- Read or be familiar with tool operation. Refer to general operating instruction posted on the machines. Each planer is slightly different in its operation procedure.
- For smoothing rough surfaces.
- For making boards thinner.
- Will not take a bow or wave out of a board. Board will still have bow/wave but will be thinner.
- Best to alternate planning the sides of a board to keep internal stress of the board more even.
- If you plane only one side, you increase the chance of the board bowing afterwards.
- Cut with edge grain to prevent chip out.
- If you cut against the grain, especially with hard or curly wood you increase the possibility of chip out.
- Boards have to be a least 10” long.
- If board is narrower than ½”, use a shooter board under it.
- Things that can not be run through the planer:
- No painted or varnished surfaces.
- No plywood, particle board, MDF.
- No old cutting boards as they will gum up the blades.
- No wood with loose knots. (knock them out). (Check all knots after each pass as tight knots can become loose)
- They can damage the cutters.
- No old wood (barn siding) or weathered wood.
- Nails, dirt, sand, and rock embedded in the wood will nick the cutters.
- Don’t plane cross grain of the wood (i.e. picture frames, paneled doors)
- Open vacuum vents before cutting
- Measure thickness of board and then check it against machine thickness indicator for preliminary cut. Make machine indicator slightly thicker than board itself.
- Place board in machine, till it just it touches rollers (on left planer) or anti-kickback fingers (on right planer)
- Start machine and run board through.
- As board is going through on the first pass turn crank up till it starts to cut board. Then run the board through again.
- Have a helper on the back side of the machine to catch boards.
- Never look into the planer while the machine is running.
- Don’t stand directly behind machine because of possibility of kickback.
- Never place your hand into the planer to free wood.
- Too fast a speed and too deep a cut make for more chatter marks that have to be sanded.
- Shallower cuts make for less chatter marks and less sanding.
- Too prevent snipe on the end of a board.
- Take shallower cuts.
- Butt a board against the end as it is going through.
- Cut you board over length so that snipe can be cut off.
- Close vacuum vents after cutting.
- Clean up mess when done.
- If in doubt or have questions??????, check with floor monitor.
|