Antique hand jointer setting. Planing on a planer. The main components of the jointer

Planer and thicknesser machines work in a similar way, removing a layer of material from the face or edge of the board, so the purpose of these machines is often confused. Both of them serve to level the surfaces of lumber and give them a rectangular section, but each of them is used in a specific way and performs different operations. The planer can make one face of the board flat and the adjacent edge perpendicular to the face, but it is not able to give this board the same thickness along its entire length - this is the work of a thicknessing machine. Thus, planer and thicknesser machines work in conjunction. Obtaining flat blanks of the correct shape begins on a planer-planer, so we will first consider it.

Jointing: a basic step in achieving success

How a planer works

As can be seen from the scheme of the jointer (Fig. 1), the front and rear tables are separated by a cylindrical knife shaft. The front table is set just below the upper point of the circle described by the knives, the rear table is on the same level with it.

When the workpiece is fed onto the cutter shaft, the knives remove that part of the material that is below the plane of the rear table. The processed smooth surface further moves on a back table. With each subsequent pass, another portion of the wood is removed, until the entire processed side of the board is one hundred - no flat.

First, peel off the face

Before jointing, look along the edge of the board to check for buckling or warping. (Fig. 2), and also to determine the direction of the fibers. For best results, plan a warped board with the convex side facing up (in other words, the board resting on its edges) and the grain pointing down and back. (Fig. 1). If the fibers are pointing upwards, the moving knives will tear off the fibers, causing small pieces of the workpiece to be chipped (called tearing). To cut the board face, set the front table to a cutting depth of no more than 1.6 mm. Place the board on the front table in front of the cutterbar. Using the pushers, feed the board forward. Downward pressure should only make contact between the board and the front table, but no more. (photo A). Excessive clamping force can straighten the longitudinal or transverse warp, and after the pressure is released, the board will return to its previous shape.

Press the board with pushers. The main effort should be directed to feeding the board forward, and not pressing it to the table.

Apply only a small amount of pressure to keep the finished part of the board in contact with the back table. With both hands, feed the workpiece forward.

When about 15 cm of the board has passed over the cutterbar, move your left hand (and down pressure) to the end of the board on the back table (photo B). Approximately halfway through the pass, move your right hand to the machined part of the workpiece and continue to feed it evenly forward until the pass is completed. (photo C).

Move your hands as needed to press the finished part of the board against the back table. Pass the entire board over the knife shaft.

Draw a curved line with chalk along and across the board. It will help you keep track of your progress. When the line disappears, the board can be considered flat.

No more material needs to be removed than necessary. To control the result, draw a wavy line on the board with chalk. If the board has a pronounced transverse or longitudinal warp, a little material will be removed during the first pass. (a photoD). With each subsequent pass, the board will become more and more flat, and the processed surface will be more and more wide. If the chalk line has disappeared, it means that the board has become flat.

After leveling the fall of the board, mark it as shown in the “Advice of the master”.

In the process of primary processing of materials, it can be difficult to remember which face of the board has already been processed and which of the edges is perpendicular to this face. Therefore, after the last pass, mark the surface that has just been machined. Traditionally, furniture craftsmen put a squiggle on the planed face, and mark the edge perpendicular to it with a tick, the tip of whichthe swarm is directed towards the planed face.

Then finish the edge

Apply force in two directions, pressing the board against the longitudinal stop and feeding it forward onto the cutter shaft. When working with boards less than 100 mm wide, use pushers.

Once one apex of the board is aligned, it will not be difficult to cut off the edge at right angles to the apron. Follow the same steps as when jointing the plate, with only one addition: when feeding the board, as described above, press it firmly against the longitudinal (parallel) stop (photo E). If possible, to prevent tearing and chipping, orient the workpiece so that the wood fibers are pointing down and away from the direction of rotation of the cutterbar (Fig. 1).

Mark the finished edge as shown in the Craftsman's Tip. Now that one of the faces of the board has become flat, and one of the edges is perpendicular to this face, it's time to move on to the thicknesser machine.

