DIY thicknesser machine. Layout of a thickness planer

A thickness planer is one of the most popular types of woodworking equipment both in industry and among private craftsmen. Purchasing or independently manufacturing such a unit greatly simplifies the process of planing workpieces.

From this article you will learn how to make a thickness planer with your own hands. We will look at the operating principle and design of this equipment, and also provide an overview of popular factory-produced units.

1 Purpose, device, principle of operation

A thickness planer is designed for planing wood blanks to thickness. It can process panels, beams and boards, adjusting them to a given size in one pass (and not in several, as is the case with jointing units).

There are also a number of thicknessers designed for processing blanks made of plastic, foam insulation and other polymer materials. In such devices, the feed rollers are covered with a layer of rubber, which prevents damage to the front parts of the workpieces.

The key characteristic of any thickness planer is the depth of cut, which indicates the thickness of the cut of the material in one pass. It varies in the range of 1-3 mm. The processing width of modern units can be 30-330 mm.

Depending on the design features, the following types of surface planers are distinguished:

unilateral;
double-sided;
multifunctional.

The single-sided unit is designed so that the workpiece is planed only along the upper end, while the design of double-sided models involves the presence of two cutting shafts - on top and bottom, which allows you to process two opposite sides of the part.

The structural design of thickness gauges consists of the following elements:

bed;
knife shaft;
Desktop;
pressure springs;
rollers for feeding the workpiece and a rocker arm securing them;

The frame of industrial surface planers is always cast iron, but household units are equipped with aluminum frames in order to reduce weight. A work table is fixed on the frame, the length of which cannot be less than 100 cm (safety requirements). Single-sided thicknessers have a fixed work table, while in double-sided thicknessers it can be adjusted in height.

The main working unit of the machine is the knife shaft, which can have 1-4 cutting edges. The edges are replaceable and need to be replaced as they wear out. Two pairs of rollers, which rotate from an electric motor, are responsible for the automatic feeding of the workpiece.

A little about how to choose a thickness planer. For domestic use, the best option would be units with a shaft rotation speed in the range of 6-10 thousand rpm and a power of over 2 kW (a power of more than 1.8 kW allows you to process hard wood without any problems). We recommend purchasing machines weighing 25-40 kg for your home; there are many mini-units weighing 10-15 kg on the market, but in practice they are inconvenient to use, since such equipment is not intended for serious use.

1.1 Homemade thicknesser - step-by-step instructions (video)

1.2 Making a thickness planer with your own hands

At home, it is quite possible to make a multifunctional surface planer that is close in operational capabilities to factory-made machines. However, often such a machine is simply not needed at home, and the main task when assembling it is to maximize savings.

If you have a limited budget, it is best to make a surface planer using an electric planer; for this you will need the following spare parts:

bed - the supporting frame is made from a metal corner measuring 40-60 mm and is reinforced with spacer pins made of reinforcement or hexagonal rods;
rollers for broaching - here you can cheat and use rubber rollers from an old washing machine, which will need to be bored out for bearings and fixed on axles, the length of which is selected based on the width of the desktop, and the diameter is assumed to be 20 mm;
desktop - made from a piece of plywood or a sanded board covered with a galvanized sheet 1 mm thick, and the board must be coated with an antiseptic;
The protective casing over the work table can be made from 1-2 mm sheet metal, fixed to a supporting frame made from a corner or profile.

Almost all factory electric planers have a support plate, so attaching them to the thicknesser frame does not cause any difficulties. Under the plate, it is necessary to make two lateral load-bearing surfaces from a corner with a thickness of at least 5 mm; the height adjustment mechanism is easiest to make from a screw axis, although other options are possible.

To make such a one-sided thickness planer, you will need to incur the following costs: for the purchase of an electric planer - up to 10 thousand, for a metal profile - up to 3 thousand, for bearings, studs and other small items - up to 3 thousand.

The operational capabilities of a homemade unit will depend entirely on the characteristics of the electric planer. Note that this design is not safe, since its design does not provide for the presence of claws to block the reverse motion of the workpiece being processed. If fragments of the board fly out, you will be protected only by a screen made of tin a few millimeters thick.

2 Shop thicknessing machines

If it is not possible to make a planer-thicknesser device yourself, it makes sense to pay attention to factory-made alternatives. The domestic market offers a wide range of surface thicknessers of both industrial and household grades.

Among industrial models, the undisputed leader is the Stomana DMS 41 thickness planer, the price of which is 220 thousand rubles. DMS 41 is widely used in woodworking workshops; the model is equipped with a four-knife working shaft with a diameter of 100 mm, which develops up to 5000 rpm. The power of the built-in electric drive is 3 kW. Thicknesser DMS 41 can process workpieces with a height of 4-225 mm, the removal thickness per pass is 4 mm.

When choosing factory thickness thicknessers, we recommend not giving preference to cheap Chinese products in order to save money. Of course, you can save a certain amount of money when buying a Chinese machine for 9 thousand, rather than a domestically produced machine with similar characteristics for 15 thousand, but the savings will result in even greater costs in the future.

Firstly, Chinese tabletop machines are essentially disposable - they are not designed for long-term use in difficult conditions and have an extremely short service life. Secondly, spare parts and components for the Chinese are extremely scarce on the market, and you may be faced with the impossibility of repairing the machine due to the lack of necessary parts.

Domestic equipment is preferable in this regard - spare parts for it are available and they are quite inexpensive. For example, a 6J-346 drive belt can be purchased for 200 rubles, and replacement of such a belt is required no more than once a year. Among the trusted manufacturers, we highlight such companies as Enkor, Kraton and Interskol. Good foreign brands are Jet (America) and Makita (Japan).

Often craftsmen who love to work with wood, or owners of 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 large quantities of wide boards in one pass. Unlike industrial devices, household surface thicknessers are small in size and much lighter, which makes them easier to transport. In addition, 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 chips being removed.

