New book ends - Planer thicknesser





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Just completed new bookends - avail on ETSY (see below) and ebay.
All handmade hardwood , no nails or screws, Birch, Beech, African Opepe, Cedar, Douglas Fir, beautiful!


Im constantly asked about how to get thickmess accurate on pieces where there are mukltipe bitsq of stock attached together such as cutting boards, book ends, and table tops, the answer almost always is dependent upon.

A) How much can you afford ?
B ) How much time do you have ?
C) Is your goal commercial or satisfaction ?

Of course if you can afford the answer is a thickness planer, the bigger the better, and of course you always get what you pay for. They can range from 200 pounds (UK) tp 5-600 for the top of the line. The best I ever owned was a dewalt dw2700 (1200 pounds) but very good ones start at 600. This really was the king of planers and finishes even on Opepe and Mahogany was as smooth as glass.

Of course, everything (well almost) you can achieve by machine you can achieve by hand or with cheaper tools, a good belt sander will get you even but not as good as a planer thicknesser.

Dont despair if you havent a planer thicknesser or the are out of your budget. Lets consider a cheese cutting board, your preparation of the components before gluing, is critical, and and cross cuts on your table saw must be millimetre precise. Clearly if your making 100's for eventual commercial sale you really need to invest in a planer thicknesser. However with decent use of a belt sander and constant level checking with your square you can get close, but be prepared for a lot of sanding up and down the grades.

By hand ? yes its possible, but this is easily the cheapest was, but fun ? well no - unless your a signed up sadist.  



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