wide boards on the jointer

rocke1 · Post by **rocke1** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 10:22 am

I usually rip my rough lumber to 4 inches or less then run over the jointer to surface the lumber. In this case a 8 inch wide board would be preferable and wonder if any on the forum have tried to remove the quard and make a pass through half the width then reverse and get the other half. Seems as if it might work. Your experience if any?

Rock

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:15 pm

Here is one of the threads on that subject. http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthr ... de+jointer

Go ti the search function (on the red line near the top of page) the type in the two words - - wide jointer
You will see other threads.

reible · Post by **reible** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:47 pm

I just read the posting mentioned and in all due respect that is a dangerous operation on the 4" jointer.

If you go to the general safety rules for power tools in the PTWFE the 5th item on the list is "Keep guards in place and in woking order. Most injuries occur on unguarded power tools."

I've had a couple of friends get clipped on jointers and I don't even like to think about it.... get a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Hand planes, planners, conical sanding disk, belt sander, drum sander, making friends with some one who owns the right equipment, purchasing the right equipment all seem like better options then taking a chance with a tool that was not made for the job.

BTW I own a 6" jointer and even that is not always wide enough. I'd love to have a 10" but I can't afford that either money or space wise.

Ed

doug45601 · Post by **doug45601** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:53 pm

I really can't add any suggestions on how to use the SS planer to do what you want but, I can tell that I have used a Craftsman electric hand planer on wide boards to even out the glued seams (to a point) and it worked well enough that a belt sander took care of the rest.

No matter what you attempt, be careful and think safety!... Just last spring I was building a friend a couple of lawn chairs and after cutting all the pieces to size I have always used a round over bit in my router to soften the sharp corners. My router however deceided to go South without me so again I was using the Craftsman electric hand planer. bout half way through working the edges I guess I got a little to confident and for some dumnb reaseon reached my fingers around the planer bottem.... eeeeeeeeowwww... yep, cut off the tip of my ring finger. As a guitar player, I thought I would no longer be able to play... Happened so quick and I felt so foolish walking to house dripping blood.. Stains are in fact still on my garage floor to remind me of my over confidence..

Now don't ask me about my lathe experience!!

jbooher · Post by **jbooher** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:39 pm

Why not use the conical disk for planing? Should be safer then using the joiner for wide boards.

James

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 8:51 pm

jbooher wrote:Why not use the conical disk for planing? Should be safer then using the joiner for wide boards.

James

James,
How do you use the Conical Sanding Disk for surface planing?

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Mon Nov 17, 2008 9:42 pm

reible wrote:I just read the posting mentioned and in all due respect that is a dangerous operation on the 4" jointer.

If you go to the general safety rules for power tools in the PTWFE the 5th item on the list is "Keep guards in place and in woking order. Most injuries occur on unguarded power tools." Ed

Hi Ed! I agree with safety considerations. As with all woodworking, even hand woodworking, If an operation doesn't seem right or safe to you don't do it!!!!!
Now, back to the 4"planer - given a 4" planer with sharp, well adjusted blades, and an adequate flat, handled, dogged push block, there is no reason the face of a 6" board cannot be planed on that machine. Mind you, always observe the 3" rule to keep hands/fingers away from the cutter head. When the spring loaded feather/blade guard is removed for this operation it is not a big safety issue because the cutter head is completely covered by the workpiece while hands are anywhere near the blades.

With small depth setting (< 1/16") this operation has about the same risk as planing with a hand held planer or using a belt sander. The biggest difference is the 4" planer has a longer flat surface and can yield a flatter surface on the wood.

Now I have never said this is a preferred way to flatten a board's face, just possible and available. A Hand plane is my preferred method to remove twist. Board selection and angle sawing for grain follow as second, and thirdly, If presented with a case of cross board cupping (as in flat grained stock) a jointer to take down the high outside edges is my favorite tool, followed by thickness planing. Only rarely must these pieces be wider than 4" and subject to the mentioned method.

I can honestly say all of the guards are normally on my SS jointer.