In feed / Out feed tables for planer

[Wudman]

I've had enough wrestling with "roller stands" with my Woodmaster planer.  It's time for some good in feed tables.  Does anybody have a recommendation on a set up that works well?  As the table on the Woodmaster is the movable part, I was considering a stand that would raise and lower the planer and keep the tables stationary as opposed to having to readjust two tables with ever depth change.  Anybody tried this?  Thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks.

Wudman

[bedway]

I have had a woodmaster for years and my first guess is your doing something wrong. You shouldnt have to adjust the rollers that much. If you can provide some more details maybe i can help you,,,bedway

[Wudman]

Bedway,

Right now I am using a couple of those portable roller stands.  Yesterday I was running 8/4 x 12 x 16' yellow poplar.  The individual roller stands just don't cut it.....I'd knock 'em over.....knock 'em sideways....Running this long stuff I want a good set of in feed tables.  I've got some 16/4 x 10 x 16' oak to run so I'm gonna need them soon.  Short stuff is no problem, the longer stuff is a hassle working by myself.  Thanks.

Wudman

[pineywoods]

Problem is not unique to a woodmaster, any planner where the table raises and lowers instead of the head moving will have a problem with long heavy stuff. I have the same problem with the portable rollers on a tripod. I have a job coming up that's gonna involve some 24 ft 6X6 to run through my woodmaster. Ain't figured any good way to do it. Sure could use an infeed and outfeed table with rollers, that would adjust up and down. Never thought about raising the entire planner, might be easier.

[woodhick]

Not sure of a solution to your question, but if you are having problems with knocking over the current stands that you are using i may have a solution.  I built a stand and used an old brake drum from a large truck for the base.  It is heavy and stable, if you need to move it just tip it up and roll.   

[Wudman]

Nice idea Woodhick.  I did something similar to mount my bench grinder.  It is sitting on a big truck wheel and axle.  That works well.  I may just have to do the same with the roller stands.  They would be on a stable base anyway.  Thanks.

[Larry]

I had an outfeed table on a 30" Crescent.  To adjust height it had a swinging leg on one end while the other end was attached to the table.  It was quick to adjust by just pushing on the leg with your foot.

I prefer roller stands...but I'm not running big and heavy like you are.  Besides making the roller stand heavy, use an extra big roller.  4" is about minimum diameter with 6" being a lot better.  The weight and extra big roller keep it from being pushed around.



This is my first attempt at a roller stand.  Latest model has a 6" roller, three legs so it always sits on the floor solid, and weighs maybe 4 times as much.  Sorry that it's not available for a picture at this time.

[metalspinner]

I once saw in a surplus catalogue the inner workings and frame for electric car seats.  I always thought that would make good outfeed tables.  If placed on top of a cabinet, it could be rolled around to different machines and tilted and lifted to match up perfectly to the tables of the different tools.

[TexasTimbers]

Bedway is thinking you are having trouble with your feed rollers I think. Not on the same page. i can relate though I have a Woodmaster and about the only thing I don't like about it is the table moves versus the head. I don't like the rollers either because you do have to adjust them further up as you plane when you are doing large heavy stock to minimize snipe.

I wanted to make a planer bed for mine so I could use it as a jointer too, but haven't figured out how I want to do that yet.

If you haven't ordered the Shelix Type cuterhead from Woodmaster yet I highly reccomend it. You'll never go back to HSS again.

[flht01]

I just picked up my 725 last week but haven't had a chance to put it together yet. One of the options I decided to get was in-feed/out-feed tables that bolted up and folded down when not in use. I'll post pictures when I get it uncrated.

[TexasTimbers]

I hope you spent the extra $1600. I know I sound like a broken record but you will not believe the difference.

[flht01]

I hope you spent the extra $1600. I know I sound like a broken record but you will not believe the difference.

I didn't but will before I get too far along, just have to recover from sticker shock first. 

While we're on the topic of woodmasters, has anybody tried using the router attachment to make tounge and groove in place of a router table or shaper?

[Ironwood]

Well, I have had several plans for addressing dis issue over da years. I currently have two Beach stroke sander tables I was going to use for just dis purpose (they have a bevel gear and gibbed ways and raise and lower a pretty good distance).  I would sell both fairly cheap (w/ all da other various parts to da sanders as well) for like $300 for both.

  My new, albeit more expensive solution are hydraulic scissor lifts. I have several bouncing around da shop at any given time. They are great mobile work stations and come in real handy for dis purpose.( Someone YOPPERIZED my words, I don't speak like this)

            Reid

[pineywoods]

re    router attachment for woodmaster

real picky to get set up right, but it works fine...ran a bunch of V groove tongue and groove paneling...