As a rule, before carrying out this procedure, wooden surfaces are pre-treated on a jointer. 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. The thickness planer is one of the important equipment 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: the optimal solution is 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:

Single-sided thicknessing machines, on which planing is carried out only on the top side;
Double-sided thicknessing machines, where two opposite sides are planed simultaneously - the bottom and the top;
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 a system for automatically feeding the wooden workpiece 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. A metal corner measuring 100 by 100 millimeters and a length of at least 1000 millimeters can serve as a support table. 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. It is customary to make the front upper roller grooved 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 below the cutting edges of the 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 thicknesses, a sectional grooved roller is introduced into the planer of the planer, which makes it possible to use the entire width of the machine and dramatically increase its productivity. The sectional roller consists of 12 corrugated rings, which are mounted on a 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. On the side surface for attaching the skin, a longitudinal groove is cut, which has a 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 best 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 thickness planer is based on the method of flat planing of 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 thicknessing machines have an automatic system for feeding workpieces at a certain speed in order to accurately 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 the high quality of processed 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 with a high cutting speed of workpieces and a large cutting depth, 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, in addition to special machines designed for specific work.

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 a surface planer are often no more than a meter in width and thickness, so the equipment can easily fit in a barn or garage.

For home creation, the following design is proposed. The frame and work table of the machine are welded, made of a 50 by 50 millimeter angle and a 40 by 40 millimeter square pipe; larger material 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.

The next mandatory design element is the knife shaft. 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:

Distortion on the desktop. The planed surface will not be parallel to the planed side.
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.
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.
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.
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 blanks made of solid wood and wood materials, for cutting lugs and tenons in the bars of 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.

In recent years, one of the most popular types of mechanisms for wood processing is the thickness planer. It is used both in industrial production and in household conditions. In order to facilitate the process of planing blank materials, you need to buy a unit or make it yourself.

For what purposes is a thickness planer used?

Its main purpose is to plan a piece of wood over the entire thick surface of the material. The machine easily processes panels, paving stones, and also from boards, successfully adjusting the material to the required size in one pass (and not in several passes, as happens with a jointing machine).

There are some types of surface thicknessers that do an excellent job with plastic products, as well as some other polymer materials.

The main indicator of the performance of a modern thicknessing machine is the ability to penetrate deeply into the workpiece. As a rule, it does not exceed one to three millimeters. Many units today are capable of processing product widths of even 30 – 330 mm.

Currently, the following types of surface planers are distinguished:

With one working side.
With two working sides.
Combining many functions.

The main feature of a mechanism with one working side is the ability to plan the workpiece surface only from the top side, while units with two working sides are equipped with two shafts for cutting the product - on the top and bottom sides, this makes it possible to process both sides of the part simultaneously.

Components of the thicknessing unit:

bed base;
shaft with cutting section;
working surface of the table;
springs for clamping operating mechanisms;
blank rollers and means of feeding them for surface treatment.

The base part of the unit is always made of complex cast iron alloys for industrial volumes, but at the domestic level frames based on light metals such as aluminum are used.

The table on which the base for the frame is fixed cannot be less than one meter in length (this is the main requirement for compliance with safety regulations). Single-sided units have a fixed worktable surface, while double-sided units have a worktop that can be easily adjusted in height.

The main working mechanism is considered to be a knife surface for processing the product, while at least one to four edges are installed on the machine for cutting the surface of the product. The edges wear out quite quickly, and there is a need to replace them frequently. Two pairs of special ones are driven by an electric motor and are responsible for feeding the product by an automatic system.

How to make the right choice in favor of a surface planer?

At home, it is best to choose a unit that is capable of rotating the shaft at least ten thousand revolutions per minute, and also has a power of 1.8 kW. It is this power that makes it possible to efficiently process products with a hard surface.

The best weight of a machine with a surface planer for home use is 25-40 kg, although there are many mechanisms on the market with a weight of 10 kg or more. In real practice, using them is not very convenient, because equipment with such weight categories is not intended for industrial scale.

How to make a thicknessing machine with your own hands - step-by-step instructions

In conditions where it is not possible to purchase a multifunctional unit, they usually resort to making thicknessing machines for wood with their own hands. But even when made at home, they perfectly correspond to the given parameters. Thus, in home use, a homemade thicknessing machine is used extremely rarely and instead they try to use a standard mechanism.

If you have very little money, then the best option is to make a unit based on an electric plane. To implement this action, the following spare parts are used:

Standing part. It is made from a metal alloy with a width of at least 40-60 mm. In this case, an important point is the use of hexagonal rods with spacer bushings.
Extended rollers. In this case, rubber rollers from a used washing machine will also work. Mandatory requirement: boring for bearings and fixing the mechanism on the axles. The length of the axes depends only on the length of the desktop surface. The best diameter is no more than 20 mm.
To produce a desktop, piece plywood is used. It is covered with a zinc sheet, the minimum thickness is 1 mm, but before work the board must be coated with a protective agent.
The coating used to protect the desktop is usually no more than 1-2 mm thick and is fixed at the bottom of the profile corner.

Most factory-made planes have a special support plate. Thus, in order to attach it to the base of the thicknesser machine, you should not have much difficulty.

The lower part of the plate must be equipped with a corner; it has a length of at least 5 mm. To properly regulate a homemade product, it is necessary to resort to an axis with a screw surface, but there are other equipment options.

To produce a thickness planer of this kind, you will have to pay a lot of money:

About 10 thousand rubles need to be spent on an electric planer purchased at a specialized center.
About 3 thousand will have to be spent on a metal profile.
Other little things, as well as bearings and studs, will cost another 3 thousand.

It is important to understand that the power of the mechanism depends only on the components of the electric chopping tool. But this design is far from safe; it does not contain any devices that would block the reverse movement of the workpiece under the influence of work. If fragments and shavings fly from the board, then only a screen tin slider, no more than 3 mm thick, can protect you.

For budget buyers, the following models of units are provided:

Universal mechanical thicknessing unit BBK 5906 costing from 14,000 rubles. Its main functions: circulation and jointing with a one-sided thicknesser. The drive power is no more than 2 kW, the cutting shaft rotates at a speed of about 8000 rpm. Penetration per pass – 3 mm.
A woodworking unit with a thicknessing nozzle, number BBK 5904. Estimated cost - 20,000-24,000 rubles. Equipped with a more powerful electric drive motor.

The device can easily replace many components:

milling mechanism;
miter saw;
circulation saw;
jointer mechanism;
grinding machine.

The above machines are not suitable for industrial production; the best choice is the Stoman DMS-41 model. The average price is at least 220,000 rubles. Most often, this unit is used in wood processing workshops.