Thickening: make workpieces of any thickness

How a thicknesser works

In contrast to the planer and planer, the knife shaft of the planer machine is located above the workpiece parallel to the table (Fig. 3). By lowering the knife shaft after each pass, we reduce the thickness of the workpiece and make it the same along the entire length.

When working with a thicknesser, there is no need to control the workpiece during the pass. For this, feed rollers are used, located on both sides of the knife shaft, which press the workpiece and simultaneously pull it through the machine. That is why it is so important to first planer off one apex of the workpiece. In the absence of a plane, thanks to which the board could be based on the machine table, the feed rollers will simply press the board against the tables, and the knife shaft will cut off its upper face. As soon as the board comes out of the machine, any longitudinal, transverse warp or feathering that was present will reappear.

The truth about planing

When feeding the workpiece into the thicknessing machine, the direction of the fibers must also be taken into account. However, it should be remembered that such a machine processes the board from above, so the rules are reversed here. To reduce breakouts, orient the board so that the fibers run up and back. (Fig. 3).

Removal of a layer of material with a thickness of no more than 0.8 mm in one pass also reduces the risk of tearing. If the machine has two feed rates, make the last passes at a slower speed - this will give a cleaner surface. For the same reason, before the last pass, it is recommended to set the depth of cut to no more than 0.4 mm.

Before passing a short board through a thicknesser, temporarily glue two bars to it. In this case, the step will appear on the bars, and not on the workpiece.

A shallow depth of cut also reduces the size of the step that forms at the ends of the workpiece. To further reduce the size of the step or eliminate it entirely, support the long boards with your hands or with supports at the beginning and end of the passage so that they lie flat on the machine tables. When processing short boards, use auxiliary bars glued to them on the side, which are removed after thicknessing (a photoF).

If it is required to remove more than 3 mm of material to sharpen the board to the required thickness, then after processing the upper layer, turn the board over and process the previously jointed layer. Work the board alternately on both sides until the final thickness is reached. Removing approximately the same amount of material from each face makes the workpiece more stable, reducing the risk of warpage.

Still having problems? Might need tweaking

If you followed all the instructions exactly and still don't see good results, the machine is most likely out of adjustment. Even the most advanced woodworking technology in the world cannot fix this. If you suspect that something is wrong with the machines, read the articles on setting up the equipment published in our magazine.

• To reduce waste and increase material yield, cut the boards to length and width before jointing, leaving an allowance for further processing. Short and narrow workpieces have less deflection and can be machined in fewer passes.
• For a smoother surface with fewer tears, remove a layer of material no thicker than 0.8 mm in one pass. Reducing the feed rate also results in a cleaner surface.
• When planing a board that has wingedness, press its opposite corners. Try to keep these corners pressed against the tables and do not rock the workpiece passing over the cutterbar. After several passes, the aligned corners will provide a stable surface to base the workpiece on when planing the remainder.
• When jointing two workpieces for gluing along the edge, process one of the workpieces by turning its lower face to the longitudinal stop (left photo below) and the other - turning its upper face to the stop (middle photo below). If the longitudinal stop of the machine is not perpendicular to the table, the two angles will cancel each other out and the glued board will be flat. (right photo below).

• In order to planer a face of a board whose width exceeds the capabilities of your machine, saw the board in half lengthwise, planer each of the parts, including the edges obtained after sawing, then glue them along the edge, aligning the planered planes in one plane. Longitudinal sawing of boards with strong transverse or longitudinal warping or winging is safer to do with a band saw.

Planing equipment is an indispensable component of a full-fledged woodworking process. Factory products are quite expensive, so a homemade planer is quite suitable for home use.

The purpose of this tool is the longitudinal alignment of a piece of wood or chipboard (painted or adhesive-containing materials can dull the cutting elements of the equipment). After planing on a jointer, the machined side of the workpiece becomes smooth and even, which is necessary for subsequent calibration on a thicknesser machine or milling.

