What is a thicknesser and what is it for? DIY thicknesser machine.

Planer and planer machines work in a similar way, removing a layer of material from the face or edge of a board, so the purpose of these machines is often confused. Both of them serve to level the surfaces of lumber and give them rectangular section, however, each is used in a specific way and performs different operations. A planer-jointer can make one face of a board flat and the adjacent edge perpendicular to the face, but it is not able to give this board the same thickness along its entire length - this is the work of a thicknesser. Thus, planer-jointer and thicknesser machines work in conjunction. Obtaining flat workpieces of the correct shape begins with planing jointer, so let's look at it first.

Jointing: a basic step in achieving success

How does a jointer work?

As can be seen from the planer diagram (Fig. 1), The front and rear tables are separated by a cylindrical knife shaft. The front table is installed just below the top point of the circle described by the knives, the back table is on the same level with it.

When feeding the workpiece onto the knife shaft, the knives remove that part of the material that is below the plane of the back table. The treated smooth surface then moves along the back table. With each subsequent pass, another portion of wood is removed until the entire processed side of the board is flat.

Squeeze the plastic first

Before jointing, look along the edge of the board to check for buckling or warping. (Fig. 2), and also to determine the direction of the fibers. For getting best results Plane a warped board so that the convex side is facing up (in other words, the board should rest on its edges) and the grain is pointing down and back (Fig. 1). If the fibers point upward, the moving knives will tear the fibers away, causing small pieces of the workpiece to break off (called pullouts). To trim the face of the board, set the front table to a cutting depth of no more than 1.6 mm. Place the board on the front table in front of the cutter shaft. Using pushers, push the board forward. The downward pressure should only ensure that the board is in contact with the front table, but nothing more. (photo A). Excessive clamping force can straighten longitudinal or transverse warping, and after the clamp is released, the board will return to its previous shape.

Press the board with pushers. The main effort should be directed at moving the board forward, and not at pressing it against the table.

Apply only slight force to ensure that the finished part of the board remains in contact with the back table. Use both hands to feed the workpiece forward.

When approximately 15 cm of the boards have passed over the cutter shaft, move your left hand(and clamping force) onto the end of the board located on the back table (photo B). About halfway through the aisle, move right hand onto the processed part of the workpiece and continue to feed it forward evenly until the pass is completed (photo C).

Move your hands as needed to press the finished portion of the board against the back table. Pass the entire board over the blade shaft.

Draw a sinuous line with chalk up and down the board. It will help you track the progress of your work. When the line disappears, the board can be considered flat.

No need to delete more material than necessary. To control the result, draw a wavy line on the board with chalk. If the board has significant transverse or longitudinal warping, little material will be removed on the first pass (photoD). With each subsequent pass, the board will become flatter and the treated surface wider. If the chalk line disappears, the board has become flat.

Having leveled the fall of the board, mark it as shown in the “Tip of the Master”.

During the initial processing of materials, it can be difficult to remember which face of the board has already been processed and which edge is perpendicular to this face. Therefore, after the last pass, mark the surface you just finished. Traditionally, furniture makers put a squiggle on the edged surface, and the edge perpendicular to it is marked with a tick, the point of whichthe swarm is directed towards the trimmed surface.

Then finish the edge

Apply force in two directions, pressing the board against the longitudinal fence and feeding it forward onto the cutter shaft. When working with boards less than 100 mm wide, use pushers.

After one edge of the board is leveled, it will not be difficult to trim the edge at a right angle to the edge. Perform the same steps as when jointing a board, with just one addition: when feeding the board, as described above, press it tightly against the longitudinal (parallel) stop (photo E). If possible, to prevent tearing and chipping, orient the workpiece so that the wood fibers are pointing down and away from the direction of rotation of the cutter shaft (Fig. 1).

Mark the finished edge as shown in the Craftsman's Tip. Now that one of the faces of the board has become flat, and one of the edges has become perpendicular to this face, it is time to move on to the thickness planer.

Thickening: make blanks of any thickness

How does a thickness planer work?

Unlike a planer and planer, the knife shaft of a thickness planer is located above the workpiece parallel to the table (Fig. 3). By lowering the knife shaft after each pass, we reduce the thickness of the workpiece and make it uniform along its entire length.

When working with a thickness planer, there is no need to control the workpiece during the pass. To do this, feed rollers are used, located on either side of the knife shaft, which press the workpiece and at the same time pull it through the machine. That is why it is so important to first remove one edge of the workpiece. In the absence of a plane, thanks to which the board could be based on the machine table, the feed rollers will simply press the board against the tables, and the knife shaft will plane its top surface. As soon as the board comes out of the lathe, any existing longitudinal, transverse warping or winging will reappear.

The truth about thicknessing

When feeding a workpiece into a thicknessing machine, you also need to take into account the direction of the fibers. However, it should be remembered that this machine processes the board from above, so the rules here are reversed. To reduce tearing, orient the board so that the grain runs up and back (Fig. 3).