This model has a four-shaft shaft structure, with an average diameter of at least 1 dm. In a minute it reaches speeds of up to 5000 rpm. The built-in drive collects power up to 3 kW. DMS-41 and its analogues easily process workpieces with a thickness of 4-220 mm. The device removes at least 4 mm of its surface from the product.

Video: DIY thicknesser.

It is best not to save money and not to cheap out on dubious Chinese analogues of units of this type, because saving 30-40% will then come back to haunt you. Main reasons:

Most Chinese machines today are disposable.
Insufficient number of components for Chinese machine models.
Difficulties in finding a specialist in Russia who could repair a Chinese machine.

Advantages of Russian-made mechanisms:

spare parts for machines are always available in any quantity;
a drive belt can be purchased for 200 rubles;
The belt is replaced no more than once a year.

The best manufacturers of woodworking thicknessing machines these days:

Anchor.
Kraton.
Makita.
Interskol.
Jet.

Craftsmen who often work with certain wooden blanks are faced with the need to plan a large number of boards to give them an attractive appearance. At the same time, it is also necessary to equalize their thickness, make their surface smooth, so that the material can be used for the production of furniture, interior decoration, or for many other similar purposes. A wood planer is best suited for such work.

Now the cost of this type of equipment is quite high, even if it is a small machine for use in a home workshop. As a result, not everyone can make such a purchase. In this case, the right solution would be to make a thickness planer with your own hands according to ready-made drawings. As a result, on a regular workbench you will be able to plan a variety of wooden workpieces quickly and efficiently.

Table and frame of the future machine

Working on a homemade thickness planer

Before you start making a surface planer for wood yourself, you should decide on its design and familiarize yourself with the finished drawings (at the end of the article). The entire structure should be located on the work table so that you can walk around it freely to feed the material. This tool can also be used in a home workshop, since its dimensions are quite small.

The main thing is that the surface of the table where it will be located is as smooth as possible to prevent the occurrence of strong vibrations.

To make such equipment for home use, the following design is usually suitable. The work table of the machine and its frame are welded; for this, a metal corner and a square pipe of dimensions 50x50 and 40 millimeters are used, respectively. In principle, when assembling the table and base of the machine, you can use materials not only of these, but also of any other sizes, but it should be remembered that the more massive the elements used, the more stable the equipment will be, and the less vibration will occur during its operation.

To make a thickness planer for your home workshop, you will need:

drilling machine;
lathe;
welding machine;
drill;
Bulgarian.

Knife shaft

The next element, the presence of which is mandatory in a thickness planer, is the knife shaft. This is the main part of the machine, which processes wooden blanks. The best option is to buy a ready-made design with axle boxes, since homemade shafts are very difficult to make well balanced. A suitable option would be to use a three hundred millimeter shaft, the design of which has three knives. It is best to choose stepped pulleys for the shaft and engine; as for the shaft speed, the best option would be 4000-7000 revolutions per minute.

To operate such a shaft, an asynchronous motor with a power of 4-5 kW is suitable. An important advantage of this choice is the fact that having made a machine with such a motor, it can be started from single-phase electric current, which significantly reduces the costs and complexity of using the equipment.

It is best to grind the pressure rollers yourself; it is also a good option to use ready-made parts from old Soviet-style washing machines. The roller frame must be welded with spring-loaded bolts.

Adjustment bolts and workpiece feeding

Drawings of a homemade machine

According to the drawing used, the table for installing the thickness planer must be installed on adjusting bolts, which will make it possible to adjust it if necessary. To adjust the table plane as accurately as possible, and also to prevent the need to adjust each bolt individually, bicycle sprockets can be welded to them, connecting them with a chain. Springs can be taken from valves from any truck engine.

In the drawing used, the workpieces are fed manually. But there is always the opportunity to improve the design by equipping the machine table with an automatic workpiece feeding system. In this case, the workpiece will be fed very smoothly into the machine, which will ensure accurate removal of the required layer of wood during planing.

In addition, it would be useful to use special rollers that will press the workpiece to the working surface during its processing. It is very difficult to do this manually efficiently, while rollers cope with this task “excellently”.

This completes the assembly of the thickness planer. To prevent the formation of corrosion and fungi, it is recommended to paint all metal parts of such homemade equipment. There is no need to paint only the lower working part of the tool, which will process the material.

Preparing the machine for operation

Regardless of which thicknesser is used - homemade or factory-made, before carrying out any work it must be configured for operation. Not only the quality of the work performed, but also the safety of the worker who uses such equipment when processing wooden workpieces will directly depend on this.

In progress

In addition, when preparing for work, it must be remembered that if the table is significantly filled, if it is necessary to simultaneously feed several parts across the entire width of the table, in the process of planing a large-width panel or similar work, the pressure in the feed rollers must be adjusted so that it is increased, since in such cases of work the cutting resistance increases significantly. If parts of small width are being processed or the table is not completely filled, in order to prevent the wood from being crushed during processing, the pressure in the rollers should be reduced to the required level.

Safe operation of the machine

Before each start of work on the machine, it is necessary to carefully check the correct position of the knives, as well as their level of sharpening. The knife shaft must always be guarded. On a homemade thicknessing machine, you cannot process parts whose length is less than the distance between the shafts.

To prevent the possibility of injury, it is strictly forbidden to repair, adjust or clean the machine, as well as clean the workbench with the machine while it is in operation.

It is necessary to feed wood blanks onto the work table and into the machine itself end to end, and it is necessary to use the entire width of the table.

Manufacturing and operation of a homemade thickness planer

1 Purpose, device, principle of operation

Depending on the design features, the following types of surface planers are distinguished:

unilateral;
double-sided;
multifunctional.

The structural design of thickness gauges consists of the following elements:

bed;
knife shaft;
Desktop;
pressure springs;
rollers for feeding the workpiece and a rocker arm securing them;

One-sided surface planer at work

1.1 Homemade thicknesser - step-by-step instructions (video)

1.2 Making a thickness planer with your own hands

If you have a limited budget, it is best to make a surface planer using an electric planer; for this you will need the following spare parts:

bed - the supporting frame is made from a metal corner measuring 40-60 mm and is reinforced with spacer pins made of reinforcement or hexagonal rods;
rollers for broaching - here you can cheat and use rubber rollers from an old washing machine, which will need to be bored out for bearings and fixed on axles, the length of which is selected based on the width of the desktop, and the diameter is assumed to be 20 mm;
desktop - made from a piece of plywood or a sanded board covered with a galvanized sheet 1 mm thick, and the board must be coated with an antiseptic;
The protective casing over the work table can be made from 1-2 mm sheet metal, fixed to a supporting frame made from a corner or profile.

