Shopsmith Forums

beeg wrote:Bet we would knot mind pics for the progress.

Yup, always a true statement.

I do not have a SS planer or jointer, I have a 13" planer and 6" jointer.

but......

I "flatten" boards wider than 6" all the time, using a shopmade planer sled.
Do a google search or I can provide pix if you want them. A sled essentially allows you to brace the underside of a wide board in the shape of the warp/twist/cup so the planer will face flatten then board, then you can plane the board to proper thickness.

It only takes a couple hours (at most) to build the sled, it's inexpensive (around $50, less if you already have scraps you can use) and works great.

Best thing, I get perfectly FLAT boards that are much wider than my jointer, no handplaning, NO ripping nice beautiful boards and gluing them back together AND none of the dangerous & difficult jointer methods.

You are absolutely correct Otee! A support sled is the safest way to go to ensure flatness. I have mentioned the high side up method for cup, as it flattens without a sled on wider stock.

If one wants to remove twist with a planner, the only way is to use a shimmed sled.

I will try to get some pictures on the forum. I have them in the camera, but have not yet spent the time to learn how to get them on this site. I am learning a lot on this project! I am presently just finishing up the cutting of the blanks for the various parts. I have the posts done. I am sure that I will do things differently next time, but I am enjoying it.
Biggest learning curves:
1: How to use the jointer and planer effectively.
2: How to select the best wood for the parts.
3: Patience to think things out BEFORE I do anything.
4: Planer sled construction and use.
Great fun and good therepy!!

This link is to postings showing another new technique for preparing wide stock for planing.

Just saw this today and thought it appropriate for this thread.

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/1992

Interesting, Gene! Yep! Versatility abounds everywhere in woodworking! Each board is unique and offers new/different challenges.

Thanks for the link!

I've made a smaller version of this minus the wheels and yes they work quite well with the router. I'm trying to decide if I like the wheels or not... it is certainly different then the other ones I have seen in that respect.

I may have another go at building one of these this summer for my brother and if I like it make one for me too. Can't have to many jigs and fixtures.

Ed

Here are a few pictures of the beginnings of the project. First is part of the stack of rough oak stock, then pictures of the rough post blanks and then one set of planed blanks. Some of the blanks that I will use for slats in the head and foot boards. I will put up some more pictures later. Progress is slow, but NEW information is happening really fast!!

Interesting stuff. I am looking a several planer sled designs, but I tend to favor simple! Thanks for the help guys.

WOHO!!! It worked.

Dbristol, Thank you for the photos. Looks like you are coming along. You mentioned slow progress - When feeling your way into a project that is the very best kind -"slow"!

Loved the pix of the "resized" jointer!

Best Wishes!

Yes!!! In my battle to get any picture to up load, I got many copies of several photos, and could not always tell which one was what. So I started to rename them. Since I had to go from the camera size to an 800X 600, I thought resize was a good way to distinquish the new from the old. However, something happened along the way and suddenly what used nto be called a plainer got renammed a " resized jointer". If I make a sled and use that to flatten stock, I could make a case for it being a jointer. My guess is that there are more than a few guys who would see through that!! And, there was no way I was going to change the names!! Great fun and good therepy for an old Army Ranger. SLOW is good, even if I don't always like it. Thanks.