1. Read or be familiar with tool operation. Refer to general operating instruction posted on
the machines. Each planer is slightly different in its operation procedure.
2. For smoothing rough surfaces
3. For making boards thinner
4. Will not take a bow or wave out of a board. Board will still have bow/wave but will be.
thinner
5. Best to alternate planning both sides of a board to keep internal stress of the board more
even. If you plane only one side, you increase the chance of the board bowing.
afterwards
6. Cut with the grain, not against the grain, to prevent chip out. This is especially true with hard or curly wood.
7. Boards have to be a least 10” long
8. If board is narrower than ½”, use a shooter board under it
9. Things that CANNOT be run through the planer:
i. No painted or varnished surfaces
ii. No plywood, particle board, MDF
iii. No old cutting boards as they will gum up the blades
iv. No wood with loose knots. (knock them out). (Check all knots after each
pass as tight knots can become loose). They can damage the cutters
v. No old wood (barn siding) or weathered wood.
vi. Nails, dirt, sand, and rock embedded in the wood will nick the
cutters
10. Open vacuum vents before cutting
11. Measure thickness of board and then check it against machine thickness indicator for
preliminary cut. Make machine indicator slightly thicker than board itself
12. Place board in machine, till it just it touches rollers (on left planer) or anti-kickback
fingers (on right planer)
13.Start machine and run board through
14. As board is going through on the first pass turn crank up till it starts to cut board. Then run
the board through again
15. Have a helper on the back side of the machine to catch boards
16. Never look into the planer while the machine is running
17. Don’t stand directly behind machine because of possibility of kickback
18. Never place your hand into the planer to free wood
19.Too fast a speed and too deep a cut make for more chatter marks that have to be sanded. Shallower cuts make for less chatter marks and less sanding
20. To prevent snipe on the end of a board, take shallower cuts
ii. Butt a board against the end as it is going through
iii. Cut you board over length so that snipe can be cut off
21.Close vacuum vents after cutting
22. Clean up mess when done
23. If in doubt or have questions??????, check with floor monitor