Has anyone tried out the sled made to act as a Jointer. It was a few issuses back; I found it just doing a search for jointer info. Has a video showing the process. I want to know if it really works, pitfalls, pros, con,etc before I build such a thing. Ya half to addmit its a lot cheaper than my $800 layout for a standalone jointer.
Craig
Replies
Craig, I was hoping you would get a good answer, but since you haven't, I'll pitch in a devalued 2 cents.
I have been planning on building that jig eventually but I have not had time to do it of late. I think it would be the cat's meow because my 6" jointer doesn't work for bigger boards and that is what I usually want to do. Most of my lumber is a bit over 10" wide.
In the meantime, I have been doing something similar that works to a degree. I have a bunch of very thin slices off of long boards that I have saved up. Using these as shims, I slide them under a board that I want to surface. Doing this carefully on a flat table, I can generally take the wobble and esp the twist out of a board enough that it accomplishes about the same thing as the jig.
I then hold the shims in place while flipping the board over and I tape those shims in place using wide blue masking tape.
Now running the board through the planer making relatively light cuts, I can get the board pretty darn close to perfect this way. But it takes some time and effort and the result is not not quite as good as it should be.
I more or less dreamed up a way to make the same jig before I saw that one. My imagined verison was not nearly so nice I think, so I'm going to pitch my idea for this one.
I hope that helps and maybe the shim+tape method will work for others in a pinch.
Brent
If you do a google search on planer sled or Fine Woodworking Planer Sled, you can get feedback from this and a number of other forums.
http://forums.finewoodworking.com/fine-woodworking-knots/jigs-fixtures-tips-tricks/planer-sled-0
You should just give it a try. I have read where some have 2 or 3 for different lengths of stock. I have a number of 8"+ pieces of tiger wood to surface, and I will likely make one rather than trimming each piece to fit the jointer.
Don
Planer Sled
Hey Craig,
I have built one exactly as outlined in the article and it works great. If you surface rough stock often, then I would say go for it. Yeah, it takes some time to build but like any well made jig it is a dream to use. If you don't need it often then a flat board with some "make-do" shims will work too but it's kinda fiddly. A couple of pitfalls for the sled would be, it can be heavy and awkward to use, limited to surfacing 8/4 stock and you need a two good roller stands. I do all my planer sled sessions at one time so I don't mind the extra set-up time as opposed to running it through a dedicated jointer. If you have a 12" or greater planer, you really can't beat the planer sled jig and the price is right!
It's worth a try.
I've done it for a 12" wide piece of poplar I needed face-jointed awhile back. Mine was a very simple sled and I used mostly plastic wedges like you buy at the hardware store (short little things). There are several designs "out there" for a sled, ranging from basic and simple to quite sophisticated. I wouldn't want to depend on this technique for very long or through very many projects, but it could help get you through a dry spell money-wise.
FG, I am curious why you think it would be only a short-term fix? I have a 6" jointer that works just fine, but I rarely have a board that is only 6" wide. There is no way in universe that I will ever afford the cash or space for a 12" wide jointer, but I use 10-12" wide boards all the time. I think this is really a great way to go and I'm surprised that it is not more common.
I like that idea about using the plastic wedges. Might take a look at incorporating that into the sled that I need to build.
Brent
With a better sled....
Perhaps with a better sled (than mine) it would be pretty efficient. And of course, as you say, the amount of money saved by not buying a 12" jointer makes a difference -- certainly would color one's perceptionn of things, eh? Sounds like you have the system down pat!
Those little plastic wedges are pretty handy, I keep several in the shop at all times. They are corrugated on most of the surface, but still can be a trick to keep in place. Can't remember, but I may have brought out some double-stick turner's tape for the job.
As forestgirl said.. I have some small plactic wedges. Mine have teeth' like a gear rack....
I think they are wedges used for placing the shims against a wall when 'fitting' the reference edge for the 1/4 inch or so expansion clearance for flooring boards in a house. I forget where I saw them.
I gave up on face jointing on my little jointer as you have. Mine is also a 6 inch... I have a Dewalt three blade 13 inch surface planner. It works great IF I have roller stands set up on the input and output to support longer boards. Yes.. I can sometimes get a bit of snipe depending on 'whatever' happened.
I find that I only need a sled with special considerations if the board (I call it a stick) with a twist in it. NOTE: Many boards that have twist will ALWAYS have twist, no matter what you do.
My two sleds are 50 and 100 inches long of (the so called) lightweight MDF. Surfaces and edged sealed with shellac. Especially the edges. I used 3/4 inch MDF and cut a recess and a groove to fit some 1/2 inch angle iron. I purchased 'standard iron' 'L' and no special grind. I had it cut to length by the local steel supplier. It was flat and true. American steel supplier... Not that others suppliers would be better.. brobably bent and not fla from othertst? Not sure. I glued it in the 'recesses' I cut with a router with common Tightbond II. I think? I used three bars of 'L'. Each edge and one centered.
This is the bottom of my sleds. I just hot-glue wedges to support the board where I 'thing' I need too.
I wipe my wood with that blue chalk and take very light passes until all the chalk is removed. Turn it over (without wedges) as in none needed.. And go from there.
By the way.. I made eight 96 inch long tapered bed post. Tapered on only two sides, and truned out perfect... I'm sure if i wanter tapered four sides it would have been Ok also.
ALSO: I have used the 'L' iron on many long shelves for book cases. The ones, or should it be one's (and I am a English Major) Sort of... I have made have never shown probles with rust or or other problems with the imbeded iron rusting.
I recall that I asked for black iron 'L'. I do not recall what the iron cost me. I would bet way less that the wood and time for 8 limanted and ruined bed posts.
I have been wrong before but I usually do strange things that work...
Thanks to all, I'm going to build one and see how it works out. I'll post the results here as soon as possible. I have quite a collection of planks to be seen to. Beech approx. 64bf, Oak well over 100bf as for the Sugar Maple, that pile is endless.
Craig thanks again folks
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