# Wood Thickness Planers



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

So... been debating a planer. I have some stuff to make with 2x4's that I want nice and squared for which probably any planer would do.

I would though like a planer wide enough for a single slab of wood for a guitar body. I have some live edge stuff and could make a router sled, or since getting a planer anyways, get one for making body blanks.

Problem is, I think most guitars (well, Strat/Les Pauls) are 12.75-13" wide and most thickness planers in budget are 12-13" wide.

I've seen a few people mention a 13.5" thickness planer, but never seen one for sale. Maybe a typo and meant 12.5"? I have seen 15" planers but usually 3X the cost of the smaller ones.

What do you guys think... 13" pushing it? Edges of templates would be right at the edge of the wood. May be cutting it too close, and having never used one before, not sure if 13" is exact or not... may be a rounded up/down number. 

Just looking for some advice from people with planer experience. If 13" isn't gonna cut it, then I'll save a few bucks and get whatever a 2x4 will fit through. If 13" should work, I'll save up and pay a bit extra for it because there's a guy a few minutes outta town here with a hobby mill and the live edge kiln dried Ash and Walnut isn't too pricey. I'd rather build one-piece bodies than cut in half, plane and glue back together.


----------



## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

12.5 , 13 , 15, 20, 25" throats

13" might do (if you cut your blanks to 12 7/8" ) who would miss a 1/16" top and bottom ?

simply cut a 2 x2 (2 x 4) to 13" EXACTLY then truck on down to busy bee ? or any place that stocks the !#" unit and slide it thru the throat


----------



## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

@Lincoln


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

@oldjoat Good idea about the 2x4 cut down... I'd be looking at used thickness planers on Kijiji. Dewalt, Ryobi, Delta and Rigid I'm mostly looking at. Normally I'm find with stuff like Mastercraft but too many bad reviews to ignore. 

Almost reads (specs) as though the blades are 13" and the opening is around 13.25"... so maybe can cut down to 13.25" and pass through, then hand plane the 1/8" on either side?

Far as I can tell... my Squier bodies and SG will be fine at 13", will give me a small bit to play with on either side. Being a Les Paul guy though.... I have some concern.

Really a shame no 13.5" planers. Few 15" for sale for $600-800 but, usually come with a small list of issues that need fixed. Plus not sure how many guitars I'll make yet.... I'd love to get into it more and sell them on the side, but, may also make a few blanks from what I have and nothing more. 

Local place will do wide stuff pretty cheap which is a good option, but then other projects using 2x4's and 2x6's came up that I need a planer for anyways so, now has me in debate mode.


----------



## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

I built a lot of stuff with a 13” rigid planer.
I ran my woodworking business with one for years.

It can’t take a big bite off so it’s a little slow.
The blades are cheap and double sided.

Don’t bother with the mastercraft etc ones.

I upgraded the rigid to a vintage 16” R&D 5 HP.
Then upgraded that to a 20” general 7.5 from 1953

Nathan


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Luckily apart from 2x4's... stuff like bodies I don't plan to do more than a couple a year. I'm patient so not worried much about the speed.

If gluing 2-3 pieces together a 13" I know would be fine, but, for doing bodies, did the 13" work for you doing 1-piece slabs?


----------



## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

"most" guitar bodies will fit thru a 13" planer. I have a 2 speed, 13" Delta. I've had it close to 20 years and it has done a lot of work. Besides blades, the only thing I've replaced on it is a drive belt. Fits Tele's, Strat's, LP's, SG's, no problem. Offset's like Jaguar's are very tight, they are actually a little over 13" no matter how you turn them. Billy-Bo's fit. Firebirds do not fit.
I've also got a 16" thickness sander I use for the wider stuff, which comes in handy.

I just measured it, and it take 13-1/8"


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

So, 13" should be ok... just need to research what I need to look for when buying... I assume more HP the better, variable speed and also more blades the better?

Delta's I see a few of for sale online... name brand so hoping can get parts easy enough, and because a few online, keeps the used value in check.

I've had 2 live edge slabs here almost a year now, kiln dried and stored behind my sofa (outta site, climate controlled environment). Big slab of White Ash, and a slightly smaller slab of Black Walnut. Easily 2-3 bodies from each. Ash is a bit thick, could almost do a Les Paul with the arched top outta it without needing a cap... Walnut is just a bit over 1.75" and almost no curve to it at all.

Hoping at least a Tele or a Strat from the Walnut. Ash, a Strat. The rest I plan to make something like a Springer.


----------



## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

THRobinson said:


> So, 13" should be ok... just need to research what I need to look for when buying... I assume more HP the better, variable speed and also more blades the better?


as long as it is a good quality machine, I don't see HP being a big factor. You just end up taking larger cuts with a higher HP machine and get yourself into more trouble, faster. Variable speed is nice, but it's not an absolute necessity. More blades are better of course. Mine has two, that's pretty common. Three blades are also common. Some planers have a helical or spiral cutting head available for them. That does the best cut.
Tear-out is an issue on spalted woods.