Industrial options differ in size and significant weight, which ensures the suppression of vibration arising from rapidly rotating machine parts (up to 12,000 rpm). The total length of the working surface of such equipment is 2–2.5 m. The width of the table, which determines the maximum width of the workpiece to be processed, is in the range of 400–600 mm.

Simpler jointing machines that you can make yourself at home have less weight, dimensions and, accordingly, a shaft speed (no more than 6000 rpm). The total length of countertops on such equipment is 1–1.5 m with a width of 200–300 mm.

The main components of the jointer

• Bed. A massive element that provides structural rigidity, chip removal, and placement of the electric drive.
• Working tables (serving and receiving).
• Stubborn line. For cutting at an angle.
• Shaft with cutting elements (knives).
• Electric drive. Provides rotation of the shaft through a belt drive and pulleys.
• Protective mechanism rack or fan type.

The main components of the jointer

Additionally, your jointer can be equipped with a workpiece feed mechanism and an aspiration chip removal system.

Self-made jointer

Before starting any do-it-yourself machine manufacturing activities, you will need three things: a project, materials and tools. All of them are interconnected, since the project directly depends on what materials are available and what tools are available. If there is no welding machine and skills to work with it, it makes no sense to consider a project involving a welded structure.

The metal structure can also be assembled using bolted connections. This option will have some positive qualities: the bolted planer can be disassembled if necessary without much effort.

For a carpenter, the most convenient option is a wooden structure, but it is inferior to metal in rigidity and in the life of some elements of the machine. In addition, certain nodes cannot be made from a tree.

Part of the components will have to be bought or ordered. These are parts like:

• shaft with knives, fixing wedges, a set of bearings, yokes;
• electric motor;
• pulleys;
• belt;
• starting device.

To draw up a project, you need to decide what functions the device will perform. The following options are possible:

• Jointing machine. A device whose purpose is to plan a part on one side without calibration.
• A two-operation machine that performs a function and a jointer.
• multi-operation machine. Such devices can be used for sawing, planing, grooving and milling, like a thicknessing machine.

The jointer is the easiest to manufacture, it requires less tools, material and skills.

Bed manufacturing

The main element of the planer, it will have work tables, a shaft with knives and a stop ruler. A drive will be installed in the body of the bed, and chip removal will also be implemented. To make the design rigid, you will need the appropriate material.

• for the upper part, on which the tabletops are located, it is suitable for a height of 100 mm and a wall thickness of 5 mm;
• legs and bottom platform can be made from a metal corner (50 mm);
• the structure is fastened by welding or bolting.

Assembly diagram of the machine bed

Shaft with knives

This unit must be purchased as a set. The kit should include:

• knives;
• bearings with housings (yokes);
• wedges with which knives are fixed.

The quality of the material and the balancing of such elements made in the factory are much higher than home-made specimens.

This unit can be ordered from a turner, providing him with drawings and specifying the details. It is good if the turner works at the enterprise and he has access to balancing equipment.

Work tables

Industrial jointers are equipped with massive cast tabletops with stiffeners to prevent deformations during operation. With the manufacture of their own hands, this is unattainable. Therefore, it is better to use sheet material as the optimal solution for arranging the planer platform. Ideally, this should be a flat metal plate 10 mm thick, in the most extreme case - a sheet of plywood.

Plywood must be of sufficient thickness (at least 10 mm), in addition, you need to pay attention to the quality of the surface - the plane must be even. It is advisable to use sanded waterproof plywood, without small tubercles or loose knots. To increase the service life of a plywood countertop, you can attach a sheet of galvanized metal to its work surface with your own hands.

The serving table is made 2 times longer than the receiving one. This makes it easier to level the workpiece when jointing.

electric motor

The main parameters to consider when choosing an electric drive for your planer:

• power;
• number of turns;
• operating voltage of the power supply network (220, 380 V).

The longer and larger in diameter the cutting tool, the more powerful the engine will need. It is possible to use a low power drive, compensating for the lack of power with pulleys, but in this case it will not be possible to achieve the speed required for clean processing.

