13" Planner sled, torsion box ???

[Joe Watson]

- Just starting out with woodworking.

- Don't have a jointer (don't think i could ever afford a larger one anyway).

- Having hard time buying rough cut lumber (just bought some at a pretty good deal (2.50bf, mainly 8-10"x10' (1.5 thick) walnut, maple (plan hard), 1/4 swan oak all from same tree(s)), but it was a one time deal). A few of the planks are twisted slightly, i was taking skim pass with a 13" planner and it worked, but took a long time, so now im looking for a better way.

- Read about planner sleds, thought making one in a torsion box designing might work well (light and strong), don't think i would be running any planks thicker then 2"-2.5" (mainly 1" and 1.5"), planer will handle 6" so i can make then box's web 3" high.

Question(s)
- is this a good idea (or over kill) ?
- 1/4" bottom, 1/2 top (1/2 top so i sink screws into it to level out twisted planks) ?
- size 12" x 8' long

Never made a torsion box so i thought it might be a good first project.
Any thoughts or ideas would be great
- thanks


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[glenn bradley]

I made Keith Rust's version (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?58735-Planer-Sled-2.0). Quasi torsion box. Been using it for years. Still dead flat. Consider the height of the sled deducts from the capacity of your machine.

[Andrew Joiner]

I think a torsion box may be overkill.
I have an 8' sled. I used one layer of 3/4"plywood 8'x 13" for the sled. I have an infeed table that is flat to set up on. It works fine and it's lightweight and simple. You could even use a 1/4" thick sled once you get use to the technique.
Here's the link http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=134633