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Router Thickness "Planer" on the Cheap

Project by oldskoolmodder posted 405 days ago 2512 views 13 times favorited 7 comments Add to Favorites Watch

I didn’t have a thickness planer and rarely need one, but once in a while have a need for thinner wood for projects. I was making some cutting boards in early summer and wanted the joined woods to be the same thickness (don’t ask me why), so I thought about making a jog of sorts, based on a picture I saw ages ago. Little did I know that a few days later while at the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, I’d by an old magazine that had a router thickness planer article and plans inside. Mine is slightly different and will accommodate 14” wide by 20” minimum.

The underside shows an extra piece of oak, that I had to install after I found out the router wouldn’t go over as far to the left as I needed it to go. One piece is mounted at top of the jig, as a permanent hold, and the bottom piece can be screwed into the 1/2” MDF underneath to hold the project in place, while I plane it to the right thickness.

Made of pine, poplar, red oak and 1/2” MDF. So it’s about as cheap as you can make a thickness planer for. Also, for the router to slide on, I used some 1” x 1” Corner L Aluminum.

-- Respect your shop tools and they will respect you - Ric


7 comments so far

View lew's profile

lew

4413 posts in 634 days


posted 405 days ago

Nice Job!

I thought about making one of these. My idea was to use drawer slides but it turns out the slides have too much slop and I gave up. Never thought about angle iron.

Thanks for the post

View oldskoolmodder's profile

oldskoolmodder

707 posts in 559 days


posted 405 days ago

I got the Alum L very cheap from a client of my Brother’s, who owns a metal shop. roughly 40 feet, plus a half sheet of perforated alum and some straight stock, for $50. So I figured since I had it, I’d use it. It worked out well for this project.

-- Respect your shop tools and they will respect you - Ric

View jockmike2's profile

jockmike2

7222 posts in 1125 days


posted 404 days ago

You should take a look at Gary K’s thickness planer, you’re on the right track but he built one that was a masterpiece. It looked pretty easy to make too. I’ve been gonna try my hand at it.

-- Mike. mwurm13@yahoo.com

View oldskoolmodder's profile

oldskoolmodder

707 posts in 559 days


posted 404 days ago

Thanks, Mike. I couldn’t find what you were looking for in GaryK’s stuff, but I might have missed it. I’ll have to try to do a more thorough search I guess.

-- Respect your shop tools and they will respect you - Ric

View CessnaPilotBarry's profile

CessnaPilotBarry

1225 posts in 581 days


posted 404 days ago

I’ve seen similar jigs, but with a curve, for hollowing seat blanks with a core box bit.

-- - Please help keep Lumberjocks an enjoyable escape by refusing to participate in political discussions. Simply spit out the bait and ignore the thread...

View MNbuzzdust's profile

MNbuzzdust

99 posts in 231 days


posted 225 days ago

This looks great! Thanks for posting it.

View Beginningwoodworker's profile

Beginningwoodworker

3857 posts in 552 days


posted 32 days ago

Nice job.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

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