# Planing Wood with a Router



## woodbutcher772 (Sep 11, 2013)

I would like to be able to surface wood to reduce it's thickness, have it smooth as if it came out of a portable planer. Can anyone give me locations to find jigs and router bits for this type or work? Thanks, Bob


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

You can make a sled or build a set of skis for your router and use that to flatten with but you'll still need to sand the wood smooth, but you usually have to sand planed wood down to get rid of chatter marks too. There is quite a bit of information about skis if you search them on the forum search engine. All you need is a straight bit for your router.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

magnate.net has some surface planing bits that I have used with my router mill for planing. The only advice I have found is that if you want a perfect finish, your router base must be absolutely parallel to the reference surface you are planing. The larger diameter of bit you use for planing, the more noticable any misalignment will be.

Magnate

I get best results using the 1 1/2inch diameter bit, the 2" removes stock in fewer passes, but leaves a ridge on one edge of the cut if alignment isn't perfect. the 1-1/2 and 1-1/4 are my favorite planing bits.

You don't get perfect finishes, but you get pretty darn close and it is an easy sanding or scraping job to get the rest of the way.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

I use a sled to mill slabs.
Mine is simply a piece of plywood 12" wide and 4' long with a 1X3 screwed to each long side.
After screwing on the 1X3s, I ran the whole sled through the planer, insuring the 1X3's top edges are parallel and the same height. 
The Router base is a 24" X 10" X 1/2" piece of BB. I glued two 24" long 1X1 oak stiffeners on the top side.
The bit is a bowl bit. I still need to sand.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Some good tips there, Gene.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

This is how I plane wide boards, I hope that it helps. Here in pdf format is the making of a ski jig, a very useful accessory.


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

Bob,
Here is my set up for doing just what you are trying to do. There is link to the bits as well.

http://www.routerforums.com/jigs-fixtures/29019-first-use-my-skis.html


1.75" Bit


2.25" Bit


3 Piece Bit Set

Darrin


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

harrysin said:


> This is how I plane wide boards, I hope that it helps. Here in pdf format is the making of a ski jig, a very useful accessory.


Hello Harry! I must have been typing my post when you were posting yours. You can see where I learned how to do it. From you!

Keep up the good work Harry!

Darrin


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Great to hear from you Darrin, we don't see enough of you these days.


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## darrink (Sep 7, 2009)

harrysin said:


> Great to hear from you Darrin, we don't see enough of you these days.


Life is keeping me busy Harry. I would love to get on the forum more and look, read and learn like I used to but just haven't had time. If I do have spare time, I spend as much of it as possible in the shop doing wood work, or working on my Coleman collection.

Bob,
While I was searching for the link to the my post I came across a lot of other post about planing and sleds and jigs. Search the forum, and you may come up with an idea you like better.

Feel free to reach out ask any questions you may have, as everyone here is always willing to help out.

Darrin


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## woodman44 (Jun 3, 2011)

*Make/buy a router ski or buy a used 12" planer?*



harrysin said:


> This is how I plane wide boards, I hope that it helps. Here in pdf format is the making of a ski jig, a very useful accessory.


I have several 5' to 6' logs (maple, cherry & black walnut) that I plan to cut into 3/4" boards which need to be surface planed to make the bow shaped to flat boards. I have a hand power planer and a Bosch 1617(?) combination fixed and plunge router & grizzly router table.

Any suggestions on getting a router ski or a bench/portable 12" Dewalt planer to do this task.

Thanks,

Ken


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

woodman44 said:


> I have several 5' to 6' logs (maple, cherry & black walnut) that I plan to cut into 3/4" boards which need to be surface planed to make the bow shaped to flat boards. I have a hand power planer and a Bosch 1617(?) combination fixed and plunge router & grizzly router table.
> 
> Any suggestions on getting a router ski or a bench/portable 12" Dewalt planer to do this task.
> 
> ...


Hi Ken

Check this video.

A Planer Sled for Milling Lumber - Fine Woodworking Video

Al


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## woodbutcher772 (Sep 11, 2013)

Thanks for the info. Mow I have to decide which way to go.

Bob


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