Removing a layer of material no thicker than 0.8 mm in one pass also reduces the risk of tearouts. If the machine has two feed speeds, make the final passes at a lower speed - this will give a cleaner surface. For the same reason, before the last pass, it is recommended to set the cutting depth to no more than 0.4 mm.

Before passing a short board through a planer, temporarily glue two bars to it. In this case, the step will appear on the bars, and not on the workpiece.

A small depth of cut also reduces the size of the step formed at the ends of the workpiece. To further reduce the size of a step or eliminate it entirely, support long boards with your hands or supports at the beginning and end of the pass so they lie flat on the machine tables. When processing short boards, use auxiliary bars glued to the sides, which are removed after thicknessing. (photoF).

If to sharpen the board up to required thickness If you need to remove more than 3 mm of material, then after processing the top face, turn the board over and process the previously jointed face. Work the board alternately on both sides until the final thickness is achieved. Removing approximately the same amount of material from each face makes the workpiece more stable, reducing the risk of warping.

Still having problems? May require adjustment

If you have followed all the directions exactly and are still not seeing good results, the machine is likely out of alignment. Even the most advanced woodworking technology in the world cannot fix this. If you suspect that something is wrong with the machines, read the articles on setting up equipment published in our magazine.

• To reduce the amount of waste and increase the yield of material, cut the boards to length and width before jointing, leaving an allowance for further processing. Short and narrow workpieces have less deflection and can be processed in fewer passes.
• To get more smooth surface With fewer tears, remove a layer of material no thicker than 0.8 mm in one pass. Reducing the feed speed also produces a cleaner surface.
• When jointing a winged board, press its opposite corners. Try to keep these corners pressed against the tables and do not wobble the workpiece as it passes over the cutter shaft. After several passes, the aligned corners will provide a stable surface to rest the workpiece on while jointing the remaining portion.
• When jointing two workpieces for gluing along the edge, process one of the workpieces with its lower face facing the longitudinal stop (left photo below), and the other - turning its upper face towards the stop (middle photo below). If the longitudinal stop of the machine is not perpendicular to the table, the two angles will cancel each other out and the glued board will be flat (right photo below).

• To plane a face of a board whose width exceeds the capabilities of your machine, saw the board in half lengthwise, sand each piece, including the edges obtained after sawing, and then glue them along the edge, aligning the planed faces in the same plane. Longitudinal cutting of boards that have strong transverse or longitudinal warping or winging is safer to do with a band saw.

Any carpenter or mechanic's tool kit must have a thickness planer. Its function allows you to correctly record dimensional indicators, make accurate projections and determine the correct position of certain objects or structures in construction and installation. However, the question of what a thicknesser is suggests an ambiguous answer. On the one hand, it can be a simple wooden device with two or three components, and on the other, a full-fledged processing machine in which the thicknesser function is provided as an auxiliary one.

What is the function of a surface planer?

Typically, a surface planer is purchased for working with wood. As already noted, the classic device allows you to fix geometric parameters blanks, take measurements, transfer data from drawings to real materials, etc. However, a full-fledged thicknesser for wood in the form of a machine has broader capabilities. If manual models are used only for marking, then desktop equipment also implements processing actions on site. But here too there is some specificity. Correction of workpieces in shape and size is carried out using the type of jointing machines or planes. That is, this is precisely a corrective machine, similar in functionality to Such units are also used for professional purposes in furniture factories, and in everyday life during the construction of small objects or structures using wood material.

Design of a conventional thicknesser

The simplest model of this type is formed by three components - a basic supporting post with a dimensional scale, a clamp or gripping device and a small device for applying markings. A characteristic feature of budget home surface planers is the material they are made of - these are models made from the same wood, but from hardwood. By design, the finished device is a block in which there is rectangular hole. By moving functional elements in the form of slats, the user can perform dynamic markings. To understand what a traditional thickness planer is, you should also take into account the importance of the drawing components - the pins. There may be several of them. For example, a double marking configuration allows markings formed by parallel lines.

Features of machines with surface thicknessers

Easel models are radically different from conventional thickness planers. They are designed for mechanical processing of wood material using knives. As a rule, a household one with a surface thicknesser consists of a frame, a working platform and the mentioned knife elements. The operator's role during operation may vary. In budget models, where automatic systems are not provided, he himself feeds the workpiece and receives it from the other side work surface. But there are also automatic models that can perform serial processing without operator control.

It is important to take into account the differences between this type of machines and jointing units. Here again it is worth turning to the question of what an easel-type thicknesser is. This is a machine that, using knives, performs grinding or planing operations. In turn, jointing machines can have the same design, but thanks to a larger number of knives (at least three), they realize deep removal of excess mass from the surface of the workpiece.

