There have been a number of message threads recently all related to planers. There was a message in one of the threads (I’ve forgotten which thread) which made me worry about the quality of commercially prepared lumber, either S4S or S2S. The message suggested that commercial mills pass rough lumber through their planers withount first jointing one surface flat and true. That is, they either mill both surfaces at once, or mill one at a time, but allow the rough surface of one side of the board to affect the planing of the first planed surface.
In either case, the planer does not work from a flat and true reference surface as one would get by first carefully jointing, then planing.
I realized that I had always assumed that when I bought S4S lumber that it had been jointed, then planed. Now I’m not sure at all. Does anyone have any information about milling practices? Does “S4S” mean the same thing in all cases?
Rich
Replies
Depends on the equipment that a mill has. Several options.
One is to just pass a rough board twice through a standard thickness planer; depends on skill and application, but usually the result is less than desireable. To say the least.
Another option is to use a 'facer' (like a jointer with a power feeder.....more production than a jointer, but the fingers on the feeder aren't powerful enough to deform the board....not quite as good a job as a skilled hand on a jointer, but much faster)....then through a single planer.
Or you could use a double planer....top and bottom, but the cutters are not right over each other.....CAN do quite a good job milling lumber IF properly set up, which is not easy (but not as good as a single planer)....also a lot more expensive than a single planer.
Another option is a facer/planer....power feed facer and single surface planer....according to the books, can do boards up to 36" wide and, over eight feet, can flatten and remove a quarter inch of warp.
All these machines have some way of trying to remove warp; they don't just pass a warped board through and get a warped thinner board out....but they may not get it all.
Some places still use abrasive planers also, or planer/sander combinations too. All these are very industrial machines, with big price tags. None can really match the accuracy of a jointer and a planer, but by comparison, those machines are really slow. Not every application requires that degree of accuracy.
cabinetmaker/college instructor. Cape Breton, N.S
Seems like when you go to your average Joe lumberyard and get them pretty boards that are all dressed to a perfect 3/4", they're smooth and straight (or at least started out that way.) Most S4S which is sold as 4/4 stock is required to be milled to not less that 13/16. But cheaper in price, of course. I've never really had an issue with not being able to get a straight 3/4 out of it, but then I nitpick through the stacks, too.
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