As an example, consider a shaft with a diameter of 100 mm and a length of 300 mm. For stable continuous operation at a speed of about 6000 per minute, you will need a drive with a power of at least 3 kW. If you change the length in the input to 200 mm, you can use a motor with a minimum power of 2 kW.

As for the engine speed: it is more rational to use a drive that has at least 3000 rpm. Otherwise, pulleys will have to be used to obtain sufficient revolutions of the cutting tool.

The operating voltage of the drive depends on the mains voltage in the workshop. An engine that runs on 380 V will be more powerful and more reliable than an engine with the same rated power, but designed to work on a 220 V network. But in a home workshop, 380 V is a rarity, and the connection costs so much that these funds can buy an inexpensive factory jointer.

It should be remembered that this is a home-made jointer for domestic use, and it does not need to be ruthlessly loaded, strict for the entire width of the knives at 5 mm per pass. Not every industrial unit (especially a modern one) can withstand such loads.

The shaft with cutting elements is attached to the top of the bed in the middle, the exact location depends on the size of the work tables between which it must be located. The shaft and tabletop must be located in the same plane so that the top point of the cutting tool knives coincides with the top surface of the receiving table.

The feed table is mounted in the same plane as the receiving table, but 1–2 mm lower. This distance determines the thickness of the chip removed in one pass. The quality of planing depends on how exactly the planes of the surfaces will coincide, namely, how even the planed workpiece will be.

Machine Assembly Scheme

There are options for adjustable height of the feed plane by means of eccentrics or a screw mechanism.

When assembling a planer with your own hands at home, it is very difficult to qualitatively implement such a mechanism. It can be considered an incredible achievement if this equipment will plane evenly with fixed worktops.

The electric drive is mounted on the bottom platform of the bed. It is advisable to use an adjustable platform to install the engine in order to provide a more convenient belt tension. The tension mechanism can be implemented using a technological hole in the platform and a screw with a nut as regulating elements.

Connecting mechanisms

Rotation is transmitted from the engine to the shaft by means of a belt drive, through pulleys. The pulleys are sized according to the power and RPM of the engine.

For a drive with a rotation of 3000 rpm, a ratio of 1 to 2 can be considered normal. For example, the diameter of the cutting tool pulley is 100 mm, on the drive it is 200 mm. The optimal ratio when assembling with your own hands can be obtained experimentally and largely depends on the quality and balance of the rotating parts of the jointer.

The drive is connected to the mains by means of a starting device, according to the instructions for the electric motor.

Alternative option

An easier and faster way to make a do-it-yourself planing machine is to use a manual electric planer, having previously upgraded it a bit. Every self-respecting home carpenter must have such a tool available. All that needs to be done is to make a device for fixing it.

The easiest option for making a machine with your own hands is to use sheet material as the basis.

A planer is a jointer with cutting knives located at the top. The machine has feed rollers and a lower smooth surface along which the wooden part goes during processing. The main task of the machine is to cut out boards of the same thickness.

On a conventional electric jointer, it is quite difficult to plan a board with parallel sides. No matter how hard you try, it will still turn out that in different places the thickness of the part will be different. For the final pulling out of the workpiece, a thickness gauge was invented.

The underside of the board goes along a flat metal base, which allows you to cut out the desired thickness. In this case, the board must be prepared, that is, at least plan the bottom layer. I say at least, because for a low-power thicknesser it is desirable to trim the upper side with a small margin.

That is, the technology is clear, we plan the board on a jointer and bring it to the desired thickness on a thickness gauge. But what if there is no jointer, but on the contrary, there is a thickness gauge?
It will not work right away to drive a curved board, there is no even base and problems will arise. Close to topic.

There is a simple way out, for this you need to make an additional foundation.
The platform is made of a piece of MDF or chipboard (laminate), assembled in two layers, this is necessary for greater rigidity of the carriage. From one end we fasten the transverse bar - emphasis. The height of the stop should be less than the thickness of the workpieces you need so that the stop does not catch the knives.
The length of the platform is not less than the length of the board, the width, respectively, to be included in the machine.