The main thing during the installation process is to ensure a stable position of the structure. In this case, the machine can be floor-standing or table-top. In both cases, securely fixing the machine to the surface will ensure an accurate result. It is advisable to use special fasteners that will immobilize the surface planer. The instructions for desktop models, for example, recommend fixing the unit using 4 complete bolts to a workbench or stable working platform. Work begins after the drum, equipped with blades, reaches the proper speed. Next, you can install the workpiece flush on the table surface. When planing heavy and long objects, you should slightly lift the outer parts of the workpiece on both sides of the cut. This will prevent gouging or cutting off excess parts.

Manufacturers of surface planers

In one modification or another, surface thicknessers are present in the product range of almost all major manufacturers of construction tools and equipment. In particular, Makita and Dewalt offer tabletop thicknessers for working with small volumes. This is a reliable technology that is characterized by durability, operational flexibility and high processing efficiency.

Interesting options are offered domestic producers. For example, the Anchor Corvette-21 model is quite suitable for a small workshop that processes lumber. If you need a universal thicknesser for a wide range of standard operations, then you can turn to the “Caliber” line. This brand also produces affordable and durable models.

How to choose a thickness planer?

First of all, technical and operational characteristics are taken into account. For example, by the depth of the cut you can understand which layer from the surface the machine can remove in one pass. This value varies on average from 1 to 3 mm. No less important is the width of the cut, on which the machine’s ability to serve workpieces of one or another format basically depends. Household models usually work with widths in the range of 300-330 mm. Often power is also important. It will determine the productivity of a multifunctional household woodworking machine with a thickness planer in a specific design. This figure can be 1.5 kW or 2 kW. Models close to the first value are suitable for private needs, and machines with a power of more than 2 kW belong to the industrial segment.

Conclusion

The success of operating machines of this type depends on many factors. To determine the individual nuances of using the equipment, you need to understand what a machine-type thicknesser is in terms of maintenance. This is primarily a complex and multi-component device that requires careful care after each treatment session. The user must regularly check the technical condition of the unit, lubricate the elements of the working group and maintain the cutting quality of the knives. Only under conditions of competent, comprehensive maintenance of the thicknesser's performance can one expect high quality of its function.

Woodworking machines include a group of longitudinal milling machines, which, in turn, include surface planers and jointers. Do you need to buy a thickness planer? The main activity of the DUKON company is the sale of industrial equipment and tools from leading manufacturers. Thicknessing machines are also offered for sale. By following the link to the website derevo.dukon.ru you can find out more detailed information about the company's activities and purchase necessary equipment. Thanks to them, it is possible to process lumber. If any defects arise during wood processing, the machines will remove them. For them it is necessary to take well-dried wood. In this article we will talk about why a thickness planer is needed. This type of machine should be used for bars, panels and boards. Thicknesser allows you to obtain materials of a certain size, taking into account the required thickness of the product and cutting it into 2 strips that are parallel to each other. They have a certain similarity with CNC milling machines, because... The knife shaft is located above the table. This category of tools is intended for small-scale and mass production of joinery products. Their main distinguishing feature is their rigid and large bed. The tools deliver workpieces at a speed of up to 10 meters/minute. Another positive aspect of thicknessing machines are casings with a sound absorption function. Thicknessing machines are divided into single-sided and double-sided. It is worth noting that there is a combined type of machines - planer-thicknesser, which combines all the positive parameters of both types of tools.

Delivery of workpieces to both types of machines in automatic mode is carried out using roller, carriage or conveyor mechanisms.

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Why do you need a surface planer and how to choose it correctly?

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Thicknesser is a woodworking machine designed for thicknessing, i.e. planar planing of all kinds of workpieces to a given thickness. In this case, the parts must be pre-finished. Unlike a jointer, which makes the surface of the wood even, a surface planer makes the thickness even and provides finishing with minimal loss of material.

Types of thicknessing machines

1. Single-sided - with one blade shaft, which is located above the work table. Designed for thicknessing on one side. Is budget option with manual supply of wood;
2. Double-sided - with automatic part feeding and two shafts located on the table itself and above it. Used for thicknessing two planes of the workpiece. They are used for large volumes of work, for example, during the construction of a house.

Important Features

• The size of the workpiece being processed is the most important parameter choice;
• Electric motor power – the more powerful, the easier it is to cope with hard wood;
• Productivity – maximum planing depth, can vary between 1-5 mm;
• Possibility of adjusting the thickness of the removed layer of wood;
• The quantity and quality of knives affect the quality of processing;
• The weight of the tool - the larger it is, the less vibration, therefore, the better the processing.

Since this equipment is in most cases required to perform short-term and one-time work, its purchase is not economically profitable. For such situations the best solution will be renting a surface planer. Contact our company - we offer a large selection of construction tools for hire at very attractive prices.

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Secrets of choosing planing (planing) and thicknessing machines

Useful tips will help you find planing (planing) and thicknessing machines with the required operating parameters.

Why do you need a thickness planer?

