Average cost to tongue and groove

[Southside]

@ljohnsaw I saw a post where you were asking about a Woodmizer SLR that is for sale, just in case I was not clear I meant a Straight Line Rip, not one of the neat shingle makers.  

[Ljohnsaw]

@ljohnsaw I saw a post where you were asking about a Woodmizer SLR that is for sale, just in case I was not clear I meant a Straight Line Rip, not one of the neat shingle makers.  

Oh...  I figured out it meant Straight Line Rip.  I just thought he WM SLR was that.  I did see a picture of one and was trying to figure out how that does a straight line rip :D

[D6c]

I too have been thinking about what it will take to T&G some fairly small runs of flooring...partly for my own use.  Sounds like I'd need more equipment that I thought.

Without getting a straight-line ripper, for small runs, would it work to pre-cut to 4' lengths, or random lengths to eliminate defects, plane one side, joint one edge, and then rip to width on a table saw before cutting the t&g on the shaper?
I have a 13" planer, so for that process I'd need to find a table saw, jointer and shaper.  
This probably wouldn't be very efficient for big runs but for my purposes do you think it would work?

What I have is a bunch of 4/4 walnut that's about 10" wide x 12' long that I'd like to put down on my kitchen floor.

[Southside]

Yes, that would work, but I would joint one face before planning it so you have a flat surface to reference from. Also would want to use a dado on the table saw to add in the back relief.  Have some board buddies / hold down springs and a fence for your shaper too, helps keep things in place, even better is a power feed.    

[D6c]

Yes, that would work, but I would joint one face before planning it so you have a flat surface to reference from. Also would want to use a dado on the table saw to add in the back relief.  Have some board buddies / hold down springs and a fence for your shaper too, helps keep things in place, even better is a power feed.    

Thanks Southside, 
I like that idea...especially using a power feed on the shaper.  

With this technique I wouldn't need too big of equipment.  I'm thinking maybe I can find some older Delta or Powermatic equipment....solidly built but not way expensive.

How important is it to have the ends of flooring T&G cut as well?

[Southside]

As far as end matching goes, I always recommend it, anything over 6" wide I won't make it without end matching. If you do end match don't skimp on the cutters, that cross grain is hard, also have a backstop piece to minimize tear out. 

[ellmoe]

How important is it to have the ends of flooring T&G cut as well?

We sell a lot of plank flooring up to 10" wide, nominal. We have never t&g'd the ends. When I first started doing Floors I asked my moulder salesman if it was necessary to profile the ends ( an opportunity for him to sell me another machine) and his reply was , "no, that is was not commonly done on plank flooring". We have been doing it this way for over 15 years. On tongue and grooves are not sloppy, so little movement. Cupping might be a problem in wide boards if only blind nailed if flooring is much dryer when installed, than than later humidity dictates. I'm not sure that an end profile will help control said cupping much in the case of a long plank.