I am not sure you will get there most use from it...
Should I buy a planer?
I found a good deal on a new in box dewalt 735 on Facebook marketplace but don’t know if I should actually pull the trigger as I don’t know I a planer. I do not plan on buying a jointer. I have about half of a 3rd bay to store all my equipment so space is at a premium. I usually keep things on mobile carts and take them to drive way to work with when possible.
I have a Kreg track saw and feel I can do most everything I would want to do with a table saw with it.
I have a 10 inch sliding miter saw
I have a trim router
other than that just clamps, sanders, drills/drivers, and a Kreg 720 pocket screw jig.
I am definitely a hobbyist primarily making things for my house or family. Maybe trying to sell something occasionally.
I’ve only ever used line 1x or 2x lumbar and plywood until I bought some s4s hardwood recently and built a chessboard.
some other things I’ve built recently include miter saw cabinet/stand, some outdoor benches, indoor bench/shoe cubby, some playing card holders, a console table, firepit table cover, planters, desk with cabinets under it, and beds for my kids
A dining room table and a hall tree (entry bench) are next on the list. I’d like to get into hardwoods next.
If I buy s2s lumber can I get usable with just my tracksaw? What about if I purchase s3s? Would a planer be helpful for me?
I have a Kreg track saw and feel I can do most everything I would want to do with a table saw with it.
I have a 10 inch sliding miter saw
I have a trim router
other than that just clamps, sanders, drills/drivers, and a Kreg 720 pocket screw jig.
I am definitely a hobbyist primarily making things for my house or family. Maybe trying to sell something occasionally.
I’ve only ever used line 1x or 2x lumbar and plywood until I bought some s4s hardwood recently and built a chessboard.
some other things I’ve built recently include miter saw cabinet/stand, some outdoor benches, indoor bench/shoe cubby, some playing card holders, a console table, firepit table cover, planters, desk with cabinets under it, and beds for my kids
A dining room table and a hall tree (entry bench) are next on the list. I’d like to get into hardwoods next.
If I buy s2s lumber can I get usable with just my tracksaw? What about if I purchase s3s? Would a planer be helpful for me?
1 - 20 of 37 Posts
I think you need a jointer more than a planer. I had a woodworking business for many years before I bought a planer. A lot depends on your needs. In my shop I just ordered what ever thickness wood I needed and I didn't need odd sizes very often. A jointer is needed to dress the edges of wood especially when you need to glue up some.
The thing I like the most about my planer is it allows me to buy cheaper "rough" lumber, turn into stock for a specific project and SAVE MONEY. you can use sleds and shims to mimic some of the operations of a jointer like removing twist and bow. you can stack several boards and clamp them together and run them through on edge to make them the exact same width and give them a nice square edge to glue up panels. I buy a lot of used lumber in the form of old furniture, cabinets, tables etc and repurposing the materials. Also pallets can be a source as well as long as you're careful and patient. That being said do you really NEED a planer? You can buy S4S forever and get away without ever using one. You can buy 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" lumber as well as the standard 3/4' that you can find at home centers and most lumber yards. For me planning the material is all part of the fun of the hobby. WARNING! Buying a planer may start you down the slippery slope of woodworking tool addiction! The next thing you know you'll be buying a table saw, jointer, bandsaw, drum sander, spindle sander maybe even a stand alone router table with a 3.5 HP router! IT NEVER ENDS!! But it sure is fun...
If you plan to get into hardwoods then yes, a planer comes in handy. But, as Steve said, a jointer may be a better tool for you. But if you're going to stick with construction lumber then I'm not sure you need either one.I’d like to get into hardwoods next.
I have a 13" planer and it gets used mostly for thinning stock to less than 4/4 thickness as I buy S2S R1E wood from a local hardwood/millwork dealer. I do have a variable speed 6" jointer, but it is not all that useful as the tables are a bit short. Since I start with stock that is R1E, my table saw suffices for jointing things.
I have been getting away without a jointer for many years. A good table saw does the trick for me.
If you run enough wood through a planer, it will pay for itself in savings with the lumber supplier. Some times even making simple cutting boards require a planer to make the glue-ups flat and even.