A thickness planer is used for planing all kinds of boards, slats, flat workpieces, panels, bars, etc. It is this equipment that allows you to achieve a smooth surface and precise dimensions of the part; not a single woodworking production can do without this equipment. And skilled craftsmen without specialized education resort to the services of a thickness planer, because it is an excellent alternative to a conventional plane. In addition, using thicknessing machines for wood, you not only remove chips from the workpiece, but also adjust required thickness cut.

Structurally, the unit is simple, unless we are talking about CNC mechanisms. Standard device consists of a motor, several knife shafts and, in fact, a work table. According to the number of cutting elements, all machines are divided into one-, two- and four-sided. In addition, thicknessing machines for wood differ in the power and width of the knife itself, which directly affects the maximum part size allowed for a given unit.

Many companies now also produce specialized thicknessing equipment and combined planer-thicknesser devices. The purpose of the latter is to pre-process the workpiece before removing chips - as a rule, such an operation is not provided for in a conventional thickness planer. However, any part requires high-quality surface finishing, and jointing-thicknessing mechanisms are capable of solving both tasks at the same time.

As for choosing suitable devices for carpentry workshops, here, first of all, you should focus on the degree of complexity of production and the volume of work. It is these factors that determine which thickness planer to buy: professional or household. For someone the best option there will be a household model with high level security and slightly lower performance. Such devices have a claw protection function for the feed rollers and a box-shaped frame that reliably protects the operator from dangerous parts of the equipment. With similar thicknessing machines or jointing thicknessing machines, installation can be done without any problems required speed.

Professional planing (jointing) and thicknessing machines are often purchased for one-sided processing of parts in thickness. They are highly vibration resistant and have four vertical columns, due to which the accuracy of the height of the frame and its stability are ensured. Motor such industrial units designed for continuous long-term operation. The productivity of a planer thicknesser directly depends on the feed speed and the maximum possible number of workpieces simultaneously available for planing. In this regard, mechanical feed significantly benefits. Among other things, pay attention to the presence of a guide ruler - it will significantly speed up the process. And remember - you shouldn’t skimp on the quality of equipment, because only with a good machine will work turn into pleasure and bring you profit.

What is the difference between a planing machine?

One of the most popular mechanisms for processing wood after cutting is a planing machine. It can also be used for milling and chipless cutting: cutting out stamps, crushing and cutting, cutting veneer. Although models with similar functions are intended more for small-scale and individual production. As for classification, all planing equipment is divided into longitudinal planing and cross-planing machines.

When working with large-sized workpieces, a wood planer of the first type is usually used. It can be one-sided or two-sided, and the latter allows you to process the layer, edges and parallel planes at once. In addition, such planing (jointing) and thicknessing machines differ in the maximum possible length and width of planing, as well as the lifting height of the crossbar, and the movement, in in this case, communicates primarily to the part located on the machine table. A cross-planing machine is more suitable for processing small and medium-sized workpieces. Its maximum slide stroke ranges from 20 to 100 cm.

Depending on which knives are installed on the shaft, the equipment is used to prepare parts made of wood of different densities - the cutting element either remains stationary or moves back and forth. In addition, processing can be done by thickness, plane, or

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Often craftsmen who love to work with wood, or owners country houses, are faced with the need to plan a lot of boards to give them visual appeal. It is necessary to equalize the thickness of the material, determine the dimensions of the boards and panels, obtain a smooth surface of the blanks from which furniture will subsequently be made, or used to finish the floor or room. The solution to the problem may be to buy a thickness planer or make a thickness planer with your own hands, because a device with automatic feeding of workpieces and knife shafts made of high-speed steel significantly speeds up and facilitates the process of planing wood.

Purpose of a thickness planer

Thicknessing machines are intended for plane planing of workpieces - panels, bars and boards of thickness to a given size, and therefore are the main ones in woodworking enterprises. In addition, almost every carpenter has surface thicknessers. The main purpose of thicknessing machines is to uniformly service boards and other wooden products over the entire area and obtain blanks that have equal thickness over the entire width and length.

Thicknessers, when used in construction, are capable of processing in one pass in large quantities wide boards. Unlike industrial devices, household surface thicknessers are small in size and much lighter, which makes them easier to transport. Besides modern models have a lightweight system for changing working knives and increased control of cutting depth in order to accurately adjust the thickness of the removed chips.

As a rule, before this procedure wooden surfaces subjected to pre-processing on a jointing machine. For non-standard types of materials (polymers, soft plastics, foam-based insulation), thicknessing machines with rubber-coated metal feed rollers are intended, which are not capable of damaging the surfaces of the workpieces.

Sectional feed rollers, which are equipped with woodworking equipment, allow you to simultaneously feed workpieces of different thicknesses at the entrance to the machine. Thicknesser machine is one of the important installations in carpentry and construction, as well as in the furniture industry, allowing the production of precise strips for wood furniture or slats for kitchen trim.

