# Plastic through planer?



## werneb01 (Apr 23, 2008)

I have a piece of plastic, not sure what it is exactly but I'm thinking it is similar to what the plastic cutting boards are made out of. My dad was given it to use as the bottom of his runners on his ice fishing shack. He would like the piece of plastic ripped lengthwise. I was thinking about using my band saw to rip it to have the smallest kerf. Then putting it through the planer to clean up the cuts. Can this be done? Or will I be in trouble with plastic in a planer?

Thanks,

Brad


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

Just curious how you plan to run a piece of plastic through a planer on edge?

If its an HDPE type plastic, just cut it on the table saw. It will require no further "cleaning up".


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## Improv (Aug 13, 2008)

I am guessing its either high density polyethylene or polypropylene. I would not put it through the planer, mostly because if you are using this for runners on an ice shack, I would install the cut side toward the runner thus negating the need to smooth it out in the first place. If smoothing is necassary, I would use a clothes iron on it to melt out the roughness.

Regards,
Steve


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

I guess I misunderstood what type of cut you want to make. So you want to split the thickness? Like a resaw? If thats the case, I agree with the other poster, just put the cut side up. No reason to resurface it. Or you can go to Woodcraft and buy two pieces the proper thickness. Its relatively inexpensive stuff.


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## Anywhy30 (Dec 2, 2011)

BassBlaster said:


> Just curious how you plan to run a piece of plastic through a planer on edge?
> 
> If its an HDPE type plastic, just cut it on the table saw. It will require no further "cleaning up".


I agree with table saw... Once saw one of the back counter guys at a lumber yard run siding through table saw so a customer could put it in car... Go figure.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It would depend on the thickness of the plastic and the planer. If you don't cut the plastic too thin and your planer doesn't feed too fast you can plane it in very light cuts. It could get dangerous if you mill too much off and the knife grabbed it and shattered the plastic. I think I would rather use a table saw and just resurface the face with a belt sander.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

From my experience, plastic doesn't work well going through a planer or jointer. 

The table saw works much better using a combination blade. A rip blade would work even better. The larger the gullets the better.


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## bob sacamano (Jan 24, 2012)

save your jointers and planers for wood. thats what they were designed for.


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## dougpke (Nov 16, 2012)

*I agree..... but.....*

I just ran what I believe to be UHMW polyethylene through a DeWalt 735 planer on the finishing speed to make runners for a crosscut sled. Took it down until it just fit in the miter slots. Planed it just fine, with no ill effects that I can see to the planer. This is just my experience, however, so if it doesn't work for you, I'm not buying you a new planer if you try.....:icon_cool:


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## Joeb41 (Jun 23, 2012)

Only wood in the planer! NO EXCEPTIONS!


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

I don't think the plastic would hurt the blades, it might melt though and drip globs of plastic inside. For something like that, I would rig a frame to hold it and use a router with a dado cleanout or dish cutter bit. :smile:


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## ed_h (Dec 1, 2010)

Joeb41 said:


> Only wood in the planer! NO EXCEPTIONS!



Absolutes ALWAYS have exceptions.


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## Leo G (Oct 16, 2006)

Depending on what kind of plastic it is yes and no. Some plastics are hard enough to dull the knives pretty quickly. If they are carbide then not an issue. HSS might be.

Hard rubbery plastics will melt. Hard brittle plastics may shatter


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## NetDoc (Aug 6, 2013)

The problem with cutting plastics is how heat builds up, turning the material to goo. The goo accumulates in the throat of the tooth making it progressively harder to cut. Use the coarsest blade you have and the slowest speed. I have machined all sorts of plastics in the Chemistry Machine Shop at UF and found that you just can't do it other wise. Even drilling and sanding can become problematic if the speed is too high. Be prepared to pick melted/solidified goo out of each tooth of any cutting tool you use. If the plastic is brittle, put a piece of tape over the cut to reduce cracking and you might have to use a finer toothed cutter. A heat gun will quickly ease edges on most plastics, but you can also use a sharp knife with the back tilted towards the direction of travel (the edge trailing the back).


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

I bought my PM 50 jointer from a used equipment dealer, in the Orlando area. It had a Mickey Mouse Logo on it, along with "For Wood And Plastic Only" stenciled on it. I assume it came from a disney shop and was used for plastic.
It did have solid carbide knives.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I wouldn't run any kind of plastic through a jointer or a planer...with steel or carbide knives.








 







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