And another newbie question

[lottathought]

OK....I am attempting to build my wife a bookcase.

I got the frame basically done...but I need to encase and put trim on it.
For this I will need to square some wood.
I do not have a planer/jointer but I do have a Dewalt 12 in thickness planer.
(BTW...you guys have no idea how much you are teaching me in these forums..last week I did not have a clue what a planer/jointer was..now I need one.. :eusa_danc )

Anyways...can I use a thickness planer to square wood?
If so..how is the best way?

I have seen descriptions of ways that use both a jointer and a thickness planer but never a thickness planer alone.

Thanks

 

[Travis Porter]

I have seen people do like 1x2's all side by side or one at a time on edge through a thickness planer. It won't necessarily be flat like a jointer, but I believe it will work without any trouble.

 

[lottathought]

Thanks..might have to give that a try.

 

[FredP]

make a sled to carry the wood through the planer. suport the high spots with small wedges or hot glue so the planer doesn't force the wood down, once you got one face flat you can use the tablesaw to square the two sides and the planer to flaten the other face. dont have pics of mine that i use for wide boards but there are plans all over the web.

fred p

 

[DavidF]

Mike there are many members around that I am sure would be only too pleased to let you use their jointer. Better to use the great resources of the club than spoil a project. If that doesn't happen then the sled way that Fred describes is pretty much the only way to go to ensure flat pieces rather than just parallel surfaces. If the pieces are less than 6" wide I'd be happy to help out on my jointer.

 

[DaveO]

Mike, bring your wood over on either Saturday or Sunday and you can run it over my jointer....that's the best way I know of :-D

Dave

 

[lottathought]

I am blown away still at the helpfulness and kindness of people here.

DaveO..I will bring it by this weekend.
Gotta pick your brain a little anyways.... :-D

 

[DaveO]

Gotta pick your brain a little anyways.... :-D

Leave me a little, it's kinda thin as is :lol: :lol:

Dave

 

[DaveD]

I don't own a jointer anymore. Not enough room and some tools had to go (lathe, jointer).

I recently built a full wall bookcase out of mahogany and just used a good quality blade on the radial arm saw to cut the trim to width (+ a little bit) and then ran all the long strips through the thickness planer to size them. Worked fine for me.

For me its all in the initial quality of cut I get from the blade in the saw. I could have probably just as easily stacked all the strips together on edge and hit them with the ROS real quick.

 

[clowman]

last week I did not have a clue what a planer/jointer was..now I need one..

I love it. We're good at spending other people's money. Just don't go over to WoodGuy's house to see his bandsaws... You'll get a complex.