planer into a jointer

[transatlantic]

Be interested to hear your constructive thoughts on this idea. You'll want to watch the video in full, as he also mentions on how it could possibly be improved with a second fence.

Oh and please no comments about how he should just get a planer. Of course that is the better option. But not everyone has the space or the money for one. And engineering challenges like this are fun! .. even if they do turn out to be a fail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7UGDvP1lhk&t=637s

 

[chiokli]

The comments noted my questions about this method, namely if the piece is twisted, will the twist be transferred through the square face? So you corner is 90deg, but it's twisted along the axis.

I think a planer sled with wedges and shims still wins on getting one face flat, then table saw for getting it square.

 

[transatlantic]

That was my thinking too. It seems as though, even with a second fence, you would still need one flat face to begin with.

 

[custard]

It works better than I expected (with the previously mentioned caveat regarding twisting). I was surprised that the jig overcame the feed roller pressure within the machine and managed to hold the workpiece vertical, but his test with the square seemed to demonstrate it did just that.

So, okay, maybe it has some potential.

But on the other hand, it's also the same old "skills dodging" story. Why do people take up woodworking if they're so averse to acquiring the basic skills of the craft?

It's like wanting to learn to drive but being unwilling to tackle hill starts or roundabouts! I try and take a flexible and accommodating view in order to encourage people into the craft, but at the end of the day if you can't efficiently and reliably edge joint with a hand plane then woodworking probably won't be a very satisfying hobby.

 

[Nelsun]

Get your violins out... I "gave" myself a ganglion on my good wrist from squaring and edge jointing enough 3x1 knotty pine to make 7 doors for a built-in wardrobe. It ain't going away and I have to avoid pushing with my wrist or it flares up and is a royal PITA. Heaven help me if I knock it on something!

The upshot being I have to look at alternate methods (for edging it's kerf cutting and just a few thin shavings) or, for smaller pieces, just grin and bear it. Not sure I'd go the OP's video route but it's always interesting to see other ways of doing things.

 

[transatlantic]

But on the other hand, it's also the same old "skills dodging" story. Why do people take up woodworking if they're so averse to acquiring the basic skills of the craft?

It's like wanting to learn to drive but being unwilling to tackle hill starts or roundabouts! I try and take a flexible and accommodating view in order to encourage people into the craft, but at the end of the day if you can't efficiently and reliably edge joint with a hand plane then woodworking probably won't be a very satisfying hobby.

Maybe he can do it by hand but has a lot to do? ... can we not turn this into a 'he should be learning hand plane skills' debate. :lol: :lol:

 

[johnnyb]

Years ago I had a myford planer with a thickness attachment. The thickness bed was suspended above the table on a thick column. The wood was held onto it using a sprung arm. It was slightly dodgy but because it was well made by myford it worked well.
I'm sure it'll do a job.

 

[Orraloon]

It looks to do the job so that's the bit that counts. He also mentioned that down the track he may add a fence to the outfeed side and that may be needed for thin stock. After the stock leaves the fence it is unsupported. For anyone without a jointer that and a sled would be a reasonable option.
The usual face then edge still applies however you prepare the stock so a twisted board should not be edged in any case.
Regards
John

 

[custard]

can we not turn this into a 'he should be learning hand plane skills' debate

Point taken!

This post on edge jointing,

how-to-edge-joint-t112936-30.html

contains two methods that rely less on hand skills, routing an edge and shooting an edge.

I'd suggest that both of those methods are better solutions than the jig featured in the linked video. The thicknessing machine jig shown is pretty big, especially as you'd really need two to prevent twist. In a small workshop just storing those two jigs would be a headache, and setting them up would be time consuming.

It's also concerning that the second jig on the outfeed side was only discussed as a possibility, rather than shown and proven. In reality it would be tricky to ensure the workpiece fed precisely into the second jig, if it was misaligned even fractionally there would be all sorts of problems, some of which might be quite risky!