"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message
...
charlie b wrote:

Plus the one I've had w/ the automated "planer as jointer" machines--how
do you control and drive a non-flat piece of material past the cutter
head w/o distorting it to get the initial flat reference surface?
That's the reason for the jointer initially and why working a piece
through the planer first (unless it's so thick as to be essentially
rigid) doesn't work.

These combination machines have a jointer to straighten and flatten the
stock. Then after flattening the stock you run it through the planer. Have
you seen the Rikon? The Rikon has short beds but has a 10" jointer capacity
and then you run the flat on one side wood below the bed area to plane to
thickness.