Official Luthiers Forum!

I have asked a few questions about jointers and planes recently. Ya'll have helped me make some good decisions with the band-saw, drill press and other tools I have bought so, first off thanks.

I was just about to throw down for a 6 inch bench top delta jointer, when someone started asking a few days ago about the wagner safe-t-planer.

First, I have found a great hardwood supplier here in Houston but lots of the wood is flat sawn. So you guys tauhgt me to rip it and make the grain run up and down and laminate. However, the last billet of mahoganey I laminated took so long to hand plane I was scared nothing would be left.

So my main use for the safe-t-planer would be to get necks flat and square enough to laminate. Does anyone do this and find it acceptable? I am kinda stoked about trying it because a 47.00 safe t planer drill press bit is much easier to buy then a 250 jointer.

I know it is not a replacement for a jointer table, but I would like to put the expense off for a couple of builds. I also figure it may not make the outside of the billet perfectly parallel, but I do not care about that.

Also, does anyone really use it to thickness the sides and back, and is it pretty simple, or have you found it easy to get alot of rip out with it? (My current glued up back of EIR probably can not get more rip out than I have done by hand, so I imagine it would be better than my current method.)

John,
I use the Safety Planer for many different things, but never to square up a board. I mostly use it for thicknessing backs and sides, then use my orbital sander to get rid of the marks it leaves behind. If you want to see how to use one, search the archives of this forum. Colin has a very nice tutorial on using it. Also, in Robert O'Brien's DVD on steel string guitar building(from LMI or apprenticepublishing.com) he demonstrates using the safety planer to thickness back and sides.

I don't have a jointer and I've built 5 instruments. However, I do have access to one, and will use it when squaring up the neck blank and fretboard. You should really get to know someone who has one, as it will make your life so much simpler.
Good luck!
Tracy

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Tracy
http://www.luthiersuppliers.com

John, I would not suggest using a safe-t planer for that, I can't see getting things flat enough for good looking joint. A jointer is a tool that will get a huge amount of work truing up stock for necks, blocks, bindings, fretboards, jigs...etc. Really a fairly inexpensive tool compared to some others in the shop.

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David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

You can easily build a abrasive planer. If I had limited funds and a way to get a motor and a shaft, that would be a way to go. Search for thickness sanders or drum sanders and you'll get some hits in the archives. Good luck with your efforts to build, bd

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

John, I urge you to stop looking for ways to turn inexpensive tools that are not jointers into jointers. Back up and take a class in the use of woodworking machinery before you waste time and materials or hurt yourself.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

John, as Tracy mentioned, another option is to see if you have a woodworking store such as Woodcrafters in your area. They will let you buy time on their tools without a making a large initial investment in equipment yourself. For me, with very limited space for tools, the occasional trip to use their tools is a no brainer. I'm sure there are also woodworkers in your area who might be willing to help you out. As Howard said, use the right tool for the job.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

...alternately, buy a used #7 or #6 Stanley and learn to sharpen it up and use it. A 24" long plane does wonders for helping you get straight, flat surfaces. That's as cheap a jointer as you'll find, and IMO time spent learning to adjust and use planes is time well spent.

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] and cutting the coffee table in half to make guitar necks....... [/QUOTE]

What's the problem in that??? I don't get it.

Cheers

Kim

[QUOTE=Mattia Valente]...alternately, buy a used #7 or #6 Stanley and learn to sharpen it up and use it. A 24" long plane does wonders for helping you get straight, flat surfaces. That's as cheap a jointer as you'll find, and IMO time spent learning to adjust and use planes is time well spent.[/QUOTE]

that is what i have been doing and the necks are going well. but my next step is to have with laminate stripes all fitting nicely. the only ones i laminated so far were 2 piece and a 3 piece.

i am juswt going to buy the jointer after this first one is done.

[QUOTE=Howard Klepper]John, I urge you to stop looking for ways to turn inexpensive tools that are not jointers into jointers. Back up and take a class in the use of woodworking machinery before you waste time and materials or hurt yourself.[/QUOTE]

 

point taken 

i am goin g to buy the jointer soon. i was pricing the decent ones today. i know there would be no substitue for a 6 inch table, or table top mini.  

Hey John,

You don't need to buy new, plenty of really good old machines around, the art is in the sharpen and set-up. There is plenty on the net to show you how and these days, with rare earth magnets, making a blade setting jig for an old style machine is a cheap breeze.

Cheers

Kim

A well-tuned jointer is one of the mainstays of any woodworking shop. Besides preparing a plane surface, its fence allows it make two adjacent surfaces square (or at some other angle) to each other, which is a major use of it.

But--If the main purpose is preparing thin laminates for neck layups, a jointer may not be the right machine. When your stock is thinner than about 1/4", it becomes difficult to pass it through the jointer without chatter. Same thing with a planer. What I do for thin laminates (I can usually get the jointer and planer to handle down to 3/16" or so, but this depends on the machine, the wood, and your technique) is thickness them with a thickness sander, and then either fine sand by hand with blocks, or scrape the glue surface smooth.

The time you invest in learning machine use and setup now will save you much more time and improve your results. Be patient--a lot of different skills have to be brought together for guitarmaking.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

have to agree with howard. Too much chatter on the thin stuff on the jointer. I know some people have had really bad experiences on a rare occasion trying that.
-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy