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In operation, the table is set to the desired height and then the machine is switched on. The board is fed into the machine until it makes contact with the in-feed roller, which grips the board and draws it into the machine and past the rotating cutter head. The knives remove material on the way through and the out-feed roller pulls the board through and ejects it from the machine at the end of the pass. To finish a board that is flat and of uniform thickness along its length, it is necessary to start with a board that has at least one perfectly flat reference face. The board is fed with this reference face flat on the table and the cutter head removes an amount of material from the opposite face so that it is made parallel to the reference face. The reference face is often created by first passing the board over a Jointer machine. (See Jointer document.) If the lower face is not flat, the feed roller pressure pressing the board against the table will deform the board, which will then spring back as it leaves the machine, resulting in a non-flat upper surface. Twisted, warped, or bowed stock should first be jointed on one surface before attempting to plane a parallel surface on the planer. Serious stock flaws cannot be removed by use of a planer alone.
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If you are planning on using the Thickness Planer for multiple pieces of lumber, it’s best to prepare one face and one edge of all parts on the Jointer first, and then run all parts through the Planer at each thickness setting. |
Steps
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- Using a tape measure or ruler, measure the thickest part of your boards to be planed. Set the depth of the cut for the first cut by adjusting the table height to read 1/16” thinner than your thickest board. (See: “Depth of Cut” above.)
- Turn on the Dust Collector, and then turn on the Thickness Planer. (See: “Power Switch” and “Dust Collector” above.)
- Arrange your board(s) so that they are ready to feed into the machine with their flattest surface face down. Feed your board(s) into the machine with enough force to engage the in feed roller, and then let the machine pull the material at it’s own rate. Always support long pieces of stock on both the in feed and out feed sides of the planer. Do not have any part of the hands under that part of the board that is over the table when starting a cut; the in feed roller will engage the board and force it down against the table causing a pinching action.
- Continue feeding one or more boards into the machine while standing along side and supporting them, walking along with them as they come through to the out feed side of the machine. As they exit the machine, support and remove them and place them on top of the machine or on a nearby work bench. (You can enlist the help of a friend or Shop Technician to assist with this.)
- Once all boards to be Planed have been passed through the machine at this setting, repeat steps 1 thru 4 if desired, by raising the table approximately 1/16” each time, until the desired thickness is achieved. (Boards can be flipped over for subsequent passes.)
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