Can i use a thickenser to edge dress ?

You can dress it, but it will do only minor straightening, if that's what
you want.

I've made it a practice to take final passes on the thickness planer for
components that must be square.

"Dee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> Just brought myself a 12" thickenser and was wondering if it's safe to
> dress the sides of timber like 2x4" etc. Personally i can't see too much
> that can go wrong as the timber would be trapped between the feed
> rollers and couldn't tip over. I would not attempt it with much thinner
> stock, but was just wondering peoples view
>
> Dee

I think you must have one hell of a strong set of springs to do that. What
kind of planer?


"Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I think variations in the bulk modulus of compression (hardness) will
cause
> wood, especially softwood, to lean as it is squeezed through the rollers.
> That's one reason ganging multiples helps. Of course you must be sure you
> clamp them square, which you can check with a square.
>
> As you get down to 2-3" widths you have to be pretty careful with the
> clamps. Keep the c-clamps AND HANDLES horizontal!! NO, I have not yet
> heard the sound of a clamp being caught by the knives.
> Wilson
>
> "Dave W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I have found that 2x4's edged dressed on the planer tend to become
> > trapezoidal in cross section. I have only done it once, to a whole lot
of
> > stock. It was really rough sawn pine. For what it is worth.
> > Dave
> >
> >
>
>

Stick with the word "Theory" and adjust the pressure on your infeed roller
so you can feed a cupped 1/2" thick piece without compressing it. That's
the joy of having real iron to work with. I've got the prototype for all
those Chiwan 4-posters and it's great to have a serrated steel roller and
anti kickbacks.

Oh yes, check your bed rollers if you're having some out-of-parallel
problems. They're on cams on your model?

"Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Common 15" Taiwan 3 HP. The compression from the rollers is considerable
> and I'm guessing that if one side of the board is soft you can get some
> tilt...just a theory at this point.
> WL
> "George" <george@least> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I think you must have one hell of a strong set of springs to do that.
> What
> > kind of planer?
> >
> >
> > "Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > I think variations in the bulk modulus of compression (hardness) will
> > cause
> > > wood, especially softwood, to lean as it is squeezed through the
> rollers.
> > > That's one reason ganging multiples helps. Of course you must be sure
> you
> > > clamp them square, which you can check with a square.
> > >
> > > As you get down to 2-3" widths you have to be pretty careful with the
> > > clamps. Keep the c-clamps AND HANDLES horizontal!! NO, I have not
yet
> > > heard the sound of a clamp being caught by the knives.
> > > Wilson
> > >
> > > "Dave W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > I have found that 2x4's edged dressed on the planer tend to become
> > > > trapezoidal in cross section. I have only done it once, to a whole
> lot
> > of
> > > > stock. It was really rough sawn pine. For what it is worth.
> > > > Dave
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

Fri, Jul 16, 2004, 6:59pm (EDT+14) [email protected] (Dee) wants to know:
Hi
Just brought myself a 12" thickenser and was wondering if it's safe to
dress the sides of timber like 2x4" etc.<snip>

Funny you should ask that. Awhile back i made a sled, just for
that purpose. It's for edging 2-3" wide pieces, that are from 1/2- 1/4"
thick, several pieces at a time. Of course, it works out to be wider
than the height, even with the pieces of wood in it, Works quite nicely
too. Possibly better results, and almost certainly faster, with a
proper jointer - which I don't have.

That being said, I've never tried sending just a section of 2X4
thru my planer, on edge, and don't think I will. I don/'t know that it
wouldn't work, but just a feeling that I don't want to try it.
Something about the width being less than the height, I would imagine,
makes me nervous. I wouldn't have any qualm about sending a 2X4 thru on
its side, or if it was on edge in my planer sled.

And, any wood in the planer sled, is firmly clamped in place - all
wood, no metal in the sled. Works great. All my own design - at least
I've never seen, or heard of, one similar.

JOAT

We've got a lot of experience of not having any experience.
- Nanny Ogg

I have found that 2x4's edged dressed on the planer tend to become
trapezoidal in cross section. I have only done it once, to a whole lot of
stock. It was really rough sawn pine. For what it is worth.
Dave

Thanks for the replies all.

I'll give it a try in the near future when the need arises, and i like
the idea about a sled to hold thin stock.

first job for the thickenser is to make myself a half decent workbench,
so will probably lam some stock together in suitable sizes to fit thru
the thickenser, then glue them up later.

Is it true that glued lams will blunten the blades very quickly ? I
might go out and grab another set of blades now, just to have handy if
this is the case.