You cannot plane very thin workpieces on a homemade thicknessing machine, because vibrations occur, which affect the quality of the processed surface. The shortest length of the workpiece to be processed should be 100 millimeters greater than the distance from the front to the rear feed roller. If there is a need to mill shorter material, it must be securely fixed to the base. With the help of appropriate devices on thicknessing machines, it will be possible to process even wedge-shaped workpieces and level non-parallel planes.

The cutting depth shows the cut of the thicknesser in one pass: this indicator ranges from 1 to 3 millimeters, depending on the width of the material. The width of the workpiece characterizes the processing capabilities of products that have a certain size: optimal solution– 30 - 330 millimeters. The performance of the machine is affected by the power of the machine. A 1.9 kW thickness planer is suitable for private workshops. Devices with a power higher than 1.8 kW are useful for planing hard wood - spruce, beech, pear, elm, ash.

Design of thickness planer

A thicknesser is a special device that belongs to the category of woodworking machines that successfully cope with planar, volumetric and profile milling of straight and curved workpieces made of solid wood.

By design they are distinguished:

1. Single-sided thicknessing machines, on which planing is carried out only on the top side;
2. Double-sided thicknessing machines, where two opposite sides are planed simultaneously - the bottom and the top;
3. Special thicknessers - three-, four- and multi-knife.

The most widespread are single-sided thicknessing machines, which are simpler in design and, accordingly, in operation. We will consider their device today.

The table of a thicknessing machine, unlike a jointing machine, is made of one solid slab that is precisely planed and sanded, and it does not have a guide ruler in its design. In addition to the horizontal table, on which the thickness of the layer being removed is adjusted, the thicknesser consists of such basic elements as a special cutter, which is represented by several separate knives and systems automatic feeding wooden blank along roller guides.

The bed for a thickness planer is cast iron, hollow, solid, and all the parts and mechanisms of the machine are attached to it. The support table can serve metal corner measuring 100 by 100 millimeters and a length of at least 1000 millimeters. This length is explained by safety measures. The support table is hung on the technological corners of the machine, secured with bolts on one side and clamps on the other. The height of the table can be moved along the guide slides using a lifting mechanism.

A knife shaft is placed above the table. The workpiece feeding mechanism is represented by two pairs of rollers. The first of them is located in front of the knife shaft, the other - behind the shaft. The lower rollers are installed exactly under the upper ones. The upper rollers rotate from an electric motor through a gear drive, which is why they are called drive, feed or feed. The lower rollers are installed freely and are driven into rotation by the supplied material. These rollers are supporting or guiding. In double-sided thicknessing machines, the knife shafts are located in the table and above the work table.

The purpose of the lower rollers is to facilitate the feeding of material to the knives; they protrude above the surface of the work table by 0.2-0.3 millimeters. With a higher position of the lower rollers, the material being planed vibrates from the impacts of the knives, thin material will sag, and planing will turn out to be uneven. The front upper roller is usually made corrugated for better adhesion to the unplaned surface of the workpiece. Such a roller is installed 2-3 millimeters below the surface of the material that is fed to the knives.

The upper back roller must be made smooth, because corrugation can spoil the planed surface of the wood. Place it 1 millimeter lower cutting edges knives. The feed mechanism rollers are arranged in parallel, so only parts of the same thickness can be fed into the thicknessing machine at the same time. Products that are thinner, even 2-3 millimeters, when they reach the knife shaft, will receive a strong blow to the end with a knife and fly back.

For simultaneous planing of lumber that has different thickness, a sectional corrugated roller is introduced into the layout of the thicknessing machine, which makes it possible to use the entire width of the machine and dramatically increase its productivity. The sectional roller consists of 12 grooved rings, which are mounted on common axis and connected to it by springs. When a product whose thickness is greater than the thickness of others that are simultaneously processed passes under the roller, the sections that press on it are shifted upward and maintain adhesion to the material under the action of springs.

In front of such a corrugated roller there are hangers, the purpose of which is to prevent the part from flying back out of the machine. On top, the knife shaft is covered with a massive lifting cap, which serves as a reliable fence and is a high-quality device that directs the chips into the exhauster funnel. In addition, the cap provides support for the fibers during planing; for this purpose, its lower edge is brought close to the knives.

You can increase the interchangeable knives from two to four. As a tool, in addition to a cutter, you can use a smooth drum covered with sanding paper. The drum can be turned from heat-resistant plastic, aluminum or hardwood. Suitable sizes: diameter 80 millimeters, length 100 millimeters. At one of the ends a groove is made for a nut and washer. A longitudinal groove is cut on the side surface for attaching the skin, which has trapezoidal shape, under a clamping bar of a similar shape. Drill three holes in the strip for screws with countersunk heads.

Feeding is carried out by upper rollers - rear smooth and front grooved. Two smooth rollers that rotate freely in bearings are able to reduce friction when moving material along the table. The typical maximum width of the processed product is 315 - 1250 millimeters, thickness - 5 - 160 millimeters, knife shaft diameter 100 - 165 millimeters, there are 2 - 4 knives on the shaft. The power of the electric motor reaches 1 - 44 kW.

