Milwaukee router for planeing those "wide" boards

[gemniii]

Hope this does not offend the forum gods.

There's been many discussions and threads about "planeing" wide wood with a router. Generally they recommend a heavy duty router.

I'm trying to buy a 20", 220V, 1 phase planer in my price range (< $750). It has not happened yet. However I ran across this Milwaukee 3-1/2 HP Router on sale for $232, and with coupon code A38R5V another 5% off and jumped on it. Check out Grizzly and H7022 Milwaukee 3-1/2 HP Router.

Most prices seem to be $310 plus.
.

 

[mrnecsteve]

Hope this does not offend the forum gods.

There's been many discussions and threads about "planeing" wide wood with a router. Generally they recommend a heavy duty router.

I'm trying to buy a 20", 220V, 1 phase planer in my price range (< $750). It has not happened yet. However I ran across this Milwaukee 3-1/2 HP Router on sale for $232, and with coupon code A38R5V another 5% off and jumped on it. Check out Grizzly and H7022 Milwaukee 3-1/2 HP Router.

Most prices seem to be $310 plus.
.

I would say consider reduceing the size of your desired planer....check out item number 321035323882 on ebay......I suspect that what he is selling is actually a planer/molder. (research in order)
In all of my woodworking days,the widest I have ever kept a "flat sawn" board intact was for stair treads at 12 inches. (because of potential cupping.)
If your planeing quarter sawn wood you are talking about one massive tree.

 

[MGoodwin]

router

Just my two cents.

I usually try and mill the widest boards that I can because I like the look in the furniture I make. There is something very appealing about large, single piece construction. That being said I use my 4x8 work table as my "planing station". It consists of two parallel rails running the length with a cross sled with the router fixed in the middle (lots of good ideas on youtube and here). For me, there are three distinct advantages to using this setup versus a large planer/jointer:

1) its scalable. Currently its built on a 4x8 table but there is nothing really stopping me from making it bigger or smaller.
2) cost. For widths say over 13", the cost of planers can be very expensive versus ~$600 for a complete router setup.
3) flatness. a router setup will give you a truly flat piece (whereas a planer really only gives you universal thickness). It can be tricky though in getting side 2 parallel to side 1.

I initially started out with my 1hp router with a 1/2" bit to test it out. Using simple 2x4 construction I was able to get VERY flat pieces (mabye 6" x 24"). I have since scaled up to 4x8 (the biggest pieces I can actually flaten are 33"x7') with a frued 3000 3.25hp (I think its a 3000) with a 1.5" bottoming bit for magnate ($45 I think). I use a 1" overstep with about 1/8" depth of cuts for roughs and then will usually go to a 1/2" overstep with a less than 1/16" depth of cut. Some tricks on certain woods with speeds, feeds, etc, but generally I am very happy with the result. On the largest pieces, while still clamped, the biggest flatness variation I have seen is ~1/32" (I believe that was due to some sawdust build up on the rails that was causing the cross sled to ride high in places).

I have really enjoyed having the big router as its very capable of handling the larger bit during roughing saving quite a bit of time. I think considering how many running hours you can spend doing this, particularly under heavy loads, the bigger HP routers will last a lot longer, though thats an assumption/guess.

Matt

 

[Tundra Man Mike]

Any pics of a router table setup?

 

[jrhannum]

Just a bit cheaper

I'm trying a home-made router bridge with a $50 2-hp router from (whisper it: Harbor Freight) and a $30 bit. I take it light and slow and if I toast the router within 30 days it goes back for a "free" new one. Using it to pare and shape CSM-slabbed maple for baker's peels, do the final shaping with the belt-sander and add a walnut handle. My pizza-maker buddy loves the first edition.View attachment 265795View attachment 265796

 

[jrhannum]

Bridged router as planer

I went ahead and installed 2x4 metal studs within the requisite channels to make dimensionally-stable side rails; 20 inches between the rails. Use it to plane oak and maple slabs; the maple plus "2x4 Basics" table-maker plastics became a nice-looking unit for the deck. Used Cabot's oil-based deck-stain for no-mold finish.View attachment 273378View attachment 273379

 

[jrhannum]

First Edition Maple peel

After CSM-slabbing I had some scabby pieces of clear and wide Maple, dried for a year then used the bridged router to clean it up and get near-desired shape, then belt-sanded for final shape, then recip-sanded for finish; rubbed on some beeswax/orange oil; installed a walnut handle. Now for the pizza.View attachment 274174