Electric planer

[StottC]

I'm planning my first ever project currently and was hoping to get some pretty specific sized timber to make it with. Unfortunately there don't seem to be any suppliers near me who can mill to a specific dimension, and I'm stuck with buying pre-specified thicknesses.

I don't have a thicknesser, but do have an electric planer. My question being - How much is reasonable for me to expect to be able to remove with it? For example, I'm dreaming of 7mm thick parts but the best I can seem to find at local stores is 18mm, is it unreasonable to expect to thin it down over half way?

Alternatively does anybody have an alternative solution? It seems such a waste to plane away over half the wood, but I don't have a bandsaw to resaw it down the middle which is the only other option I can think of

 

[marcros]

how much timber are you needing to buy, and typically what sizes?

The 2 immediate thoughts are:

1. find somebody with the right kit nearby and buy them a couple of beers
1a. buy a handsaw and cut it down
2. buy from somewhere like British hardwoods, who will do thin sections and hobby packs. you will pay a premium, but it is an option.
2a. buy from a timber supplier that will supply to your dimensions.

If by local stores you mean b&Q, Homebase (do they still exist?), wickes etc they are not famed for their timber quality.

 

[StottC]

Not much at all, it's only a small project. I just need 3 individual 1m boards:

1: 9mm x 80mm
2: 7mm x 50mm
3: 7mm x 115mm

Hoping not to combine the 2 7mm boards because I'm looking at contrasting woods, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did combine them into 1 piece say 170mm wide I guess.

I'd already discovered that B&Q and Wickes etc. are pretty useless :lol: but had held out a bit of hope on Travis Perkins, only to be told today that their equipment is really basic and all they can do is cut to length.

Maybe a search for a more specialised supplier with better equipment is at hand!

 

[marcros]

I would have a search for a timber merchant. where are you? there is a link at the top of the page somewhere with local supplier.

failing that, somebody may be near you and offer to put something across the bandsaw and the planer thicknesser. Buying something at whatever thickness you can get and ripping with a handsaw wouldn't take that long- probably quicker than searching for somebody who could do it.

what are you making?

 

[StottC]

Cheshire in the North West - I do have a couple ideas of people nearby I could ask, but it'll definitely be worth finding a decent supplier in the long run so I don't have to do this every time!

Just a little jewellery box for the missus! Nothing too fancy, but it'll be the first time I've put tools to wood since I was in secondary school :lol:

 

[Inspector]

Rig up a router sled. Like the ones used to flatten big burls and slabs. Make it to suit the work your doing.
https://www.google.com/search?rls=en&q= ... 5&bih=1283

Pete

 

[deema]

Richard Potter in Nantwich will be able to provide and mill the stuff to your required sizes.

 

[marcros]

Is it a hinged box? If so, make certain that you can get small enough hinges.

9mm is plenty thin enough for the sides.

 

[StottC]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions! Richard Potter in Nantwich looks like a good find, they're fairly local as well so I'll get in touch.

No hinges, just friction fit! No doubt I'll run into some problems along the way, so I might be back asking for help soon :lol:

 

[StottC]

So Richard Potters have advised they're happy to mill the pine for me if I want them too, but it's likely to start curling up immediately.

Am I missing something here with being a newbie?? Is 7mm far too thin to be working with?

 

[custard]

Is 7mm far too thin to be working with?

Yes, 7mm is a bit on the thin side.

It would be okay if the woodworker selected and dimensioned his or her own timber. Because then they'd pick out straight grained, quarter sawn stuff,. And they'd machine or hand plane it down in careful stages over a couple of weeks, always removing material equally from both faces and carefully storing it so that air could circulate all round it.

But getting stuff this thin that the average timber yard has dimensioned is asking for trouble. You'd stand a better chance buying box maker's timber from Timberline, I believe they offer a mail order service,

http://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/Woods_ ... xmaker.asp

You'll pay more, but they take more care.

 

[Nelsun]

One source of off-the-shelf timber that's dried, relatively thin (about 12mm to start with) and can be found with good straight grain (you have to sift through the pile to find the good stuff!) is oak skirting. I can see Custard wincing at the very thought but this is up here in Shetland where the choice of timer is decidedly "limited". We certainly don't see pine that thin in any usable form. Unless you're trying to make wooden bananas...