://www.tilgear.info/displayproduct. ... ct_id=3370

 

[Boz62]

I would comment that the chuck in a drill press is "only" held in by a Morse taper, which are notorious for releasing under side loads. This is not a major problem with a sanding drum as not too much damage would be done if it let go, but I would be worried about digging in to a nice piece of timber (or fingers) if things go awry with this planer fitting.

Perhaps I'm just being a Luddite?

Boz

 

[Frank S]

I have just seen this object on the Tilgear site and shudder to think of the consequences when the morse taper lets go.I would give this a very wide berth and find a mate with a thicknesser. And yes Bos,a luddite is right in this case !!
Frank

 

[Chris Knight]

I remember wanting one of these years ago but ended up with a planer/thicknesser.

I think safety aspects can be controlled adequately but here's a link to another potential problem you might want to think about.

 

[Setch]

Guys, whilst your opinins are valid, the Saf-t-planer has been around for donkeys years, and is recommended by many experienced luthiers. The design has very tiny blade protrusion, which makes it unlikely to grab, and means it can only dig in 1/16" in the event it does. This also means it takes very little side load, so your chuck is unlikely to pop out - this isn't the same as routing or milling with a drill chuck.

You do need to set up your table well (ie: dead square) and take small passes, but the planer works really well. Do be prepared to clean up a LOT of chips though!

 

[Anonymous]

Glad you brought this up as I was looking at it in the tilgear catalogue the other day as well. I think the main problem would be setting the depth of cut to take a little at a time. With a thicknesser there is a great big handle which changes the depth in very small amounts. I'm not sure you've got this level of control with a drill press.

How about sticking it in a router mounted in a table? :twisted:

Dave

 

[John. B]

I've owned one of these for more years than I can remember, certainly at least ten.
First off, it works! But, in a limited way!
it's also quite scary to use. I had it fixed to my RAS which has a power take-off on the back, (made in the USA) and because it has a brush motor it was of course very noisy,
t also makes more mess than an industrial sawmill. It throws chips and dust absolutely everywhere.
If you google it you'll find a youtube vid of a guy planing a guitar body and it shows just how close one's digits comes to to three blades spinning at a couple of thousand RPM with no guards at all.
IMO you would do far better to buy a portable planer which can be put in a vise upside-down and used as a mini jointer, having the same safety features as a proper jointer.
After not much use, it was consigned to back of a drawer never to to see the light of day again.
If you add postage to the cost of one it would be half the cost of a portable planer that would be hugely more useful.
In summery:
I wouldn't buy one!

John. B

 

[Mike Wingate]

I have been using one of these for over 15 years in my RAS and drill press. Ideal for guitar work. I change the height/depth of cut by using sheets of plastic as shims under the timber being planed. If you are unsure about safety. Mount the timber on a large sub-base with cleats or tape. A brilliant tool that can do so much. Yes the chips fly everywhere, but it is not dust.

 

[jimi43]

I've owned one of these for more years than I can remember, certainly at least ten.
First off, it works! But, in a limited way!
it's also quite scary to use. I had it fixed to my RAS which has a power take-off on the back, (made in the USA) and because it has a brush motor it was of course very noisy,
t also makes more mess than an industrial sawmill. It throws chips and dust absolutely everywhere.
If you google it you'll find a youtube vid of a guy planing a guitar body and it shows just how close one's digits comes to to three blades spinning at a couple of thousand RPM with no guards at all.
IMO you would do far better to buy a portable planer which can be put in a vise upside-down and used as a mini jointer, having the same safety features as a proper jointer.
After not much use, it was consigned to back of a drawer never to to see the light of day again.
If you add postage to the cost of one it would be half the cost of a portable planer that would be hugely more useful.
In summery:
I wouldn't buy one!

John. B

Hi Guys....thanks for the tips and thanks for the link Tom...don't know how I missed that site! Excellent! The price they are charging is high...they probably ship it from the States too but in bulk. It would be about the same as if I shipped it but probably faster and safer getting it from them.

John...would you be prepared to release your one into the light and sell it?

As for the use...it is going to be very much a final tool taking off only a gnats hair each pass. Most of the thicknessing will be done by hand...(HA! THAT should be a laugh...) using a toothed blade and a scraper.

That being said....I am more than pleased to hear other member's experiences...keep 'em coming. I am a firm believer in constructive debate!

Jim

 

[jimi43]

Glad you brought this up as I was looking at it in the tilgear catalogue the other day as well. I think the main problem would be setting the depth of cut to take a little at a time. With a thicknesser there is a great big handle which changes the depth in very small amounts. I'm not sure you've got this level of control with a drill press.

How about sticking it in a router mounted in a table? :twisted:

Dave

This is an interesting variant on the use. I will be testing it in my drill press with a stop adjusted finely I don't really see a problem but I have yet to put it into action.

Clearly I won't be using it straight into the guitar stock as it cost me an arm and a leg so I will test it on scrap first and see how it works out. I think the main benefit on figured wood is the lack of tearout with linear planing....

I tend to do a LOT of research...which is why this debate is so interesting...especially the cons because I take them all really seriously before I dismiss any. The actual cutting (if I choose to go this route) is the final stage of a lot of "thinkin'"!!

Cheers

Jim