----------



## Guest (Jul 10, 2019)

THRobinson said:


> The rest I plan to make something like a Springer.


I like that.


----------



## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

think of it this way, the slower feed speed of a 2-speed planer gives a smoother finish which means less sanding afterwards.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Yeah those Springers are nice looking... Sadly never seen one in person, too expensive to order one... Making one will have to do.


----------



## oldjoat (Apr 4, 2019)

and use Japanese scrapers to finish the surface of the wood, not sandpaper... no raised nap , smoother finish .


----------



## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

THRobinson said:


> Luckily apart from 2x4's... stuff like bodies I don't plan to do more than a couple a year. I'm patient so not worried much about the speed.
> 
> If gluing 2-3 pieces together a 13" I know would be fine, but, for doing bodies, did the 13" work for you doing 1-piece slabs?


Yes but planers don’t make wood flat.
They make two sides parallel.

You will still need to flatten one side.
I (until recently) had a smaller jointer so I used hand planes.

The rigid planer with a three knife cutterhead leaves a really smooth surface.


Nathan


----------



## Silvertone (Oct 13, 2018)

I have a 16” jointer / planer combo and also a 19” open ended thickness sander. I use these tools the most in my shop, as well as mybband saw. I started with a used 6” jointer and hand planes. I also paid for a membership at a woodworking course at a local college. I used these tools to make coffee table slabs and guitars. I sold them and put the money in the bank to save for the larger tools. Start small and if you have the interest and passion save to buy some good tools. You will not regret it.

Cheers Peter.


----------



## Silvertone (Oct 13, 2018)

nnieman said:


> Yes but planers don’t make wood flat.
> They make two sides parallel.
> 
> You will still need to flatten one side.
> ...



You are right but for body blanks, or necks for that matter, you do not necessarily need a 90 degree edge. I had access to a 24" thickness planer but no jointer that large. Just feed it through and don't worry about the edges. On longer pieces you could get twist but for body blanks they are so short they normally wouldn't twist noticeably. I usually use my jointer to flatten one side then send it through the thickness sander with 60 grit paper. The finish is rough but I'm going to sand the top after it's cut out anyway.

Cheers Peter.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

nnieman said:


> Yes but planers don’t make wood flat. They make two sides parallel.
> 
> You will still need to flatten one side. I (until recently) had a smaller jointer so I used hand planes.
> 
> The rigid planer with a three knife cutterhead leaves a really smooth surface.Nathan


Not gonna lie... I'm a bit confused by this one. After the wood has gone through a few times and none of the original surface is left (ie, scribble on the top with pencil all over and when all gone you know it's all been planed) isn't that side now flat? Then when flipped over and planing the other side, you're making that side flat and parallel?

Been mainly looking at the Dewalt DW735... seen a few posts where people have had them for 10yrs and no issues. Seems mostly around $450-500 used.

That said, bit more money but not by much at all... few hours away someone has a Delta X5 15" that needs new blades and says the power box is broken but still works. Not sure what that means exactly... photo wise I think it's just a chunk of plastic broken off the housing. Blades didn't look to be very expensive. Said the current ones work but have nicks in them so, oribital sander would probably handle that. $675. Wide enough which is great... maybe too big to move around though.

Sadly, nothing local at all.


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Doesn't work that way. If you put a warped piece of wood through a planer on both side it will still come out warped. Thus the planer sled was invented. 






You can also plane with a good router and a proper setup....


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

I thought if curved (left-to-right) if ran through multiple times on one side only, then flipped it, it would work the same as a router sled.

Here... I'll make a quick diagram of what I mean... 

Also, planer sled? I've seen router sleds but not planer sleds....


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

Your pics show a cupped board. Let's say you have 100 cupped boards. Is it cupped equally and dead center along the entire length? Highly doubtful. 99 of those 100 pieces will rock corner to corner. If there is even a 1mm twist it wont plane properly unless you use a sled and shims.


Router sled for flattening anything up to a huge slab of live edge First 6 minutes is the how to build the jig. Skip to 6:00 to see how it works


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Hmm... now I'm back to square 1... 

If I'm going to need a router sled anyways... I may as well get whatever cheap planer I can find because sounds like I'll be using it for the 2x4's and 2x6's only anyways. Once the live-edge is done with a router sled, would I need a planer? Can probably get to thickness with the router and sand it when done, no?

That said... as @Silvertone mentions, since guitars aren't 6' long, would a bend be noticeable? Slabs I have, the Walnut is really flat in all directions, the Ash has a bit of what I illustrated happening, not much... but neither seem to have any issues length wise or being twisted. Next batch, may be another story of course. But at 13"x20"... maybe safe?

