Thickness planer board return ideas

[Jeff Roltgen]

Just put a new SCM nova s520 into service. Would like to return workpieces from outfeed to infeed side via top, and this new machine has a huge 31x46" hood, 2mm thick steel, well reinforced, 4mm thick hinges and attachment welded inside, which leads me to believe it's expected to be used this way. It is simply painted, and has a blue vinyl stripe adhered to one edge for dressing. Naturally, I'd like to keep things looking new, so thinking of ideas for an overlay to protect. Initial thoughts:

1- Edge band a similar sized piece of 3/4" white melamine (adhesive rubber non-skid feet to float above and grip?)
2- Piece of automotive-style carpet, as seen on a Martin planer (adhered at the factory, I believe)
3- Combine the two for renewability?

Old planer had rollers, and I avoided them due to accidental roll-offs, so eliminating those types of conveyance.
Looking for suggestions regarding the above and of course, any fresh ideas/experience of others.

Thanks in advance!

jeff

s520 infeed end.jpg

[Greg Parrish]

How about a sheet of HDPE plastic. Lots of choices for type, but a thin piece screwed or riveted to the top would keep the look nice and clean and protect the original paint surface. The marine boards like Starboard even have a textured surface which may help boards not slide off. https://www.interstateplastics.com/H...SAAEgKNSPD_BwE

[Jim Becker]

Greg beat me to it...HDPE strips or a sheet and it doesn't have to be real thick and raise the boards up a lot as rollers would.

[Walter Plummer]

Just for fun: Here is a video of how they handle the problem in the shipyard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9YeKT_jTI8. The Planer is mounted on a "lazy susan". Once the timbers go thru one way they spin the planer around and come back through. Its about the four minute mark if you don't want to watch the whole video.

[Bruce Page]

Just for fun: Here is a video of how they handle the problem in the shipyard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9YeKT_jTI8. The Planer is mounted on a "lazy susan". Once the timbers go thru one way they spin the planer around and come back through. Its about the four minute mark if you don't want to watch the whole video.

Brilliant!

Beautiful planer Jeff. Jealous!

[Jeff Roltgen]

HDPE - perfect! Menards has carried black for a couple years. Searched and discovered they now also had white 4x8 x.25" thick in stock for about $90. Just got back home with a crisp clean sheet - thanks for that eye opener, Greg and Jim!

And yeah, what an awesome idea at the shipyard. Gets a person thinking, doesn't it?

Thanks to all!

jeff

[Bill Dufour]

I would screw/glue trim boards on all four sides that hang down below flush 1/2" or more. Similar to a picture frame or serving tray face down.This will keep it in place and still be easy to remove when needed.
Bill D.

[glenn bradley]

+1 on HDPE or UHMW plastic. Love the revolving planer platform ;-)

[Jim Becker]

What's nice about the HDPE, Jeff, is that it's very durable while also being reasonably "slick"...perfect for the application. The biggest challenge is fastening it to things and as you've already surmised earlier, mechanical fasteners are the way to go. I'd consider pop rivets in countersinks with very careful layout of fasteners to insure they don't penetrate anything other than the machine skin.

[Bill Dufour]

The biggest challenge is fastening it to things and as you've already surmised earlier, mechanical fasteners are the way to go. I'd consider pop rivets in countersinks with very careful layout of fasteners to insure they don't penetrate anything other than the machine skin.

That is why I suggested a simple frame all round to hold it in place. I have no idea if that top ever needs to come off to lube or replace knives etc.
Bill D

[Jim Becker]

The potential issue with a frame is that the frame itself might damage the material being slid over the surface. But yes, maintenance of the machine has to be taken into account for sure. Good call.

[Tom M King]

No lazy susan, but I do have planers on four swivel casters. If running a bunch of parts that need multiple passes, we just spin the planer around between passes. Since it pulls the piece through itself, it doesn't need much of a fixed hold against movement on the floor.

[Alan Lightstone]

Just for fun: Here is a video of how they handle the problem in the shipyard. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9YeKT_jTI8. The Planer is mounted on a "lazy susan". Once the timbers go thru one way they spin the planer around and come back through. Its about the four minute mark if you don't want to watch the whole video.

Unbelievable. Serious McGyver points on that one.

[William Hodge]

I use carts with a surface 32" off the floor.

Often the wood needs to move from the radial arm saw to the rip saw to the jointer to the planer to the edge jointer to the rip saw to the finish planer to the miter saw to the tenoner to the mortiser to the shaper and to the to the assembly bench, so having the stacks on wheels makes a lot of sense. Put the wood on wheels.

[johnny means]

Plus one on a cart. Why lift the material up over the machine?