[flht01]

re    router attachment for woodmaster

real picky to get set up right, but it works fine...ran a bunch of V groove tongue and groove paneling...

Thanks for the info, pineywoods. I'll put the attachment on the "like to have" list along with the Shelix Type cuterhead. It'll probably be quite awhile though, I need a good bandsaw and jointer first.

[Wudman]

Well, I have had several plans for addressing dis issue over da years. I currently have two Beach stroke sander tables I was going to use for just dis purpose (they have a bevel gear and gibbed ways and raise and lower a pretty good distance).  I would sell both fairly cheap (w/ all da other various parts to da sanders as well) for like $300 for both.

  My new, albeit more expensive solution are hydraulic scissor lifts. I have several bouncing around da shop at any given time. They are great mobile work stations and come in real handy for dis purpose.( Someone YOPPERIZED my words, I don't speak like this)

            Reid

Reid,

This is one of my lines of thought.  I was considering a hydraulic scissor lift for the planer and leaving the feed tables stationary ( a nice heavy platform for the planer).  Is your scissor lift stable enough that the planer wouldn't try to "wiggle" around?  Thanks.

Wudman

[TexasTimbers]

I don't get what you mean Wudman.. How are you going to leave the feed tables stationary? You mean let the planer go up and down? That's 800 pounds that would be riding up and down on those little all thread jack screws plus the weight of the board being planed. Not sure I would want that.

[TexasTimbers]

( Someone YOPPERIZED my words, I don't speak like this)

I must admit it raised my eyebrow. I thought how out of character it was for you to speak this way. Silly me yeah, but not Reid!  I feel better now. ;D

[Wudman]

I don't get what you mean Wudman.. How are you going to leave the feed tables stationary? You mean let the planer go up and down? That's 800 pounds that would be riding up and down on those little all thread jack screws plus the weight of the board being planed. Not sure I would want that.

I was thinking of using a hydraulic ATV / Motorcycle scissor lift to raise and lower the planer.  That way, the infeed and outfeed tables could be made solid.  On the other hand, maybe I should just make the tables of the scissor lift variety and then they could be moved around the shop as needed.  Using a hydraulic jack as the operating mechanism, adjustments would be fairly simple.  Maybe I was trying to out think myself. 

Wudman

[TexasTimbers]

I like the mobile scissor lift for tables better too. i want to keep my planer mobile as well. I won't get around to that project until next year probably. If you beat me to it post some pics if'n you don't mind.

[Ironwood]

Actually, I had not thought of making the planer raise and fall on a movable table. If it isn't too heavy that would work well and is a GOOD thought for a smaller planer. You could then use the tables for assembly or whatever. All my planers are ,.........well HEAVY. This is a good thought. Your amount of throw would only need to be whatever the travel on the planer is.

                My scissor are very stable, Reid

[limbrat]

Me thinks that if you stood a piece of 6or8" square tubing made a deck on top for the planer and capped the bottom. Then made a base to go around the tubing with 2 angle irons to each flat side of the tubing running up the side of the tubing. then mount a couple of them cup ball bearings between the angles and the tubing that would allow the tubing to ride up and down without any side to side slop. a hyd floor jack under the tubing should be able to accuratly lift and lower the planer.

You could make the whole thing out of angle. Hope you can get a picture from my poor discription

[Fla._Deadheader]

 Run the Planer upside down ???  Might have to plug the vent on the gearbox, if it has one ???

Infeed and outfeed table stays the same height ???

[BBTom]

Why not just bolt heavy legs to the bed of the planer and let the planer screws raise and lower itself as it is adjusted??

To get the proper length, just raise the bed to its highest point (thinnest cut) and measure to the floor.  Make your legs an inch longer.  My grizzly has two bolt holes in each corner of the bed where the roller brackets mount.  The legs could be bolted on with these bolts.  

Build your tables or roller beds (my preference) so the top of the table or rolls are the same height as the bed after bolting the legs onto it.  

[TexasTimbers]

that's what i was talking about putting all the weight of the planer and the lumber on those jack screws BB. Not sure it would be a goof idea for the motor or the threads. I can plane a 25 1/2" by 6 1/2" board. Those alone can get kind of heavy. But I do love the idea. If I know it would nor burn out the motor (couold always replace it with a bigger HP) or trash the jack screws or worse yet the females threads in the cast ears of the planer bed, I would do exactly that. It's a very attractive idea for many reasons.