I have a very small shop, still trying to dig tools outta the pile (long story). I have no planers, but I have a few routers so far... large and small... Maybe just get a cheap Ryobi for now mostly for lumber and put the money saved towards making a sled and getting a good router bit?


----------



## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

I bought a Rigid from Home Depot about a year and a half ago to build some things around the yard, paid $360 with the 10% off coupon. I just checked and they seem to listed for 450 now but they used to be 400. Anyways, I messed up the first one with some seriously heavy duty usage but they gave me a new one when I took it back and told them it didn't like the 70 pieces of 14 foot 2x6's I shoved through it. All good now but not exactly a ringing endorsement, also I'm not using it for anything overly precise.


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

@THRobinson you obviously did not watch the first video. Please watch it. A planer sled is just a piece of wood with a ledge on it. You can shim your workpiece on the sled to remove the wobble/rocking and then run the sled through the planer. You can make the sled any size you want. Mine is 13.5 x 4 feet and has a piece of UHMW on the bottom to make it slide through the planer with less friction. Or just wax the bottom. Note a sled reduces the maximum thickness you can plane


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

The point of the router sled is to flatten large chunks of wood that won't go through a planer. No one makes a planer big enough for a live edge slab. After routing both sides, they either hand plane or sand or scrape to flat.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

I'm finding it's one of those items where none are local (used) and a lot of people are asking almost new prices for 5yr old units.

... kinda like Epiphones around here.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

knight_yyz said:


> @THRobinson you obviously did not watch the first video. Please watch it. A planer sled is just a piece of wood with a ledge on it. You can shim your workpiece on the sled to remove the wobble/rocking and then run the sled through the router. You can make the sled any size you want. Mine is 13.5 x 4 feet and has a piece of UHMW on the bottom to make it slide through the planer with less friction. Or just wax the bottom


Video wasn't there when I wrote and posted my response. Did you edit/add it after posting?


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

knight_yyz said:


> The point of the router sled is to flatten large chunks of wood that won't go through a planer. No one makes a planer big enough for a live edge slab. After routing both sides, they either hand plane or sand or scrape to flat.


You can get live edge slabs less than a foot wide. Hipsters make shelves outta them. 

I've also seen 24" wide planers for sale.

They definitely make planers big enough for live edge slabs. Maybe not all slabs, but, definitely a majority of what I've seen people using.

But... starting to sound like a sled for me may be better than an expensive planer for me. At least for my live edge slabs and guitars.


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

The router planer was invented for stuff like this.... This is not going through any standard planer I have ever seen.... it's over 50" wide and 400 lbs


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Well... definitely not using any slabs that big, wouldn't be able to lift it to get it home. 

Mine are around 20" wide, Walnut is about 1 7/8" thick and 48" long. Ash about 2 1/8" maybe 2 1/4" and pushing 60" long.

Walnut is nice, a few blemishes and knots, sadly fades lighter towards the edges. Will make a nice tele/strat with some character. Ash is nice and clean and great grain... really looking forward to making hopefully 3 blanks from it. Maybe a neck or two as well... big open grain unlike maple, but use to make bass necks from Ash... stronger than most mahogany woods, not as string as maple. But hey, if you can hit a 90mph fastball with a bat made of Ash... it'll be strong enough for a guitar.


----------



## Silvertone (Oct 13, 2018)

THRobinson said:


> Well... definitely not using any slabs that big, wouldn't be able to lift it to get it home.
> 
> Mine are around 20" wide, Walnut is about 1 7/8" thick and 48" long. Ash about 2 1/8" maybe 2 1/4" and pushing 60" long.
> 
> Walnut is nice, a few blemishes and knots, sadly fades lighter towards the edges. Will make a nice tele/strat with some character. Ash is nice and clean and great grain... really looking forward to making hopefully 3 blanks from it. Maybe a neck or two as well... big open grain unlike maple, but use to make bass necks from Ash... stronger than most mahogany woods, not as string as maple. But hey, if you can hit a 90mph fastball with a bat made of Ash... it'll be strong enough for a guitar.



This is exactly what I have been doing for a few years now. I signed up for a wood working course at a local college and use there 24" thickness planer. I have run at least 100 boards about the size you are quoting and they have come out very nicely. Live edge do not have to be completely flat or non-twisted. It just has to be slight. The last batch of maple I had twisted like crazy because it was stickered improperly. It twisted through the planer. I ended up cutting it up into short pieces for guitar body blanks. 

Here is one -









I can definitely see the advantage of the planer sled. I also have a 24" wide CNC machine but it's pretty short at 36". Guitar bodies aren't a problem. I cannot handle the long heavy stuff either.

