# Thickness Planer mishap



## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

While making the cutting boards I tried to pass the boards through the thickness planer and well my little 12 1/2" Delta said no way and spit it back out at me. 

I was standing in front of the machine and it hit me in the legs. Another 3 inches and I would be singing Silent Night in a few higher notes.

So a word to the wise do not be an idiot like me and try to plane a cross grain cutting board it does not work so well.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

Crossgrain ANYTHING dpesn't work well in a planer. I found that out with a slab of rosewood I tried. It exploded in the machine.
Glad you're OK.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Glad to hear you're ok Dan.


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## angus (Oct 14, 2004)

On another forum I read about making a "frame" from 2x4's on your breadboard. 

Mill 2x4's to the thickness of your board. glue the 2x4's to the edges (just the long side) leaving them a few inches longer than the cutting board.. When running through the planner take a minimum amount of stock with each pass, When your desired thickness is reached - take the board to the table saw and remove the frame. It works - I have done many this way with no problems.

There were also many positive comments on the way this works from several of the other members.

Angus


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

angus said:


> On another forum I read about making a "frame" from 2x4's on your breadboard.
> 
> Mill 2x4's to the thickness of your board. glue the 2x4's to the edges (just the long side) leaving them a few inches longer than the cutting board.. When running through the planner take a minimum amount of stock with each pass, When your desired thickness is reached - take the board to the table saw and remove the frame. It works - I have done many this way with no problems.
> 
> ...


Thanks will keep that in mind next time.


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## Duane867 (Oct 25, 2008)

I just wouldn't do it LOL !!

Glad you are ok buddy !


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Man.. when ya least expect it!! I've got a nice scar on my left wrist to prove it. Having milled what seems like miles of timber through my planer without incident I would have never given cross grain a thought. A great heads up thread!! thanks...


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Hi Dan,

I was almost afraid to open this thread after reading the topic 

Glad you are "tall" and okay :yes2:


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

I've never tried cross grain planing. 
It was spit out because the board wasn't wide enough to span both rollers?


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## RealCom (Jun 18, 2009)

Dan,

I am making some cutting boards for Chriustmas also. and a couple are end grain boards. I use my Delta 13" planer and just make sure that I have it set to take the least cut possible. It will always tearout your edges, but I just clean them up with my TS and then route the edges.


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

Dan, I am so glad you are not hurt, but the real problem wasn't doing cross grain in your planer, it was the fact that you were standing directly behind it. Please!!! Everyone take this as a lesson. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER stand directly behind any power tool that can (and will) throw your project back at you. I hope you and anyone else reading this thread take this close call to heart and learn from it.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Good grief you trying to out do me??? Hey man I own the corner on that!! So what is your plan to smooth the cuttin surface. Unless your done having Kids please be very carefull!!!


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Dan.. your title caught my attention immediately too.. Might I recommend some ultra-coarse belt sanding belts. That's what I used on mine. With grits down to 24 you can flat remove the material! I first used them smoothing the bottom of a aged hard maple bowling-alley end (~42"x42"). They're really aggressive but if you keep the sander moving they work really well. One source is:

A&H Abrasives 4X24 24 GRIT ZIRC ALUMINA BELTS


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

BigJimAK said:


> Dan.. your title caught my attention immediately too.. Might I recommend some ultra-coarse belt sanding belts. That's what I used on mine. With grits down to 24 you can flat remove the material! I first used them smoothing the bottom of a aged hard maple bowling-alley end (~42"x42"). They're really aggressive but if you keep the sander moving they work really well. One source is:
> 
> A&H Abrasives 4X24 24 GRIT ZIRC ALUMINA BELTS


Yes Jim I did use my belt sander and it worked really well. The other thing I did was use my block plane to smooth the outside edge. Some of the pieces had small gaps so I touched them up with my block plane.

I never used a block plane much but now I carry with me all the time its is one of those hands tools you ask yourself why you were not using a long time ago. Sure fixes stuff quickly and it is always nice to work with hand tools. (I can hear the radio better!)


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

TRN_Diesel said:


> Yes Jim I did use my belt sander and it worked really well. The other thing I did was use my block plane to smooth the outside edge. Some of the pieces had small gaps so I touched them up with my block plane.
> 
> I never used a block plane much but now I carry with me all the time its is one of those hands tools you ask yourself why you were not using a long time ago. Sure fixes stuff quickly and it is always nice to work with hand tools. (I can hear the radio better!)


Yep... and if you haven't worked with your scraper lately they're another wonderful tool to dig out of the toolbox. I dug mine out a couple of weeks ago and sharpened it up.. miles of smiles, that's what it caused!


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## TRN_Diesel (Feb 24, 2009)

Yes in fact I bought the batch of scrapers from where else....? You guessed it Lee Valley.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Geez Dan I am glad you are ok! I never knew about the crossgrain issue with planers, so thanks for bringing this up. Glad you are still a baritone


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## newwoodworker (Mar 27, 2009)

wow the title freaked me out I just had all these horrid images flash in my head... Glad I was completely wrong and your alright!


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