We lay the curved board on the carriage, and under the large gaps we put thick cardboard, fiberboard, or whatever is at hand. It is necessary to ensure that the board does not bend in the thicknesser.

We measure the thickest part of the board and set the height of the knives along it, with a grip of 1-3 mm. by cutting depth. We drive the board on a sled through the thickness gauge and, as a result,
we get one even planed side.
Further, in the usual manner, we turn the board over with the planed side down, measure the maximum thickness and cut out the part in several passes.

A similar method of work is also used in another case, if it is necessary to cut planks with a thickness of 2-4 mm. . It is not recommended to lower the knives to such a height, there is a risk of catching the metal table of the thicknesser with the knives. Yes, and just limiters may not allow.

To assemble the fixture, we take a piece of laminate 500-600 mm long. and a width less than the thickness of the thicknesser. On the one hand, we attract the transverse bar, flush with the end of the chipboard.

In this case, we lay the device with the transverse stop down so that it catches on the metal table of the machine. So we get an additional height of +16 mm. .
We plan the slats to the desired thickness on the surface of the platform from chipboard (laminate).

Note the difference in approaches. To cut out curved boards, the lower platform moves in the thickness gauge along with the part.
And for planing thin slats, the platform remains in place, and only the workpiece moves.

One of the first tasks in creating a successful project is to make an even, flat and square piece. Consider how a jointer works, how to set it up and the correct methods of working on a jointer. First, let's look at all the steps I use to keep the tool in good working order, after that we will look at a number of tricks at work that will help get the best results.

Jointer.

At first glance, the jointer device seems quite simple - a long, flat surface, with sharp blades. The serving and receiving tables, if you look closer, show that they are actually two separate tables:

• feed table, the place where the workpiece is placed and moves to the cutting head;
• the receiving table where the workpiece is placed after passing over the cutting head. (See the photo below, it will help you identify the main parts of the jointer.)

Setting up tables among themselves is a critical point and is the first step to set up jointer. The picture on the left shows how to use a ruler to check that the two tables are parallel, remove the cutter head guard. Now to check, put a ruler along the tables. Check the parallelism at several points along the width of the table to make sure they are at the same level (photo on the right).

The most common problems that you will encounter are irregularities in the form of a bulge or concavity on the workpieces. The concave shape of the workpiece is the result of the outer edges of the infeed or outfeed tables being lowered below level. (This will show up as gaps on the ruler edges at the start and end of the jointer tables.) The convex shape of the workpiece means that the inner edges of the tables are sloped towards the cutting head.

Knives.

The next thing to check is the knives. The height of the knives must be equal to the height of the receiving table. If the workpiece after planing has jerkiness or large chips, there is a possibility that the knives are not adjusted. The illustrations on the left show how to use a ruler to check that all knives are at the same height. Using a wrench, loosen the knife clamp, make any necessary adjustments, and tighten the clamp nuts. Check the height of each of the knives. The figure on the left shows the correct end result. As we rotate the cutting head, each of the knives should make very light contact with the ruler at the very top of the arc, across the entire width of the table.

Planing depth. Having adjusted the height of the knives, we proceed to setting the knives to the depth of planing, which means to what depth the jointer will plan the wood with each pass. In fact, the planing depth is set by moving the infeed table up or down. There are two most common mistakes. The first mistake is a large depth of planing, a smaller depth of planing helps to minimize jerks and chips on the product. Another common problem that requires adjusting the pickup is when the jointer makes a deeper cut at the edge of the workpiece. Usually this is corrected by adjustment, you need to look for where there is no parallelism between the tables and the cutting head.
Emphasis. The next step in the settings is to check the emphasis on the jointer. For most products, the fence should be set at 90° to the infeed and outfeed tables. This is a fairly simple adjustment. All you need to do is use a square to adjust the stop in relation to the tables. Make sure tables are clean during setup.