Depending on how new you are to woodworking, I would hesitate to advise you to buy used equipment. You can get a real dog and it will cost you more to repair it than if you bought new. I would also advise you against buying bottom of the line equipment. They mostly under-perform. Stick with the major brands. Unfortunately, the good stuff costs and sometimes saving money costs.
If you run enough wood through a planer, it will pay for itself in savings with the lumber supplier. Some times even making simple cutting boards require a planer to make the glue-ups flat and even.
Depending on how new you are to woodworking, I would hesitate to advise you to buy used equipment. You can get a real dog and it will cost you more to repair it than if you bought new. I would also advise you against buying bottom of the line equipment. They mostly under-perform. Stick with the major brands. Unfortunately, the good stuff costs and sometimes saving money costs.
What do you make? Obviously projects which do not require jointing or thicknessing, or using pre-jointed/thicknessed boards. But this is your ceiling without machines to do this for yourself. You cannot progress further.I found a good deal on a new in box dewalt 735 on Facebook marketplace but don’t know if I should actually pull the trigger as I don’t know I a planer. I do not plan on buying a jointer. I have about half of a 3rd bay to store all my equipment so space is at a premium. I usually keep things on mobile carts and take them to drive way to work with when possible.
I have a Kreg track saw and feel I can do most everything I would want to do with a table saw with it.
I have a 10 inch sliding miter saw
I have a trim router
other than that just clamps, sanders, drills/drivers, and a Kreg 720 pocket screw jig.
I am definitely a hobbyist primarily making things for my house or family. Maybe trying to sell something occasionally.
I’ve only ever used line 1x or 2x lumbar and plywood until I bought some s4s hardwood recently and built a chessboard.
some other things I’ve built recently include miter saw cabinet/stand, some outdoor benches, indoor bench/shoe cubby, some playing card holders, a console table, firepit table cover, planters, desk with cabinets under it, and beds for my kids
A dining room table and a hall tree (entry bench) are next on the list. I’d like to get into hardwoods next.
If I buy s2s lumber can I get usable with just my tracksaw? What about if I purchase s3s? Would a planer be helpful for me?
Even store board "finished" boards will move. Wood moves. And the boards will not remain flat for long. Then they will need to be flattened. Have you hand planes? Long before the bigger machines came to live in my workshop, I used a bandsaw and hand planes (today I have the machines and have made space in a double garage ... which still needs to be home to one car at night).
Once you begin resawing, jointing, and thicknessing your own boards, you will grow as a woodworker. Your projects will only be limited by your woodworking skills.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Jointers have a learning curve. Thickness planers do not. Also, you need more space for jointers as anything under 8" will have a short bed that is difficult to use with long boards. The 735 is a great tool.
Note that jointing and thickness/planing are done together, not separately. You can use the thicknesser to joint, using a specialised fixture, but it will be slow and very noisy.
You can also get around not having a jointer with a hand plane.
But you cannot thickness unless one side is coplanar (not necessarily flat).
Regards from Perth
Derek
You can also get around not having a jointer with a hand plane.
But you cannot thickness unless one side is coplanar (not necessarily flat).
Regards from Perth
Derek
inthewoodshop_886But you cannot thickness unless one side is coplanar (not necessarily flat).
Would you please explain what you mean by "unless one side is coplanar (not necessarily flat)" ?
The definition of a plane surface is: A two-dimensional and a perfectly flat surface which extends in all directions is known as a plane surface.
Coplanar simply means “lying on the same plane.” Here, “co” means “together,” and “planar” means “lying on a plane.” In geometry, a plane is a two-dimensional, flat surface that extends infinitely in both dimensions. When two or more points or lines lie on the same plane or common plane, they are said to be coplanar.
Hi Dave
Firstly, as you no doubt are aware, a thicknesser/planar will not flatten a board. Its sole function is to create an even thickness along the length of the board (hence it is referred to as a "thicknesser" in the UK and Australia). If you put in a curved board, the thicknesser will produce a curved board with a even thickness. The jointer is designed to be used first to flatten a board.
But a board does not need to be perfectly flat along the full side beforehand. It needs to be coplanar. This means that the important levels - ends and middle - must lie in the same plane.
