Flatten Slab

[kimosawboy]

In the process of building a WoodWizz ( ) knock off . I will have a footprint of 14'x6' with the same ability of flattening as well as sanding. This will be for personal use but I would like to offer these services to others. Wondering if anyone out there offers a similar service and if so what do you charge? I will assume it will be by the sq.ft. and how much of a finish the client would like. If you have advice or answers please include what area you are in so I can take that into account.
Thanks in Advance.\
G. Vavra

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Why not just run it through a planer or drum sander? Or even do a skim pass on the sawmill if it's cupped or whatever?

 

[KiwiBro]

Can buy planing and sanding heads for my Lucas portable sawmill (am seriously considering both but don't yet do enough slabs to justify the costs), and if the slab is one twisted m/sister then I run the mill's sawblade over it first. I wonder how their planing/sanding heads compare price and quality wise to what' ever else is available up there - might be worth checking them out. With just the blade and using my dewalt laser level I can get to within 1mm over 5m long and 1.1m wide (that's the widest I've done so far). I just have to remember to reset the lead/n -in of the blade when I'm done or I'll cook it next time i mill.

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

Not sure the cost of that setup, but a 3ft wide planer is in the $3k area.

 

[rarefish383]

I have a friend that is a custom cabinet maker and he charges me $25 to flatten and sand big slabs. He can take up to 4' wide on his double belt sander. It will take a slab down as fast as a planer. But, I think that is the friend and family price. He did 4 White Pine slabs for $25, and 1 Red wood slab for $25.

 

[kimosawboy]

Why not just run it through a planer ................. This whole set up that I Am doing acts as a planer/jointer/sander with the ability to go to 72" in width.
Can buy planing and sanding heads fo................My spindle will be roughly 5hp and I will be running a 4-5" flycutter bit with changeable inserts, also will be tapped to accept a sanding disk (6")
The end product that Iam looking at building will be to finish dried slabs, remove any cupping and flatten. Basically anything that I put on it will be ready for the spray booth after the sanding cycle.

 

[KiwiBro]

Why not just run it through a planer ................. This whole set up that I Am doing acts as a planer/jointer/sander with the ability to go to 72" in width.
Can buy planing and sanding heads fo................My spindle will be roughly 5hp and I will be running a 4-5" flycutter bit with changeable inserts, also will be tapped to accept a sanding disk (6")
The end product that Iam looking at building will be to finish dried slabs, remove any cupping and flatten. Basically anything that I put on it will be ready for the spray booth after the sanding cycle.

I bet that will cut down a heap of time. Wouldn't take long to pay off the costs in labour savings alone, if doing enough slabs. Good luck and please keep us informed how the project is coming along.
The next table I'm doing is a 4.8m x 1m slab they want waterfalled. I reckon by the time I've set up my mill to flatten it and then scraped and sanded it, I would be better off spending $150 to have it planed and sanded ready for finishing. Might have to find someone around here with a wide belt sander who knows how to use it properly.