JOINING WORKPIECES.

The first step in planing lumber, joining two pieces together, is the operation we are most familiar with. The combination of edges and planes requires their absolute parallelism and squareness. Let's take a look at a few tips to help you get a good result.

The first thing we will consider is how to determine the direction of the fibers on the workpieces. To avoid irregularities and chips, it is necessary to determine the wedge-shaped direction of the fibers on the product and feed the workpiece to the knives with the narrow part of the wedge, and not the wide one. If the workpiece orientation is not correct, you will feel the blades hitting the workpiece at the start of planing. The photo on the left illustrates the direction of the fibers.
Cut depth. As I noted earlier, the planing depth on my jointer is set to no more than 1.7mm. This setting promotes smooth jointing and it also helps to extend the life of sharp knives between sharpenings. The exception is when working with very uneven lumber. In this case, I don't mind chipping the stock more aggressively until I get a more or less flat side. Thus, even if there is a chip, it will be fixed later.
. The trick here is to keep the workpiece facing the stop and keep the edges square. The photographs below show the basics of the method.

Household and industrial jointers are widely used for wood processing. As well as turning, circular and milling, jointing machines are among the mandatory equipment of carpentry workshops. They are easy to use and reliable. Working with homemade jointers requires accuracy and some skills.

Scope and purpose

Industrial and homemade planing equipment is used for one-sided processing of flat surfaces of wood products. The main scope of machine tools is furniture and woodworking production. Perpendicular surfaces are cut on them, chamfers are selected at the desired slope from the sidewalls. Machining accuracy is important when assembling furniture, jointing equipment allows you to get a part of a given size. Often planing mechanisms are used at home in household workshops.

The jointer does not allow planing in thickness to size, as well as making parts with parallel surfaces!

Planer classification

According to the number of devices for planing, jointers can be double-sided or single-sided. All planers are divided into categories according to the width of the planing surface, the length of the working table and the speed of the knife shaft.

According to the processed width of the workpiece, mechanisms are distinguished:

• by 40 cm;
• at 50 - 52 cm;
• at 60 - 63 cm.

Compact home-made units for the home have a smaller processing width.

According to the length of the working surface, two groups of devices are distinguished:

• with a length of less than 250 cm;
• with a length of 250 to 300 cm.

Larger workpieces can be processed on long tables. The quality of jointing is also improved.

According to the torsion frequency of the working shaft, the machines are divided into two categories:

• 4700 - 4800 rpm;
• 5000 rpm.

Industrial motors can operate at speeds up to 12,000 rpm.

Planer device

The design consists of the main elements:

• working surface;
• bed;
• guide;
• knife shaft;
• circular fence.

The working surface consists of two plates: back and front. The level of the rear plate matches the level of the top point of the cutter blades. The level of the front is set lower as much as the material is removed during processing. Typically, the level difference is no more than 1.5 millimeters. This is enough to qualitatively process the surface of the part in two steps.

Plates are made of cast iron, and to make the table more stable, stiffeners are provided. The edges of the plates are covered with steel plates, protecting them from destruction. They are also chippers.

The knife shaft is located between two plates, cutters are attached to the shaft. For high-quality processing, it is necessary to select the same cutters. As a rule, single-edged knives are used that can be sharpened. Two-edged cutters after severe blunting are thrown out and replaced with new ones, it is impossible to sharpen them. As a rule, machines for domestic workshops are equipped with cutters made of high-speed tool steel. Carbide-tipped cutters are used to work with dense types of wood or pressed boards.

The guide is fixed with bolts in the provided holes. The ruler can move in the transverse direction depending on the size of the part.

The circular fence is installed on the front of the plate, it fits snugly against the guide due to the spring. The guard covers the knife shaft. The movement from the motor to the knife shaft is transmitted by means of a belt drive.

The optimal size of wood parts for processing on a planer is from 100 to 150 cm. Too long parts hang over and create inconvenience when working at home, while short ones are dangerous.

