Myford Planer help needed

[swirlyhammond]

I wonder if anyone can help. I have just bought an old Myford surface planer, which has a removable thicknessing attachment. Lovely machine, but I can't work out how the thicknessing attachment works!

The thicknesser is a height adjustable cast iron plate that has previously been attached to the infeed table, which is wider to accomodate the screw clamp fixing.

Myford have kindly sent me instructions for the machine, but with no mention of the attachment and they have no information.

 

[jasonB]

Some time ago Scrit posted a picture of a similar type of thicknesser where a table is clamped above the surfacer tables and the timber passed between the two.

He will likely be along later and may be able to shed more light on the subject, have a search through his "name the machine "posts.

Jason

 

[DaveL]

If you take a look here there are some pictures that Scrit posted of this type of thing, while here is a description of the setup.

All sound very scary to me. :shock:

 

[mel]

the very same post i was looking for dave

 

[Scrit]

Myford have kindly sent me instructions for the machine, but with no mention of the attachment and they have no information.

The best known thicknessing attachments were actually patented by a long defunct firm called Gabro and the ones shown in the Multico link were of that pattern. The Myford version is a bit different with a box section to support the thicknessing plate. These attachments were in effect banned by the 1974 Woodworking Machinery Regs for use in commercial establishments on the grounds that they can't be adequately guarded although both Myford and Startrite/Inca did sell them for home use only for a few years beyond that - little wonder Myford didn't send you instructions on use!

If you insist on knowing how they work: you'll need to drop the infeed table as far as you can in order to expose the cutterblock and then fix the box section above the cutterblock. At the bottom of the box there should be a spring which presses the work upwards onto the thicknessing plate. The plate is adjusted up or down to achieve the required depth. If you use this attachment be aware that it will put dust and chips everywhere and that you'll find snipe at the end of a piece almost inevitable - the longer the piece, the greater the snipe. There is also a finite limit as to how much you can take off in each pass - try to limit yourself to 1mm or less, especially as the Coronet is not a particularly powerful machine. And do watch your fingers! The blade is relatively poorly guarded by the spring and people used to forget themselves and push through the last few inches by hand rather than using a push stick. I suppose it's one way of cutting your nails :roll:

I think I have a plate in a book which illustrates on in use. I definately have a catalogue page illustration. If I can find these I'll post later on

Scrit

 

[swirlyhammond]

Thanks for all of your responses.

So, if I have for example a 2 1/4" piece of timber that needs to be 2", I set the thicknesser at 2 3/16" and force the timbeer through the gap and keep decreasing the gap until 2"?

Seems a pity not to use it if it's taking up space.

 

[jasonB]

So, if I have for example a 2 1/4" piece of timber that needs to be 2", I set the thicknesser at 2 3/16" and force the timbeer through the gap and keep decreasing the gap until 2"?.

1/32" steps will be better as 1/16" may be a bit much, will obviously depend of the width of timber, hard/softwood and sharpness of knives.

Jason

 

[swirlyhammond]

Thanks Jason. Sounds like it will be better used to make sure finished timber is even instead - or as a doorstop!

 

[dickm]

If you do use it, be prepared to wax the pressure plate and the springs regularly. or you'll find it practically impossible to push the timber through. Make sure the machine is well fastened down too, or you will just push it along!
When I had a Coronet with this system, it was hard work to use, and as Scrit says, very difficult to avoid snipes at the end of each piece.