Running plywood through a planer

[i386]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Better late than never, but a suggestion I would have made would have been to go to a cabinet shop and ask if you could reduce the thickness using their "time saver". Essentially a large belt sander with a belt feed. You just run it through a few times and you'd have it done. If they had a decent grit belt, you'd get a nice surface for the resin/fiberglass to adhere to. Cabinet shops probably aren't really busy right now, throw them 20 bucks or a case of beer and I'd bet you'd have no problems getting it done. No chance of hurting the sanding belts as long as you didn't try to force the board through unless you were going to hit anything metallic ( which would groove the belt rendering it useless ).

I've never used one of those big belt sanders but I would have thought 1/4" was a little much to sand off. But yea, a few passes and it would knock it out I bet. I was a little reluctant to drop it off somewhere and wait a week for them to get around to it.

Glad you got it fixed.I was going to suggest a circular saw as well if you could make up a jig to rest the saws foot on that surrounded the piece that needed resizing.I would have crosshatched it and used a wide wood chisel to chip out the sections,light sanded it if needed and be on your way.
Hopefully you had some scrap that you could experiment on)Ron G

Yup That was my "plan c" if nothing else worked out. In hindsight, that method would probably take about the same amount of time as the router.

 

[i386]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Yeah, you wouldn't want all that hard as nails glue to hurt the steel.

Well, around these parts, folks are kind and will lend a hand. I grew up in a farm community, where you work hard, clean up, and have fun. It's not a big deal to head over to the school for a favor. I understand some of those folks that are afraid to break a nail or scratch some paint. I mean BY GOD don't use something! My wife's aunt was like that. She died last year with a nearly mint '78 Cadillac in the garage that she had bought new. Wouldn't even drive it in the rain!

'Cause...it might hurt it.

She put plastic on the couch too......

You know what? Same kind of folks. BTW, she left everything to two charities and not one family member got a red cent. She wasn't hurtin' either, but sharing wasn't one of her forte's. So, easy enough to figure out.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

I don't think the issue is the willingness to help out, but more if the very costly knives were to get damaged most schools don't have the budget to run out and get them fixed. So then the kids suffer have you seen what they have done to the vocational shops in jr. and high scools these days? Its a joke what little money they give the shops to work with it's almost like they are trying to do away with vocational shops in schools. And yes believe it of not wood glue and epoxies can in fact damage planer knives.

 

[jameskb2]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Sigh...

You know, I think it's far better to be an observer than a contributor here.

If I were you, I'd stick to balsa wood in the planer then. The knives will last forever.

No oak, cherry, walnut or hickory. Just balsa. No pine either....too much sap.

I understand your point. You're afraid that the glue will resin up the knives, burning them or warping them. Feed rate, depth of cut, should be factored.

18 years a carpenter, both field and shop. But I don't know anything.

Forget it, have it your way.

 

[HeavyObject]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Sigh...

You know, I think it's far better to be an observer than a contributor here.

If I were you, I'd stick to balsa wood in the planer then. The knives will last forever.

No oak, cherry, walnut or hickory. Just balsa. No pine either....too much sap.

I understand your point. You're afraid that the glue will resin up the knives, burning them or warping them. Feed rate, depth of cut, should be factored.

18 years a carpenter, both field and shop. But I don't know anything.

Forget it, have it your way.

Don't worry I see it your way.... Going to have to replace them at some point anyway. Might as well not be afraid to use them. Guess some people better not put their boat in the water either. Might get wet and rot in 15 years!!! My.02 cents

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Yeah I don't know anything either:

2x VICA western region finalist
4 years VICA fullride scholarship USU
5 years custom cabinet shop
15 years field carpenter/ general contractor

Hoping to get a successful balsa wood plane business up and rolling....

 

[jameskb2]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

LOL

I don't want to make this a pissing match. You win. Better credentials.

As I said, (and I think this is where I get off...) better to let the experts control the board. There's only one way to do it, and that's yours.

Congrats.

 

[i386]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Easy guys, this problem has already been solved.

My $.02 on the planer...

If I had a wood shop (and I really hope to someday) and a planer I would only run plywood through it if I had 2 sets of knives. One set for rough work such as turning old barn wood into usable stock (after checking it with a metal detector) and one set for finer work.

I wouldn't run plywood using my "good" knives.

If I had followed the measure twice rule, I wouldn't even be in the position of planing plywood in the first place.:redface: I'd also venture to guess that the need to plane plywood should be rare anyway.

 

[jameskb2]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

That's a fine way to go Mike. Two sets of knives.

I apologize if I am acting belligerent. I tend to be more of a "get it done" kind of guy. I use my tools for what I need done. If they break or get dull, then I fix or sharpen them. No big deal to me.

There's a line of course, and each person's is different. Some folks want everything perfect, some think 80/20 is good. Some don't care. To me, it all depends on the job, the results I seek, the effect it will have weighed against the cost and time to do it. I have worked on beaten up shacks, and 2 million dollar homes. Each job requires a different tack. Although I tend to turn down the beaten up shack jobs anymore.

So, to each their own. Forgive me OhWell, no offense intended. Your's and my way is a little bit different is all.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

My bad,

I have gained so much knowledge from this great site and had so many questions answered, sometimes you just want to try and give back if possible. Never should have let it go so far sorry for that. Jameskb2 with as much experience as you have you are an expert so don't become an observer because I said some dumb things. The more ways we can get to do things the better off we all are. When I redid my transom I was clueless but with alot of reading here was abel to redo it with great success.

