# can i use my portable planer as a jointer??



## juanation (Jan 17, 2010)

i was thinking of using my delta portable planer as a jointer. I made a sled and i intend to press 6 3/4 boards with two c clamps. I'm going to glue the boards down to the sled using silicone glue. once i made one side flat a take the boards off the sled and pass them again to flat both sides... CAN IT BE DONe?????? i prefer to ask before sticking a piece of metal trough my planer!!!hahahahaha


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*You can but...*

Quote:..."once i made one* side* flat "....

You may be on the thickness limit of the planer...depends.
The word "side" should be "edge" in this case. 
I don't know why you would choose this method over a table saw.This is inherently a risky method if there is* any* possibility the boards on "edge" will tip.
Face jointing the boards on a "sled" is the more common procedure. http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=5245
I wouldn't do it this way myself. Even a circular saw with a straight edge guide would be my preference. :thumbsup: bill


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

If I understand your question you are passing the boards through on edge and using the clamps to hold them stable. It's easily done as long as you insure that the clamp will clear the sides and will not touch the cutters. 
I would cut one edge straight first, though. Use a circular saw and edge guide. If you have one edge straight, you wouldn't need the sled.


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## juanation (Jan 17, 2010)

*ohhhh!!*



Gene Howe said:


> If I understand your question you are passing the boards through on edge and using the clamps to hold them stable. It's easily done as long as you insure that the clamp will clear the sides and will not touch the cutters.
> I would cut one edge straight first, though. Use a circular saw and edge guide. If you have one edge straight, you wouldn't need the sled.


thanx!!! will post pictures to let u know how it went!!!!!!


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## juanation (Jan 17, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> Quote:..."once i made one* side* flat "....
> 
> You may be on the thickness limit of the planer...depends.
> The word "side" should be "edge" in this case.
> ...



edge !!!!hahah you are right! Sorry for my bad English!!jajaja


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## knotscott (Nov 8, 2007)

The planer can make a face flat using the sled, but it'll be very difficult to ensure that the boards are truly perpendicular to the planer table for edge jointing. While the planer may a smooth the edges and flatten them, there'll be no guarantee that they're 90° to the face. Edge jointing with a router or TS can at least use the flat face as a reference to get a 90°, the planer can't.


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## Jacktoo (Oct 8, 2009)

A word to wise, never under any circumstances should you put anything with metal parts thru a planer! This is how strange and unexplained accidents have occurred. I had one case where the guy was using a sled with nuts and bolts and one of the nuts came loose and went into knives. He said all the nuts were tight, I still had to report, unexplained, possible human error. Their is always a way of doing things, that won't put you in harms way! Be safe and have fun!

Jack


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## jacobsk (Jan 19, 2010)

before restoring my jointer I used my planer all the time.

I would rip both edges on the table saw to get em close, then stand the boards upright and sending them through the planer.

it worked alright, I never used a sled or any clamps though, I did just fine by holding two or three pieces tight as they went into and then jumping the other side and holding them tight together as they passed through.

every once and awhile I'd get some that turned out with parallelagram cross section, but that was usually when I sent the boards through individually.


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## juanation (Jan 17, 2010)

thanks guys!!!!as always you have helped me a lot!!! thanks !!i will keep you posted!!!


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## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

I use my planet to rough edge boards all the time.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*A thickness planes makes both surfaces parallel!*

If you place a straight surface, either an edge or a flat surface in the planer, it will make the opposite surface, the one pointing up, parallel to it. SO...if you start with a straight surface, possibly from a jointer or the table saw, why not use the same tool for all the boards?..

*Unless, you want to make multiple edges on multiple boards an identical dimension or thickness. *In my "opinion" the width of the stack should be greater than the height of the boards on edge for safety sake. Then stack them together and plane away.:thumbsup:
A board 1 x 6 3/4" in width to be planed "on edge" is risky, since it may not feed properly or twist and tip ruining the board. Just rip the boards on the table saw with a quality blade and avoid those possibilities. 

If the bottom surface of the board is not straight, the planer will simply duplicate any bow on the top surface, it will not straighten a warped or curved board. JMO :blink: bill


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## jlhaslip (Jan 16, 2010)

How do you think boards got straightened in ye olden dayes???

Build a shooting board and use a hand plane to straighten the edges. google it.


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## juanation (Jan 17, 2010)

hahaha it worked!!
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/jointing-portable-planer-easy-jointing-15094/


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