Hi,
I'm new to the group, and have a question about making the stringers
for some "mission" style furniture.
I've built a few classical guitars, and have rented shop time at
Woodcraft, getting use of their drum sander (Jet). Slick tool. But
they don't have one anymore. As I prepare to build several pieces of
furniture for the house (coffee table, computer desk, bedroom set), I
thought I would suck it up and just buy my own Delta or Performax drum
sander. But a local dealer suggested the new Dewalt thickness planer
(DW 735) is what I really want (yes, he sells Delta stuff too). Says
the 735 will churn out shiny/smooth sticks of oak better and faster
than the sander, and would cost $300 less. In addition to the
stringers, I will be making the desk and table tops by ripping 1x1 oak
strips from flat-sawn boards, then rotating the sticks 90 degrees, and
gluing them together, thus having a laminated plank that appears
quarter-saw. I would use the sander (or planer) to work these pieces
too. Obvious advantage of the sander is the greater width capacity.
So, not having worked much with oak, what would YOU use to make these
pieces? A luthier friend tells me you cannot mill quarter-sawn pieces
with a knife, that you need abrasives (i.e, drum sander) to avoid
tear-out. The local Delta/DeWalt dealer says this is true of older
planers, but not the new generation. A friend has a two-year old
Rigid planer that I can borrow if needed . . .
Thanks for any ideas!
Scott
"Swingman" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What the hell does a luthier know about oak?
A fair bit, even has a significant stash he sawed up years ago. That
and loads of cedar, englemann, rosewood, etc. But I don't know if he
has made as much furniture as some of you.
> When you say stringers, do you mean slats, or spindles, as some folks call
> them?
Yeah, thems the ones.
> I make a good deal of Mission style furniture and use a 13" Ridgid planer to
> make the slats/spindles, usually planed to 1/2" from 3/4" stock, or resawn
> on the band saw from 5/4 and then planed ... with sharp planer knives, I
> rarely have a problem with QSWO and tearout.
Guess I should just try some oak on my friend's Rigid planer before
deciding. OR, a better idea: buy that new Dewalt, AND the sander!
Hah, what a dreamer! But maybe: the guy at Woodcraft said Performax
has a new 10-20 sander, for $400 plus change. Siad it has much better
adjustability than its big brother. If I thought this would work for
me (and it would for all but the table tops), then planer+sander would
cost about the same as one of the 16-32 units . . .
Cheers,
Scott
> That said, I would dearly love to have a drum sander and would use just
> about any excuse I could to justify one, including convincing SWMBO that I
> couldn't do slats/spindles without one ... but then I would need a bigger
> shop ... and I've already done too many to get away with it.
>milling anything that's quartersawn can be problematic in terms of
>tearout. Oak isn't so bad but cherry is a bitch. Budget some time
>for scraping and sanding.
I think I've talked myself into buying two new tools: the Performax
10-20 sander, and the Dewalt 735 planer. Between the two I shuld be
able to make lot's of dust. And maybe the 'ol tax return will cover
the cost! The bigger 16-32 sander would be nice, but it IS bigger,
and my shop space is not. That, and 95% of my work can be run through
the smaller sander; indeed, it will be just perfect for guitar
building (the drill press drum attachment is a PITA to do +/- 0.001"
work). I can borrow a friend's planer, but in reality, building a
full set of furniture for the house is going to take 1-2 years, and
one shall not abuse a friend's tools . . . or generosity!
Thanks to all for your inputs,
Scott
On 8 Jan 2004 08:02:35 -0800, [email protected] (Scott) wrote:
>
>I think I've talked myself into buying two new tools: the Performax
>10-20 sander, and the Dewalt 735 planer. Between the two I shuld be
>able to make lot's of dust. And maybe the 'ol tax return will cover
>the cost! The bigger 16-32 sander would be nice, but it IS bigger,
>and my shop space is not. That, and 95% of my work can be run through
>the smaller sander; indeed, it will be just perfect for guitar
>building (the drill press drum attachment is a PITA to do +/- 0.001"
>work).
the best I've been able to get with my performax 16-32 has been about
+/- .005.
> I can borrow a friend's planer, but in reality, building a
>full set of furniture for the house is going to take 1-2 years, and
>one shall not abuse a friend's tools . . . or generosity!
>
>Thanks to all for your inputs,
>
>Scott
Scott,
Both are nice to have. Most of the time I do not get tearout on the DW733
planer but get some wild grain stock and no matter what you do, you'll get
divots. Hence the need for the Performax 16/32. I initially mill my stock
down to within an 1/8", let it set for awhile then run it thru the planer
using very light cuts for final dimensioning. If it starts to tearout, I
finish up on the drum sander.
Using the drum sander to dimension stock takes a bit of extra time but the
result is worth it in my estimation since I can use wild-grain woods and not
have to worry about tearout. So if you have access to a planer, get the
drum sander and share with your friend.
I think someone telling you that a 3 bladed planer (DW735) is going to
eliminate tearout is putting his own twist on the manufacturer's hype. It
may reduce it somewhat but I've not heard anyone say it's eliminated it. If
they (DeWalt) guarantee's that - I'll go buy one today and sell my 733.
Bob S.
"Scott" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I'm new to the group, and have a question about making the stringers
> for some "mission" style furniture.
