I've lost it - Having no planer, I'm tired of using the belt sander for thickness planing, not to mention the swirling dust - I know I saw a jig or setup for floating a router over material for thickness planing but now I can't put my finger on it - anybody got a link or plans for that?

Basically, build a beefy sled to hold your router, making sure that you have more than the width of the stock you're planing on each side of the router. Then you need two supports of exactly the same height for each side of the stock you're planing. Then using a bowl bottom bit or a planing bit (the bigger the better) take light passes. You will probably still need a little bit of sanding when done.

If you use curved supports, you can use the same sort of technique to hollow out shallow chair seats, etc.

American woodworkers woodworking with the router has an example of this jig.

IT IS SLOW AND TAKES A LOT OF PATIENCE-- IT ALSO MAKES A MESS. But if you have complicated grain patterns, etc, the router does a great job.

Gilbear
I have saw one also but I don't recall where,but I had to LOL when it saw it.
The router can do many things but using for a thickness planing maybe a hard one.

You may want to look around for plans for a belt sander (16" wide belt)
I was going to make one and found all the parts I needed like the parts from a use conveyor belt (made to move boxes up 3ft high lift) from a scrap yard for 25.oo bucks.
With alum.drums and vbelt drive.
Then I sold all the parts to a mate and he made one, DAM and it worked great.

Just a thought
Bj

BJ - I saw a plan for making the sander like you mentioned recently but, wow, it looked complicated - other problem I have is very limited space, with emphasis on very (maybe I should just get rid of a car!) - but appreciate the suggestion and will look at that again.
Doug - What you're describing sounds like the kind of thing I was thinking of - seemed pretty simple - maybe I'll just play around with that idea a bit and see what materializes - I KNOW I saw a jig plan somewhere - with all the links I've got, you'd think I could hit it - curved sled sounds interesting too!

Gilbear
Just a note.
Cars need to use the floor but some tools can be hung from the rafters and then pulled down in to place when you need to use them.
Garage door springs work great for this type of job. (the old type 2 " dia.ones) or a pull down ladder type setup.
"it looked complicated" but it's not.
Belt sanders are not cheap as you know.

Have a good one.
Bj

Gilbear

The Mar/Apr edition Vol. 15 Issue 86 of Shopnotes has an interesting project on " How To Build Your Own Thickness Sander " which would solve your dilema.

I've been eyeing this article since I first read about it, and it is on my things to build list, when I get the opportunity. It looks fairly simple and can be modified to operate on its own power source. ( In the article, they are using a table saw as the workbench and to power the drum sander )

You can see a picture of it by going to www.shopnotes.com website or going to the following:

http://www.shopnotes.com/main/86-thicknessSander.html

If you have some time, this may be your answer and it can be built economically, using odds and ends you probably have kicking around the shop. LOL

Check it out!!!

Ric

OK folks, you're gettin me thinkin again - thanks! I will take a look at the Thickness sander again - and look at my rafters in a new way too - right now they're my materials storage - both above and racks hanging below.
I still want to play with the planer jig as well though.
Any more options, folks?
BJ, how fast was your buddy's sander able to take down stock? That is the plan that looked complicated to me, but maybe I'm just overly simple!

Hi Gilbear
I just couldn't do much without my planer!
Here's what you were looking for, it's pretty basic:
http://www.leestyron.com/sled.php

~Julie~

Ric

That one looks good
Here's a link to the PDF file.(layout/cutting details)
http://www.shopnotes.com/main/pdf/08...ess-sander.pdf

I just may try this one.(quick and easy one)
Thanks
Bj

Gilbear

Here's what you are looking for!!

The Vol. 4 Issue 21 of Shopnotes has a 4 page an article titled " Router Thicknessing Jig " which uses the router to plane boards on a adjustable platform bed similar to that mentioned by Doug with a few modifications.

Modifications include a clamping system, adjustable width up to 15-3/4" wide, and carriage support for the router.

They use a 1" dia. 1/2 ' shank bottom cleaning bit to achieve the cut.

If you don't have that issue, I'll see if I can somehow copy this article and email it to you. (You didn't hear that, right??)

Ric