Originally posted by tipusnr
<br />Not meaning to detour the topic but I would really like to see Gary's sled. I have a thickness planer and have been trying to figure out the best design for a sled for planning pieces shorter than the 10" minimum the planer guide requires.
Bill,
I'll try to post pics sometime this week BUT I don't do short on the planer -- why bother?
If I'm going to make a contrasting slice and plane it that thin, I'm going to make it as long as I can. I often rip 24-32" slices of sapelle, plane to thickness and use that for my slices. I leave the slice as long as possible, and after gluing it into the kerf, I cut the long extra at the blank with a gent's backsaw (handsaw). I just keep working my way thru those long rip offcuts til I need more, then do it again. Same with the curly maple rip offcuts, except they're usually 4' - 8' long.
I have heard of some guys using double sided tape to affix a short thin piece to a sacrificial board and taking really light cuts thru the planer, but I think a scraper or handplane makes more sense for something that small.
Heck, by the time someone affixes it to the sacrificial board, adjusts the planer for a gnat's hair cut and runs it thru, using handtools I'll be done. [
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