[TexasTimbers]

Wudman, Piney, flht01

Any of you fellas come up with a system you like yet? I haven't jerked around with it yet. Still just been using roller stands but I have a large order (for me) on the books where I need to plane several thousand board feet. A third of it heavy timbers.

Anyone fiddled around with a Woodmaster solution yet?

[pineywoods]

Just got a mailout from woodmaster.  They figured it out. fastens to the planner table, extends about 6 feet and goes up and down with the table. Looks real simple and could easily be built to any length. gotta go get some angle iron

[OneWithWood]

Could you share those plans with us?  I am curious how the planer table accomodates the weight.

[flht01]

I've got the extensions from woodmaster on a 725 but haven't had time to use them. Between work and starting a milling shed just haven't had time. I'll be glad to get a few pict's of them folded down and set-up if anybody's interested.

Nice part about them is once there set, they will float with the planner bed without further adjustment. When done, just run the bed to about 1" on the thickness scale and fold them down.

I've got a creative streak for trying to "fab my own" extras but these extensions would be a pain to reverse engineer. They are a little bit of a pain to install but come with decent instructions and a complete parts diagram (exploded view).

[PineNut]

I would like to see the pictures of the extensions. Also what kind of $ do they want for them?

[flht01]

I'll try to get a few pictures tomorrow else it will be at least another week due to a business trip. IF I dont forget, I'll also scan the exploded view. (That will be next week at the earliest)

As far as cost, they run about $500 a pair depending on the size planner you have. Wish I could recommend them based on personal experience but so far all I've done is run the bed up and down a few time to make sure they would self adjust as advertised.

Is woodmaster the best source for knives? I'll be in the market for a set of log siding knives in a few months and I'm still suffering from the sticker shock on those.

[shopteacher]

How about a piece of scate wheel conveyor and a hyd. jack.  Attach one end to the planer table so it could swivel up and down a little and have a stand on the other end where the jack could sit and be raised or lovered. .  Attach a level to the conveyor so when the table on the planer is adjusted you only have to raise or lower the jack till it shows level.

[DR Buck]

How about a piece of scate wheel conveyor and a hyd. jack.  Attach one end to the planer table so it could swivel up and down a little and have a stand on the other end where the jack could sit and be raised or lovered. .  Attach a level to the conveyor so when the table on the planer is adjusted you only have to raise or lower the jack till it shows level.

Now that's an idea.......   

   Skate wheel track isn't very heavy, so you could probably get by without the hydraulic jack.  Just take one of thoes adjustable single roller stands and mount it on the far end of the skate track.   Raise or lower the planer table and then go to the other end of the skate track and make one adjustment.    Much cheaper than the Woodmaster solution.

[David Freed]

   I just found this website a couple days ago and you have probably already solved your problem, but I thought I would tell you about my in/out feed tables. I special ordered my Woodmaster (10 hp drive motor, 5 sawblades) and then further modified it (46 fpm) to use it as a gand rip saw only. For the tables I built 2 frames of 12' long 2x6's, using 3/4" osb as a subtop and a slick replacable top. One end is fastened to the planer, with the other end supported by 2 permanent legs. The 2x6's are strong enough that no support is needed in the center, and with the support legs being 12' away, raising or lowering the bed doesn't make any difference on the tables. The whole setup is about 27' long and as you probably guessed, is not portable.     David

[bedway]

David, Some pictures of your set up would interest several people here,,bedway

[brdmkr]

I was thinking of using a hydraulic ATV / Motorcycle scissor lift to raise and lower the planer.  That way, the infeed and outfeed tables could be made solid.  On the other hand, maybe I should just make the tables of the scissor lift variety and then they could be moved around the shop as needed.  Using a hydraulic jack as the operating mechanism, adjustments would be fairly simple.  Maybe I was trying to out think myself. 

Wudman

We have one of these setups at work feeding a Woodmaster.  We welded rollers to the top of 2 motorcyle lifts one for infeed the other for outfeed.  It works great.  The lifts are Harbor Freight specials.  I think they cost maybe 300 each.

[Kcwoodbutcher]

For knives, check out globaltooling.com. Just bought a set for my 718 and I think they were $33.00 plus shipping. They carry knives for just about any planer or jointer.

