Tom Militano
KNIFE MAKER
I have a bunch of 4" to 6" blocks that need to be sized to uniform sizes, 1 1/2" square. Will a planer handle short pieces like that? Thanks
I don't know if we're talking about wood or man made materials, but for wood you might really want to consider a bench plane. Give me a well set up hand plane with a well sharpened blade and I can smooth or dimension a piece of small stock In less time than it takes to set up most power tools and jigs. That and a decent plane will cost a fraction of the price of a planer/joiner.
What model Dewalt planer do you have? Thanks for the reply.
Jwhite, not to sound argumentative but I would have suggested this were it not for burls. Even when stabilized, the grain in burl makes it nearly impossible to hand plane, scrape or plane with any ease. I've started building a DIY Sand Planer Machine for this reason. Hand tools tend be my preferred method but every now and again, they are inappropriate for the task at hand and expensive if you don't already own one. A good plane will cost nearly as much as used planer or jointer. At any rate, if it works for you keep on. Burls have bested me and worn my patience to the point where I don't often consider edged hand tools for them.
Regards,
M