Dee

I have been doing that for a couple years with no problem. Usually pieces a
foot or two long and 2" by 1/2". The one way I can guarantee the edges are
parallel. (My TS fence is a piece of garbage and I haven't saved up the
bucks for a decent one yet. Something else always seems to get in the way.)
No problems yet but then I NEVER stand behind the thickness planer when
feeding the stock and the only thing behind it is a concrete wall

Rick



"Dee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> Just brought myself a 12" thickenser and was wondering if it's safe to
> dress the sides of timber like 2x4" etc. Personally i can't see too much
> that can go wrong as the timber would be trapped between the feed
> rollers and couldn't tip over. I would not attempt it with much thinner
> stock, but was just wondering peoples view
>
> Dee

Dee <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:

> Thanks for the replies all.
>
> I'll give it a try in the near future when the need arises, and i like
> the idea about a sled to hold thin stock.
>
> first job for the thickenser is to make myself a half decent workbench,
> so will probably lam some stock together in suitable sizes to fit thru
> the thickenser, then glue them up later.
>
> Is it true that glued lams will blunten the blades very quickly ? I
> might go out and grab another set of blades now, just to have handy if
> this is the case.
>
> Dee
>

Replacement blades are always nice to have, but, if you scrape the glue
squeeze-out off, before planing, the edges don't knick up as quickly. When
the weather is warm, maybe 20 minutes after glue up? It's still pretty
soft, but has jelled up pretty well.

Otherwise, paint scraper or power sander...

While on topic, I have found that an extension board (insert) for my planer
makes things a bit easier. Melamine (3/4"), with a cleat underneath,
extends the base of the planer to maybe 36", but removes and stores behind
the planer, which folds and rolls away on it's stand when not in use.
Snipe is reduced. I can run shorter stock more easily. And thinner stock
doesn't seem to tear out as easily. Made with an off cut, so the price was
right.

Have fun with the workbench. It makes so many other projects easier.

Patriarch

I think variations in the bulk modulus of compression (hardness) will cause
wood, especially softwood, to lean as it is squeezed through the rollers.
That's one reason ganging multiples helps. Of course you must be sure you
clamp them square, which you can check with a square.

As you get down to 2-3" widths you have to be pretty careful with the
clamps. Keep the c-clamps AND HANDLES horizontal!! NO, I have not yet
heard the sound of a clamp being caught by the knives.
Wilson

"Dave W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have found that 2x4's edged dressed on the planer tend to become
> trapezoidal in cross section. I have only done it once, to a whole lot of
> stock. It was really rough sawn pine. For what it is worth.
> Dave
>
>

More likely that the stock wasn't square in the first place.

"Bill Rogers" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 08:42:49 -0400, "Dave W"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I have found that 2x4's edged dressed on the planer tend to become
> >trapezoidal in cross section. I have only done it once, to a whole lot
of
> >stock. It was really rough sawn pine. For what it is worth.
>
> Could it be that the blade is not parallel to the base?
>
> Bill.
>

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 15:51:35 GMT, "Wilson" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Keep the c-clamps AND HANDLES horizontal!!

Or use clamps with the pins removed, and a separate tommy bar.

I do this all the time. If the stock is too thin, I'll gang several pieces
together with clamps.

Kevin
--
=====
"Dee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi
>
> Just brought myself a 12" thickenser and was wondering if it's safe to
> dress the sides of timber like 2x4" etc. Personally i can't see too much
> that can go wrong as the timber would be trapped between the feed
> rollers and couldn't tip over. I would not attempt it with much thinner
> stock, but was just wondering peoples view
>
> Dee

Common 15" Taiwan 3 HP. The compression from the rollers is considerable
and I'm guessing that if one side of the board is soft you can get some
tilt...just a theory at this point.
WL
"George" <george@least> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I think you must have one hell of a strong set of springs to do that.
What
> kind of planer?
>
>
> "Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I think variations in the bulk modulus of compression (hardness) will
> cause
> > wood, especially softwood, to lean as it is squeezed through the
rollers.
> > That's one reason ganging multiples helps. Of course you must be sure
you
> > clamp them square, which you can check with a square.
> >
> > As you get down to 2-3" widths you have to be pretty careful with the
> > clamps. Keep the c-clamps AND HANDLES horizontal!! NO, I have not yet
> > heard the sound of a clamp being caught by the knives.
> > Wilson
> >
> > "Dave W" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > I have found that 2x4's edged dressed on the planer tend to become
> > > trapezoidal in cross section. I have only done it once, to a whole
lot
> of
> > > stock. It was really rough sawn pine. For what it is worth.
> > > Dave
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 08:42:49 -0400, "Dave W"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I have found that 2x4's edged dressed on the planer tend to become
>trapezoidal in cross section. I have only done it once, to a whole lot of
>stock. It was really rough sawn pine. For what it is worth.

Could it be that the blade is not parallel to the base?

Bill.