The faster the shaft knives rotate, the cleaner and smoother the surface of the workpieces will be after planing. You can choose for use devices with a rotation speed of 6 - 10 thousand revolutions per minute. The weight, design of the thicknessing machine, as well as the compactness of the thicknesser directly characterize the ability to move the equipment. Compact machines that weigh 27 - 39 kilograms are the most good choice.

At a certain distance of the working table from the knife shaft, the workpiece is planed to the size shown on the scale mounted on the machine bed. Clamps are installed on both sides of the knife shaft; they are able to prevent vibration of the workpieces. The chip breaker, which is located in front of the knife shaft, helps break the chips and presses the workpiece against the table, forming a cavity for accumulating chips along with a clamp.

Operating principle of a thickness planer

The principle of operation of the surface planer is based on the following method: flat planing boards. The main working tool of a thickness planer is the knife shaft. Workpieces for processing are fed onto a horizontal work table manually or by rollers, which press them against the table and pull them into the processing area. The material is planed from above with knives, and the result is parts that are absolutely identical in size. Many thickness planers have automatic system feeding workpieces at a certain speed in order to carefully and accurately remove the required layer.

You can purchase a single-sided or double-sided surface planer. The first thicknessing machines have one knife shaft; double-sided machines also have an additional knife shaft on the work table. Before processing parts with a surface planer, they must already be planed in a jointer. In design, in principle, the two machines are very similar to each other. Often, a double-sided thicknesser and a jointer are combined into one mechanism. Such equipment has two tables - for a jointer on top and for a thicknesser at the bottom.

Usually, on a thickness planer, workpieces are planed with a length slightly greater than the distance that was formed between the feed rollers, as in the video about the thickness planer. In the case of using backing templates (tsulagi), you can plan workpieces (boards, bars, boards) with non-parallel opposite edges on a thicknessing machine. The surface of this template must be tilted in such a way that during the horizontal planing procedure of products, the desired taper can be obtained.

In some models of thicknessing machines, manufacturers have increased the length of the table for convenience. Therefore, the timber or have a significant support area, and the products are processed more accurately. To ensure that the workpiece slides optimally on the table, special grooves are made in them to reduce the friction force. Similar models were previously used mainly in production, but today these principles are widely introduced into household surface thicknessers.

One of the main advantages of a thickness planer is high quality treated surfaces. The thickness of the resulting parts is set using a lifting mechanism when the table moves upward in relation to the knife shaft. But it is worth considering that at high cutting speeds of workpieces and great depth cutting, the quality of the machined surface deteriorates. Therefore, in order to achieve a smooth surface, it is necessary to make finishing passes at a shallow depth and at a low speed of rotation of the knife shaft, if the machine provides adjustment.

The thickness planer is one of the most highly productive woodworking machines. It is worth adjusting the dimensions of the workpiece being processed once using a ruler and a lift, and the entire batch of products will be the same, within the permissible limit. On thicknessing machines you can process parts with a width of up to 1250 millimeters and a thickness of 5 - 160 millimeters, except for special machines designed for certain works.

Manufacturing of thickness planer

All owners who are faced with the manufacture of construction carpentry, lining and furniture from wood have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to have at least the most primitive thickness planer in their use. Without such an installation, it is extremely difficult to obtain calibrated workpieces according to the thickness of the workpiece, in addition, the procedure will take a lot of time. Not everyone can afford to buy industrial equipment; the prices of thicknessing machines are steep, so craftsmen decide to make the installation themselves.

Before you start making a thickness planer, it is worth studying the process of using and storing a thickness planer. Miniature machines do not require much space. The structure should be positioned in such a way that it can be walked around for convenient supply of material. You can install similar equipment in front of a garage or house: the main thing is that the surface under the machine is level to avoid vibrations. The dimensions of the thickness planer are often not more than a meter wide and thick, so the equipment can easily fit in a barn or garage.

For homemade offered next construction. The frame and work table of the machine are welded, made from a 50 by 50 millimeter angle and square pipe 40 by 40 millimeters, larger sizes can also be used. Remember that excessive massiveness only increases the stability of the thickness planer and reduces vibrations that occur during operation. To manufacture the machine you need: a lathe and drilling machine, an angle grinder, a welding machine and a drill.

Next mandatory element the structure has a knife shaft protruding from it. It is advisable to purchase it ready-made with axle boxes, because homemade shafts are absolutely not always well balanced. In the version we presented, a three-hundred-millimeter shaft with three knives was used. The engine and shaft pulleys should be stepped to select the optimal shaft speed, within the range of 4000-7000 rpm.

