Surfacing large slabs with a router

[Timberframed]

There's a unit like you used for sale here for $1000 and looks new. I'll see about it. Need to do all the floors in my house anyway and would soon pay for itself along with no pressure to get it done before the clock runs out.

 

[betterbuilt]

There's a unit like you used for sale here for $1000 and looks new. I'll see about it. Need to do all the floors in my house anyway and would soon pay for itself along with no pressure to get it done before the clock runs out.

I did a job that the owner bought one from HD(box store) for $800 and it was pretty nice. It needed new pads for the base but otherwise was in good shape.
I think he got it in New Jersey or Long Island.

 

[Timberframed]

Went there today (hd) and now there are 2 for sale. Store supervisor wasn't there at the moment and I couldn't hang around but I'm thinking 2 for $1500. Sold get'em outa' here ya cheap bastidge and don't come back here any more!

 

[Metals406]

Is there a reason you fellas haven't replaced them routers with hand held power planes in those gantry's? Seems like it would be an easy adaptation, and a heck of a lot quicker.

 

[Timberframed]

That's a good point but switching bits out is easier than changing hand held planer knives. Maybe I'm just getting lazy. I'll think about that yet the setup would be a little more involved. I can take 3/4" single pass w/ a router. I believe the 6 amp planers can only do 1/4 max and straining at that.

 

[Metals406]

That's a good point but switching bits out is easier than changing hand held planer knives. Maybe I'm just getting lazy. I'll think about that yet the setup would be a little more involved. I can take 3/4" single pass w/ a router. I believe the 6 amp planers can only do 1/4 max and straining at that.

3/4" deep?? How uneven are these slabs?

I have Tim Allen Syndrome. . . I'd get sick of all those little passes and make something that took a huge surfacing bit. LOL

 

[Timberframed]

I milled them 2 3/4" had a 1/2" warp after 3 years but latest client needed only 1 5/8" so with a 1 1/2 bit it took about an hour and a half with 2 beer breaks. Liked putting a straightedge on afterwards and would need a feeler gauge to find discrepencies.

 

[Metals406]

I milled them 2 3/4" had a 1/2" warp after 3 years but latest client needed only 1 5/8" so with a 1 1/2 bit it took about an hour and a half with 2 beer breaks. Liked putting a straightedge on afterwards and would need a feeler gauge to find discrepencies.

Ahhh, twist, it's a killer. I guess an hour and a half ain't too bad. I would probably find a surplus motor and make a big surfacer. . . Don't hate me, I'm sick don't ya know.

 

[Timberframed]

They are circular planer heads for radial arm saws. Something like that chucked into a big enough motor might do but any tilt due to hopping might dig deeper possibly ruining the slab from a flatness/minimum thickness perspective.

 

[Metals406]

They are circular planer heads for radial arm saws. Something like that chucked into a big enough motor might do but any tilt due to hopping might dig deeper possibly ruining the slab from a flatness/minimum thickness perspective.

There's got to be a better way than an inch+ wide per pass. . . I'll have to do some thinking on it.

 

[Brmorgan]

Old PopSci rotary planer article from 1963

Came across this today on Google Books:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=pSA...0CDYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=rotary planer&f=false

I've never seen one of those bits before though. Sure love to have one.

I remember seeing a photo somewhere a few years back - I believe it was in a magazine article about the big old White Pine sawmills in Northern Ontario back in the late 1800s - which showed their old planer mill, which was a huge horizontal rotary head probably 24" in diameter which operated on the same principle as this little version. Only it would do the whole board in one pass. I remember seeing HUGE chips and shavings coming off of it in the photo. Can't find anything like it on the net right now, but I haven't spent that much time looking.

 

[Metals406]

Came across this today on Google Books:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=pSA...0CDYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=rotary planer&f=false

I've never seen one of those bits before though. Sure love to have one.

