Planer/thicknesser question

[Knot Competent]

Probably a simple question for some, but not me. What's the difference between a thicknesser and a planer/thicknesser? Is it just that a planer/thicknesser needs to be changed from one operation to the other, and that with a thicknesser you plane one side then turn the wood over and do the other side?

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

A Planer/Thicknesser is a combination machine which has a surface planer and a thicknesser planer in one. To use one or the other you normally have to move a guard hood, fence and surface tables around to use the thicknesser. Depending on model it can take 10 second to a minute to do the convert.

As a rule a thicknesser will follow what wraps and twists you have in a length of wood so its good practice to plane one side on a surface planer first. If the timber is rough sawn then its a must as the rough timber can damage the thicknesser bed and cause the cut to be inaccurate.

A thicknesser is primarily used to reduce stock down from one thickness to another. Squaring up timber is another common use for one but to square up timber using machines you start with a surface planer. You can square up timber using only a surface planer but its not always that suitable or safe, its also harder and can take longer.

 

[Knot Competent]

Thanks for that very concise reply.

What a shame! I was hoping a thicknesser would do it all for me, but obviously it won't. I think I'm going to forced down the road of second-hand machines rather than nice shiny new Axminsters.

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks for that very concise reply.

What a shame! I was hoping a thicknesser would do it all for me, but obviously it won't. I think I'm going to forced down the road of second-hand machines rather than nice shiny new Axminsters.

I have occasionally got away without using the planer because the timber has come of the tablesaw or bandsaw with a good enough flat and square surface (or used a hand plane ), but 95% of the time you most probably would need the top planer first.

 

[Lons]

Thanks for that very concise reply.

What a shame! I was hoping a thicknesser would do it all for me, but obviously it won't. I think I'm going to forced down the road of second-hand machines rather than nice shiny new Axminsters.

I agree with the other guys, and I would never buy just a thicknesser.

Depending on the machine, sometimes its better to by a good solid s/h than a mediocre brand new model (even if it is shiney :lol: ). You need to look carefully at the amount of space you have available of course and maybe put it on a mobile base or castors.

I bought a Robland 310 (Startrite) a number of years ago, barely used and cost me about a 3rd of the new price, and I'm quite happy with it.

Bob

 

[SammyQ]

Nobody here believes in a thicknesser sled then? Or, a good scrub or jack plane, plus thicknesser? I don't have the shekels or space for a planer, and I find care and a little bitty thought wins the day. That said, I am NOT a production woodworker putting bread on the table each day, so I can afford to be prodigal with the only resource I have in comparative abundance, leisure time.

Sam

 

[devonwoody]

SammyQ, how do you hold the timber to the sled when using the thicknesser?

 

[SammyQ]

Variety of methods. I usually try to locate high spots with winding sticks, than a rough cutting 51/2 or my long bedrock to knock em flat, then put roughly flattened face down on thicknesser sled upper surface and a wee tiny lip, maybe 3mm, on the trailing edge of the offcut acting as a sled. Double sided tape in SMALL doses works for thin pieces and if the camber/wind ain't TOO bad, smidgeons of hot melt glue if if is (they slice fairly easily with a hacksaw blade and scape off straightforwardly with a SHARP edge. I haven't the inclination to follow FWW sleds with all those wedges and bungees, or the dreadful one with the screws sticking up!

Sam

 

[devonwoody]

Actually SammyQ & Knotty, I went hunting on the web and I think I would rather use the thicknesser than a planer if I wanted to surface a piece that is shown on this video.

http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAn ... px?id=5245

 

[ScouseKev]

Your questions have been well answered but i would just add one thing...
Go for one with a solid cast iron table and fence if you can afford,.

Whats your budget?
Depending on your answer i'll tell you about a chat i had at Alex Palace woodwork show last year.
cheers

 

[Knot Competent]

I was hoping to get one for two or three hundred beer coupons. Axminster do a table-top planer/thicknesser for just over £200, but I guess it's going to have it's problems. All the others seem to be four figures, which I could never justify even if I could afford it (which I can't). So it looks like secondhand is the route to go.

 

[SammyQ]

DW? That's the one I was thinking about when I wrote "bungees" above? It's a tad too over-engineered-for-its-own-sake for my tastes; typical Murrican tendency to fill a need that doesn't really exist ......(Gawd!I'm beginning to sound like Jacob!) ....... And you need forearms like Popeye for even a smallish 3'-4' length of Hinch'n'aquarter by 10" resting on its 40 kilo sled .....Nah, nah, nah. Slab of nice thin grotty ply, or nicer murderboard (MDF) 'bout 6-8mm; a scrap of shim stock PVA'd onto its rear edge night before, an' away you go. Cheap, nasty and effective. Them wedges wot 'e's using look like the replicas they're making over here of wot propped up the *****ic when she was being built in H&W (shameless tourist plug ).

Sam