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Started by Tom L, May 22, 2015, 09:27:23 AM

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Tom L

the last two weeks I have been finishing some rough cut oak, has been air drying two yrs, after work running some boards thru the jointer and planer,

a bit surprised that the equipment I have is too small for the job, 8" 2hp jointer with a 4 roll feeder
15" 2hp planer, the stuff is working like a snail, could never finish material for any kind of money
could never use this stuff to try to make a living at it

the stuff is great for a hobbyist, if you have to do one or two boards to make something, but to finish a couple of piles of oak it just doesn't cut it. too many operations, too many cuts, way too slow

what does everyone here use to get  a bunch of finished material at a descent rate?
would a 4 sided molder be a better option. or just bigger jointers and planers?

beenthere

Just bigger with more hp.

Even the 4-sided need reasonable width and thickness tolerances on the input side, so some equipment is needed upline from the 4-sided moulder to work up a pile of rough air-dried lumber.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Larry

Bigger with more horsepower is always faster processing.  You just have to pick a size machine that fits in your space, and what you can afford.

I've retrofitted my 15" planer with 5 HP.  It still slows running full width, heavy cut, and maximum feed.  Jointer is 3 hp which seems adequate for my needs, but I'm not using it with a feeder.

You can figure processing wood to four sided with small to medium shop equipment at somewhere around 5 fpm which is tortoise slow.  In contrast, I've seen commercial set ups running four sided planers in the 80 - 100 fpm range.  I've been told there are machines that will even run faster.  $$$$'s



Larry, making useful and beautiful things out of the most environmental friendly material on the planet.

We need to insure our customers understand the importance of our craft.

redbeard

A helix spiral cutter head is the answer for planning their quiet and leave a really nice finish. Less clogging in the chip extraction also. After using one last week its high on my list, my 20"  4 knife planner is a work out.
Whidbey Woodworks and Custom Milling  2019 Cooks AC 3662T High production band mill and a Hud-son 60 Diesel wide cut bandmill  JD 2240 50hp Tractor with 145 loader IR 1044 all terrain fork lift  Cooks sharp

Tom L

The jointer does have  a spiral head on it, just will not cut a 7 inch wide board like I want it too

it will do a 1/16" on a pass, not an 1/8" , with the 4 roll feeder it stalled the machine twice, before I started to take it easy. on 3-4" wide material it will do a full 1/8" , just my luck the majority is 7"

oh well, go big or go home, I am going home LOL

hackberry jake

Old american made iron is about the best bang for the buck imo. You can get some heavy industrial machines for pretty cheap, especially if you aren't afraid of three phase machines.
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EZ Boardwalk Jr. With 20hp Honda, 25' of track, and homemade setworks. 32x18 sawshed. 24x40 insulated shop. 30hp kubota with fel. 1978 Massey ferguson 230.

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