Logosol PH 260

[Peakebrook]

I have read many of the old posts regarding this machine.  I have a few additional questions.  I am primarily going to make red oak and cherry T&G flooring and ceiling boards.

How important is it to straight line rip the boards prior to processing?  Can this be done on the Woodmizer after they have been kiln dried?

Many of you have talked about pre-processing before running the boards through the Logosol.   Does this include planing one or both sides?

How close should hardwood boards be to final dimension.  How important is dimensional consistency for all the blanks?

How much end trimming is usually necessary of processed boards?  Is long stock a problem?


Thanks

[trim4u2nv]

Straight line ripping helps improve feed rate and prevent jambs.  It also gives the board a reference against the back fence (requires less jointing.)  I have used band sawn edges against the fence (feed not as smooth a feed as circular sawn or power jointed.)   

I generally order my lumber s2s (skip planed 15/16) where 85-90% percent is hit by the planer heads.   It is easier to spot thick/thin boards and cull them this way.    Plus if there is some rough grain that needs to be trimmed or planed slow, it will show easier.  Cost about $400 per truckload and well worth it.   S2S machine of choice newman S382  Another option is to have 1 clear face jointed on a Porter or Whitney facer (powerfeed jointer.)

Preferred (+/-) 1/16 inch tolerance on blanks.  Too narrow wane and skip, too thick binding in chipbreaker or pressure bar.

End trimming should be square.  Top to bottom is more important,  as blanks can double lap in a push feed moulder.  This happens when 1 blank rides over/under the preceding blank.  Dont want any loose splinters (fiber pull ect.) as they can become a projectile or clog the dust collection system when they wedge crossways in the blowpipe.

Long stock can bind if there is too much crook against the fence.   Long stock also needs extra support to prevent sniping

[mur]

Hi Peakebrook:

Support long boards on both the infeed and the outfeed. 
I end trim all my boards - both ends.  Dirt on the ends makes for a miserable finish on the board.  Plus you'll be changing blades a lot more than you'll like. 
I "flatten" my boards with a Norwood bandmill - 8-10 pieces at a time vertically stacked - curve up on first cut and "horns" up on the second cut after I flip the pile.  Makes for a straight edge to feed into the PH 260.
I pre-plane one side of my boards - always the bottom face.  S2S'd a pile of 1x4 pine once and had a nightmare feeding it as it "slipped" and burned on the final run.  My finish face is always the top of the board on my final run. 
Uniform, straight blanks make for a well-finished board.  The PH 260 is a "finesse" planer.  It hates rough thick and thin boards with dirt.  I speak from experience.  Clean up your processes and make good blanks.  The machine will do nice work - but production is limited. 

[fireman05]

Peakebrook,

I straightline rip all of my flooring to ensure consistency in producing the finished product.  For example if I am producing 4" finished face flooring, I rip my blanks to 4 3/4" wide and run them through the Logosol planing only the bottom to 7/8" thickness.  I then run them through the final pass to the 3/4" thickness and finished width of 4 1/4" edge to tongue which gives me the 4" finished face.  I leave the end trimming to the customer so they can make the best use of the material and I don't have that time tied into the trimming.  I do end trim for the customer if they request it but the price is obviously more.  Since I harvest and saw my own material, I keep the logs quite clean and ensure the quality right from the stump through the sawing /drying and finished product. 

Make sure the consistency is there as far as width and thickness or you will have unhappy customers!  Good luck!

[Peakebrook]

I appreciate all the information.  It gives me a little better idea what to expect with the Logosol, and what I would need to do in the way of preparing blanks.