[David Freed]

   Bedway,
   I'll try to get some soon.   David

[David Freed]

   I apologize for taking so long getting some pictures of my setup. I am not around to do much of the shop work and we are really cramped for space. This week I was home all week and we did a lot of rearranging to make better use of the space we have. While we were at it we shortened the outfeed table to 8' to gain some space. I was able to get some decent pictures when we got the shop cleared out. The first 3 pictures show the entire setup in segments; outfeed table first, then the Woodmaster and feeders, then the infeed table. A long pallet with upright stakes fastened to each corner goes under the outfeed table and the usable offcuts get thrown in it. When its full you take them out with the forklift. The scrap strips fall on the floor on the back side. If you look close you will see there is only one leg at the back of each table so you don't have to work around a front leg. The tables are also fastened with a board running across the end extending to the wall and are really stable. If you look at the bottom of the fence adjustment pictures you can see my toes where I'm standing in the middle of the table, (I weigh about 245).






   The next picture is the switches. The mag switch starts the saw. The light switch starts the saw feeder and both versafeeders.






   The next 2 pictures show the fence adjustment. The first set for an almost straight board and the second for a really crooked board. The handle on the right moves the fence. The fence is a 12' piece of 1½”x1½”x¼” angle iron.






   Next are views from the infeed side and then the outfeed side.

[oakiemac]

Looks like a nice setup David. Did you get the versa feeders from woodmaster or did you buy them elsewere?

[David Freed]

I looked at several online tool stores and got the feeders from this one.
http://www.tylertool.com/      David

[David Freed]

I forgot to say that I had bought the feeders to use on a homemade moulding machine I had built. I bought my Logosol moulder, dismantled the homemade machine, and then had the idea to get the woodmaster and set it up like it is now using the feeders I already had.

[sawwood]

I was at WoodMaster yesterday and i bought the out feed adjustable table for my 18" planer. It took about a hour to install and adjust it and both infeed & out feed tables to
it. Ran a walnut pice threw to check it out and it did a super job. Took some photos of
it so you guys will now what it looks like.

[logwalker]

Sawood, Can we get a review on the table?

[OneWithWood]

How much extra length did you get? 
What are the dimensions of the extension?

[sawwood]

Here is the instruction sheet that will show all the parts. The table extends out 31" from the end of the planer outfeed table. If you used both tables and the planer tables you will need a total of 105" of room for it. I has two adjustments to the planer table one with out the polly board and one with it. I ran a couple of boards threw it of different lenths and it sure did help with not sniping the end of the board. If i has the room i might have got both adjustable tables but my shop is 16 x 20 so i didn't have the room. As i said it took me just a hour to assemble and adjust it. It works real smooth up and down. Woodmaster has come out with a lot of nice addition to there line of tools. Also when i was there Mark showed me some idems that where returned , so i am sure if you need a planer or dust blower they have some used one for sale.

[OneWithWood]

DanG, Sawwood, you pushed me over the edge  :

Just ordered both an infeed and an outfeed for my 718. 8)

I tire easily of the constant adjusting of the cheap roller units I am using now.  I will place those units at the table saw and SCM.

_{Better sell some more wood to pay for 'em  :D}

[DR Buck]

it sure did help with not sniping the end of the board.

DanG, Sawwood, you pushed me over the edge 

Me too!        


Tonight I was trying to plane some long large (14" wide  6/4)  stock  for fireplace mantels and was having a heck of a time adjusting the roller stands and snipe.   So, I came in here and reread this thread and then I just placed my order for both. 

[DR Buck]

Well I got the new tables and installed them without any problems.   Then I decided to give them a try.   8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)


Wow !   Did my planing ever speedup!   No messing with adjusting tables or rollers.  I should have ordered them when they first came out.

The next upgrade will be the spiral cutter head. ;D

[OneWithWood]

DanG nabiit, DR.  I just can't stay one up on you!!!!   :D :D :D :D ;D

[srt]

I was reading this thread this am, and it reminded me of a similar problem I have in the cabinet shop.  We use light wieght tables we build from plywood and 2X4's as infeed and outfeed tables for the planer.  We throw 1/2" plywood on top of them so the stock feeds in and out smoothly.

My problem is that when I plane a good sized load (like planing face frame stock for a kitchen), I'd like to be able to lower the outfeed table by the thickness of my stock after each piece exited the planer.   There would be no removing the stock from the outfeed table, just wheel the outfeed table back to the infeed of the planer for the next pass.  Kind a like the poor mans return conveyer.

Then, after spending three very hot hours fixing a lady's roof (I shouldn't allow myself to get into those jobs), I came home and checked craigslist.  Seems there's semi local guy who's giving away two electric hospital beds.  Then, the light came on!  They seem to meet all the requirements for a moveable, easily adjustable planer infeed/outfeed tables.

Just thought I'd share the thought.