Homemade surface planer from an electric planer

2 Shop thicknessing machines

Woodworking machine with universal thicknesser BBK 5903 (cost 14 thousand rubles). This unit performs the functions of a surface planer (one-sided), a jointer and a circulation saw. The electric drive power is 1.6 kW, the blade shaft rotation speed is up to 8000 rpm. Planing depth in one pass is up to 3 mm.
SDR-3302 is an excellent mini-thicknesser for installation in a home workshop or garage. Equipped with a 2.2 kW electric motor, which develops a shaft speed of 8000 rpm. Capable of processing workpieces up to 330 mm wide and 6-210 mm high. Planing depth per pass - up to 3 mm. SDR-3302 is sold at a price of 14-15 thousand rubles.

Universal woodworking machine with surface planer BBK 5904 (price 20-23 thousand) - this unit differs from the younger model in a more powerful electric motor (2 kW) and expanded functionality. This device will fully replace your router, miter and circular saw, jointer, surface planer and grinder.

Domestic equipment is preferable in this regard - spare parts for it are available and they are quite inexpensive. For example, a drive belt 6J-346 of Kraton thickness planers can be purchased for 200 rubles, and replacement of such a belt is required no more than once a year. Among the trusted manufacturers, we highlight such companies as Enkor, Kraton and Interskol. Good foreign brands are Jet (America) and Makita (Japan).

DIY thicknesser machine

Thicknessing machines for wood are a type of planer and planer, and are designed for precise production of “to-size” boards with a certain cross-section. Unlike planing woodworking equipment, such units are equipped with clamping and feeding devices, and can also process several workpieces simultaneously. The versatility of modern thicknessing machines increases if the tool kit includes not only flat, but also shaped knives.

Homemade thickness planer

Classification and capabilities

The design of the units in question can be quite varied. Machines are classified according to the following criteria:

By drive type. Homemade mini-devices can also have a manual drive, but in most cases they still use an electric drive. At the same time, household models are equipped with a 220 V motor, and professional ones – with a 380 V motor.
By type of delivery. The machine design may have one or two pairs of feed rollers; accordingly, in the first case, it will be necessary to make the pressure of the workpiece being processed to the table more powerful; vibrations at the time of cutting cannot be excluded. Double-sided roller feeds are more advanced and convenient to use. A number of foreign companies (Makita, DeWalt, etc.) equip their products with automatic feed units, but this option is justified only with significant production programs of the same type of products.
According to the number of knife shafts. This determines how many different profiles the machine can process simultaneously. True, the number of operators will increase accordingly.
By functionality. The design of thicknessing machines allows not only dimensional processing of a semi-finished product, but also its subsequent calibration. This eliminates the appearance of transverse chips, dents and other defects that may appear on the treated surface in case of non-compliance with the jointing technology or with an excessively large supply of starting material.
According to its technological characteristics. In practice, the equipment under consideration is produced with a power range of 1...40 kW, at a shaft speed of up to 10000...12000 min -1. planing width up to 1350 mm, stroke up to 50 m/min and initial workpiece thickness 5…160 mm.

In addition, some models differ in the way they adjust the gaps and the design of the main drive bearing assembly.

Device and principle of operation

A typical wood planer can successfully replace two pieces of equipment: a mechanical drive jointer and a planer (transverse for short products, or longitudinal for long ones).

Homemade thickness planer

The simplest layout of a thicknessing machine (with one-sided supply of source material) includes the following components:

Drive motor.
Transfer. It can be a standard V-belt, toothed, with a variator, as well as with replaceable pulleys (the latter option has minimal values of transmitted power, and therefore is used only in low-power equipment).
Knife shaft. May have multiple instruments with different configurations. Spiral knives are considered particularly successful because they produce minimal noise during operation.
the upper direction unit, which, in turn, consists of a pair of rollers - front and rear. The front roller has a corrugated surface: in order to improve traction with wood and prevent a possible change in the direction of movement of the board being processed. The rear roller is always smooth;
a clamping unit that prevents jamming of chips and possible cracking of the material. Structurally, the clamp can be made in the form of claw grips that penetrate into the wood, or it can also be made in the form of a massive metal element equipped with spring-loaded teeth;
a lower direction unit, facilitating the feeding of the workpiece into the workspace;
a table with devices for adjusting the technological gaps between the rollers of the upper and lower clamps;
the bed on which all other elements of the working circuit of the machine are located.

Operating principle of a thickness planer

Units with a double-sided feeding device are distinguished by the fact that they are equipped with an additional unit for extending the knife shaft. In this regard, replacing a tool to reinstall it from one standard size to another (or for subsequent sharpening) is much easier.

Device of a thickness planer

This is how a thickness planer works. The torque from the electric motor is transmitted through gears to the blade shaft. The board to be processed is inserted into the gap and pressed first against the lower and then against the upper pressure rollers. In this case, the workpiece is captured by a grooved roller and fed to the tool. Before cutting, the semi-finished product is clamped between the upper and lower guide devices, which ensures reliable fixation of the material during processing. The clamping device ensures timely removal of chips from under the rotating tool. At the moment the workpiece leaves the rear guide roller, the next product is inserted into the front one, after which the process is repeated.

Homemade thickness planer in your own workshop: choosing parameters

There is a significant number of different models of the equipment in question on the market, both from domestic manufacturers (Corvette, Enkor, Krasny Metalist, etc.) and imported ones. The latter options are dominated by dubious Chinese brands, which are not reliable in operation, and, in addition, often have underestimated parameters compared to the passport ones. In such cases, and also if the proposed machines do not fit into the available space dimensions, it makes sense to make a surface planer with your own hands.