Setting and mode selection

Before starting work, you need to calculate the thickness of the material to be cut and the speed of the workpiece (for equipment with an automatic feeder). The size of the layer depends on the initial state of the tree and is determined empirically. For this, several (no more than five) blanks are processed. If unfinished areas remain on the surface, the plate is slightly lowered. If the workpiece is warped by more than 2.5 mm, processing is carried out in two stages.

When the height of the plates is set, measure the gap between the edge of the cutters and the jaws of the plates, which should be from 2 to 3 millimeters. To determine the gap, a calibrated plate is used, which should be inserted into the slot easily, but without slots. If the gap exceeds 3 mm, the part is covered with tears, with a gap of less than 2 millimeters, the cutter is destroyed.

In addition to setting the plates in height, it is also necessary to determine the location of the guide. When processing wooden bars, the gap between the ruler and the left edge of the knife shaft should be slightly larger than the width of the bar. Gradually, the knives become dull and the guide moves to the right, involving other parts of the cutters in the work. The ruler moves across the tabletop on a rack-and-pinion device, launched by a flywheel. To perform a corner chamfer on the edge, the guide is installed using a template or square and secured with a screw.

Automatic feeders regulate the supply of parts without stoppers, with a small clamp. When processing edges, they are placed parallel to the ruler.

The correctness of the settings of the planing equipment is determined empirically. The allowed errors are:

• on a plane no more than 0.15 millimeters per meter;
• along the perpendicular - no more than 0.1 millimeter per 10 cm.

The principle of operation of the planer

One person is enough to work on single-sided planer equipment at home. He examines the state of the workpiece, puts it with a convex plane up on the front plate. With two hands, he presses against the ruler and directs it to the cutters. Further, he presses the already planed side with his left hand to the surface of the rear plate. The master inspects the processed workpiece: if it is not planed enough, he sends it to the knives. It is advisable to avoid processing very warped workpieces, as too thick a layer of chips is removed. The remaining workpiece may turn out to be unacceptably thin.

When processing two perpendicular planes, the first one goes into work with a large area. Then it is applied to the guide and planed the second. The double-sided machine allows you to process both sides at the same time.

• If during processing “arson” or “moss” appear on the plane, it’s time to sharpen the cutters;
• When working with parts shorter than 40 cm and already 3 cm, they are held only by special pushers, and parts of complex shape with templates;
• If the planed plane is curved or has the shape of an impeller, check the level of the worktop plates and the knife shaft.

Do-it-yourself planer

homemade machine - side view

The frame of a small desktop machine for the home can be made from a rectangular metal pipe. A more powerful home-made design will be obtained from a 40 mm corner. The width of the bed depends on the size of the knives and the planned planing width.

From one end, two guides are welded to the frame, the upper edges of which coincide with the surface of the bed. In the middle of the bed, on bolts screwed into pre-prepared holes, a knife shaft is attached, mounted on a pair of ball bearings.

Work surfaces for a desktop machine for the home are made of thick plywood laid on bars. And to regulate their level, home-made overhead bolted connections are provided. Four connections for each plate: a pair at the front and a pair at the back. From below, a vertical bar with a hole is attached to each part of the tabletop. A long threaded pin is threaded through the bar and the upper horizontal of the bed, with the help of which the position of the table top relative to the knife shaft is changed.

There is another option for a home-made fastening of the working surface: grooves (4 pcs.) Are made in the bed, the same number of holes in the movable tabletop into which the heads of the threaded studs are inserted. Tightening the nuts and moving the studs in the grooves changes the distance between the knife shaft and the edge of the tabletop.

The rear plate is fixed and adjusted in height to the knife shaft. A board or chipboard of a suitable size can serve as a guide ruler.

When choosing an engine, one should proceed from the nature of the use of the future machine. For domestic needs, a power of 750 W is enough, but a motor with a power of at least 1.5 kilowatts will cope with more serious tasks.

A few more options for homemade jointers:

Overview of factory models

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W0100