How long to wait before planing?

[DSWalker]

I'm planning a team building event with 4 to 5 coworkers to make cutting boards.

What would be the minimum amount of time after glueup before safely running them thru the planer? Ive heard some do this after only an hour or so. I generally wait till the next day, so have no experience planing that quick.

Thoughts? Hoping it won't have to be a 2 day event.

 

[bob vaughan]

The PVA glues set pretty quickly - an hour or so, but it takes 24 hours or so to cure.
A fine satin rubbed film finish will likely show the shrinkage lines. Smear on some mineral oil concoction and its not likely the lines will be noticeable.
If the wood is wild grained, then maybe letting it cure is best.

 

[Oka]

for me ? Usually 24 hours . You can do it after 4 hrs np, but the planer can cause the glue to heat up and it can gum up the cutter head over time.

 

[chris_goris]

I would use a drum sander if you have one. A lot less stress on the joints, especially for newbie misaligned glue ups. Or, pre glue the blanks being used?. One of the most unsexy wood working tasks is planing and jointing then gluing lumber. Maybe do a video of the steps for them to see what goes into it. Or, since youre not doing end grain, some sort of live edge with integrated handle cut in, let the wood (maybe something heavily figured ) be the star.

 

[fairweather woodworking]

I'm planning a team building event with 4 to 5 coworkers to make cutting boards.

What would be the minimum amount of time after glueup before safely running them thru the planer? Ive heard some do this after only an hour or so. I generally wait till the next day, so have no experience planing that quick.

Thoughts? Hoping it won't have to be a 2 day event.

If you use LaMelo / biscuit joints you will solve the misalignment Chris mentioned above. Wait 4 hours in 50 degree temps, warmer above 70 you will have no problem with a 2 hour set. Use a bucket of warm water and a damp dish cloth and wipe away all the glue squeeze out on both sides. Don't soak the wood, just get the glue off with 4 or 5 wipes and rinse and ring out the cloth in the bucket. Then you will have no glue that is not fully cured getting onto your planer knives.

 

[Rwe2156]

Warm shop 4 hours. Keep them clamped in cauls while curing.

+1 on drum sander, but if not an option, don’t forget about grain direction!!

 

[mquan01]

i have planed after two hours by rubbing the mating pieces of wood together to start the bond process faster

 

[CaptnA]

I have shortened waiting time and 'gotten away with it', and other times not. Wouldn't be a good time for glue failures. Perhaps you could have some pre-glued blanks ready to use yet still have participants create new ones to use 'next time' or to take with them 'to go'.

 

[DSWalker]

All great suggestions so far.

Will be using Titebond III. Can't really pre-glue, as part of the fun for them will be creating their own design. Shop has HVAC, I'll make sure it is nice and warm for a couple of days to get the wood warmer.

 

[Willemjm]

Make sure your lumber is perfectly dimensioned, consistent throughout the pieces and true. This is the most important part.

Align properly with the correct clamps or clamping method, 15 minutes curing with Titebond III, take out of clamps, clean glue joints with a card scraper and a wet cloth. Make sure there is NO glue left on the surface.

Sand from 150 - 220 with a HEAVY duty RO. Wet all surfaces with a wet cloth and leave to dry. Finish by hand with 400 grit paper, using an extremely light scuff sand, to make sure no extra grain is raised.

Heavy dose of mineral oil, soak in overnight and will have to repeat for the first three months a few times.

 

[jlwest]

I would wait over night just to be safe. Make sure the grains of your wood pieces all go in the same direction which is the feed direction.