# Safe Machine Planing Small Piece Of Timber



## pollys13 (12 Aug 2018)

Safe Machine Planing Small Piece Of Timber
This is only 6.5cm tall, If I hold it firmly against the fence, as I would with say 14cm tall piece. Then my finger tips have to be very low down to hold the timber against the fence and I feel uncomfortable having them so close to the knives.
I could stack two Mag Switches together I'm thinking this method would be OK, perhaps repeated on the outfeed table? Or should I be thinking about using Jacobs push stick method?
Thanks.


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## topchippyles (12 Aug 2018)

Use both the mag switch and push stick


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## sunnybob (12 Aug 2018)

mag switches and two push sticks. one to hold the piece down and the other to push


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## custard (12 Aug 2018)

Tricky one this, if you're uncomfortable then you're right to stop. 

But in a commercial workshop no one would hesitate on a job like that, they'd just plane that piece of timber as it is and wouldn't regard it as hazardous in any way. You never have your fingers touching the workpiece immediately over the cutter block, you push down on the indeed table, remove your hand, and then press down again on the outfeed table. That would be the case if it's 65mm tall or if it's 140mm tall.

Also, looking at your photo it appears that the guard is raised about 30mm or so. That _is_ a hazard. When edge planing the guard needs to be right down as far as it can go.


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## Jacob (12 Aug 2018)

pollys13":2w6nnl21 said:


> . Or should I be thinking about using Jacobs push stick method?
> Thanks.


Yep.
I've been doing it for a long time now and it's not only safer it's easier - you get much more control once your fingers are out of danger and you don't have to worry about them - just the risk of losing a bit of push stick instead.
It becomes a habit and there are only a few circumstances where I wouldn't pick up two push sticks automatically.
You can do really silly things with two push sticks such as pass a 6" square piece of board over a planer, though I'd only do that as a demo as there is still a risk of wrecking the workpiece, or kick back.
NB kick back not much of a hazard with small workpieces and small machines though they can still give you very nasty cuts and even remove fingers, but push sticks near to zero risk.

Push sticks - very safe, easier, give better control, faster. Which amounts to greater productivity in both quality and quantity.


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## pollys13 (12 Aug 2018)

OK thanks for the input.


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## Doug71 (12 Aug 2018)

+1 for what Custard said, I would push that over the planer without a second thought, it's short pieces that cause the problems.


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## pollys13 (13 Aug 2018)

Thanks.


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## johnnyb (13 Aug 2018)

That's a normal size for planing but get that guard down. Successful( and safe) planing is still about technique.


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## Beau (13 Aug 2018)

Another for Custards approach. Get the guard over the block lower if you can as well


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