Planer sled

[johnnyg]

I hate to keep bringing up old subjects, but being new to the craft I am really trying to learn why some options are good while others are bad. I sure would like to get some input on this video about using a planer sled for thinning wood. Is this a bad idea and if so, why? I have a couple of bench top planers but had ruled them out for thicknessing based on others advise that it destroyed thin wood.

https://youtu.be/ar-aCa0-6is[/youtube]

Thanks for your time hand help!

[ken cierp]

Not sure why but I don't think your video link is working I see nothing but a blank space -- perhaps a regular youtube link would be better?

[Dave Bagwill]

You could just try it on some cheap thin wood and see if it works. I use a sled on the drum sander, but sanders don't snipe like some planers do.

[johnnyg]

Here is the YouTube link. Not sure why it works for me and not others. I will try to see how thin I can get a piece of 1 x 12 pine or something like that. It may not be a fair comparison but we will see how it goes. I definitely would not use it to get to final thickness of .075 but it may do to get the bulk of the thinning done?

https://youtu.be/ar-aCa0-6is

[ken cierp]

I have had 3/8" Curly Walnut shatter -- pretty scary. Plus the board was rendered useless. Even with a sled and the carpet tape which you will dam many, many times in your effort to get it to release the veneer -- there is still the issue of random chip out. I will make this additional observation, there are good reasons -- Specialty hand planes, wide belt sander or drum sander are the tools of choice for those of us in the industry.

[johnnyg]

I think I will go with the advice of those who have gone there and drop this idea. It might have some general woodworking utility but sounds too risky for thin tone woods.

I am almost done building the bender so the drum sander is next on the list unless by some miracle a reasonably priced one drops in my lap.

Thanks for the input.