Planing direction

[Scoony]

I making a end grain cutting board, but I am not asking about planing end grain.  With the design I am trying, the initial glue-up is too wide for the planer. I can cross-cut the glue-up in half to fit, but the grain direction would be sideways to the planer cut.  I know with a hand tools, I can handplane directly across the grain to quickly flatten a panel followed by handplaning with the grain to finish the surface. 

I do have a spiral cut head on the planer, but thinking that this may not be a good idea. If it was worth trying, I think I would have to glue on sacrificial strip on the tail end.

[Bill Holt]

Several years ago, I made maybe a dozen or so, end grain boards.  I ran them through the planer taking very light cuts.  Only in a couple of cases, I lost  excess edge; one was bad enough I re-sized the board, on the other, I used a larger round over.  If I were to make more end grain boards, I would definitely, glue on a sacrificial board.

[jteneyck]

I making a end grain cutting board, but I am not asking about planing end grain.  With the design I am trying, the initial glue-up is too wide for the planer. I can cross-cut the glue-up in half to fit, but the grain direction would be sideways to the planer cut.  I know with a hand tools, I can handplane directly across the grain to quickly flatten a panel followed by handplaning with the grain to finish the surface. 

I do have a spiral cut head on the planer, but thinking that this may not be a good idea. If it was worth trying, I think I would have to glue on sacrificial strip on the tail end.

No clue how that will turn out, but my guess is not well, even beyond the issue at the end of the cut.  I have a drum sander to deal with these situations.  

I'm curious to see how it goes.  

John

[rwe2156]

Glue on some sacrificial strips parallel to the planer head.

Spiral is going to greatly reduce the risk.

The ideal machine for this is a drum sander.

[Scoony]

Thanks all. I chickened out and went the router jig/sled route to flatten, followed by a #7 Stanley. I usually run the final glue up through the planner with very-very light cuts, but have never tried sending wood through the planer sideways.

A drum sander will probably be my next major tool purchase.

[iclark]

Thanks all.  I chickened out and went the router jig/sled route to flatten, followed by a #7 Stanley.  I usually run the final glue up through the planner with very-very light cuts, but have never tried sending wood through the planer sideways. 

A drum sander will probably be my next major tool purchase.

If you get a used one, see if you can get the seller to actually walk you through installing sand paper.

Trying to figure it out from the manual and/or youtube can be frustrating and use up a lot of sandpaper until you figure out what you are really supposed to do.

[R Clark]

Thanks all.  I chickened out and went the router jig/sled route to flatten, followed by a #7 Stanley.  I usually run the final glue up through the planner with very-very light cuts, but have never tried sending wood through the planer sideways. 

A drum sander will probably be my next major tool purchase.

If you get a used one, see if you can get the seller to actually walk you through installing sand paper.

Trying to figure it out from the manual and/or youtube can be frustrating and use up a lot of sandpaper until you figure out what you are really supposed to do.

A bought a used Supermax 1938 about 18 months ago.  It was a game changer for me.

Loading the belt onto the drum was a learning curve I had to climb.  I'm much better at it now.  Learning how to effectively clean belts is also key to getting the most out of those expensive belts.

[Rick LoDico]

I making a end grain cutting board, but I am not asking about planing end grain.  With the design I am trying, the initial glue-up is too wide for the planer. I can cross-cut the glue-up in half to fit, but the grain direction would be sideways to the planer cut.  I know with a hand tools, I can handplane directly across the grain to quickly flatten a panel followed by handplaning with the grain to finish the surface. 

I do have a spiral cut head on the planer, but thinking that this may not be a good idea. If it was worth trying, I think I would have to glue on sacrificial strip on the tail end.

I plane end grain cutting boards a lot. Just bevel the ends a bit.