It’s worth noting right away that it’s better to purchase a number of components and parts rather than try to make them yourself. This, first of all, concerns the knife shaft itself along with the mounting bearings: home-made options will not differ in the required mating accuracy, as a result of which the part will overheat greatly under load.

When choosing a machine diagram, they are guided by the available drawings (can be found on the Internet), but before that it is worth clarifying a number of elements of the device. For example, if in one unit there is a need to combine a jointer and a surface planer, then it is advisable to make equipment with a double-sided drive. Then, on one side of the device, it is possible to carry out preliminary cutting of the workpiece, and on the other hand, to carry out the final processing of the wood “to size”.

You also need to decide on the longest length of the knife shaft: a homemade machine with a shaft longer than 500 mm may lose rigidity when working on hard types of wood: pear, hornbeam, oak. As a result, wavy ridges up to 1 mm high may appear on the surface of the board, which will require further processing of the semi-finished product. The landing dimensions and diameter must be made such that home-made equipment can be used to produce plinth, baguette profiles, as well as other decorative elements made of wood.

When choosing a design, safety measures for subsequent operation of the unit should be fully taken into account. Homemade thicknessing machine Do-it-yourself machines must have a reliable fence for the working area of the table, and also eliminate the possibility of the board going backwards if the gap is too large, as well as its destruction during processing.

When analyzing the available drawings of home-made devices, it is worth keeping in mind that the presence of two lower clamps in the table will reduce the force of moving the board into the workspace, since the workpiece will move along the smooth surface of the roll, and not along the table.

Manufacturing and assembly

The manufacture of the machine begins with the bed. For these purposes, it is advisable to use tubular steel with a cross section of at least 60×40 mm: the pipe has increased rigidity and moment of resistance, which will have a positive effect on the accuracy of operations performed on a homemade unit. Structural elements are connected by welding. It can be replaced with a prefabricated version, but it is less preferable - assembling the table and frame using an angle and connecting pins with a diameter of M30 or more will force you to frequently check their tightness.

For feed rollers, you can use rollers from an old washing machine: their rubberized surface will cope with the tasks. The rollers are bored to the diameter of the existing bearings, taking into account the required adjustment range. In homemade thicknessing machines, this process can be done manually by rotating the handle.

To make a table for a homemade unit, a wide sanded board made of larch or oak is suitable. Wood dampens vibrations well, but to increase anti-corrosion performance, and from a fire safety point of view, it should be impregnated with fire-resistant compounds or creosote. The connection between the table and the frame can be bolted.

3d model of a homemade surface planer

When selecting a motor, the maximum required torque must be matched to the processing needs. As a rule, an electric motor with a power of 5...6 kW, with a speed of up to 3500...4000 per minute, is sufficient.

To ensure safety, a homemade machine must be protected by a removable casing. It can be made from thin sheet steel (0.6...0.8 mm thick).

The necessary components - bearings, knives, pulleys, fasteners - are selected in accordance with the specifications for the drawings of a homemade thickness planer.

When assembling a homemade machine, you must:

ensure maximum flatness of the table surface;
balance all rotating parts in static and dynamic modes;
provide convenient adjustment of the table position;
check the reliability of the fencing device for moving elements.

A homemade thickness planer is checked at idle speed. If all components are working correctly, check the unit in operating mode, after which all fixed parts are painted with weather-resistant paint.

You may also be interested in the following articles:

Homemade thickness planer from an electric planer How to make a wood planer with your own hands How to make a format cutting machine with your own hands Do-it-yourself electric spark machine

DIY thicknesser machine. Layout of a thickness planer

October 21, 2015

Woodworking machines (thicknessers) are well suited for cutting workpieces of various sizes. Longitudinal cuts can be made using a movable frame. The frames of the models are made in various shapes, and their characteristics can vary quite significantly.

It should also be taken into account that some modifications are made with gearboxes. In such a situation, the user has the ability to control the cutting speed. In order to study this issue in more detail, you need to familiarize yourself with the design of a simple thickness planer, which you can make yourself.

Device of a thickness planer

The layout of a thickness planer includes a U-shaped bed. In this case, frames are most often used on two sides. In this case, a lot depends on the workspace. Some modifications involve movable platforms. In such a situation, it is possible to move the frame on rollers. The wood is directly cut using a powerful engine. Today, two-stroke modifications are most often found.

In this case, the bed acts as a support. Also, the layout of a thicknessing machine includes a shaft, which is most often attached to the bowl and fixed on a special beam. To adjust the position of the frame, gears are usually used. Also, flywheels are installed in the devices to change the position of the pushers. The side supports are mainly fixed to the lower beam.

Speed limiter device

You can make a thicknessing machine with your own hands with a speed lock quite simply. First of all, you need to prepare the lower frame. It is best to select steel sheets in advance for this purpose. In this case, much depends on the size of the bed. If its length does not exceed 120 cm, then the frame can be made narrow. Some additionally advise installing a support at the bottom of the machine.

This way, the device will be well stabilized and shaking will disappear completely. The lower supports are well suited for precision woodworking. After the frame sheets are welded, you can proceed to the bed. The engine is most often located in the upper part. The retainer is usually mounted directly into the gearbox. In order for the platform to be controlled, the height of the upper beam must be calculated in advance.

Model with block stop

You can make a thickness planer with a block stopper yourself using a low-power power supply. First of all, assembling the machine must begin with installing the frame. Next, the area for mounting the engine is prepared. The cutting elements are directly installed on the beam.

Modifications with crankshafts require the use of different brackets. In this case, the platform is adjusted using flywheels. In order to position the blocker correctly for the engine, a large beam must be prepared in advance. The last thing that remains is to connect the power supply along with the power cable.

Model with three regulators

You can make a thicknessing machine with three regulators yourself only by installing brackets. However, first of all it is necessary to secure the bed to the frame. For this purpose, you can use a welding machine. In order for the platform to be stable, it is necessary to weld the lower clamps to the beam. If the length of the frame does not exceed 120 cm, then small supports can be used. Platform clamps can be installed if desired. The height regulator in this case should be located on the engine side. To do this, the bracket is installed near the top beam.

It should not come into contact with the pushers. After this, the flywheel is attached directly. The crankshaft must be located above the platform. Its diameter must be at least 18 mm. In some cases, experts recommend installing small fences for it. The protection of the machine is located above the bed. The engine itself must be located near the platform. The longitudinal movement regulator is also mounted using a bracket. In the end, all that remains is to secure the rotary regulator. In this case, the flywheel is installed on the engine side.

