Credit where it's due

[Lonsdale73]

Last year, I tried to trim my finger nails with a planer thicknesser. I got off VERY lightly. Although the tip of my finger did come off, looking at it now you, would never know. There's a 'hardened' area that has a slightly different sensitivity to touch. Was a bit bizarre for a while in that it had a 'cold day numbness' most of the time but, e.g, when moving a mouse around on the desk top, touching something as insignificant as a grain of sugar could send a searing pain all the way up my arm.

At the time, I was (rightly) reminded to use push blocks / sticks as all times and that is something I do (almost) all the time. I even bought a load of Magswitch gear only to find my 'cast' table top wasn't iron. Or any other magnetic material. But I have an idea of how to get round that - now!

There was one chap who recommended the use of two push sticks. It didn't look particularly safe to me and a few others rounded on him for the suggestion. But fair play to the chap, it's not as tricky as it looked in the photos and, in practice, I found it not only easy to accomplish but very effective too.

It's by no means the first or only good bit of advice I've received from these forums and I regret I cannot recall the chap's name but my thanks to whoever it was and all who've ever taken the time to help.

THANK YOU.

 

[Vann]

Jacob recommends the use of two pushsticks. For all the criticism of his abrasive opinions, he DOES seem to know his woodworking.

I've misplaced my pushstick. Time to go make a lot more (two for each machine...).

Cheers, Vann :ho2 :ho2 :ho2 :deer

 

[RobinBHM]

Jacob hasnt got any free time at the moment.

He is far too busy writing a Jeremy Corbyn appreciation society blog

(See BBC rant alert! In general off topic section).

 

[RogerS]

I never use push-sticks ! :wink:

 

[doctor Bob]

I never understand how a powerfeed on a surface planer can work. feed in a banana and you get a banana out.
I have a 4 sider, in effect it has a power feed but on a curly board I can disengage the downward pressure.

 

[transatlantic]

I'd be interested in seeing a video of someone using their planer with push sticks. I can't really see how you would have enough control to edge joint?

Also - how do you edge joint with a power feeder?

 

[MikeG.]

I'd be interested in seeing a video of someone using their planer with push sticks. I can't really see how you would have enough control to edge joint?........

I don't think people are advocating using push sticks for planing edges, unless the bits of wood are really small.

 

[RogerS]

I never understand how a powerfeed on a surface planer can work. feed in a banana and you get a banana out.
I have a 4 sider, in effect it has a power feed but on a curly board I can disengage the downward pressure.

Works very well. After all, the power feeder is only doing what you're hands would be doing. Only better.

 

[Lonsdale73]

And safer!

 

[RogerS]

....
Also - how do you edge joint with a power feeder?

With difficulty ! It does depend on the size of the timber. If it's wide enough then it's not an issue. What can become an issue in this circumstance is the type of fence mounting. The one on the Hammer is, like any others that mount the fence from one end, floppy at the far end. Not ideal although you can reinforce against any sideways movement with a wooden block clamped (with difficulty ) to the outfeed table. I really miss the rocksolid cast-iron fence on mySedgwick MB that was rigidly fixed in the middle.

If the timber is too thin then I have been getting excellent results using the power feeder, a rebate block on the spindle moulder and making use of the sliding table. Works very well for long pieces of timber.

Oh...to have the (a) space and (b) budget for a our-sider.

Returning to the Hammer fence for a moment, I rate it as the worst one I have ever used. Especially bearing in mind that on a combination machine you are constantly taking it off. The mechanism for locking it in place when used on the table saw moves it out of line when you tighten it up. You then have to faff about with the fine-adjuster (optional expensive extra). But even then, re-tightening the fence needs care if the distance between fence and blade isn't changed.

Fitting it to the planer is even worse. You would hope that re-fitting it would keep the 90 degree. Not so. It depends on the Gods.

 

[OscarG]

I never use push-sticks ! :wink:

oooh that's a very sexy bit of kit!

Would look a little silly on my little crappy Titan planar-bolloxer :wink:

 

[RogerS]

It's also bleedin' heavy.....supposed to be able to swing it out of the way back to the floor but it weighs 70 kg :shock:

 

[OscarG]

Last year, I tried to trim my finger nails with a planer thicknesser. I got off VERY lightly. Although the tip of my finger did come off, looking at it now you, would never know. There's a 'hardened' area that has a slightly different sensitivity to touch. Was a bit bizarre for a while in that it had a 'cold day numbness' most of the time but, e.g, when moving a mouse around on the desk top, touching something as insignificant as a grain of sugar could send a searing pain all the way up my arm.

At the time, I was (rightly) reminded to use push blocks / sticks as all times and that is something I do (almost) all the time. I even bought a load of Magswitch gear only to find my 'cast' table top wasn't iron. Or any other magnetic material. But I have an idea of how to get round that - now!

There was one chap who recommended the use of two push sticks. It didn't look particularly safe to me and a few others rounded on him for the suggestion. But fair play to the chap, it's not as tricky as it looked in the photos and, in practice, I found it not only easy to accomplish but very effective too.

It's by no means the first or only good bit of advice I've received from these forums and I regret I cannot recall the chap's name but my thanks to whoever it was and all who've ever taken the time to help.

THANK YOU.

Sorry to make you revisit the accident but do you mind answering how you did it?

 

[RogerS]

I'd love to see someone using a couple of pushsticks with this timber :shock: It's 4.5m long and destined for skirting.