>
> I've built a few classical guitars, and have rented shop time at
> Woodcraft, getting use of their drum sander (Jet). Slick tool. But
> they don't have one anymore. As I prepare to build several pieces of
> furniture for the house (coffee table, computer desk, bedroom set), I
> thought I would suck it up and just buy my own Delta or Performax drum
> sander. But a local dealer suggested the new Dewalt thickness planer
> (DW 735) is what I really want (yes, he sells Delta stuff too). Says
> the 735 will churn out shiny/smooth sticks of oak better and faster
> than the sander, and would cost $300 less. In addition to the
> stringers, I will be making the desk and table tops by ripping 1x1 oak
> strips from flat-sawn boards, then rotating the sticks 90 degrees, and
> gluing them together, thus having a laminated plank that appears
> quarter-saw. I would use the sander (or planer) to work these pieces
> too. Obvious advantage of the sander is the greater width capacity.
>
> So, not having worked much with oak, what would YOU use to make these
> pieces? A luthier friend tells me you cannot mill quarter-sawn pieces
> with a knife, that you need abrasives (i.e, drum sander) to avoid
> tear-out. The local Delta/DeWalt dealer says this is true of older
> planers, but not the new generation. A friend has a two-year old
> Rigid planer that I can borrow if needed . . .
>
> Thanks for any ideas!
>
> Scott
"Bob S." <[email protected]> wrote in
<[email protected]>:
snip..
>
>I think someone telling you that a 3 bladed planer (DW735) is going to
>eliminate tearout is putting his own twist on the manufacturer's hype.
>It may reduce it somewhat but I've not heard anyone say it's eliminated
>it. If they (DeWalt) guarantee's that - I'll go buy one today and sell
>my 733.
>
>Bob S.
Just thicknessed some leftover oak flooring on the 735 real smooth except
where there were knots and wild grain. There was some minor tearout, but I
was using the low speed and about 1/16th depth for speed of working. The oak
is not being used for fine finish, but a quick pass with the ROS would clean
it up nice. So not up to a guarantee, but real good.
Jerry
"Scott" wrote in message
> So, not having worked much with oak, what would YOU use to make these
> pieces? A luthier friend tells me you cannot mill quarter-sawn pieces
> with a knife, that you need abrasives (i.e, drum sander) to avoid
> tear-out. The local Delta/DeWalt dealer says this is true of older
> planers, but not the new generation. A friend has a two-year old
> Rigid planer that I can borrow if needed . . .
What the hell does a luthier know about oak?
When you say stringers, do you mean slats, or spindles, as some folks call
them?
I make a good deal of Mission style furniture and use a 13" Ridgid planer to
make the slats/spindles, usually planed to 1/2" from 3/4" stock, or resawn
on the band saw from 5/4 and then planed ... with sharp planer knives, I
rarely have a problem with QSWO and tearout.
That said, I would dearly love to have a drum sander and would use just
about any excuse I could to justify one, including convincing SWMBO that I
couldn't do slats/spindles without one ... but then I would need a bigger
shop ... and I've already done too many to get away with it.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 1/02/04
On 7 Jan 2004 08:17:13 -0800, [email protected] (Scott) wrote:
milling anything that's quartersawn can be problematic in terms of
tearout. Oak isn't so bad but cherry is a bitch. Budget some time
for scraping and sanding.
>Hi,
>
>I'm new to the group, and have a question about making the stringers
>for some "mission" style furniture.
>
>I've built a few classical guitars, and have rented shop time at
>Woodcraft, getting use of their drum sander (Jet). Slick tool. But
>they don't have one anymore. As I prepare to build several pieces of
>furniture for the house (coffee table, computer desk, bedroom set), I
>thought I would suck it up and just buy my own Delta or Performax drum
>sander. But a local dealer suggested the new Dewalt thickness planer
>(DW 735) is what I really want (yes, he sells Delta stuff too). Says
>the 735 will churn out shiny/smooth sticks of oak better and faster
>than the sander, and would cost $300 less. In addition to the
>stringers, I will be making the desk and table tops by ripping 1x1 oak
>strips from flat-sawn boards, then rotating the sticks 90 degrees, and
>gluing them together, thus having a laminated plank that appears
>quarter-saw. I would use the sander (or planer) to work these pieces
>too. Obvious advantage of the sander is the greater width capacity.
>
>So, not having worked much with oak, what would YOU use to make these
>pieces? A luthier friend tells me you cannot mill quarter-sawn pieces
>with a knife, that you need abrasives (i.e, drum sander) to avoid
>tear-out. The local Delta/DeWalt dealer says this is true of older
>planers, but not the new generation. A friend has a two-year old
>Rigid planer that I can borrow if needed . . .
>
>Thanks for any ideas!
>
>Scott
and we have one confirmation....;-)
Thanks,
Bob S.
"Jerry McCaffrey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Bob S." <[email protected]> wrote in
> <[email protected]>:
>
> snip..
> >
> >I think someone telling you that a 3 bladed planer (DW735) is going to
> >eliminate tearout is putting his own twist on the manufacturer's hype.
> >It may reduce it somewhat but I've not heard anyone say it's eliminated
> >it. If they (DeWalt) guarantee's that - I'll go buy one today and sell
> >my 733.
> >
> >Bob S.
>
> Just thicknessed some leftover oak flooring on the 735 real smooth except
> where there were knots and wild grain. There was some minor tearout, but I
> was using the low speed and about 1/16th depth for speed of working. The
oak
> is not being used for fine finish, but a quick pass with the ROS would
clean
> it up nice. So not up to a guarantee, but real good.
>
> Jerry