I remember seeing a photo somewhere a few years back - I believe it was in a magazine article about the big old White Pine sawmills in Northern Ontario back in the late 1800s - which showed their old planer mill, which was a huge horizontal rotary head probably 24" in diameter which operated on the same principle as this little version. Only it would do the whole board in one pass. I remember seeing HUGE chips and shavings coming off of it in the photo. Can't find anything like it on the net right now, but I haven't spent that much time looking.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/0/206/Drill-Press-Safety-Planer.aspx

 

[Timberframed]

I don't know guys. There is a safety factor that has to be considered first and foremost when trying to achieve speed over time. The more mass of the material that is to be removed requires more energy both by the operator and the machine. I don't think asking one of these rotary planers (3.5") to remove 5/8" in a single pass at 15,000 rpm is advised. I'm happy with an hour and a half of router milling at this time. Be safe!

OK! 58minutes without a beer break.

 

[Metals406]

I don't know guys. There is a safety factor that has to be considered first and foremost when trying to achieve speed over time. The more mass of the material that is to be removed requires more energy both by the operator and the machine. I don't think asking one of these rotary planers (3.5") to remove 5/8" in a single pass at 15,000 rpm is advised. I'm happy with an hour and a half of router milling at this time. Be safe!

OK! 58minutes without a beer break.

 

[Metals406]

Perhaps: http://www.amanatool.com/cncroutingdetails/rc-2252.html

Or: http://www.amazon.com/Magnate-Surface-Planning-Bottom-Cleaning/dp/B0006B0PX0

 

[betterbuilt]

The Wagner Safe-T-Planer is only rated for 6000rpm.

The lucas mill has that planer attachment for it. I believe it also has a sander attachment. I really think that would be the way to go if it wasn't 10000+

 

[CHEVYTOWN13]

B Money, lol, I WISH I was money right now... Far from it!

I hadn't forgotten about your generous offer, but I'm actually just getting ready to work on polishing that 365 up a bit to try to sell it. I need some cash to pay the plastic down a bit (largely from buying other saws, you know how it is...), and much as I like it, that's the one I really have no use for other than to sit and look nice -the ported 371 is simply more fun!

Thanks again man, if anything changes or I get hold of another 365 you might be hearing from me!

PS - interested in a completely stock, unmodded 365 to work on? LOL.

Bro, you're one of the few in the beginning that gave me the benefit of the doubt. For that, you're like money in my book

No worries brother on the pipe. On the 365, it sounds like you should be able to sell it quick here at the post. They are great saws and wood have kept mine had it not been for the 7901.

Big Routers Rule™ Nate!

 

[Metals406]

Bro, you're one of the few in the beginning that gave me the benefit of the doubt. For that, you're like money in my book

No worries brother on the pipe. On the 365, it sounds like you should be able to sell it quick here at the post. They are great saws and wood have kept mine had it not been for the 7901.

Big Routers Rule™ Nate!

I agree!

I wonder if I can build one with this Datsun 4 cylinder I have here? :monkey:

Don't look at me funny. . . I said I have Tim Allen Syndrome!

 

[BobL]

Came across this today on Google Books:

http://books.google.ca/books?id=pSA...0CDYQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=rotary planer&f=false

I've never seen one of those bits before though. Sure love to have one.

Those safety planners can only make 1/16" deep passes at about 2000 rpm in dry Aussie hardwood otherwise they get too hot and they also go blunt very quickly. They also can't be used on drill presses for too long because drill press bearings are not designed to take such high side loads.

I use a 35 mm (1.4") diameter bowl dish cutter in my router mill setup but even with this the most depth I feel I can cut safely in Aussie hardwood is about 1/8" per pass

 

[SPM in King]

Spoilboard cutter

OK, I picked this up the other day and tried it yesterday. All I can say is WOW!! Ultra smooth cut, fewer chips and for some reason, it does not use as much HP as the 1.5" straight bit I was using previously. Likely because of the up-cut angle, which also helps chip collection.

This one comes with 2 x 4 sided carbide knives. They are replaceable and can be rotated (hence the 4 sides). Replacement knives are $1.75 each. So I bought 10. The diameter is 2.5". I will ultimately need a BIG router run this, but it does work with the small one. It's so much faster than the other bit, I will likely shave surfacing times by 75%. Finishing times will be faster as well.

Bad news: $325 CD. But, unlike a fixed bit, I will only buy it once.

Steve.