How to use a RAS planer head?
 

I just bought one at a garage sale. Oddly, it is not mentioned in the
instruction book that came with it.

All I can figure is that it goes on in place of the blade; the arbor nut
goes into the head and then the head is screwed on with the nut in place. I
haven't tried it yet, but it looks like the arbor is too long; does it
require a spacer?
Thanks.

Don't know exactly why I want it, but for $2...

How to use a RAS planer head?
 

Toller wrote:
I just bought one at a garage sale. Oddly, it is not mentioned in the
instruction book that came with it.

All I can figure is that it goes on in place of the blade; the arbor
nut goes into the head and then the head is screwed on with the nut
in place. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like the arbor is too
long; does it require a spacer?
Thanks.

Don't know exactly why I want it, but for $2...

You just wasted $2...

When/if you try it, take very shallow cuts no more than 1/2 the diameter of
the planer wide. Then be prepared to spend hours smoothing the *very* rough
cuts.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

How to use a RAS planer head?
 

"Toller" wrote in message
...
I just bought one at a garage sale. Oddly, it is not mentioned in the
instruction book that came with it.

All I can figure is that it goes on in place of the blade; the arbor nut
goes into the head and then the head is screwed on with the nut in place.

Mine goes on the power take off, on the opposite end of the shaft.



I
haven't tried it yet, but it looks like the arbor is too long; does it
require a spacer?
Thanks.

Don't know exactly why I want it, but for $2...

How to use a RAS planer head?
 

Was the RAS the precursor of the ShopSmith? Seems
like a damn dangerous woodworking Swiss Army Pocket
Knife - rip saw, cross cut saw, dado, rabbet, drill, boring
machine, horizontal mortiser - PLANER? Bit too crazy and
scary for me.

charlie b

How to use a RAS planer head?
 

Everything on it works just fine and quite safely. My father had one when I
was a teenager. I used it more than he did. Had about every accessory that
could be had. Just have to be smarter than the machine.

"charlie b" wrote in message
...
Was the RAS the precursor of the ShopSmith? Seems
like a damn dangerous woodworking Swiss Army Pocket
Knife - rip saw, cross cut saw, dado, rabbet, drill, boring
machine, horizontal mortiser - PLANER? Bit too crazy and
scary for me.

charlie b

How to use a RAS planer head?
 

"dadiOH" wrote in message
news:OWH6g.1$OF6.0@trnddc06...
Toller wrote:
I just bought one at a garage sale. Oddly, it is not mentioned in the
instruction book that came with it.

All I can figure is that it goes on in place of the blade; the arbor
nut goes into the head and then the head is screwed on with the nut
in place. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like the arbor is too
long; does it require a spacer?
Thanks.

Don't know exactly why I want it, but for $2...

You just wasted $2...

When/if you try it, take very shallow cuts no more than 1/2 the diameter
of
the planer wide. Then be prepared to spend hours smoothing the *very*
rough
cuts.

I tried it out today. Mine goes on in place of the blade.
Yeh, it is slow, extremely messy and leaves a pretty rough surface. But it
work!

Maybe it would be useful on something too irregular to go through a planer,
but a power hand planer wouldn't leave a flat enough surface. Maybe it is
completely useless. Only time will tell.

How to use a RAS planer head?
 

CW wrote:
Everything on it works just fine and quite safely. My father had one when I
was a teenager. I used it more than he did. Had about every accessory that
could be had. Just have to be smarter than the machine.

I have to agree. It's all what you've become comfortable with
(hopefully, you never get TOO comfortable with ANY power tool).

I've been woodworking for going on 40 years now. Using my dad's old
Craftsman table saw VERY occasionally until I got my own RAS around
1973. Done damn near everything with that RAS including attempting to
use that Crapsman RAS Planer attachment (anyone want one?g)

Finally bought a Jet cabinet saw last year and, quite honestly, I
started out somewhat fearful of it. With age comes knowledge and,
presumably, some additional common sense they say.

Let's just say that this past year saw me using that table saw with a
great deal more trepidation than I ever exhibited with the RAS. Looking
back, I have no doubt that if it were the RAS were the latest
acquisition, the RAS would be the one I'd worry about.

Not a bad thing, I made damn sure the cabinet saw and its Excalibur
fence was adjusted dead bang on. No problems, no missing digits, no
close calls. I still watch what I'm doing and hit the off button the
second I get that sixth sense call of "do you REALLY think this is a
good idea." Cultivate that feeling, welcome it and, above all, LISTEN
to it. You too can enjoy woodworking and a full complement of fingers,
etc. if you do.


"charlie b" wrote in message
...
Was the RAS the precursor of the ShopSmith? Seems
like a damn dangerous woodworking Swiss Army Pocket
Knife - rip saw, cross cut saw, dado, rabbet, drill, boring
machine, horizontal mortiser - PLANER? Bit too crazy and
scary for me.

Well, yeah, when you think about it is, but in practice, on a properly
aligned RAS, it's fairly safe if you just take little nibbles. Bottom
line though - as someone else mentioned - is that it does a really
crappy job. Take a nice jointer plane, beat the crap out of the blade
with a ball peen hammer and surface the wood. The results will be
similarg

How to use a RAS planer head?
 

On Fri, 05 May 2006 12:55:10 GMT, "dadiOH"
wrote:

Toller wrote:
I just bought one at a garage sale. Oddly, it is not mentioned in the
instruction book that came with it.

All I can figure is that it goes on in place of the blade; the arbor
nut goes into the head and then the head is screwed on with the nut
in place. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like the arbor is too
long; does it require a spacer?
Thanks.

Don't know exactly why I want it, but for $2...

You just wasted $2...

When/if you try it, take very shallow cuts no more than 1/2 the diameter of
the planer wide. Then be prepared to spend hours smoothing the *very* rough
cuts.

I have one of the types that screws on the back of the motor. I've
never tried it since nephew and neighbor both store their planers in
my shop, but it sounds like the RAS planar could be useful for a quick
pre-surfacing on old or painted wood if you don't have a set of
"beater" blades to put in the planer to get the crud off the surface
of the wood before using a good set of blades.

Regards,
Ed