Is anyone successfully using a planer to make a very thin body? We are currently using a band saw and a belt sander but our band saw is getting old and I think the planer would be a better solution. We could use a planer for other projects as well, so we are thinking of making an investment. Any feed back would be appreciated.
Wood Planer
- Thread starter jeffreyl7
- Start date
Don't see why not if you are going to start with your own piece of wood. Not sure how practical it would be for 7" blocks. I have taken my hand held belt sander and flipped it upside down in a vice clamp to sand down a car as well. I only have a scroll saw and it is a little tough to cut through a 1.75" width block. Only problem with my set up is I have to be careful about holding the car level. I have even used a jointer that my dad has to bring down a block as well. That has the same problem I would see with a planer using a short piece of wood, the front end after passing the belt can start to lift as the back end gets pressure. This may lead to dip being sanded into the back. With such a small block on the jointer I needed to use a push stick and sometimes it was hard to keep even pressure so the blade didn't dig in a little deeper on the back edge. For a planer you can keep turning it to even it out or line up multiple blocks to feed in.
My next go around I had a 6' white pine board planed down to 1/2" and ripped 1.75" sticks before cutting 7" lengths.
My next go around I had a 6' white pine board planed down to 1/2" and ripped 1.75" sticks before cutting 7" lengths.
Yes!
Love it. You can get two cars out of one block also if you want. Rip it in half and then plane down.
My son and I have been using a longer straigt piece about 3' long, apply cloth carpet tape to board and stick car piece on and your good to go.
To avoid sniping, just use a scrap piece on both ends and the snipe will be on your scrap not your body. http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/understandingsnipe.aspx
I had bought a used Ryobi 10-12" for planing down some lumber to install a new sliding patio door at our house. It worked great for the cars and it's something the kids can do with ease.
Love it. You can get two cars out of one block also if you want. Rip it in half and then plane down.
My son and I have been using a longer straigt piece about 3' long, apply cloth carpet tape to board and stick car piece on and your good to go.
To avoid sniping, just use a scrap piece on both ends and the snipe will be on your scrap not your body. http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/understandingsnipe.aspx
I had bought a used Ryobi 10-12" for planing down some lumber to install a new sliding patio door at our house. It worked great for the cars and it's something the kids can do with ease.
I like to find the tightest straightest pine I can find, I also cut it in widths just over 1.75 inches, I will then plane the strips down to 1.75 so it removes the the saw marks, then I rip the long strips into 5/16" thick. I set a stop block on the chop saw at 7" and start cutting blanks. I weigh the blanks, pick out the best ones, pay attention where you'll be drilling axle holes, I look for wood without cross grain where I'm drilling. Now that I'm reading this maybe I should order a block from DD4H. I really enjoy the build. I love my planer. I use it on so much more than PWD.
Yup, love my planner and have had nothing but good luck with it - knock on wood.
Just as Knotthed mentioned, I help my son cut the block in half. When that cut is wavy and not straight, we push it through the planner to the final thickness and it is as perfect as can be. Top half of the block for fenders and bottom half as the car. Done.
FWIW, I just picked up a simple dewalt unit from Home Depot - no frills really.
Just as Knotthed mentioned, I help my son cut the block in half. When that cut is wavy and not straight, we push it through the planner to the final thickness and it is as perfect as can be. Top half of the block for fenders and bottom half as the car. Done.
FWIW, I just picked up a simple dewalt unit from Home Depot - no frills really.
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