This is possible to do by simply taking a jack plane to the high points of the board, planing these down until the ends and middle are coplanar. It does not matter if there are valleys. The board can then be fed into a thicknesser (with rough side facing up) and it can be levelled and thicknessed on this side. Then turn the board over and do the side which was rough planed.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Firstly, as you no doubt are aware, a thicknesser/planar will not flatten a board. Its sole function is to create an even thickness along the length of the board (hence it is referred to as a "thicknesser" in the UK and Australia). If you put in a curved board, the thicknesser will produce a curved board with a even thickness. The jointer is designed to be used first to flatten a board.
But a board does not need to be perfectly flat along the full side beforehand. It needs to be coplanar. This means that the important levels - ends and middle - must lie in the same plane.
This is possible to do by simply taking a jack plane to the high points of the board, planing these down until the ends and middle are coplanar. It does not matter if there are valleys. The board can then be fed into a thicknesser (with rough side facing up) and it can be levelled and thicknessed on this side. Then turn the board over and do the side which was rough planed.
Regards from Perth
Derek
inthewoodshop_886
I understand how a planer works. Apparently the definition of the term "coplanar" as used in the United States, is not the same worldwide.
I understand how a planer works. Apparently the definition of the term "coplanar" as used in the United States, is not the same worldwide.
While you can certainly get by with surfaced lumber, the issue there is finding straight boards and the fact that anything you do to straighten them will reduce the thickness.I found a good deal on a new in box dewalt 735 on Facebook marketplace but don’t know if I should actually pull the trigger as I don’t know I a planer. I do not plan on buying a jointer. I have about half of a 3rd bay to store all my equipment so space is at a premium. I usually keep things on mobile carts and take them to drive way to work with when possible.
I have a Kreg track saw and feel I can do most everything I would want to do with a table saw with it.
I have a 10 inch sliding miter saw
I have a trim router
other than that just clamps, sanders, drills/drivers, and a Kreg 720 pocket screw jig.
I am definitely a hobbyist primarily making things for my house or family. Maybe trying to sell something occasionally.
I’ve only ever used line 1x or 2x lumbar and plywood until I bought some s4s hardwood recently and built a chessboard.
some other things I’ve built recently include miter saw cabinet/stand, some outdoor benches, indoor bench/shoe cubby, some playing card holders, a console table, firepit table cover, planters, desk with cabinets under it, and beds for my kids
A dining room table and a hall tree (entry bench) are next on the list. I’d like to get into hardwoods next.
If I buy s2s lumber can I get usable with just my tracksaw? What about if I purchase s3s? Would a planer be helpful for me?
Personally, I think the first ”planer” you buy should be a hand plane. I would start with a #4 and #6. You can flatten any board with hand planes.
Another option is stick with surfaced lumber and buy an open end drum sander. 😉
Here's why you need BOTH a jointer and a thickness planer, they are "co-dependant":
Wood warps in the following ways:
en.wikipedia.org
![Wood Rectangle Font Wood stain Hardwood]()
You can NOT work with warped wood, so you need to "mill" it to make it straight and flat!
The table saw requires one straight edge and one flat face for it to cut safely and accurately.
It will KICKBACK if those requirements are not present!
Because it will NOT register evenly along the fence if it's curved, it will bind and kickback and ..
It will not sit flat on the table if it's twisted, it will bind and kickback!
A board has two edges, two faces and two ends.
The ends don't matter when using the jointer or the thickness planer.
A jointer removes wood from the bottom, either on an edge or on a face, making them straight and flat.
It can NOT make the faces parallel to one another, like the thickness planer.
A thickness planer requires a flat surface on the bottom to prevent twisting when it removes wood from the top making it a uniform "thickness".
So, the jointer is the first step in making a board straight, and flat, THEN the thickness planer makes it a uniform thickness!
Rarely are boards from the Home Centers straight and flat because they are not perfectly dry and because of where in the tree they are milled from.
The ENDS of a board will tell you where in the tree it came from and it's tendencies to warp or twist.
![Wood Art Spiral Circle Symmetry]()
Plain sawn board are most likely to "CUP".
Rift sawn boards are likely to twist.
Quartersawn boards the the least likely to warp, BUT are harder to find and more costly to produce.
Woodworkers prefer quartersawn boards for furniture and the beautiful face grain with rays and flecks.
OK, that's a 5 paragraph lesson in milling and selecting wood and the machines you'll need.
