[John Smith_]

I was using a community hobby shop running painted boards through the thickness planer and the shop guy said to cut at least 1/16" below the paint, then the blades will be cutting mostly wood and not the hard enamel paint. If I were to do that again, I would do some test boards to see if that method is still accurate.

 

[John Smith_]

that is what a thickness planer does: it cuts wood, removing layer after layer, hour after hour, day after day. That is what it is made for. . . . some people just overthink some of the most simplest things.