Mobile base with 48" in/out-feed tables for 15" planer

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merrill77

Master Scrap Maker
Chris
I finished this a few months ago, but finally got around to getting some documentation together for the project. My favorite features are:


  • 48" in/out-feed tables that fold up and are fully adjustable to maintain alignment
  • smaller footprint than the planer on its original base with triple in/out-feed rollers
  • storage space underneath

I've uploaded a video demonstrating the in/out-feed extension tables - they take ~15 seconds to extend or stow.

On my site, there are more details on the project and more pictures, including details (on page 3) of the adjustment mechanisms on both ends of the tables that ensure it is perfectly co-planar with the planer bed. (be patient, the site can be a bit slow at times)

If you like my project, please vote for it in the Wood magazine showdown! Thanks :>

PlanerStand1.jpg



 

MarkE

Mark
Corporate Member
That is awesome!

Is this your own design? I would love to have something like that for my Ridgid lunch box planer.
 

merrill77

Master Scrap Maker
Chris
Thanks! It is mostly my design - it was inspired by the dozens of designs I've seen, my uneven floors and a relentless drive to conserve space :> On my site, I've got some pictures of the Sketchup models that helped me visualize the outcome.
 

MarkE

Mark
Corporate Member
A couple of other things caught my eye in your write up.

Tell us about the shop made clamps and the adjustable height supports that you use for outfeed support and clamping/assembly.
 

merrill77

Master Scrap Maker
Chris
Well, that parts was all designed on the fly. I had visualized a few solutions, but waited until I had the planer on the base and the main section of the outfeed tables built before I worked out the details for that.

The inboard end of each table (nearest the planer) is supported by two bolt heads - allowing the height of each side of the table to be adjusted to match the planer bed. The bolts go directly into the clamp mount - no threaded inserts or such - I just threaded them directly into the wood. The advantage is that they are very snug - they won't move from vibration. Since I do not expect them to be adjusted often, longevity of the wood thread shouldn't be a problem. The uprights on the ends are simply glued onto the clamp base - the toggle clamps are mounted here. The inside edges are beveled so the table drops quickly into place, sitting on the bolt heads. When not clamped, the tables would pull out and down, so there is a cleat on the clamp base to hold the table in place until it is clamped. When the toggle clamps are locked, they push the table tightly up against the edge of the planer.

This is one place I need to improve: the side of my planer that the table contacts is not perfectly vertical. This results in a gap - maybe 1/16" - that can catch a board. I need to add a shim to fill that space.

In designing a mechanism to adjust the leg length (to raise/lower the outboard end), I went through a myriad of designs...most of which I deemed too complex or too fragile...or needed fancy/expensive hardware. At some point I realized that I could achieve the same result by adjusting the mounting point at one end or the other. The result was what you see in this picture.

The two squares with the wing nuts are "floating mounts.", for lack of a better term, that the top end of the hinged legs are mounted to. They can move about an inch in either direction - as defined by the slots. The long carriage bolts pass through a support rail (again threaded right into the wood) and provide the stops for the floating mounts. When you loosen the wing nuts, the mounts are solely supported by these bolts (gravity on the tables pushing them together). You can now use bolts to adjust each side of the outboard end up and down. When done, tightening the wing nuts will preserve the alignment. Note that the ends of the bolts contact metal strips on the edge of the floating mounts. The full weight of the table is on these points when stowed. I worried the pressure would eventually force the bolts slightly into the wood - requiring periodic re-alignment, so I added these as a preventative measure.

The other improvement I may need to make is bigger toggle clamps. I used the smallest I could find to fit in the somewhat confined area. But occasionally when handing a heavy board, placing it less-than-gently onto the infeed table will pop the clamps loose. The cleat still catches the table...so it is not a disaster, but it means putting the board aside and re-locking the clamps. When designing this part, I forgot how heavy a 8' long, 10in wide slab of 5/4 oak weighs :(

Chris
 

eyekode

New User
Salem
Great stuff. I don't have any rollers for my 15" planer and had planned on building something similar but with shorter wings. I really would like to keep the stored width smaller. If I have less infeed/outfeed I could probably skip the torsion box...

Salem
 

Bas

Recovering tool addict
Bas
Corporate Member
The design for raising the tables is great. Woodworking is one thing, mechanics something entirely different! Doesn't hurt to have extra storage either.
 

merrill77

Master Scrap Maker
Chris
The design for raising the tables is great. Woodworking is one thing, mechanics something entirely different! Doesn't hurt to have extra storage either.

Yeah, no kidding. I can't decide if I have more fun designing stuff or building it.
 

Alan in Little Washington

Alan Schaffter
Corporate Member
Very nice design and execution!!!

Do you have dust collection on that machine?

Really nice SketchUp drawing. Did you draw the planer too or import it from a library?
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
I like it but didn't vote because it requires registration. I recently canceled my subscription of Wood Mag because it was ad ridden. Nothing gets under my skin more than picking up a mag and have a bunch of little index card sized ads fall all over the place. I surely don't want a bunch of spam in my email resulting from registration. Sorry...
 

merrill77

Master Scrap Maker
Chris
Thanks, Alan! That means a lot coming from you :> I really like the design of your assembly table (too bad I don't have room for one).

I do have dust collection - you can see the black fitting coming off one side of the planer. The mobile base doesn't have any special features for dust collection - I eventually want to change the pick-up on the machine to go up instead of to the side so I can hook it up to an overhead DC pipe for the ClearVue system I dream of having some day :>

I can not take credit for the planer model in the sketchup drawings - I brought that in from a library and then modified it to match my planer more closely.

Chris
 
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