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FINISH PLANING

Finally you will have resawn until there is no more thickness to resaw, and it is time to take it all to the planer to surface the rough resawn faces. This is a simple procedure for pieces 1/4" and above in thickness. But if you want stock thinner than this a couple of problems arise that are easily solved with the simplest jig you will ever make and the greatest gift to woodworkers since duct tape- double sided carpet tape.

All planers have a minimum thickness that they will plane- from as much as 1/4" to as little as less than 1/8". If the thickness you desire is less than the minimum for your machine, the way to plane it thinner is to put it on top of another, thicker piece of stock and run both through together (photos 8 and 9). The only requirements for this planing jig are that it be relatively flat and of a very regular thickness. Mine is made from a section of a solid core door.

Photo 8- Plane very thin pieces by putting them on top of a thicker piece, in this case a section of a solid core door.

Another problem is that when very thin stock is planed, say less than 3/16", the stock is flexible enough that the front of it can bounce up into the planer cutting head when the piece first goes in, and before it is held down by the outfeed roller of the planer. It can also pop up into the cutter at the end of the cut after the rear end comes away from the infeed roller. To prevent this, use the planing jig and put double sided carpet tape under the lead and tail ends of the piece being planed so that the ends are secured to the jig (photo 9). This will make the final thickness of the ends slightly less than in the middle where there is no tape, but by no more than 1/64th or so. If you are worried about this, put a layer of duct tape on the jig between the carpet tape, but don't use double sided here. It's hard enough getting the planed piece off with tape at two ends, without it in the middle. To get the piece off, first lift it in the middle, then run your fingers between it and the jig working your way toward the ends.

Photo 9- Double sided carpet tape is just the ticket to keep the thin stock down on the planing jig when you push it through the machine.

Because when you use this jig you add a thick piece to what will go through the planer, you must of course lower the planer table to accept the additional thickness. Begin planing by taking off only a very small amount, and take no more than 1/32nd with each pass. This makes the procedure less strenuous on the thin pieces and helps to prevent them blowing up. Be sure to always plane with the grain, or they will certainly blow up. Here is where choosing stock with consistent grain really matters- reversing grain won't blow up in the band saw but it will in the planer.

ALL I HAVE IS A BAND SAW AND TABLE SAW