Devices with two regulators

Making a thickness planer with two regulators with your own hands is not difficult at all. In this case, the bed can be installed in a small size. The first thing you need to do is the height adjuster. To do this, the bracket is welded to the work area. Its second end should be located on the top beam. By rotating the flywheel the platform must move. In this case, the main load is on the bracket. In some situations, the bed may also suffer from deformation.

In this case, many experts advise installing supports at the edge of the platform. This can be done using a welding machine. The second regulator in the thickness planer is designed for horizontal adjustment of the platform. In this case, you won't be able to rotate it. The second bracket must be installed on the engine side. In this case, for convenience, it is best to secure the flywheel to the upper beam.

Model with block support

You can assemble machines with a stop yourself only with the help of a welding machine. You should start working with the frame. To do this, it is necessary to prepare steel sheets. Next, it is important to weld the side supports. Only after this is it possible to install the bed. It is best to sharpen it in the corners. This is necessary so that the platform does not get stuck in the future. After this, the beam is installed on the upper block. In this case, the engine is attached last.

The presence of pushers at the machine will greatly facilitate the use of the device. It should also be taken into account that it is important to install the power supply at the bottom. To do this, the platform can be placed under the bed. In this case, the crankshaft must be mounted under the engine. In this case, the cutting device is installed after the power supply.

Feed belt machine

The machines are assembled with a feed belt with their own hands using long shafts. In this case, its movement is ensured by the displacement of the rollers. The machine must be assembled from the bottom. To do this, first of all, the frame is welded. Cast iron can be used in this case. The minimum metal thickness should be 3.2 mm. The bed on the machine must be mounted on the side supports. To do this, you need to use a welding inverter. It is important to file the edges of the platform in advance. In this case, the rollers must be installed under the working area.

To do this, first of all, blocks are mounted under them. After this, you can take measurements for the upper beam. In this case, much depends on the dimensions of the engine. If we consider two-stroke modifications, they will not take up much space. In order to adjust the position of the platform, it is important to provide space for the bracket in advance. It should be installed from the side of the cutting part.

Makita MP2000 machine

This thicknessing machine has positive reviews. It is unique in design, and making it yourself is quite difficult. In this case there are three regulators. Due to this, the user has the opportunity to rotate the platform. Additionally, it should be taken into account that the frame is used in small sizes. This thicknessing machine (household) weighs only 55 kg, and due to this it is very easy to transport. At the same time, the working area allows you to process large workpieces.

Longitudinal sawing of wood is carried out using side pushers. This model has a start blocker. Another design feature that should be noted is the presence of a fairly wide frame. Due to this, the stabilization of this device is all right. This thickness planer costs (market price) about 650 thousand rubles.

Machine "Metabo" 30Р

This double-sided thickness planer has a very interesting design. In this case, the frame is installed U-shaped. Additionally, it should be noted that the longitudinal regulator is located at the top of the beam. Thus, monitoring the platform is quite simple. This machine copes successfully with large workpieces. However, it should be borne in mind that this device is not suitable for longitudinal cutting of wood.

The bed of the presented thicknessing machine (household) is quite wide. The height regulator is installed at the top beam. The working area is extensive, but it is not possible to rotate the platform 360 degrees. The engine in this device uses a power of 3 kW. Thus, its performance is quite good. This thickness planer costs (market price) about 570 thousand rubles.

Model with two shafts

Making a model with two shafts (drawings of a thickness planer are shown below) is quite problematic. The dimensions of the device will be quite large. It should also be taken into account that the frame must be made strong. The minimum metal thickness in the lower part must be 3.3 mm. It is also important to mention that the bed must be T-shaped. Many specialists choose a rectangular platform for such a machine. In this case, the working area will allow you to cut wood longitudinally.

Two regulators must be installed for the design. It is more advisable to mount the brackets for the height controller at the top beam. In turn, the rotation regulator must be located near the frame as standard. In this case, the bracket can be fixed to the support. The crankshaft in this case should be located directly at the upper beam. It must be secured behind the cutting device. The second shaft, which comes from the gearbox, must be located on the engine side.

Machine with jointing beam

With a jointing beam, a thicknessing machine (homemade) is assembled at the first stage as standard from a frame. In this case, it is more expedient to install the frame in a T-shape. The minimum metal thickness must be 3.3 mm. In this situation, the upper beam must be welded using a welding inverter. The engine can be installed on a separate platform.

You should also provide space for the power supply. Two brackets can be installed to control the platform. The jointing beam should be located at the base of the work area. Thus, it will not interfere with the workpiece in the future. You can use screws to secure the platform. At the same time, side supports in this situation will not be superfluous.

Model with sharpened beam

A thicknessing machine (homemade) with sharpened beams is very common nowadays. It is well suited for longitudinal cutting of wood. It should also be taken into account that the working area in this case must be made wide. To do this, it is important to prepare the bed in a U-shape. Next, you need to weld the frame with supports to it.

The pushers are installed last. In this situation, it is necessary to calculate the dimensions of the brackets. To adjust the platform you will also need flywheels. The engine for the machine can be placed on the top beam as standard. In this case, experts advise installing power supplies under the bed. Thus, the wiring will not interfere with the operation of the device.

Devices with a blocker

Machines with blockers can be found quite often. They are installed on single-act and two-stroke models. The blocking device itself is located near the power supply. It should also be noted that for them it is necessary to display a button on the control panel. In this case, it is important to reliably insulate the wiring. If the power supply is located under the platform, then this is quite simple.

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Do-it-yourself thicknesser machine made from an electric planer, other design options

Few people in childhood were left indifferent by their first visit to a carpentry workshop. The indescribable smell of fresh wood shavings, the cleanliness and smoothness of a freshly planed board, the fluffiness of sawdust - this is the place where, with the help of a thickness planer, the magical transformation of several clumsy boards with a scratchy surface from protruding fibers took place into an elegant stool.

The result of the surface planer was perfectly smooth lumber, which was suitable for making many interesting and beautiful things.