Wood warps in the following ways:
Wood warping - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
You can NOT work with warped wood, so you need to "mill" it to make it straight and flat!
The table saw requires one straight edge and one flat face for it to cut safely and accurately.
It will KICKBACK if those requirements are not present!
Because it will NOT register evenly along the fence if it's curved, it will bind and kickback and ..
It will not sit flat on the table if it's twisted, it will bind and kickback!
A board has two edges, two faces and two ends.
The ends don't matter when using the jointer or the thickness planer.
A jointer removes wood from the bottom, either on an edge or on a face, making them straight and flat.
It can NOT make the faces parallel to one another, like the thickness planer.
A thickness planer requires a flat surface on the bottom to prevent twisting when it removes wood from the top making it a uniform "thickness".
So, the jointer is the first step in making a board straight, and flat, THEN the thickness planer makes it a uniform thickness!
Rarely are boards from the Home Centers straight and flat because they are not perfectly dry and because of where in the tree they are milled from.
The ENDS of a board will tell you where in the tree it came from and it's tendencies to warp or twist.
Plain sawn board are most likely to "CUP".
Rift sawn boards are likely to twist.
Quartersawn boards the the least likely to warp, BUT are harder to find and more costly to produce.
Woodworkers prefer quartersawn boards for furniture and the beautiful face grain with rays and flecks.
OK, that's a 5 paragraph lesson in milling and selecting wood and the machines you'll need.
I buy from cabinet suppliers and not from sawmills , so I really don’t need a jointer. I use the planer a lot..
Most who don’t have a planer, design and build there projects without the need..
Most who don’t have a planer, design and build there projects without the need..
I have gotten by without both. It just cost me more for the lumber to be milled by the supplier but still a reasonable price.
For the average homeowner, you can get away without a jointer by making an incredibly easy jig for your table saw - just a flat piece of plywood with a narrow straight edged board on top to act as a fence with a few hold-downs.
A planer is a different story. You can spend a lot of money on decent hand planes. Again, this can also be done by many hardwood suppliers for a fee or a 13" planer in your shop
Most hardwood supplier's fee for edging and planeing are reasonable. As your projects grow in number, the planer becomes more of a necessity. The jointer, still not, provided you have a good table saw.
For the average homeowner, you can get away without a jointer by making an incredibly easy jig for your table saw - just a flat piece of plywood with a narrow straight edged board on top to act as a fence with a few hold-downs.
A planer is a different story. You can spend a lot of money on decent hand planes. Again, this can also be done by many hardwood suppliers for a fee or a 13" planer in your shop
Most hardwood supplier's fee for edging and planeing are reasonable. As your projects grow in number, the planer becomes more of a necessity. The jointer, still not, provided you have a good table saw.
Track saw should give you a strait square edge so if you can get S2S milled lumber in the thickness and species you want don’t bother with a planar. Dealers near me will mill the rough boards for a small fee. So I could pick 4/4 to 10/4 and have them skip planed milled to S2S or even S4S. Since I don’t get through projects fast and the hardwood dealers are a bit of a drive, I buy all my wood upfront and keep it rough. I mill closer to when I need to use the wood to avoid any surprises.
A lot of ways to straight edge a board…
Having a planer is a game changer in the shop..
Having a planer is a game changer in the shop..
The normal rule of thumb when starting a project is to order 20% more lumber than you need. It has always worked for me.
So assuming no major errors, you will have 20% scrap in random sizes with all the same thickness. Do this for a few projects where they thicknesses will vary, then you will end up with various thicknesses in scraps. If you want to make a project from your scraps, it would be a help if they are all the same thickness. Cutting boards are popular project for scraps as are small boxes like jewelry boxes or bandsaw boxes. So, as @Rebelwork stated above "Having a planer is a game changer in the shop".
So assuming no major errors, you will have 20% scrap in random sizes with all the same thickness. Do this for a few projects where they thicknesses will vary, then you will end up with various thicknesses in scraps. If you want to make a project from your scraps, it would be a help if they are all the same thickness. Cutting boards are popular project for scraps as are small boxes like jewelry boxes or bandsaw boxes. So, as @Rebelwork stated above "Having a planer is a game changer in the shop".
1 - 20 of 37 Posts
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