 

[jameskb2]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

My bad,

I have gained so much knowledge from this great site and had so many questions answered, sometimes you just want to try and give back if possible. Never should have let it go so far sorry for that. Jameskb2 with as much experience as you have you are an expert so don't become an observer because I said some dumb things. The more ways we can get to do things the better off we all are. When I redid my transom I was clueless but with alot of reading here was abel to redo it with great success.

Same here OhWell!

I think (actually I know this one) we all have to learn as we go. Sometimes it's from other's (this is a GREAT site!) and sometimes by doing. (The dreaded bloody nose method) Again, I defer to your position. Will plywood ruin knives? Perhaps.

I too am just trying to give back. From experience. No BS. I do tend (as I said) to charge ahead sometimes. F_R can account for that on another thread.

Hand shake, a nod, and kudos to you on your VICA path / work. I came up the hard way, starting as a ditch digger.

My best, thanks for your opinions.

James

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Yeah when I quit the cabinet shop to "get some real world experience" I went to Jackson Hole Wyoming and built log cabins for a few years. Brutal cold, heavy, nasty work. I originally went to do finish work but ended up doing more log work than anything. All hand peeled, Yellowstone logs that were all swedish coped by hand. It was a very good learning experience for me and taught me what hard work was all about, would never trade that time. 5 am wake up, work till sundown then do it again, we were on a 7/6 schedule for so long it all just blurred together. I never knew how many things could be done with a chainsaw ahh the good old days... None of the experienced "log dogs" wanted to show me how to do anything so it really was the bloody nose approach until I proved I wouldn't give in. Then once I was accepted I was bombarded with knowledge and loved it. Almost preferred the log work to the finish that I orig went for well almost.........

 

[jameskb2]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Sweet! That sound's like a great experience! I've not worked on log homes. We did do a post a beam house on Indian Lake here, it was a crane set drill and peg. I agree that the old timers don't like to share "trade secrets" until they know you and feel you're serious, or worthy of the effort. Otherwise (and I find myself this way) your wasting your time on some kid that just wants summer job pocket money.

My very best friend, who is also a carpenter / contractor, sold everything and moved to Romania for two years. He took his wife and kid. He's always been very active in the church, and wanted to be a pastor, but fell short because of familial obligations.

Anyway, they went as missionaries to help build a youth center there. What an eye opener! Everything is done mostly by hand, and he supered (or directed) the build in a remote mountain town. No paved road, no crane, oxen were used to cart the lumber which was cut and shaved into beams. They did find some steel plate to use as gussets for the trussing / roof. No running water, outhouses even in a "restaurant"! I wish so bad I could have gone.... He invited me several times, but I just couldn't afford the trip and time away from work / home.

I sometimes just laugh at how uptight and spoiled we are in the U.S. I swear.

I didn't really start digging ditches. I bought an abandoned house (4 years empty) and rehabbed it myself. This was my introduction to being a builder. A whopping 22 years old then, and knew very little. It came out so nice that everyone said "you should do this for a living" and so I did. Started a handyman service, worked my way up to where I am today. I still do the physical work, but not the hard labor too much. You'll catch me framing now and then.

Money's good, then bad, then good. Work is slow this year so far. I knew it was coming, but my wife didn't believe me. OhWell! (heh heh...)

I like all aspects of the job. If I just did rough, or finish all the time I'd be bored to death. I still haven't started on my boat yet. Spring clean up took both nice weekends so far, and tomorrow morning I start another job. (got today off)

So, that's that... I should probably wander out and get the dry dock set up. I've yet to build it. It's 40 degrees and windy here today, I'm sick of being cold!

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Whats the boating season like in Mich? Three or four months or more? I have friends who live there, one in cheboygan(sp) and one in G.R. I have been there once when the friend in the UP got married very nice place but I'd bet winters are brutal. We went to canada across the bridge for his bachelor party wow. Alot different than here in good ole Utah, if I'm lucky I can boat from mid May through Sept. like you it's been too cold here to do any thing but hope. We got quite a snow year this year and it was terrible to have to sweep a foot of snow off the boat every couple of weeks. I can however travel 6 hrs south and boat at Lake Powell which I sometimes do in the winter and always a few times during the summer.

The Romania thing for some reason sounds like it would be a blast. Just to get back to the purity of it all too bad you couldn't have made the trip. But I too have a wife and kids now and know how that is. Hang in there and I'll let you enjoy your day off. Hopefully the weather breaks soon for both of us.

Brendon....

 

[jameskb2]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Similar to yours. The official season is Memorial Day to Labor Day. You can boat from now (we had some 70 degree temps last week) to mid October. Fall will give us an "Indian Summer" for a week or two, then it turns cold.

Winter in the U.P is brutal. Grand Rapids is an hour north of me on U.S. 131. I've been there often. There are many nice, large lakes in the State. Of course the Big Lakes are great too if you can afford the rig and marina fees. I live on a medium size lake, actually a creek that is fed from it, so I don't have to trailer or ramp. I do plan on trailering to South Haven or Saugatuck for a weekender once I have my boat finished. That's next year's season unless I get lucky. Gourdneck Lake is my home.

This past Winter was loooong and cold, and very wet / snowy. I complained about it in the Dockside Chat! We've gotten a little spoiled though, as the previous 5 or so Winters were very mild.

Here's to that nice weather sentiment! Cheers!

Good to chat with you Brendon,

James

 

[TheWoodCrafter]

Re: Running plywood through a planer

Sure glad you guys worked out your differences in opinion on this.
It looked like it was going to get nasty.
Lets agree to disagree.

Glad I386 got the problem was solved.