How Fast to Plane

[Chuck Rebhorn]

The other day I went buy woodcraft. I looked in where they have there shop and saw a guy planing. My question is this guy was moving from one side to the other fast as heck :eek: I don't have a planer yet but I thought man is he moving.

Chuck

[Dave Arbuckle]

I don't understand what you mean by side to side.

If he was moving from infeed to outfeed side, you have to do that about fast enough to get the wood before it comes out. I keep my planer on low feed speed, so that isn't terribly fast for me.

If you mean side to side on the infeed side, I don't know why anyone would do that. Crossing in front of the wood being planed is a bad idea. Planer kickback is unusual, but very violent. A tablesaw kicks back with the traction of an eight inch blade, a planer does so with the traction of the full width of the board.

Dave

[OklahomaRanger]

Since we live in our respective shops/garages we need some aerobic exercise........

[Chuck Rebhorn]

i'm sorry Dave, he was moving from infeed to outfeed pertty darn fast. What I gather from your answer is it depends on how fast the blade is turning smile.gif The reason I posted this question was the discussion on snipe, thought maybe how fast you move the wood from in to out might have something to do with snipe.
Oklahoma Ranger has a good Idea. Arobic excercize..HMMMM.. Hay Honey need a planer to get my heart going. GOOD IDEA :D :D

[Dave Arbuckle]

Chuck, the planer feeds the wood automatically, so it moves whatever speed it moves.

Most small ("portable") planers have fixed speed, so you take what it gives you. Most large ("stationary") planers have multiple or variable speed. Mine is a small stationary, it planes at either 20 or 10 feet per minute. Changing speed is a pain, so I keep it on slow. At 10fpm, it isn't particularly aerobic to feed, then stroll around to catch the piece coming out.

On suspicion I have about snipe complaints has to do with this, though. I wonder if people don't feed the lumber just enough for the planer to grab it, then expect the machine to do all the work. I support the end of the stock until there is very little pressure against the machine. Same on outfeed, I guide it once there's some weight against the machine. Not like there's a whole lot else to do while planing... ;)

Dave

[Chuck Rebhorn]

I'll get it right someday smile.gif I meant to say joiner not planer :mad: Sorry about that guys. now maybe it makes better sence. :eek:
so please apply what I said about the planer to the joiner.

[Dave Arbuckle]

:D Oh, that thing?

Speed on a jointer trades three things.

1) Boredom.
2) Ability to _safely_ feed.
3) Quality of resulting cut. If you feed too fast, you can get blademarks.

Safety is primary on a jointer. Remember that if you saw your fingers off on a tablesaw, chances are decent they can be reattached. A jointer leaves nothing to reattach.

Dave