Design and types of thicknessing machines

Of course, the thickness planer was not the only one in that workshop. And many of these workshops could not boast of such luxury at all. But a circular saw, often assembled on the same shaft as the drum of the jointer, was almost always available. And then a simple device that made it possible to control the uniformity of pressing the workpiece to the surface of the work table brought the jointing machine closer in its functionality to a thickness planer, which in capable hands provided almost the same result, although somewhat more expensive in both work and time.

We talk about this in such detail here so that the main topic of the article is clearer - making a thicknesser (thicknesser) machine with your own hands. After all, its main task is to plan the molded wooden material with the same thickness. And several successive planing operations on a jointing machine with such a clamping device will ensure this result.

But what is a real surface planer equipped with?

The thickness planer has:

Desktop;
working shaft (1 or 2), two - for simultaneous processing of two surfaces of the workpiece or one - for processing the workpiece on one side;
rollers for pressing and pulling the workpiece (a pair on top or two - on top and bottom), with electric or manual drive;
table height adjustment system;
workpiece reverse protection system.

In the modification of the jointing machine, some of the listed systems are missing. But also, dual-purpose machines are produced industrially - planer-thicknessers.

In them, under the working table for jointing, there is a height-adjustable surface thicknessing table. Processing of the workpiece is carried out using the same drum with knives as jointing. In this case, only the upper part is processed. When the machine is operating as a surface planer, the upper part of the machine is covered with a protective cover to prevent injury.

Sometimes, instead of a drum with knives, a wide cutter is installed.

Schematic diagram of the operation of a thickness planer

Why make a thickness planer with your own hands?

The scheme of work should be clear to most home craftsmen even without visualization, but for ease of understanding the tasks of making a surface planer yourself, it will not be superfluous.

There are two motivations for making any equipment yourself:

desire for self-realization;
desire for savings.

All the rest follow from those listed. And you can save a lot of things:

first of all, money due to the abolition of auxiliary functions, which can be completely dispensed with in a home workshop;
in the second - electricity by reducing the number of electric drives;
thirdly, space in the workshop due to optimization and adjustment of dimensions.

If we talk about a full-fledged thickness planer, then, based on the three-dimensional drawing located below, its components can be reduced to the following list:

electric drive from an electric motor with a power of 1.5 - 2.5 kW on a two-knife drum rotating at a speed of 5 - 10 thousand rpm;
manual chain adjustment of the work table level;
manual chain coupled feeding of the workpiece by two lingering pressure rollers.

But you yourself decide on the concept of your surface planer. Let's look at 3 approaches to implementing the idea of making your own thickness planer.

High-tech method for manufacturing a thickness planer

There are 3 independent electric drives, which:

drive the cutting drum,
are broaching pressure rollers,
adjust the position of the desktop.

Torque is transmitted to the drum using a V-belt drive, and in the two remaining options - a chain drive. Moreover, the uniformity of pressure on the rollers is regulated by interconnected spring-loaded intermediate sprockets, although in our opinion, such a system will still not allow us to avoid some temporary loosening of the chain at the moment the workpiece leaves the feed roller.

The tensioning of the drive chain for adjusting the height of the work table is carried out by two rigidly fixed sprockets.

Such an approach, obviously, can be justified if you have a flexible mini-production with a large number of equipment reconfiguration operations. Although here some schemes could be simplified. For example, like this:

Such a machine will not be cheap, and the abundance of rather complex components will require constant maintenance. But, apparently, this is exactly the case when the desire for self-realization was in the foreground, because for similar money it would be quite possible to find a used thickness planer and, having slightly repaired it, provide a solution to the same problems.

Do-it-yourself thickness planer made from an electric planer

It is precisely this approach to solving most tasks for a surface planer that arise in a home workshop that we find most interesting.

First of all, this interest is based on minimal modifications to an existing tool to perform the work of expensive equipment with almost the same result.

By installing an electric planer on a platform with variable height, we get almost the same thickness planer. True, it is not the position of the work table that is regulated, but the position of the working tool in relation to the workpiece being processed, but this does not change the essence of the process. The role of the table here is played by a flat, powerful board with width limiters on the sides. They also serve as the mounting location for the main unit. But first, let's talk about him.

On the planer, we will replace the rear support plate with a homemade one made from OSB or plywood, with a thickness that ensures the same level as the front plate, which regulates the required gap (1 - 3 mm) for removing chips. Its width should correspond to the width of our improvised desktop.

On the sides of this plate, slats are screwed to attach the legs, the height of which is dictated solely by common sense. It is obvious that, based on the standard width of the plane knives of 82 mm, the thickness of the workpieces being processed should not be more than 100 mm, so the distance between the axes of the leg fastenings can be taken as 110 - 120 mm. Accordingly, their total length will range from 140 to 160 mm with a width of 35 mm and a thickness of at least 10 mm. The legs are fastened strictly at the same distance from the edge of the bar.

In the woodworking industry, it is difficult to do without modern carpentry equipment, which is used to process timber and boards, giving their sides a perfectly flat surface. For these purposes, a planing machine is designed that can cope with large-area products.

A home-made surface planer is lightweight, so it can be easily installed or removed as unnecessary and transported to another place. It has simple adjustments, is easy to operate and provides high quality surface finishing.

Key points in manufacturing woodworking equipment

At the design stage of a thickness planer, the configuration of the future equipment is determined. In factory models, feeding is carried out by the upper rollers, which requiresetting the rotation speed correctly, which is difficult to do at home. Homemade designs, on the contrary, should be extremely simple. To facilitate the process of their manufacture, they abandon the automatic feeding of the workpiece for processing and use a jointer as a basis - another type of woodworking tool.

In addition, the following characteristics of the future planing machine should be provided:

The ability to change the position of the support table, which is necessary to adjust its height relative to the cutting shaft.
Selection of processing tool. The best solution is to use spare parts from an old factory model that have the required technical parameters.
Availability of a stable frame. Vibration inevitably occurs during equipment operation, so to increase the quality of processing, it is necessary to reduce its impact on the workpieces being processed.

To implement the assigned tasks, they draw up the correct scheme, taking as a basis the drawings of factory models and ready-made technical solutions. Be sure to take into account the experience of making homemade surface planers, as well as the dimensions, thickness, and type of wood of the workpieces being processed.

