Official Luthiers Forum!

I thought he was out?

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I get all the NADA that I can take possibly need, but its the wife type. Wud's NADA probably can't ship to Canada.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

nice bunch of face mills Zeke. they look like they earn their keep. no, a Wagner is a bit different in as much as the heel of the tool has no relief so it actually prevents the wood from lifting:



and there is a lip around the diameter to keep your fingers away from the cut.

i probably wouldn't want to make one unless they really fell off the earth or i had nothing better to do. they are useful and interesting though.

I see I see. I was wondering about that. Seemed a little dangerous to me but now I get it. And yes those definitely earn their keep. They have made a lot of chips in their day.

I really appreciate mine for thicknessing the back of the neck blank as seen on the stew mac site. Also for milling bridge and fingerboard blanks...

Pat, mine is the genuine item, bought new. To anyone contemplating buying a used one: Your Safe-T-Planer should have these items in the box: The head, three cutters installed, a ceramic honing wheel with arbor, an allen wrench, and an instruction manual. You can do without almost any of the add-ons except the ceramic wheel. If you don't have a means to hone the cutters, it will be a worthless tool eventually.

Regarding jigs: Yes, several are shown in the instruction manual, including planing tables, cove molding jigs, etc. But luthiers can get good ideas just by watching Robbie O'Brian's excellent video on using this tool to thickness back and side sets. I've followed Robbie's method. And I've rigged up fixtures to hold my stock on specific angled planes, so I can taper instrument necks from heel to head stock.

Regarding RPMs: The manual says 6,000 rpm is the absolute limit. It recommends 5,000 or less for some operations. I'd say 3,000 ought to work fine for a sharp tool used with care. Disclaimer: Practice first on rough stock until you get the feel for it.

Regarding methods: The manual says plane your boards across the grain for the first cuts, and then finish up with very light passes. I use light passes in either direction, regardless.

Regarding leveling your table with a feeler gauge: YES. Easy to do. It's the first thing you'll read in your manual.

Regarding safety of use: The lip is supposed to keep your fingers away from the cutters, and it will, as long as your cutter doesn't grab and throw the work and drag your fingers in. See my point?! It's a power tool and it has three sharp teeth! It is just waiting to bite you and hurt you! But, if your respect it, it will tend to be respectful to you.

More on safety: Don't forget eye protection, at a minimum. A full face shield is better. Well, think of it this way: Do you really want to try to eat a rough guitar neck that is thrown out at you from a 3,000 rpm power tool? I certainly don't. Anything can happen. Be prepared for the worst and be delighted when it doesn't happen.

All that said, I think it's a great tool. Good luck to all.
Patrick