Cheers Peter.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

@Silvertone ... do you have another thread where you have a half dozen CNC'd bodies like that? I remember seeing a thread a few weeks back and thinking, damn... I really want a CNC of some sort. 

I'd be happy even with a CNC that will cut out pickguards and other things from plastic. Someone said last year to find a local, and some even said their local library oddly had access to that stuff, but I never found anything here. Shame too... have an old Kawai/Tseico SG with the huge pickguard that goes under the vol/tone knobs, and a few off-brand bodies that need new backplates.

Oh, I'd make so many wonderful things, had I a CNC... (drifting into dreamland)


----------



## Silvertone (Oct 13, 2018)

THRobinson said:


> @Silvertone ... do you have another thread where you have a half dozen CNC'd bodies like that? I remember seeing a thread a few weeks back and thinking, damn... I really want a CNC of some sort.
> 
> I'd be happy even with a CNC that will cut out pickguards and other things from plastic. Someone said last year to find a local, and some even said their local library oddly had access to that stuff, but I never found anything here. Shame too... have an old Kawai/Tseico SG with the huge pickguard that goes under the vol/tone knobs, and a few off-brand bodies that need new backplates.
> 
> Oh, I'd make so many wonderful things, had I a CNC... (drifting into dreamland)


Yeah - not quite half a dozen but a few. I just did half a dozen necks though. I'm working on some Les Paul toolpaths right now. Lots of stuff to cut in an LP design. I've done the "rule of 18" fret board, 17 degree head stock neck, and a test body with carve top and all of the other routes. Just fine tuning the paths and thinking of how to do vintage correct control cavities.

Cheers Peter.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

CNC the necks as well? 

Do you have to make the diagrams for them? or there a resource online where you can just download/import and voila, perfect '57 Les Paul neck?

Ever try a 27" scale Baritone neck? That's on my To-Do list. I do want to make a neck though... never tried one yet. Mostly in planning mode right now, until I get the garage cleared, basement cleared and my bench built. Kinda stuck right now until that all happens. Inherited a lot of tools, but near the end, my Dad was a bit of a hoarder, and when the folks moved a few years back, everything was packed up and just piled into almost a literal pile in the garage/basement.

Kinda one of those cases where it's so much and so spread... it'll take more time to figure out how/where to start than to actually get it sorted.

Worth it though... found a band saw a few weeks back. New. In box. Gotta hope the dampness of the basement didn't kill it. 

Downside is, finding stuff that's useful, and partial... missing parts and no idea where they may be.


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

The entire guitar can be done on a cnc


----------



## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

THRobinson said:


> I thought if curved (left-to-right) if ran through multiple times on one side only, then flipped it, it would work the same as a router sled.
> 
> Here... I'll make a quick diagram of what I mean...
> 
> Also, planer sled? I've seen router sleds but not planer sleds....


In your picture the top image - the board can actually be pushed down flat by the rollers of the planer - especially with 1 piece stuff.
If you ran it the other way it would rock.

Peter is right, its not a big deal for something as small as a body blank but it can be a small or medium deal.

Nathan


----------



## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

nnieman said:


> In your picture the top image - the board can actually be pushed down flat by the rollers of the planer - especially with 1 piece stuff.
> If you ran it the other way it would rock.
> 
> Peter is right, its not a big deal for something as small as a body blank but it can be a small or medium deal.
> ...


That's a good point. If the roller pressure is stronger than the wood it will try to flatten the board while planing and it will "spring back" when it comes out of the rollers. So it will always look cupped.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

Hard to say now what I want... planer doesn't sound quite as good as I thought. Might go the route of a router sled instead since I already have a few routers. 

2x4's I'll maybe just cleanup with a table saw. Mostly just need them all to be the same size, and sharp reasonably square corners. 

Router sled will take less space as well. I can cut the slab up into rough blank sizes and use the sled on the smaller pieces instead of one big chunk, especially since be a lot of excess on the sides and between blanks that don't need done anyways since scrap. Save the router bit some wear.


----------



## THRobinson (Jun 29, 2014)

knight_yyz said:


> That's a good point. If the roller pressure is stronger than the wood it will try to flatten the board while planing and it will "spring back" when it comes out of the rollers. So it will always look cupped.


How strong are those rollers to be able to bend a 2" thick slab of Ash?


----------



## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

I have the Ridgid planer and have had for many years. The lifetime warranty is a plus. Especially if your still young and foolish. I personally think you can flatten a warped board by just taking a small skim off with each pass until it's flat.


----------



## nnieman (Jun 19, 2013)

THRobinson said:


> How strong are those rollers to be able to bend a 2" thick slab of Ash?


You’d be surprised.
Rubber coated rollers are more forgiving than steel rollers.
I think the 15” delta you’re looking at has steel rollers.
Ash is used for baseball bats because it flexes.

Nathan


----------

