I have some reclaimed (and nail-free) boards that could use planing, with the idea of turning them into a work station / desk top.
Do we have a planer and is it operational?
(I found a post from May last year suggesting it’s not been commissioned, but the photo has a planer different to one I think I have seen at the space).
Hi Luke. The current rule on reclaimed wood is that people use the hand planer and bring a stack of their own cheap blades - this is largely because the big planer/thicknesser has very expensive knives. The short story is that reclaimed wood is prohibited on the planer/thicknesser.
If you’ve not already been inducted it’s worth getting your name on the induction waiting lists for a workshop induction. If you’re building a desktop out of planking then the hand planer and sander should do the job, and they are covered in the first induction.
Thanks - that’s all clear and good to know!
If you are ok with buying new blade it can go through the little thicknesserror
All wood has to be pulled back to clean before it can go near the good tools
Thanks, Joe - I’ll swing by in the coming days to pick your or other wood techs brains regarding options and best approach.
What sort of wood is it ?
As I see it exotic hardwood is always worth saving but building quality pine is best burned.
If you reclaim wood you will ding the odd blade the trick is to make it a cheap blade .
The first question is how much is the wood worth when recycled , is it more than a replacement blade for the tool I am about to put it in .
I think it’s spruce or pine and it seems to be in pretty good condition.
I hear you on cost vs reward. I know blades for the hand planer are not expensive, what about the ones for the little thicknesser you mentioned?
About 20 quid
Burned. Do you blow torch the surface?
No put in the fire to keep warm
Hello lovely woodtechs - I would love to use the thicknesser, can I ask what width of boards it accepts? I came into the space on the weekend but it was hard to ascertain. If I have boards under 300mm wide, am I correct in thinking I can slide them through in one go, and wider boards would be more of a handful as perhaps would only plane half of one side of them (e.g. 4500)? Just checking as I’ll pay the timber yard to plane the big ones if so.
Thank so much!
The timber is sawn and nail free, and is a few of these: http://www.englishwoodlandstimber.co.uk/stocklist-coming-soon/?action=search&reset=&sst_page=1&sst_species=Walnut&sst_category=BD&sst_subcategory=&sst_thick_from=&sst_thick_to=&sst_width_from=&sst_width_to=&sst_length_from=&sst_length_to=&sst_grade=&sst_country_of_origin=North+America&sst_certification=&sst_order_by=Sort+by+width+-+highest&sst_item=52751
Hi Jez,
Maximum width of the thicknesser is 12" which is a hard limit - you can (maybe?) joint half a board, flip it and do the other half but the thicknesser is strictly 12" as the body won’t let you put more than that through. I would get the timber yard to plane the biggest ones or use a router sled (a la Nick Offerman - link)
I mean, if it is me you are asking I would say grab a hand plane and a few thousand calories and go to town on it but I can probably see the appeal of power tools in this situation.
Andy
Excellent, thanks @AndyPaine got it. Thanks for the quick response. I’ll come in with some of the skinnier pieces.
Like the hand planing plan but I think an enormous planer at the saw mill is the way forward for the big ones, cheers!
Also worth noting if you want to use the planer/thicknesser - last time I saw it the fitting for the hover sled was still missing, which would make it hard to use. @joeatkin2 @lewisss - did you find a replacement?
Would be great to get this info consolidated on the Tools page
https://discourse.southlondonmakerspace.org/t/planer-thicknesser-wadkin-bursgreen/2026
I have got a new one in the car
Next on the list after the table saw