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Surface planer

M

MY63

Old Oak
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I would very much like to return to making small boxes, mainly for pens possibily cigars.
Looking at the recent edge planing thread on hand tools I had considered a shooting board and long plane.
If I go with the powered option it would be a lot easier on my hands and I might be able to carry on longer.
These are my current options, Although the Triton is currently out of stock but I have a Triton bobin sander which is excellent. As ever advice appreciated.

https://www.yandles.co.uk/triton-1100w- ... m-6/p26288

https://www.axminstertools.com/proxxon- ... ner-502019
 
If you were to purchase any of those two machines, you would still need to get hold of a thicknesser of some sort to bring the material to size. Proxxon do one at Ax but, as usual, it's out of stock and another £500+ or so - Rob
 
Definitely not that Triton. It's badged C-cubed. I had the Silverline version as a stopgap and was ever so glad to see the back of it.

The Proxon also looks very similar but I have no direct experience. However, it does get generally good reviews on Axminster.

@Woodbloke. I was staggered at how much was out of stock at Axi when I just took a look at planers.
 
I definately dont have room for 2 machines so I guess I am looking for a combo machine if it exists in a bench top model.
 
RogerS":2ll2meop said:
@Woodbloke. I was staggered at how much was out of stock at Axi when I just took a look at planers.
Click to expand...

I think that's the effects of Brexit and stuff being tied up at the ports in shipping containers. Nobody appears to be getting deliveries of new kit unless it's flown in by air - Rob
 
MY63":1o09qtak said:
I definately dont have room for 2 machines so I guess I am looking for a combo machine if it exists in a bench top model.
Click to expand...
I did a bit of research on Google and it came up with this bad boy:

https://www.rapidonline.com/Draper-BPT2 ... ScEALw_wcB

I've no experience of this sort of bench top machine so can't vouch for it's efficacy (good current word :D ) - Rob
 
Out if the same Chinese factory.

Michael...my advice would be to see if you can find someone local with one of those machines and see what you think.
 
Woodbloke":1gc2vpmc said:
MY63":1gc2vpmc said:
I definately dont have room for 2 machines so I guess I am looking for a combo machine if it exists in a bench top model.
Click to expand...
I did a bit of research on Google and it came up with this bad boy:

https://www.rapidonline.com/Draper-BPT2 ... ScEALw_wcB

I've no experience of this sort of bench top machine so can't vouch for it's efficacy (good current word :D ) - Rob
Click to expand...

If only Roger, Recent treatment rules that out.
 
Size really does matter here. That proxxon only planes 80 mm wide, and only 0,8 mm at a time. Its very much a modellers tool.

Dont look at the price, look at the cutting dimensions on all of these.

I have the older version of this one, and it will take a plank 12" wide

https://www.axminstertools.com/eu/axmin ... ser-105108

If youre only after box sized pieces, I (again) really recommend a router sled, which can be made for peanuts out of scrap timber with a 1/4" router fitted using bowl cutting bits.
 
Thanks S B this is the biggest box I have made from scratch around 400mm x 200mm

IMG_0402 by my0771, on Flickr

IMG_0407 by my0771, on Flickr

It was made from 25mm oak it was a few years ago I cut the top off by hand and it took me ages then I had to plane the pieces square. It put me off making boxes altogether.
How do you square edges on a thicknesser? and how does the router option work?
 
A thicknesser reduces the thickness of the piece to almost finished depth. Only really useful if you are buying rough sawn planks or you have lots of medium sized pieces to process.

You cant square edges on any of these machines. That would need either a table saw, mitre saw or ( :shock: ) a hand plane and shooting board. It can be done with a router table and coping sled, but youre getting into quite complicated and expensive territory.

The beauty of the router sled is when you have a piece of wood roughly the size you want, but with rough surfaces and / or faces not parallel.

I use the sled firstly to flatten any wood to within a final finish sanding, and also to make several separate pieces the same thickness. There are many utube videos on router sleds, most of them are huge for table slabs, but the principle is the same, just scale it down. I use a kitchen granite floor tile about 20" long and 15" wide as the base. Hot glue the piece to it, skim it with the router, final sand while its still glued down, and Job done.
 
You can get a piece square and parallel with a combined planer thicknesser.

Briefly, the process is to use the planer (top of the machine) to flatten one face of your piece. Next you use the planer to flatten an edge and get it square to the planed face using the planed face as the reference against the fence on the planer.

Next you can use the thicknesser to get the opposite face and edge square and parallel with the face and edge you did on the planer. The only issue is that there is a point where the pieces are too thin to put through the thicknesser on edge (although you might be able to batch a few together to add stability.

However, if you cut the top off a box, you wouldn't be able to put the box/lid over the top of the planer because you'd be planing across the grain on two sides of the box and I can see that ending in tears. I don't know whether it would be possible to present the corner of the box first so that you're planing on an angle, but I'd be reluctant to try personally.
 
The other thing to be wary of, Michael, if you go down the thicknesser route is the dimensions of your timber. They need to be minimum length to span the distance between the two rollers.

I wonder whether a drum sander might not be a better option for thicknessing. I know we've strayed away from the OP.
 
Once again, the router sled wins out. After cutting the box, I use the sled to flatten both pieces, giving me a perfectly square and parallel (plus or minus 0.5 mm) finished edge 8-)
 
The box in question is going to be a gift, the chosen timber is bog oak supplied by MikeG the thicker pieces are 14mm for the outside and 6 mm for the trays. I dont need to worry about the thickness as MikeG did that for me. Most pieces have one square edge. I have a band saw chop saw and a track saw. I also have a basic router table.
If I revert to a hand plane the longest pieces are 300mm what size plane would be best, the biggest I have is a number 5.
 
A number 5 is longer than 300 mm I think. I dont know much about planing :D but I think you would need a much smaller one. 8-)
 
sunnybob":1ls2c5gj said:
A number 5 is longer than 300 mm I think. I dont know much about planing :D but I think you would need a much smaller one. 8-)
Click to expand...
He means he thinks a much smaller one would be better/easier. But you don't need a smaller one, you can use a No.5 correctly set up.

One well known woodworker (now deceased) famously used a No.7 for everything.

Cheers, Vann.
 
I did mention I know nothing about plane use :lol: :lol:

I've gotten around my failings though. This box is walnut, bubinga and maple. every piece of it made from larger planks and flattened on the router sled.
IMG_1979.JPG
 
Thanks SB I you did say it was not you area and I appreciate you offering advice. Your box looks great.

Thanks Vann, All of the surface planers in my budget are either out of stock or not up to the job or both.
I have been trying to buy a no 7 for a while without success. I am going to go back to the shooting board idea.
 
I have never seen a no 7 in real life, going by the 5 1/2 I just sold, I'm not sure I could even lift it off the bench :shock: :lol:
 
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