Lunch box planer or Rotex?

[Charles Wilson]

Okay.

I am getting stock to cut this fence that I am doing. One side will be rough cut. Shall I borrow/buy a Rigid luchbox or get a Rotex for refining the rough stock? Also, another reason for the Rotex is that I have an older house and need to refinish the staircase (again, darn dog :rolleyes: ) and am refinishing my front door and several other interior doors.

Thanks,

Chuck

[Pete Brown]

The rotex is on my list of things to get. In your case, however, I think you'll do a lot better by purchasing a decent planer. A fence has a lot of wood to surface and you don't want to do that by hand if you can avoid it.

I assume you do not have a jointer. If that's the case, make sure the wood is pretty flat to begin with, or build yourself a sled for the planer. A planer will not flatten twisted/cupped/bowed boards.

[Dave Rudy]

Chuck,

If you dont have a jointer, I would pass on the planer. Note that you can flatten stock and make it parallel with hand tools, belt sander, edge jointer with a router table, etc.

But the Rotex is unique and will come in much handier for your house projects.

Get the Rotex, then a jointer, then a planer. (and check out Dan's thread on the FOG on the DeWalt planer -- why not get that one instead of the Ridgid?)

Dave

[Gary Herrmann]

I agree with Pete. For a fence, get the planer and build a sled if you don't have a jointer. That being said, if the stock is fairly flat and of consistent thickness, you may not even need the planer. This is a fence. Not moulding.

[Tim Wagner]

I have the same thoughts running through my head. Do I want to save for a planner next?

Another question, because I haven't looked yet. Does anyone use a wide jointer as a planner also. How wide would you need to go and is it cost effective for me?

Sorry for hi jacking.

[Tyler Howell]

I get a lot more use out of my Rotex than my J&P put together.
Although smoothing one side of fence boards sounds like a lot of work even with a Rotex.
Keep us posted.
TJH

[Greg Mann]

I tend to agree that if the boards are pretty straight and flat to begin with then all you really need is a smoother surface. Maybe a jack plane?
(Oops! Wrong forum:rolleyes: )

[Paul Johnstone]

I have the same thoughts running through my head. Do I want to save for a planner next?

Another question, because I haven't looked yet. Does anyone use a wide jointer as a planner also. How wide would you need to go and is it cost effective for me?

Sorry for hi jacking.

You can't use a jointer to replace a planer. The planer makes both faces of the board parallel and also makes all boards have uniform thickness. Sorry.

I think it's best to buy the planer first. As long as you buy boards that are fairly flat, a planer alone is adequate. Not ideal, but adequate. I have a jointer, and often skip the face jointing step if the boards are close to flat.

In contrast, a jointer without a planer kind of leaves you stuck on getting the other side taken care of, and you also have no way to get everything to uniform thickness.

[Jason Roehl]

I'm with Paul--planer first. I know many have said that you can't get a cupped/twisted board flat with a planer, but you can, it's just a little more work. I had a cupped board once, and I just sent it through the planer taking light cuts (~1/64"/pass), and flipping the board over each time. I could see the progress because on one side, the outer edges would have a small smooth strip, then the other side would have a smooth strip down the center. Each pass made those strips a little wider. The whole key is to not take such a heavy cut that it compresses the cup, but enough of a cut that it can move the board through.

[Tim Wagner]

You can't use a jointer to replace a planer. The planer makes both faces of the board parallel and also makes all boards have uniform thickness. Sorry.

Is this because the base of the planner holds the wood square, and trying to keep even downward pressure on a wide jointer is more difficult?


In contrast, a jointer without a planer kind of leaves you stuck on getting the other side taken care of, and you also have no way to get everything to uniform thickness.

I'll just have to get both. I suppose I can get a decent enough cut on the TS to be able to edge glue some planks, but I would rather run them thru a jointer. And iy thats all I need it for, them I may opt for a 6" one that can be updated with carbide bits. For now I'll concentrate on a planner. Any suggestions on a bench top model? at least till I can afford a Powermatic?

[Tom Cowie]

Hi Chuck

You need both.

I love the Rotex but the planer is a must.

Tom

[Jason Roehl]

Tim, no. The reason you can't face joint two sides of a board is that you would very easily end up with a long shim or wedge. Like others said, if the lumber you start with is essentially straight, you can get away with just a planer.

BTW, a Rotex would not easily clean up rough-sawn lumber. It will do it, eventually, but you'll hate sanding long before you're done, plus you'll have to run through a whole bunch of grits of paper for each board. A lunchbox planer is much, much quicker, then you could sand with an inexpensive random orbit sander.

[Steve Roxberg]

Okay.

I am getting stock to cut this fence that I am doing. One side will be rough cut. Shall I borrow/buy a Rigid luchbox or get a Rotex for refining the rough stock? Also, another reason for the Rotex is that I have an older house and need to refinish the staircase (again, darn dog :rolleyes: ) and am refinishing my front door and several other interior doors.

Thanks,

Chuck

I agree with planner first for this project, and then either Rotex or Jointer dependent on your next need. I'm big on buying tools for a specific job when I need them, so right now you need a planner.