Manufacturing the frame and installing parts

If you have the necessary tools and materials, assembling thicknessing equipment for wood will not take much time. You will need:

lathe for making rollers and pulleys;
drilling machine or drill for making holes in fasteners;
welding machine for assembling the feed table, frame;
grinder for cutting and adjusting structural parts to the required size.

There are many options for how to make a thicknesser with your own hands, but the optimal dimensions for a homemade device should not exceed 1x1 meters. These parameters allow you to process workpieces of any size, while the product turns out to be mobile and will be convenient to rearrange or transport to another place. The equipment is located in such a way as to provide access from all sides.

If stationary use is planned, then in order to prevent the occurrence of excessive vibration in the future, the frame is concreted and secured with anchor bolts.

The first step is to assemble the frame according to the previously drawn up drawings. To give the structure the necessary rigidity, take an iron corner of 50x50 mm, or, in its absence, a profile square pipe of 40x40 mm.

The marked elements of the frame are cut using a grinder with an abrasive wheel. Having laid them out on level ground, they are assembled according to the diagram and the frame is welded. Mark the holes for fastening the removable parts and, using a drill, drill them.

Having completed the welding work, they begin to install the shafts: knife, pressure, feed. To obtain high-quality products, it is better to purchase a complete knife shaft assembly or ready-made planer knives. If possible, pressure rollers are made from hand-held linen wringer from old washing machines, the rubberized surface of which will gently but firmly hold the workpiece on the desktop.

It is preferable to install gear pulleys for the motor and shafts, which will allow the use of a chain drive, which is characterized by a high degree of reliability. An asynchronous electric motor with a power of 4–5 kW is chosen as the engine. The schematic diagram of the arrangement of parts is shown in the figure:

1 – work table for feeding and dispensing workpieces; 2 – wood preparation; 3 – safety device; 4 – upper feed roller with a corrugated surface; 5 – front clamp; 6 – knife shaft; 7 – rear clamp; 8 – feed upper roller with a smooth surface; 9 – lower smooth shaft

The table base consists of rear and front parts, which are mounted on prepared adjustment devices. They are used to change the height of the table and the position of the workpiece being processed. Before starting work, be sure to check the location of the knives, the reliability of fastening and the correct sharpening.

Equipment setup

The setup is carried out as follows. The support rollers (8) are lowered below the level of the table (10), and the tabletop itself is lowered so that a pre-treated wooden block laid on it passes freely under the blade shaft. Slowly raise the table, simultaneously turning the shaft until it touches the surface of the block. At the moment of contact with the upper edge of the knife shaft, the position of the table is fixed.

Having lowered the working surface by 0.3 mm, the block is moved under the rear clamp (3), which is adjusted with screws (2), trying to get the template to touch. Additionally, it is lowered by 0.7 mm (total 1 mm from the initial level) and the measuring stamp is placed under the front clamp (5), the height of which is set with adjusting screws (6) until it touches the bar.

Having lowered the working surface another 0.5 (1.5 mm from the initial level), adjust the rear pressure shaft (1). Continuing to lower by 0.5 mm, use the measuring template to change the height of the grooved feed roller (7). Lowering it another millimeter, the measuring template is placed under the claw protection and the height is adjusted until it touches. Finally, the support rollers are placed above the table surface.

Processing a workpiece that is not pressed simultaneously by both shafts is prohibited!

Depending on the model of woodworking equipment, the adjustment dimensions may vary. When starting to process coniferous species, the difference in the height of the pressure rollers is set within 0.3 mm, for hardwood – 0.1 mm. When planing workpieces, it is important to observe safety precautions, so you should not:

place your hands near moving and rotating mechanisms;
clean during operation;
repair live parts.

To prevent the possibility of electrical damage, the equipment must be grounded. Before turning on, be sure to check the serviceability of all mechanisms.

Woodworking tools from an electric planer

This is the option for making a thickness planer at home in many cases that is preferred by craftsmen who have an electric planer. The cost of modification while maintaining the principle of operation will be minimal, but the result is no worse than using expensive equipment. Instead of a table, a flat, powerful board is installed, on its sides there are width limiters on which the main unit is attached. The electric plane is mounted on a base with variable height.

The rear support metal plate on the planer is replaced with one made independently from OSB or large plywood. The thickness is chosen in such a way as to obtain the same level relative to the front plate, which regulates the gap for removing chips of 1-3 mm. The width of the work table and the base plate should be equal to each other.

At the side of the plate, screw the slats for fastening the legs of the required height. Since the standard width of knives is 8.2 cm, the thickness of the plane of the workpieces being processed, for example timber, should not exceed 10 cm, and the center-to-center distance for attaching the legs is 11–12 cm. Consequently, their length will be 14–16 cm, width above 3.5 cm , and the thickness is 1 cm. They are attached at the same distance from the edge of the plate.

A pre-assembled clamping device with an electric planer is installed on the working base, placing the attachment points strictly level. This is necessary for parallel movement relative to the working surface and guarantees the necessary processing accuracy with a homemade machine. If it is necessary to ensure pressure on the working tool, then use spring ties or a rubber band.

This is the most affordable option for manufacturing a thickness planer. Of course, such a tool can hardly be considered full-fledged, but the principle of operation and the final result make it suitable for performing simple operations at home.

Portal about reinforcement and meshes

1 Purpose, device, principle of operation

1.1 Homemade thicknesser - step-by-step instructions (video)

1.2 Making a thickness planer with your own hands

2 Shop thicknessing machines

Purpose of a thickness planer

Design of thickness planer

Operating principle of a thickness planer

Manufacturing of thickness planer

Setting up a thickness planer

For what purposes is a thickness planer used?

How to make the right choice in favor of a surface planer?

How to make a thicknessing machine with your own hands - step-by-step instructions

Table and frame of the future machine

Knife shaft

Adjustment bolts and workpiece feeding

Preparing the machine for operation

Safe operation of the machine

Manufacturing and operation of a homemade thickness planer

1 Purpose, device, principle of operation

1.1 Homemade thicknesser - step-by-step instructions (video)

1.2 Making a thickness planer with your own hands

2 Shop thicknessing machines

DIY thicknesser machine

Classification and capabilities

Device and principle of operation

Homemade thickness planer in your own workshop: choosing parameters

Manufacturing and assembly

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