For a shaft of this size, an asynchronous motor with a power of 4-5 kW is quite suitable; there is no need to use larger pulleys, in addition, a motor of similar power can be started from one phase using known methods. It is recommended to grind the pressure rollers or use ready-made ones from the squeeze of old Soviet washing machines. The roller frame is welded, it is secured on one side with spring-loaded bolts, and on the other, a piece of steering rod from a Moskvich is used for fastening. Experience shows that it is a good idea to use two such fasteners on one roller.

The table, according to the drawing of the thicknessing table, is installed on adjusting bolts. To avoid the need for adjustment, each bolt is equipped with welded bicycle sprockets that are connected by a chain. Take the springs from the truck engine valves. Unfortunately, this thickness planer provides for manual feeding of workpieces. In the future, if desired, you can use a mechanical one.

Before starting work, it is necessary to check the correct location of the knives, as well as the sharpness of their sharpening. Remember that the knife shaft must be fenced. It is not allowed to process a workpiece with a length less than the distance between the rear and front shafts. It is prohibited to clean, repair or adjust the thickness planer while it is moving.

The workpieces must be fed end to end, using the entire width of the table. Remember that the material after processing should not have tears, pins, or marks. Hairiness and mossiness are obtained when processing raw material or planing with dull knives; non-gouging is observed when the workpiece is not tightly pressed against the table by rollers, the thickness of the workpiece is unequal and the blades of the knives unequally protrude from the shaft.

Setting up a thickness planer

Thicknessing machines must be carefully adjusted before work. Any adjustment inaccuracy will cause processing defects or lead to a decrease in machine productivity. Most often, the following omissions are observed in setting up thickness gauges:

1. Distortion on the desktop. The planed surface will not be parallel to the planed side.
2. The grooved roller is located very low and presses too hard on the surface of the parts at a shallow planing depth. Planed surfaces are obtained with transverse dents.
3. The lower feed rollers are placed above the table level higher than necessary, by 0.1-0.2 millimeters. As a result, the workpiece vibrates under the blows of the knives, and thinner parts bend. Planing is not straight and not so smooth, the ends of the products are more drawn out.
4. The rear pressure block presses on the workpiece. For this reason, the product stops as it exits the front feed rollers due to the reduction in feed force. Since the knives will continue to rotate, one place is planed on the surface of the part, and as a result, a groove appears here across the entire planing width. In general, grooves are formed during any stop of the product, even the shortest. Stops often occur while parts are being fed into the rear rollers. This happens when the top rear roller is placed too low and puts too much pressure on the material. Reasons for a short-term delay or stopping of a part can also be insufficient pressure on the product of the feed rollers, an excessively high position of the lower rollers, or severe contamination of the table when processing pine parts with resin.
5. Chips get under the rear smooth roller due to improper installation of the cap or exhauster malfunctions. For these reasons, dents appear on the planed surface, sometimes delaying the part.

Therefore, when setting up a thicknessing machine, it should be remembered that when the table is significantly filled, for example, when planing a wide board or simultaneously feeding products across the entire width of the work table, the pressure of the feed rollers should be increased, because in these cases the cutting resistance greatly increases. When planing narrow parts or when the table is lightly filled, you need to reduce the pressure of the feed rollers to avoid crushing the wood.

The most common ones in the woodworking industry include jointing, milling, planing and thicknessing machines, which are intended for planar, volumetric and profile milling of straight and curved workpieces made of solid wood and wood materials, for cutting lugs and tenons in bars door frames and window blocks. If you plan to do only plane planing, then you should give preference to a thickness planer. You can purchase this machine at a retail outlet or assemble it yourself using the information provided on our website and our step-by-step instructions.

Among woodworking machines, the category of longitudinal milling machines stands out, which include jointers and thickness planers.

With their help, you can process lumber for finishing. The machines remove all types of defects if they arise during wood processing. For them, you need to take only wood that has been well dried. How do these types of tools differ from each other, and for what purposes is it best to use jointing machines, and for which thicknessing machines?

For boards, panels and bars it is necessary to use thicknessing machines. They allow you to plan materials of a certain size, focusing on the desired thickness of the product and cutting it into two strips parallel to each other. They are very similar to milling machines with CNC. The knife shaft is located above the table. This group of tools is needed for serial or small-scale creation of various joinery products, when it is necessary to strictly observe the preservation of parameters. Their main distinguishing feature– large and heavy rigid frame. This is necessary for high-quality damping of possible vibration. The tools can feed workpieces at speeds from 4 to 10 meters per minute. Another important advantage of thicknessing machines is sound-absorbing casings, which make the work almost silent. Some types of machines are capable of processing only one side of the workpiece, so it will have to be turned over, others can plan the wood completely. Thicknessing machines can be double-sided or single-sided.

Planing machines for wood processing are necessary to create a smooth surface without a single roughness. They are equipped with a knife shaft, which wraps around the inside of the table. The tool can plan material at corners or along a plane. Machines of this type, like surface planers, can be single-sided or double-sided. The latter are notable for the fact that they allow you to plan the edge and layer of the product at the same time. The functions of jointing machines include pre-processing of materials that have significant warping. Then the workpieces can be planed on a thickness planer. To check how well the parts are processed, you need to fold two pieces of wood. If they fit together like a glove, without a single gap, it means that the planing was done efficiently. A special shaft helps hold small parts during processing.

