Planer Thicknesser

[bernienufc]

I want to upgrade to a bigger planer thicknesser and to keep them as separate items, they will replace my clarke P/T.
So i have seen the Triton TPT125 P/T which can do up to 317mm wide and it really suits my needs, but to get a separate planer of this capability will cost quite a bit to match. The thing is it says Planer/Thicknesser but from my limited knowledge i did not think it could be a planer and the thicknesser in this design, i am sure i read somewhere that you had to plane teh wood before using this machine.... :?

Any thoughts?

 

[MMUK]

I've never planed before using a thicknesser :?

The thicknesser is basically a plane inside a height adjustable tunnel with draw rollers.

 

[bernienufc]

I've never planed before using a thicknesser :?

The thicknesser is basically a plane inside a height adjustable tunnel with draw rollers.

But you need one flat surface 1st to be able to get a constant thickness, surely?

 

[MMUK]

As long as it's square and straight I've never found a problem.

 

[wizard]

But you need one flat surface 1st to be able to get a constant thickness, surely?

no

 

[bernienufc]

As long as it's square and straight I've never found a problem.

I thought that was exactly what a planer did, all the thicknesser does it brings it to an equal thickness along its length

 

[MMUK]

As long as it's square and straight I've never found a problem.

I thought that was exactly what a planer did, all the thicknesser does it brings it to an equal thickness along its lenght

A thicknesser is a plane. :wink:

 

[bernienufc]

As long as it's square and straight I've never found a problem.

I thought that was exactly what a planer did, all the thicknesser does it brings it to an equal thickness along its lenght

A thicknesser is a plane. :wink:

I need to go away and read a little bit more on this subject me thinks

thank you for replies

 

[Peter Sefton]

A surface planer or Jointer is used to produce a face side and face edge on sawn timber, it should give you timber that is straight and flat (face side) and one edge that is straight and square to the face side the (face edge).
The thickness planer is then used to turn that timber into a constant thickness from the two reference faces previously planed. The face side or face edge need to be in contact with the thicknesser table so that the cutter block above the timber can produce an equal thickness. If the timber was previously bent it will now be equal thickness but still bent, twisted and out of square.
Here is an article I wrote for F&C recently if it helps.

http://www.peterseftonfurnitureschool.c ... rticle.pdf

 

[wizard]

Never use the planer on my planer thicknesser, just flatten one side then turn it over and flatten the other, square the sides up on the saw bench.

 

[bernienufc]

Hi Peter

Brilliant article and i have saved it thank you.
The comments above do help me to understand where i was going but excuse my idiocy but no matter how many times i read the sentence
' If the timber was previously bent it will now be equal thickness but still bent, twisted and out of square.'i cannot get it, you have a face side and a face edge that is perfect, you now run it through the thicknesser so it cant still be bent and twisted can it?
confused but grateful

 

[bernienufc]

Never use the planer on my planer thicknesser, just flatten one side then turn it over and flatten the other, square the sides up on the saw bench.

The vast majority of my wood would be wide but thin i.e about 6mm so if it is out it notices, i am looking to get a nicer saw bench at some time to do what you say with larger pieces
thank you

 

[Peter Sefton]

Hi Peter

Brilliant article and i have saved it thank you.
The comments above do help me to understand where i was going but excuse my idiocy but no matter how many times i read the sentence
' If the timber was previously bent it will now be equal thickness but still bent, twisted and out of square.'i cannot get it, you have a face side and a face edge that is perfect, you now run it through the thicknesser so it cant still be bent and twisted can it?
confused but grateful

Sorry I should have said, if you don't use the surface planer first and just go to the thickness planer, the timber will still be bent and twisted.
Wizard I am curious as to why you choose not to use your surface planer :?

 

[JustBen]

A thicknesser will give a consistent thickness of timber but if the wood is banana shaped going in, it will still be banana shaped when it comes out, only now it will be a consistent thickness banana.

That said, I've seen people build simple jigs that allow a thicknesser be used as a planer.
I've used mine as a thicknesser. All it took was a flat board, a few shims and some blobs of hot glue.

It won't be able to give you a square edge though, but that can be done on the table saw with a known straigh edge as a guide.

If I find the link, I will post it on here.

Here it is.....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UONmuQt_98

 

[RogerS]

Bernie...it's down to terminology. From wiki ...A thickness planer (also known in the UK and Australia as a thicknesser or in North America as a planer) is a woodworking machine which is used to create boards that are of an even thickness throughout their length and flat on both surfaces.

You may need to think about making a sled for the thicknesser if you want to go down to 6mm. There is usually a minimum thicknesser that each machine can go down to.

Whether or not you could get away with not having a planer depends on the length of your stock as well. Shorter pieces then probably not a problem to run the stuff just through the thicknesser. Guitar blanks?

Other things to consider are type of wood, tearout etc. Which is why a lot of the time I thickness by drum sander!

 

[bernienufc]

The Triton goes down to just over 3mm which is more than good enough, it can take short pieces which is perfect for my offcuts i get and it can do wide as well.
I do need to learn about woods and santa will sort that for me with a book or 2 and i am keeping 1 eye out for a drum sander too, damm this all started with 1 simple money box now i cant get in my garage for tools :lol: