Small scraps in thickness planer?

[SteveMP]

I have a DeWalt thickness planer and wanted to run some scraps of walnut through to about 9mm. I know not to run boards that are too short but heard about using a “sled”. Is it worth making something or bad idea in general?

 

[Woodbloke]

I have a DeWalt thickness planer and wanted to run some scraps of walnut through to about 9mm. I know not to run boards that are too short but heard about using a “sled”. Is it worth making something or bad idea in general?

Sleds are good and work well, but it's the length of the piece going through it that's important as the input and output rollers need to be able to 'grab' it. If they're too short you won't be able to push them through, although I have used a 6mm thick, fairly wide offcut to push stuff through. Not recommended though! - Rob

 

[Malc2098]

I bought some melamine covered board from a DIY store and stuck some abrasive sheets to so the thin workpiece gets pressed down on to the abrasive by the feed rollers and stays in place through the thicknesser. So long as it's long enough.

 

[Lons]

I do exactly the same with my DeWalt 733 (screaming monster machine). I also have a length of wide laminate with a stop strip at the feed end I use under thicker wood.

 

[SteveMP]

Sleds are good and work well, but it's the length of the piece going through it that's important as the input and output rollers need to be able to 'grab' it. If they're too short you won't be able to push them through, although I have used a 6mm thick, fairly wide offcut to push stuff through. Not recommended though! - Rob

If i understand correctly, the rollers are about 15cm apart on mine (Dewalt dw734). So long as the pieces are at least 15cm?

I bought some melamine covered board from a DIY store and stuck some abrasive sheets to so the thin workpiece gets pressed down on to the abrasive by the feed rollers and stays in place through the thicknesser. So long as it's long enough.

Good idea I can do that with some scraps of ply.

I do exactly the same with my DeWalt 733 (screaming monster machine). I also have a length of wide laminate with a stop strip at the feed end I use under thicker wood.

THanks

 

[Mike G]

If i understand correctly, the rollers are about 15cm apart on mine (Dewalt dw734). So long as the pieces are at least 15cm?

Good idea I can do that with some scraps of ply.

THanks

No, 150mm is far too short to go through a thicknesser. I have a rule that nothing shorter than my outfeed table goes through mine. I'd guess that's around 16".

I too have a sheet of melamine coated something with a stop on the underside. Wax the top.....and measure its thickness carefully, because when you are setting the depth you've obviously got to account for the depth of this packer board.

 

[Inspector]

Your best bet if you only have a few to do is glue longer sticks (a foot or more) to the sides of the walnut. If all the walnut is already the same width you can place them end to end with the grain orientated to minimise tear out and glue the sacrificial sticks on the sides and send the longer assemblies through. If the widths are all different you can't gang them together. The extra wood sticking out front/back takes up any snipe and controls the feed. When all dimensioned to thickness you can cut the scrap off.

Pete