There is a mixed variety of machines, planer-thicknessers, which combine the advantages of both types of tools.

Automatic feeding of workpieces to both types of machines is carried out thanks to three types of mechanisms: conveyor, carriage or roller. It is also possible to feed blanks manually.

Machines must be maintained regularly. Before you start working on the machine, you need to check the condition of the cutters and knives to ensure they are installed correctly. If they become dull, they need to be sharpened. Otherwise, the product will develop unpleasant mossiness, chips and tears.

IN construction work wood is used that has been pre-processed in workshops or at the place of use. The material is supplied in the form of boards, logs, beams, slats, etc. Speed, convenience and quality of cutting are ensured using various equipment and power tools, which include both universal models and specialized machines. In addition, carpenters and furniture makers often use additional measuring, marking and monitoring devices in their work, which have unusual names. The average person hardly needs to think about what a thicknesser is and what a jointer is. And here House master, independently engaged in repairs on personal plot or in the house, must necessarily understand such issues. Of course, this also applies to professionals.

Why do you need a surface planer?

It is difficult to unequivocally answer the question of what a thicknesser is. On the one hand, this is the name for a simple auxiliary tool consisting of a couple of parts. It is used to accurately mark lines, holes, locations of spikes, slots, etc. on the surface of any workpiece. On the other hand, a thicknesser is a woodworking machine that adjusts the thickness while simultaneously finishing the lumber. The capabilities of the equipment make it possible to reduce production waste to a minimum, which is important for both enterprises and private developers.

From German, “reismus” is interpreted as “to draw a size.” A hand tool fully corresponds to this interpretation, since with the help of this particular device the lines from the drawing fall onto the workpiece. But the detailed marking of lumber on the machine already refers to additional functions. The equipment itself has much greater capabilities, the main one of which is the final planing of wooden products in thickness after processing them front side on a jointer.

The tool has a simple design, consisting of at least three fundamental components:

• working bar with or without scale;
• clamp-pad;
• the so-called scriber.

In addition, the thicknesser is equipped with adjusting screws. To make it possible to simultaneously draw several marking lines, the tool is equipped with two or three parallel strips located in holes drilled in the block. For scribing, it is allowed to use pencils, sharpened drills, strong pointed pins and even self-tapping screws.

For the convenience of drawing curved lines, a roller is often installed on the working bar.

The tool is made of dense wood or metal. In the video you can see what a marking thicknesser is, as well as quick way its manufacture.

Multifunctional woodworking equipment is located on the bed. A workpiece is placed on a horizontal working platform, which is moved manually or automatically to cutting elements. Knife shaft trims reverse side lumber, cutting off the unnecessary layer to the required thickness. To prevent the workpiece from dangling from side to side when moving, it is held on the sides with rollers, slats or rollers.

A thicknesser is often confused with a jointer. But the design of the latter includes at least three knives. They perform deeper removal of wood from the workpiece. The product reaches the surface planer only after preliminary processing on jointing equipment, since the material can only be laid on the working platform with its flat side.

Thicknessing machines are:

• one- and two-sided;
• floor and tabletop.

Single-sided models belong to budget equipment. The knife shaft in the design is located above the working platform, so thicknessing occurs only on one side. Double-sided machines have two knives - above and on the working surface, which allows you to process two planes at once. Such units are indispensable for large volumes of work.

When choosing a thickness planer, pay attention to its power and productivity, the possible dimensions of the workpieces and the number of knife shafts. An important indicator is the weight of the equipment, since it has a huge impact on the degree of vibration of the machine during operation. A couple more factors that are worth taking an interest in are the ability to adjust the thickness of the layer being peeled off and the depth of cut in one pass. It is these characteristics that will help determine the functionality of the machine and the ease of its operation.

When installing equipment, ensure that it is securely fixed. This applies to both floor and tabletop models. The stability of the position will prevent dangerous situations when operating the surface planer, and will also contribute to obtaining more accurate results in the process of processing lumber and applying the required marks. The manufacturer's instructions provide instructions on how to properly secure the frame. As a rule, it is done using bolts included in the thickness planer kit.

It is permissible to begin work only after the machine has reached the required rotation speed of the knife shafts.

It is important to understand that purchasing woodworking equipment for a one-time job will not be an economically viable solution. It is much more rational to rent a machine, minimizing the time it takes to use it. Before contacting the rental service construction tools, it is recommended to intelligently arrange the stages of work with wood material, temporarily abandoning related processes.

As for the manual surface planer, it is quite possible to make it with your own hands. There is no difficulty in this, and the model will be made according to individual requests. Variations of the instrument can be found in large numbers on the Internet.

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