Convert a powr planer to a jointer

On 12 Jun, 20:18, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:

> trying to edge plane 2" thick boards for edge
> joining wondering if anyone has attempted to convert their electric
> planer such as this into a jointer.

A jointer is a plaining device that has long tables for flatness, and
a vertical fence for setting up a right angle. There's nothing magic
about which way up it points. Turning a handheld planer upside down
doesn't magically transform it into a jointer.

The "Captain Hook Jointer" is pointless and stupid. Not because it's
hazardous (and it is), but because it involves doing work to make the
housing for it, all to give you something that works less well than
simply passing the tool over the workpiece in the way it's meant to
be. It still has short tables, so it's not going to give you a
usefully straight edge for glue joints.

If you're working big things, the easiest way to work them is probably
to hold them firmly in place (Workmate time) and move a planing device
(hand or electric) over their surface. It's easier than trying to
carry something the size of a door over a fixed jointer, even if you
already have a nice big jointer.

As CW suggested, a good #7 can still cost less than an indifferent
electric planer and it has the accuracy to give you a good edge
surface.

Tue, Jun 12, 2007, 7:18pm (EDT+4) [email protected] doth wonder:
Having an electric power planer from Ryobi - which I understand is not a
top grade model - but in trying to edge plane 2" thick boards for edge
joining wondering if anyone has attempted to convert their electric
planer such as this into a jointer. <snip>

Sure. No prob. I made a planer sled to hold the stock on edge,
run it thru. Works great. Now I just need to finish the longer planer
sled for longer stock.



JOAT
If a man does his best, what else is there?
- General George S. Patton

Thanks - on second thought - a #7 hand plane sounds like the way an old
fashioned craftsman might do it - and since each board does weigh over
50 pounds might be a lot easier than trying to brute force and keep the
board vertical on a jointer.

Andy Dingley wrote:
> On 12 Jun, 20:18, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> trying to edge plane 2" thick boards for edge
>> joining wondering if anyone has attempted to convert their electric
>> planer such as this into a jointer.
>
> A jointer is a plaining device that has long tables for flatness, and
> a vertical fence for setting up a right angle. There's nothing magic
> about which way up it points. Turning a handheld planer upside down
> doesn't magically transform it into a jointer.
>
> The "Captain Hook Jointer" is pointless and stupid. Not because it's
> hazardous (and it is), but because it involves doing work to make the
> housing for it, all to give you something that works less well than
> simply passing the tool over the workpiece in the way it's meant to
> be. It still has short tables, so it's not going to give you a
> usefully straight edge for glue joints.
>
> If you're working big things, the easiest way to work them is probably
> to hold them firmly in place (Workmate time) and move a planing device
> (hand or electric) over their surface. It's easier than trying to
> carry something the size of a door over a fixed jointer, even if you
> already have a nice big jointer.
>
> As CW suggested, a good #7 can still cost less than an indifferent
> electric planer and it has the accuracy to give you a good edge
> surface.
>

Number 7 Stanley.

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Having an electric power planer from Ryobi - which I understand is not a
> top grade model - but in trying to edge plane 2" thick boards for edge
> joining wondering if anyone has attempted to convert their electric
> planer such as this into a jointer.
> Anyone constructed a table with a fence to accomplish this - seems as
> though everything is there to make a jointer except for the table and
fence.
> Seems odd that lots of router table designs but nothing along these lines.
> Or is there a better jig, method for edge planing with the hand tool.

In article <[email protected]>, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Having an electric power planer from Ryobi - which I understand is not a
>top grade model - but in trying to edge plane 2" thick boards for edge
>joining wondering if anyone has attempted to convert their electric
>planer such as this into a jointer.

Funny you should mention that -- J T posted a link to one of those just a
couple days ago. :-)

<shudder>

>Anyone constructed a table with a fence to accomplish this - seems as
>though everything is there to make a jointer except for the table and fence.

And some means of adjusting the height of the infeed side relative to the
knives and outfeed side.

>Seems odd that lots of router table designs but nothing along these lines.
>Or is there a better jig, method for edge planing with the hand tool.

Honestly, this really isn't a very good idea. Among other things, the base of
the tool is too short to really be useful for jointing. And the lack of
adjustability of the infeed vs. outfeed pretty much kills it.

Do a Google Groups search -- how to joint without a jointer has been discussed
here numerous times. Methods include jigs and sleds on a table saw, router
tables, handheld routers with a jig or edge guide, and, of course, hand
planing with a jointer plane.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

It's time to throw all their damned tea in the harbor again.