 

[Lonsdale73]

Last year, I tried to trim my finger nails with a planer thicknesser. I got off VERY lightly. Although the tip of my finger did come off, looking at it now you, would never know. There's a 'hardened' area that has a slightly different sensitivity to touch. Was a bit bizarre for a while in that it had a 'cold day numbness' most of the time but, e.g, when moving a mouse around on the desk top, touching something as insignificant as a grain of sugar could send a searing pain all the way up my arm.

At the time, I was (rightly) reminded to use push blocks / sticks as all times and that is something I do (almost) all the time. I even bought a load of Magswitch gear only to find my 'cast' table top wasn't iron. Or any other magnetic material. But I have an idea of how to get round that - now!

There was one chap who recommended the use of two push sticks. It didn't look particularly safe to me and a few others rounded on him for the suggestion. But fair play to the chap, it's not as tricky as it looked in the photos and, in practice, I found it not only easy to accomplish but very effective too.

It's by no means the first or only good bit of advice I've received from these forums and I regret I cannot recall the chap's name but my thanks to whoever it was and all who've ever taken the time to help.

THANK YOU.

Sorry to make you revisit the accident but do you mind answering how you did it?

Sheer stupidity! I was trying to plane a piece of walnut and I did just about everything wrong. First off, the piece was much too small, less than the 12" the manual states as being the minimum. Somewhat annoyingly, I had actually read the manual before even attempting to pass anything through it! I think I was also trying to plane against the grain which I suspect would explain the juddering I experienced moments earlier. And I was pushing it through with my hand. Had it been a bit longer then I might have got away with it. Had it definitely been with the grain then I might have got away with it. Had I been using a push block then I might have got away with it. As it was, the bit of wood was not long enough, was possibly being planed against the grain, blade caught it and sent it flying out of my hand, right across the workshop, pulling my hand towards the newly fitted blade.

The blade sliced almost right through, leaving the tip of my finger flapping like a hinged door. At the hospital, they attempted to glue and staple it back on but it did eventually drop off. But to look at my finger now you would never know. I know I got off very lightly. Had I 'got away' with it that time the next time could have been a whole lot worse and now I know better than to chance my luck again. No matter how 'safe' something looks I do always use a push block or stick. Or two!

 

[OscarG]

holy moly!

Ouch, that looks painful.

Glad you recovered from it!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Lonsdale73]

You know, it wasn't all that sore, I've had worse when my 'mate' trapped my finger in a cab door! Or when you're moving something heavy and set it down in such a way that your finger gets pinched under it. I thought the block of wood had hammered the digit as it flew out of my hand. Naturally, I ****** it back and watched watched as a spray of blood arced over me like a red rainbow. I was wearing a brand new overall which became splattered so much I started to look like Mr Blobby. I wrapped a clean cloth round it and was going to carry on working but soon became obvious that it might need looking at. Even at the hospital when they had me dip it in something antiseptic before stapling it there wasn't any real pain. That came some weeks later, like I said, I was moving the mouse across its pad when the afflicted finger brushed against something microscopic, making me jerk like I'd been electrocuted and the pain had me uttering something like 'holy flip'. I was barred from the workshop for a few weeks and when I was allowed back in I was very, very careful with it. It's surprising how many knocks one's hands take that you only notice when you have something sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb!

 

[flying haggis]

[

Sheer stupidity! I was trying to plane a piece of walnut and I did just about everything wrong. First off, the piece was much too small, less than the 12" the manual states as being the minimum. Somewhat annoyingly, I had actually read the manual before even attempting to pass anything through it! I think I was also trying to plane against the grain which I suspect would explain the juddering I experienced moments earlier. And I was pushing it through with my hand. Had it been a bit longer then I might have got away with it. Had it definitely been with the grain then I might have got away with it. Had I been using a push block then I might have got away with it. As it was, the bit of wood was not long enough, was possibly being planed against the grain, blade caught it and sent it flying out of my hand, right across the workshop, pulling my hand towards the newly fitted blade.



The blade sliced almost right through, leaving the tip of my finger flapping like a hinged door. At the hospital, they attempted to glue and staple it back on but it did eventually drop off. But to look at my finger now you would never know. I know I got off very lightly. Had I 'got away' with it that time the next time could have been a whole lot worse and now I know better than to chance my luck again. No matter how 'safe' something looks I do always use a push block or stick. Or two![/quote]

those rough edges need sanding down or you will keep catching them!!!!!!!! :roll:

 

[doctor Bob]

I never understand how a powerfeed on a surface planer can work. feed in a banana and you get a banana out.
I have a 4 sider, in effect it has a power feed but on a curly board I can disengage the downward pressure.

Works very well. After all, the power feeder is only doing what you're hands would be doing. Only better.

Except it maintains downward prressure which if you have a bent board you dont want? If I hand feed a bent board on a surface planer I dont put downward force in the middle of the board.
As I say with my 4 sider it is just a feed in where downward pressure can be removed, with a powerfeed a bent board would come out bent as it's pressing the board into the cutters all the way through, rather than just removing material front and back.

 

[RogerS]

I never understand how a powerfeed on a surface planer can work. feed in a banana and you get a banana out.
I have a 4 sider, in effect it has a power feed but on a curly board I can disengage the downward pressure.

Works very well. After all, the power feeder is only doing what you're hands would be doing. Only better.

Except it maintains downward prressure which if you have a bent board you dont want? If I hand feed a bent board on a surface planer I dont put downward force in the middle of the board.
As I say with my 4 sider it is just a feed in where downward pressure can be removed, with a powerfeed a bent board would come out bent as it's pressing the board into the cutters all the way through, rather than just removing material front and back.

Fair point, Bob. Fortunately, most of the timber I get up here is pretty damn flat to begin with. Anything obviously bent is cut into smaller pieces to be used where appropriate.