Planer sled not working, anything else?

[Brian Sommers]

I've built a small 3' planer jig from Keith Rust.

I'm having a miserable time of it. The little blocks that the work sits on doesn't stay put. They shift around on me.

Is there another one that works better or has anyone done any mods to this one that makes it better?

I'm frustrated to say the very least.

[Myk Rian]

Double sided tape under the blocks.

[Brian Sommers]

ahhh! I was thinking about that.
Thanks for the confirmation.

oh wait, you said ds tape, wouldn't more of that non skid stair tape work?

[Brian Sommers]

OK, I have one really twisted piece of lumber, I think it's Cherry.

I got in the jig so it's solid, but now I'm planing a nice slope at the one end. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I'm about ready to try my hand at hand planning.

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[Malcolm McLeod]

OK, I have one really twisted piece of lumber, I think it's Cherry.

I got in the jig so it's solid, but now I'm planing a nice slope at the one end. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I'm about ready to try my hand at hand planning.

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Hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like the board is cantilevered out past the last support shim. When the feed rollers engage and press down on the board, it deflects, and then cutter 'climbs' up the ramp...??? (Not familiar with the jig design.)

Solution: use more shims under the board. Or more better, use a jointer if available.

[Al Launier]

Are you supporting the sled/board assembly properly after it leaves the planer?

[Brian Sommers]

sorry about the photo, the support is at the edge of the wood, I had lifted the wood off.

I'm not sure, what you mean to support it after it leaves the planer? It comes out on the outfeed table. Is there something else I'm should be doing when it comes out? I just let it get pulled through by the rollers.

+1 to a jointer. There is something about me and jigs... we don't get along to well.

[Randy Viellenave]

Another method that works for me is to use a 3/4 strip of ply with and end block screwed to the ply, then drive a couple finishing nails into each end of the board. If there is any movement, then use some shims to provide the extra support. I have only done up to a 5' board like this, if longer you may want to use 2x the 3/4 ply. As long as you're not taking off enough to hit any of the fasteners, you should be ok.

[Mark W Pugh]

I use blobs of hot glue under the board edge. If the board is really warped, I will throw a shim in to take up space with the glue. The glue does not compress and pops right off, jig and wood.

[Keith Westfall]

If it's really twisted, as you feed it through, it will only cut the high sports (which will get bigger) as you process it through.

If it is REALLY twisted and wide, you may be better off ripping it in two, (and that's another process that needs to be done carefully) and then planning each strip. You will have less "apparent" twist on a smaller board, and this will probably result in ending up with a bit thicker board in the end. Then when finished, glue them back together to get your board back.

Remember only to plane one side until it's flat, and then turn it over and do the other side, but NOT using the sled.

Keep us posted!

[Erik Christensen]

+1 for hot melt glue - works like a champ

[glenn bradley]

I have had no trouble with the blocks and wedges. The blocks have stair tread or really coarse sandpaper on them, right? The wedges also have an abrasive on the contact face and are held with the screws as Keith shows in the plans, right?

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The wedges and blocks do have to have adequate travel to seat against the uneven underside of the material. If this is achieved the pressure of the rollers keeps the material in place for the run. Oh, also the leading and trailing blocks have to be at the very beginning and end of the material to avoid any teeter totter effect. The Shop Notes version

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is more refined but, uses the same principle so if the Keith Rust version doesn't work, the Shop Notes version won't either ;-(

I used mine until I bought a larger jointer and still bring it into play when I exceed that machine's capacity.

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[Brian Sommers]

Well, I went in a radical different. Direction. I ordered a LV LA jack plane

[glenn bradley]

That'll do it and get you some exercise to boot ;-)

[Al Launier]

sorry about the photo, the support is at the edge of the wood, I had lifted the wood off.

I'm not sure, what you mean to support it after it leaves the planer? It comes out on the outfeed table. Is there something else I'm should be doing when it comes out? I just let it get pulled through by the rollers.

+1 to a jointer. There is something about me and jigs... we don't get along to well.

I was just thinking that you are planing a long/heavy board there may be enough weight leverage to tilt the board up into the blades causing a gradual taper in the cutting as the board progresses toward the end of the cut. If you were to support the board on a roller stand, etc, that would provide enough support to keep it from tipping.